Lawbreaking by Cyclists

ON a school day in June I was given a one finger salute at about 3 45 pm in Station Road March by a young girl of about 13 who didn’t like me pointing out that wobbling across in front of my moving car was not a good idea. Her face was a picture of hatred, so sad in one so young.

At about the same time, I was nearly knocked over by an elderly gentleman riding on the pavement near the Stars pub.

Last week having witnessed a young boy of about 14 cycle across a red traffic light on his back wheel, I was again given a one finger salute, only this time he invited me to fight him (I am 61). I didn’t take up the offer and so I and my car were escorted at a slow pace by him and his friends until they got bored. This could have been the same group that stormed through Broad Street one morning recently.

Later in the week at March Station I was negotiating my way on foot past a number of bicycles left laying on the platform by the ticket office, when a boy of about 15 moved his, hitting my legs and nearly causing me to trip. His initial response was to apologise (there is some hope) however he quickly thought better of this and told me I should look where I am going.

So, finally, the lunatics have taken of the asylum, or in this case the cyclists have taken over the streets. Perhaps we should stop expecting the police to protect our safety and pay these kids to do it; after all they certainly seem to have the upper hand.

Perhaps the policy that traffic law breaking by cyclists goes unchallenged (think of brakes, mudguards and bells and of course riding on pavements) encourages this behaviour. In which case I wonder how the policy makers and enforcers of today are going to feel in a few years time when they are beginning to feel vulnerable.

GRAHAM McDONALD

High Street

Manea