I'VE been reading with interest the letters about cyclists wearing helmets.

Just take a car journey from Haxby to the railway station. I can almost guarantee you will see, along the way:

- cyclists ignoring cycle lanes which are totally unobstructed;

- cyclists riding side by side, chatting to each other and paying no attention at all to the road ahead;

- cyclists on Lendal Bridge riding along the middle of the road into the path of oncoming traffic, even when drivers have left room for them on the kerb side.

But even worse than that is the sheer number of cyclists who pedal around at night without any form of light or reflective gear whatsoever.

It's not so bad in brightly lit city streets in good weather, but they present a real danger to themselves and to others when visibility is poor.

I'm all in favour of cyclists, but just as car users have to show consideration for pedestrians and other road users, so should cyclists. These bad habits are far more risky than riding without a helmet.

TM Staddon,

North Moor Estate,

Huntington,

York.

Updated: 11:02 Wednesday, October 27, 2004