Sir -- At the risk of being contrary, every one of the problems encountered in your piece 'A scary way to travel' (Oxford Mail, May 5) can be minimised or avoided by correct technique.
It is amazing how much less scary cycling is when you follow Cyclecraft (John Franklin, The Stationery Office, ISBN 0 11 702051 6).
The biggest difference comes when you ride with your wheels more or less in the left-hand wheeltrack of the motorised traffic.
Not only does this make you easier to see, it avoids punctures and encourages drivers to give you space.
Oxford has some cycle lanes which are narrower than this (and much narrower than the recommended minimum width in Cycle Friendly Infrastructure).
You can ignore them.
The city also has one of the best systems in the world for keeping cyclists safe: lots of other cyclists.
Drivers are expecting bikes, so if we behave predictably everyone knows what to do and life becomes less stressful all round.
Never pass on the left of a large vehicle. If you're passing a line of traffic it's usually safer to pass on the right, slowly, and keep an eye out for pedestrians between vehicles. Cover those brakes!
Just these few simple tricks make your "scary way to travel" much safer and more enjoyable.
Of course, Eric Martlew thinks riding a tricycle in the park is so dangerous you should be criminalised if you allow your child to do so without a helmet.
Me? I ride every day, and it doesn't scare me.
GUY CHAPMAN
Hemdean Rise
Caversham
(Working at Milton Park)
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