Sir, – Cyclists are smug, states Garry Bury (March 23rd), because they can weave between cars and do not stop at traffic lights.
For a small minority of cyclists, this may be the case, and their actions, it seems, discredit us all.
The majority of cyclists on my Dublin commute, obey the law. We are burdened with unfashionable high visibility clothing, unflattering Lycra, daft-looking helmets, exposure to the elements, potholed and poorly maintained or simply non-existent cycle lanes, and the frequent indifference and occasional hostility of vehicular traffic.
If bicycle and vehicle collide, the bike and its rider always lose.
I cycle defensively, always assuming, despite my garish attire and front and rear lights, that I am invisible to cars, buses and lorries. I advise my children to do the same.
This policy has served me well over the years.
My principal feeling when cycling in the city is of heightened vigilance and barely suppressed fear.
Smug? Not this cyclist. – Yours, etc,
RA McDERMOTT,
Rathgar,
Dublin 6.