Motorcyclists and road safety

A chara, – I am a pedestrian of 48 years, cyclist of 40 years, motorcyclist of 30 years and car driver of 22 years. I continue to regularly use all four modes of transport. What patronising and infuriating nonsense from Moyagh Murdock, the Road Safety Authority chief executive, launching her bank holiday weekend safety campaign, "aimed primarily at motorcyclists" ("RSA appeals to motorcyclists to 'think of their families' before taking risks", Online News, May 31st). This attitude typifies the complacency, self-righteousness and lack of empathy of car drivers for other road users.

I’ve never seen a motorcyclist send a text message, chat on the phone, barge a cyclist into the kerb, chat to passengers, turn around to children, change a radio channel, or read the newspaper while riding. Motorcyclists single-task. I find myself yearning for past times when car drivers wore gloves. Motorcyclists still do.

If Ms Murdock wants to meet her stated “simple” objective of Ireland achieving “the same road safety standards seen in best practice countries like Sweden and the UK”, as stated on the RSA website, then she would be far better looking to UK safety campaigns which encourage car drivers to “Think Bike, Think Biker”. – Is mise,

EOIN NORTON,

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Deansgrange,

Co Dublin.