ROBERT Purnell highlights a worrying and easily avoidable situation in which many cyclists are caught (Letters, December 31).

The Lawrence Street/Walmgate Bar junction is only one of many where cyclists turning right can find themselves on the left of vehicles going 'straight on', and have to cross the path of these vehicles.

Another similar situation is the 'pinch-point' when going under a bar or through traffic bollards, where I see cyclists being squeezed into the kerb by the small minority of dangerously impatient drivers.

I would recommend to every cyclist a book entitled Cyclecraft by John Franklin, published by the Stationery Office. This guide explains clearly how to avoid this potential danger.

Briefly, the key is not to put yourself in that 'inside' position. If you are approaching a pinch-point or are about to turn right at a junction, move out into the lane, claiming your rightful space, signalling as appropriate, and take your route assertively and not too slowly.

Most reasonable drivers prefer to see this approach, as it leaves no doubt as to your intentions, and gives an assertive body-language, subconciously gaining respect for the cyclist as an equal road-user.

Of course the dangerous few can never be educated and should be taken off the road, but in reality they are a tiny percentage of drivers. So let our collective New Year's resolution be to co-operate and share the roads for all our benefit.

Andy Scaife,

BikeRescue,

Suffolk House,

Lowther Terrace, York.

Updated: 09:39 Wednesday, January 05, 2005