OT Trouble in Ireland

http://tinyurl.com/38uycvk

"Marie" wrote in message
...
http://tinyurl.com/38uycvk



By Emer O'Kelly

Sunday October 17 2010

This, dear readers, is a copy of the letter I have sent to John Gormley,
Minister for the Environment, and long-time cycling advocate.

Dear Minister,

I will be sending you a bill arising out of an incident which seems to fit
within your responsibility. This morning (Friday, October 8), I walked round
the corner from Duke Street on to Dawson Street in Dublin 2. I was, of
course, walking on the pavement. As I did so, a cyclist who had been cycling
fast up Dawson Street (on the right hand side, which is illegal, not that it
mattered as he was going the wrong way up a one-way street in the first
place), swerved his bike onto the pavement and into me, catching my leg
quite painfully.

I snarled out: "You shouldn't be on the bloody pavement." His answer was a
bellowed "Shut up, you ****ing c**t!" And he went on his way.

Now, minister, I know you can't do anything about his language, which
increasingly seems to be the argot employed by most cyclists, male or
female, when anybody suggests that they should respect the rules of the
road. But given his blatant and aggressive flouting of those rules (which
you have the responsibility for enforcing) I think I should be able to hold
you responsible for the cost of my ruined tights, and the packet of
Elastoplast required to deal with the nasty graze on the side of my calf
(Just count the department lucky that it was tights, not Christian Dior
lace-top hold-ups, which cost a fortune).

I would also like you to reassure me that should I encounter a speeding
cyclist going the wrong direction through the one-way traffic (a frequent
occurrence) while I am driving entirely legally in the correct direction,
observing the speed limit and in the correct lane, if that cyclist wallops
into my car and suffers injury (which he or she will richly deserve) neither
I nor my insurance company will be held in any way responsible for the
moronic idiot's fate, or his or her family's subsequent destitution.

Or is that the responsibility of the Minister for Justice, since the cyclist
is a criminal? If so, please inform me, and I will seek clarification from
your colleague Mr Ahern.

With all personal good wishes,

Your constituent,

Emer O'Kelly

Does anybody think I'll get a personal reply? Or will it be "I acknowledge
receipt of your letter to the minister?" If the latter, John Gormley had
better not come canvassing to my door when the General Election is called.
Even a personal reply will not be enough. Like all law-abiding pedestrians
and motorists, I want action against marauding cyclists.

- Emer O'Kelly

Sunday Independent

Mr. Benn wrote:
"Marie" wrote in message
...
http://tinyurl.com/38uycvk



By Emer O'Kelly

Sunday October 17 2010

This, dear readers, is a copy of the letter I have sent to John Gormley,
Minister for the Environment, and long-time cycling advocate.


I'm pretty sure that, with the country close to going bankrupt, the
Minister will accord it the priority it deserves.

Tony

On Oct 19, 10:04*am, Tony Raven wrote:
Mr. Benn wrote:
"Marie" wrote in message
....
http://tinyurl.com/38uycvk

By Emer O'Kelly

Sunday October 17 2010

This, dear readers, is a copy of the letter I have sent to John Gormley,
Minister for the Environment, and long-time cycling advocate.

I'm pretty sure that, with the country close to going bankrupt, the
Minister will accord it the priority it deserves.

Tony

Sounds like there are a lot of similarities between Dublin and London.
Anyone who gets in the way of a cyclist will get a mouthful of abuse,
even if the cyclist is clearly in the wrong.

Derek