Letters to the editor.

[Techno II]

(For yet more 'stuff' which hopefully will raise a smile.)

Sir.....

I write to inform your readers, about my concerns regarding the huge windmills that continue to blight our fair countryside.

Why, oh why, do we have to see these monstrosities sitting all over the top of hills.
What are they doing ?
They never work, to give a fair breeze when the weather is hot...and help us poor mortals to cool down.
BUT....When the weather is inclement, windy and cold.....why do they run like there's no tomorrow ?

I know I'm an old duffer.....but surely this is a complete waste of electricity when we are told, by our peers, that we have to cut down on our footprint.....wherever that means !
To help the planet...I have decided to wear size 8 instead of size 10's...!!!
I can tell you.....this is not comfortable....

Sincerely - Col Buffington - Tuffington.

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Why oh Why Oh Why oh Why do they allow cyclists on to the roads ?

[Ithoriel]

Dear Sir or Madam,

I wish to complain about the pernicious habit of Supermarkets stocking new things that I discover I like very much only to remove them from their inventory a month later!!

The response to queries as to the lack of said items from the girls stocking the shelves,"I've been telling people all week that nobody wants them!" adds insult to injury.

I have offered my services as a food taster to various outlets but been rebuffed, rather rudely in my opinion, on the ground that they do not need someone to say,"That's delicious, no point in stocking that."

Yours,

Mrs Trellis, North Wales

pp Sir Ambrose ffuffington-Smythe, Major (Ret.), LLB (failed), DSO, DFC, DDT, Blue Peter Badge(and bar)

[Ithoriel]

Why oh Why Oh Why oh Why do they allow cyclists on to the roads ?

Indeed, it takes all the fun out of running them down.

[Steve J]

Having been knocked off my bike and nearly killed by poor bus driving, I tend to take exception to comments about cyclists on roads . There are bad cyclists but many, many more bad and dangerous drivers. Enough said.

[Ithoriel]

Having been knocked off my bike and nearly killed by poor bus driving, I tend to take exception to comments about cyclists on roads . There are bad cyclists but many, many more bad and dangerous drivers. Enough said.

No offence intended in the previous post, but having been run into three times by cyclists, once while on crutches, and all while on a stretch of path with the words NO CYCLING painted on each end of the path in three foot letters. On each occasions the cyclist cursed me roundly for getting in the way and one, the guy who knocked me off my crutches, threatened physical violence. Fortunately, since I couldn't stand unaided, others came to my aid and defence.  So, my lived experience and yours are clearly different.

However, I don't want this to degenerate into who's right and who's wrong argument. Clearly cycling is good for both the cyclist and the environment and should be encouraged. But it is also one of those things that kind of need to be either compulsory or forbidden.

I applaud efforts to provide separate spaces for pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles, where ever possible.

[Orcs]

Dear Sir,

I would like to complain about the children in your supermarket supermarkets, they cry and scream and get in every one's way.  I also object to the highly unhygienic practice of putting children who are two big to sit in the child seat being placed in the main body of the trolleys with their shoes on. God knows what's been on the soles of those shoes, and the next shopper to use the trolley has to put their food there.
Please can we ban then, if not completely at least from the supermarket.

Yours faithfully

Prof. Hylactic. 

[jimduncanuk]

I liked it best when cyclists were 10 points each but now they are only 2 points each since there are so many of them these days

[Steve J]

I'm taking myself off the forum for a while due to a few of these comments, which I've found in poor taste.

[fsn]

Dear Sir,

I would like to complain about the children in your supermarket supermarkets, they cry and scream and get in every one's way.  I also object to the highly unhygienic practice of putting children who are two big to sit in the child seat being placed in the main body of the trolleys with their shoes on. God knows what's been on the soles of those shoes, and the next shopper to use the trolley has to put their food there.
Please can we ban then, if not completely at least from the supermarket.

Yours faithfully

Prof. Hylactic. 

