I READ Mr Spence's rigmarole (Letters, August 17) and was reminded of the adage that sarcasm is the lowest form of wit and that like water it finds its own level. I'm also reminded that there are lies, damned lies and statistics.

In my opinion the humps and bumps in the roads benefit only the manufacturers of brakes, shock absorbers and exhaust systems and the garages that fit them. The tearaways they are supposed to deter treat them as fun. As for the chicanes on Huntington Road, there is a bus stop in the middle of one and the stop on the opposite side is at the exit. Should there be a bus at this stop it effectively bottles up entrance and exit to and from the chicane.

A G Reeson,

Huntington Road,

York.

...DOES Ken Spence's role extend to pavement safety or is it confined to the road?

On the day he was busily penning his letter with a banana, my wife was punched by a teenage "two-wheel terrorist" because she was unable to vacate the pavement to allow the individual's free passage on his bicycle.

When will Ken's employer, City of York Council, shoulder its responsibility to promote and enforce the law, both on the pavement and the road, or is its so-called cycle-friendly image just a gimmick?

As to profligacy, perhaps Ken will explain why there is a double cycle lane on the inbound side of the Tadcaster Road outside Tesco's at Askham Bar - one painted on the road and the other constructed off road and parallel to the first? How much did that cost?

John Salisbury-Baker,

Holgate Road,

York.

...IF Mr Spence is speaking as a spokesperson for the council, then he definitely has got a banana in his ear - in fact in the other ear too.

Residents in and around the Eason View area in Dringhouses were recently presented with a document to fill in, suggesting certain traffic calming measures.

The biggest objection by residents was the crazy idea of installing speeds humps. When will the council listen to what the majority are saying? We do not want speed humps. There are alternatives, one being a speed camera, a real one not a pretend one.

Come on Mr Spence give us some credit for knowing what we are talking about.

Mrs Anne Smith,

Don Avenue,

Dringhouses,

York.

Updated: 10:47 Friday, August 23, 2002