Cyclists on city pavements

Madam, - Having spent 15 years cycling around Dublin city I wholeheartedly agree with Sean Finn (May 27th) that something needs…

Madam, - Having spent 15 years cycling around Dublin city I wholeheartedly agree with Sean Finn (May 27th) that something needs to be done about enforcing road traffic laws - but not just for cyclists, for motorists and pedestrians also.

It is my experience that gardaí have little or no interest in carrying out this function. Just one example that everyone can observe is that virtually every red light in the city will get broken by between two and four vehicles. On top of this there is no regard for the regulations on to yellow boxes.

While I don't defend cyclists using the footpath, I think everyone would agree that the so-called "cycle paths" around the city are a joke and a danger to those using them. In some cases their irrelevance is underlined by the fact that car parking spaces are painted over them.

As for pedestrians, the total lack of thought put into pedestrian lights means people often have to to wait several minutes for a "green man". This results in pedestrians becoming impatient and disregarding the lights.

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When you combine the lack of thought and planning in Dublin's traffic systems with a general lack of courtesy and the slim-to-non-existent chance of being held to account by the powers that be, is it any wonder that cyclists, motorists and pedestrians indulge in the free-for-all we see every day? - Yours, etc,

BILL MURPHY,

Patrick Street,

Dublin 8.