THE other morning I was cycling into town along Bootham. As the lights changed to red there was the usual rush from the amber-gamblers and red-runners, leaving a people mover at the front of the traffic queue. He stopped with his front tyres inside the cycle box.

As I cycled past I noticed this, and my head movement provoked him to start peeping his horn at me. He then started to verbally abuse me although he was in the wrong. I have been led to believe that stopping within the cycle box is an offence covered by the Road Traffic Act and can attract fines of up to £1,000.

Is this correct and if so given its wide practice, can York police take steps to publicise the criminality of this action?

The purpose of these boxes is to protect cyclists and this should be respected by all.

Ross J Firth,

Rainsborough Way,

Clifton,

York.

...MY family were crossing the road by Monk Bar in York and were within four feet of the kerb when I saw a flash of orange and shouted a warning.

Too late, my youngest son was pole-axed to the ground by an orange-clad cyclist who appeared from nowhere and tried to squeeze through the narrow gap between pedestrians and kerb - oblivious to the rest of the carriageway which was available to him. The cyclist then tried to escape without checking as to my son's condition, muttering that he "had the green light".

Sorry, but since when has a green light given anyone the right to mow down a pedestrian?

Cyclists have a duty like any other road user to exercise due care and attention. York has facilities for cyclists which are the envy of the nation but this has not stopped a moronic attitude akin to 'white-van man' developing.

Mark Ringwood,

Cobblers Corner,

Singleton.

Updated: 11:07 Wednesday, July 30, 2003