WHY is it suddenly fashionable to have a go at cyclists?

Guess what? After a while the record gets a bit boring. I am a cyclist and I can tell you not all of us are a nuisance as is currently being generalised.

In fact, you want to hear the other side of the coin, I am fed up with being sworn at and abused by vehicle drivers for absolutely no reason.

A couple of weeks ago, I was riding through Boscombe when the passenger in a Transit van driving alongside me wound down his window and held a dog out of the window which was barking into the side of my face while I was riding.

That’s funny isn’t it? The following week I was out with a group of riders when at Blackwater a fine gentleman in his BMW started swearing out of his window and then swerved, narrowly missing one of my colleagues. Thinking he was very funny he then tried to cut in on one of the other riders ahead while making crude hand gestures.

Yesterday, while riding through Branksome, a bus overtook us. The driver was shaking his head at us, then cut in to stop with absolutely no care or consideration.

Every time a cyclist has an incident with a rude arrogant driver we don’t go bleating on about it. All this bad and generally one-sided publicity is starting to create a problem locally. It really is time it stopped because people think it is now sport to just have a go for no reason at cyclists. Just learn to show a bit of consideration and the world will be a much better place.

MIKE LEYTON, address supplied