YORK'S rising bollard was hit by the car of a friend of mine - a Scottish tourist staying here.

It was dark and the signs are placed to the side of the road. He was following a bus so did not see the signs. But, if he had, he could have been confused because he had never heard of a rising bollard.

Buses proceed slowly through the bollard gate so, by definition, my friend was also travelling slowly. The force of impact was provided by the bollard which must be on Viagra to create such damage because my friend's car sustained crushed front infrastructure, a smashed pump and possibly engine damage plus irreparable surrounding equipment.

The overall result is several thousand pounds worth of damage. He also required a replacement hire car for a minimum of three weeks plus some personal shock and minor whiplash for himself and his wife.

He would probably recognise that he inadvertently broke the law. If someone deliberately enters my house with criminal intent, I am only entitled to resist him with appropriate proportional force. Is council-sponsored violence of this order on a person and his property really an appropriate and proportional method of keeping cars out of our city centre?

There must be some other way.

C Houseman,

Water End,

Clifton, York.

...IS the bollard on Stonebow legal? I have watched it rise many times; there are no warning bells, sirens, or flashing lights.

Yet at railway crossings there are bells and lights when the road is to be blocked. Why not Stonebow?

I believe City of York Council is to blame for damage to cars and the bollard. What would happen if someone decided to go to court and challenge the council about this bollard?

Trev Audin,

Avonhurst Road,

Toronto, Canada.

Updated: 11:36 Friday, February 06, 2004