I APPRECIATE that the story about street performer David Honan's arrest on face value shows police in a bad light and gives ammunition for a cheap swipe at them (February 16).

I witnessed the events when the young man decided to walk into the path of oncoming vehicles. He then stood in front of the vehicles until they stopped for him. Once this had been done, he then flagged them forward walking in front of them giving no opportunity to overtake.

Once he had humiliated one driver, he then repeated this operation until he was eventually stopped by police. One ridiculed female driver appeared visibly upset.

But what if he picked on a hot head who then tried to overtake him and struck a passer by? Who would be in the wrong? What if a driver had taken exception to the behaviour and filled in the performer, what then? What if the driver panicked and ran over the performer? Great laugh then.

To see a police car in Colliergate at that time was because they had been called specifically to deal with the matter. So if Mr Hanon had been acting in a reasonable fashion, then maybe they could have been dealing with other matters as you describe.

This man was obstructing the highway and the police were enforcing the law. What is wrong with this country? We have laws that nobody takes any notice of, like speed limits, and then we bleat when the laws are enforced.

Chris Greasby,

Cromwell Court,

Willerby,

East Yorks.

Updated: 10:33 Wednesday, February 23, 2005