In our local Co-Op was a bloke with a young lad of about 18 months - 2 years. The child was on a harness and constantly threw himself onto the floor. Eventually, the dad just dragged him around like a mop. All one could hear from all across the shop was pitiful wails of "I'm not happy! I'm not happy!".

[fred.]

I'm taking myself off the forum for a while due to a few of these comments, which I've found in poor taste.

I understand your view Steve. As someone who has cycled considerably further than I driven in the last year some of the 'humour' is far from humour. I've been fortunate in not having had any accidents, but had quite a few near misses, and most in cases it is in good weather conditions and feels down to impatient or unobservant drivers.

[paulr]

In our local Co-Op was a bloke with a young lad of about 18 months - 2 years. The child was on a harness and constantly threw himself onto the floor. Eventually, the dad just dragged him around like a mop. All one could hear from all across the shop was pitiful wails of "I'm not happy! I'm not happy!".

Were they from the bloke, his son, or both

I still remember having to push my screaming son in a trolley out of a store, through a shopping centre, out into the car park and putting him in his car seat
The sound only reduced once the car door was shut

[Orcs]

I'm taking myself off the forum for a while due to a few of these comments, which I've found in poor taste.

Dear Editor

There are a several reasons that drivers get fed up with Cyclists, and consequently make jokes about them.

The first is while I accept my "Road Tax" does not actually get spent on the roads, I have to pay it to use my vehicle on the public highway. Cyclist don't
The second is that I also have to pay insurance for any damage I might cause others, again cyclist generally dont have insurance.  You have a accident with a cyclist that is their fault you will have the devil of a job getting your damage paid for.
Cyclist do not have to register their vehicle so actually proving it was them is very difficult.

To exacerbate this quite a few cyclist exacerbate this by taking up the whole of the lane, or cycling in a group so trying to get round them is nigh on impossible.  I have had cyclists spread out when they see me behind them to make it harder for me to overtake on a road that is national speed limit.

Our village has Chicanes built like small islands on alternate sides of the road to slow the traffic. These islands have a  gap between the pavement and the island especially to allow cyclists to keep going. Recently I was driving through the village approaching the chicane, that was on the right hand lane.  A cyclist was also coming the other way.   it was clearly signposted that I had right of way, and any way the cyclist could use the cycle bit to keep going.  Despte him having a perfectly safe and easy path round the inside of the island he  decided he was not going to. when he realized I was not going to stop for him ( as there was no reason for me too, it was too late.  He went straight into the kerb of the chicane and buckled his wheel.

He then proceeded to give me two fingers and shout obscenities' at me for something that was all his fault. Had we collided I am sure I would have been left having to pay for the damage to my car myself as I doubt he was insured.

The other thing they do near me is have cycle races on the A41. This is a 70MPH dual carriage way with a hard shoulder. It has several undulations, and there have been several near misses and one fatal accident due to cars on the inside lane travelling at 70 suddenly seeing a cyclist in the middle of the lane in front of them and having no where to go as there are other vehicles in the outside lane.

We also get them cycling on the pavement and being abusive to pedestrians who do not get out of their way quick enough.

Is it any wonder we get fed up with cyclists?

I suggest they bring in some form of compulsory registration, Road tax and third party insurance  for bicycles using the public highway. Perhaps when they can be held accountable they might behave in a more responsible manner.

Yours

Squadron leader

Miss D Fokker

[FierceKitty]

Well, it was a good idea before it went TMP, Phil.

[steve_holmes_11]

In our local Co-Op was a bloke with a young lad of about 18 months - 2 years. The child was on a harness and constantly threw himself onto the floor. Eventually, the dad just dragged him around like a mop. All one could hear from all across the shop was pitiful wails of "I'm not happy! I'm not happy!".

What self respecting 18 month old would want to waste their dwindling lifespan in a  supermarket.

One day I'll recount the ripping yarn of "Cameron the egg smasher", who I estimate was somewhere between 8 and 12 years old.