Sir, – Having read both Janet Ward and Bob Duncan’s letters on their close encounters with cyclists, I feel moved to add my voice to the growing number of people who have had negative experiences with cyclists while out walking, evening in the hills and sheep trods of the countryside.
What I resent most is being approached from the rear, hearing a shout of excuse me and then being passed by a cyclist with as little as three inches between me and his/her handlebars.
And, oh yes, the cyclist is invariably dressed in the uniform of the entitled: Lycra.
The frontal approach is slightly different but equally offensive, especially if walking on a narrow track.
The warning call is given and there is an expectation by the cyclist that you, the pedestrian, will move aside in order that they can continue their journey unimpeded.
The lack of respect and consideration for the safety of other people out for a walk is shocking.
There is a lack of understanding by a significant proportion of today’s cyclists that the routes they now cycle on were once walkways long before they suddenly became “shared”.
The 2003 Access Scotland Act does give people rights to access and those rights I am sure are well known to the entitled element within cycling.
It is a great pity that none of them seems to be aware that an access code pertaining to cyclists exists within that act.
Part of it states: “Do not endanger walkers and horse riders; give other users advance warning of your presence and give way to them on a narrow path.”
I would add two other requirements, closing any gates they pass through and the need to give pedestrians at least one arm’s length distance as they pass by on their journey.
Brett Antonson.
East Glenree,
Alyth.
Scotland’s drugs culture
Sir, – I was interested to read (April 14) in your Scottish Government report card, its own statement that: “Our culture is key to our sense of identity as individuals, as communities and as a nation.”
I recall an article from your pages of October 8 last year about the so-called Scottish effect whereby we have one of the highest drug-death rates in the world.
Do we, therefore, include drug culture in this definitive statement, particularly since it fulfils the key Scottish Government wish to be a world leader in something?
TM Liddiard.
North Mains,
Strathallan.
Novel solution from Japan
Sir, – Regarding the ongoing problems caused by dog fouling, we could learn from the practice in Japan.
All day, owners in Japan can be seen carrying a small bag containing a bucket and spade, similar to those taken to the beach by small children.
The dog excrement is scooped up, taken home and flushed down the
toilet.
The problem is solved, at no expense to the local authorities.
A. Yamauchi.
Perth Road,
Dundee.
More power for Holyrood
Sir, – Once again we are being led into separatism by a party which will not accept defeat.
The people of Scotland have voted against their one national policy
and have rejected independence, yet the nationalists continue to threaten another referendum.
Of course, they will decide themselves when the conditions are right to hold another referendum.
The nationalists tell us that a vote to leave the European Union will be
the trigger for another referendum.
I find it unbelievable that nationalists cannot grasp the fact that there is no such thing as independence within the EU which is why some of us Scots want out.
There will be more control for a Scottish devolved parliament within an independent Britain rather than a sham independence and being run by Europe.
Alan Bell.
Roods,
Kirriemuir.
Scotland needs opposition
Sir, – I have attended several hustings and debates recently and I have been surprised at the low quality of SNP candidates.
In one debate (Aberdeen University) the motion: “That this house has no confidence in the Scottish Government” was unanimously carried.
The three local SNP candidates struggled to defend their party’s record or promote its case.
They lost the debate overwhelmingly to the convincing, evidenced, often funny, speeches of the Labour, Conservative and Lib Dem speakers.
At another (The Energy Debate on April 12) Energy Minister Fergus Ewing was
tellingly quiet when the Conservative speaker, Murdo Fraser, “outed” him as being in favour of fracking.
In my area we have an invisible MP and an MSP who had to apologise for saying that there is no oil crisis.
To cap it all, our decent SNP constituency MSP, Nigel Don, has been deselected allegedly because his face doesn’t fit.
The one local MP of undoubted talent, Alex Salmond, was last week in the United States promoting his book while his putative successor struggled badly at a debate in Ellon last Thursday.
Until recently it seemed that all you needed to be elected was to wear an SNP badge, but there is a limit to how much voters can be taken for granted and I hope they will think carefully about the need for strong local representation and the need for an effective opposition in Holyrood to hold what looks to be another SNP government to account.
Allan Sutherland.
1 Willow Row,
Stonehaven.
Leave parenting to parents
Sir, – Some teachers are unwilling to fulfil named person duties during their holidays.
I would like to volunteer to take oversight of the wellbeing of two children over the school holiday periods.
I will monitor their activities and observe their happiness regularly.
I will intervene to address any issues and refer them for professional help if required.
If enough adults shared my commitment to support the SNP’s grand plan to look after children, all children could be covered in a similar way.
Obviously, a committee of social workers, politicians and health professionals will need to look at the issue carefully, but I propose that children could be allocated to their own parents under this scheme.
If trials of parents looking after their own children are successful, the next stage could be to roll out the programme to cover term time as well.
Research indicates almost all parents are willing to take on this responsibility but the cost of training them in the SNP’s state parenting philosophy might prove prohibitive.
Richard Lucas.
11 Broomyknowe,
Colinton,
Edinburgh.
How times have changed
Sir, – When I was boy homosexual acts were illegal. Now we applaud them.
When I was a boy it was a disgrace for an unmarried woman to become pregnant. Now it is commonplace and the state funds many of the progeny.
When I was a boy childcare was provided by the family. Now it is provided by the state.
When I was a boy university education was paid for by the parents. Now it is paid for by the state.
When I was a boy people paid to travel on a bus. Now the state pays the fare.
When I was a boy medicine had to be purchased. Now it is free for everyone.
I guess it was unfortunate for me that I was born in 1937.
A A Bullions.
6 Glencairn Crescent,
Leven.
Never taking no for an answer
Sir, – Who will be reassured by the SNP manifesto references to another independence referendum?
Those who dislike the thought of another round of divisive debate about breaking up our country but are tempted to vote SNP, might accept the talk of it only happening if there is a material change of circumstances.
Yet the SNP’s core support is well aware of what this phraseology means, signalling as it does to the faithful that come the summer, the full weight of the SNP government will swing behind a campaign to engineer the circumstances for calling a second independence referendum.
For the rest of us the message is clear.
For the SNP a no vote was never going to count in the way that a yes vote would have done.
Keith Howell.
White Moss,
West Linton.
