Letters to the Editor

SIR - Over the Bank Holiday weekend I noticed more and more news items about bad driving. Many people really do not understand what they are doing wrong but their actions usually have a knock-on effect.

Last week I was sitting in traffic and I was stunned by what people were doing. The first car had a man on his mobile phone; the second car had a few young men in not wearing seatbelts; the third contained five people on the back seat when the car clearly only had two back seats; the last car had only three people in but one was sitting on the passenger's knees, a child with no seat belt on.

Laws are there not to catch you out but to keep you safe and that point always gets missed. I witnessed a nasty accident and gave first aid at the scene. One man survived, his passenger did not. The passenger was not wearing his seatbelt and at 50mph was launched more than 50 yards from the car through the windscreen.

It may seem cool to avoid the laws of seatbelt wearing but it is far cooler in the morgue. Do we all have to see blood first hand to alter our way of thinking and driving?

Andrew Bolt, Hazelhurst Road, Daisy Hill, Bradford.

Mindless thugs

SIR - I read with disbelief about the motiveless attack in Legrams Lane (T&A, May 31) in which seven Asian men, one armed with a hammer, attacked a young man in the middle of the road causing traffic to stop.

I remember this area from 20 years ago, which had lovely surroundings and friendly neighbours. Now it's no longer safe simply to walk to the shop without fear of being attacked.

How has it come to this? Those concerned are mindless thugs and cowards, and the police must work diligently to bring them to justice.

Just as importantly, the identity of these thugs must be known to someone, and they must come forward along with those who witnessed the attack before someone is killed.

G Stevens, White Abbey Road, Bradford.

Don't be killjoys!

SIR - On several occasions you have printed letters complaining about the Council's decision to ban all "A" boards and shop displays from the pavements.

Surely the complainers must see that the Council are acting in the best interests of a section of the community.

If "A" boards and displays are permitted to remain then where will motorists be able to park their cars, vans or lorries? Surely not on the road! Heaven forbid!

Can't the complainers see the enjoyment the Council, traffic wardens and police get in seeing a mother wheeling a pram and with a couple of other tiny tots in tow having to risk life and limb (not to mention the tots' lives) by having to struggle out into the road in order to pass vehicles parked on the pavements?

Perhaps even more enjoyment is felt when the elderly or the infirm have also to struggle in this way.

So stop being spoilsports and complaining at the Council and let the Council continue to enjoy this fun.

Mike Stocks, The Coppies, Delph Hill, Wyke.

Listen to us...

SIR - Who needs enemies when you have so-called friends like Bradford Council?

The ordinary people of our fine city strive to keep Bradford going. What happens then? Idiotic small-minded people slap bans on traders displaying goods outside their shops.

The rules were already there. You are allowed three feet outwards from the shop. If traders break these rules, they get warned, but instead they slap a complete ban on everyone.

I as a Bradfordian want this ruling stopped and I demand that these people start working with the citizens of Bradford not against them.

The only way ahead is to work together and listen to the people NOT try to trample over them.

Graham Brough, Green End Road, Wibsey.

One rule for one

SIR - I was one of the people who signed the petition for the florist in James Street. It's always a pleasure to walk past. It's the only bit of outside flora we have in Bradford centre.

I wonder if the Council has applied the same one-metre-space rule to all roads leading out of the city such as Carlisle Road, Toller Lane and Great Horton Road?

I also was asked by an elderly couple from Leeds where our outdoor market was. Sadly we don't have one. Are we the only place in Yorkshire without one? What happened to the car boot sale we used to have behind John St Market on a Sunday morning?

Susan Bannon, Glynn Terrace, Bradford.

Answer, please

SIR - Yorkshire Labour MEP Mr Corbett is a Europhile/dreamer, whereas I am a Eurosceptic/realist, but a few weeks ago he did say that the European Constitution was a triumph of British diplomacy.

Now, since the French and Dutch have overwhelmingly said "No", which scuttles the constitution, can he just tell us in simple terms whether he is happy or unhappy. This is not a trick question.

Gary Lorriman, North Walk, Harden, Bingley.

Disgusting actions

SIR - I am writing to express my disgust and dismay at the actions of some of the American authorities, with regards to their reported behaviour and treatment of the Muslim Holy Koran.

I cannot understand how anyone could condone such actions, and would expect the guilty parties to be held to account. The situation is made worse by these not being ignorant individuals, but professional people in authority.

As Muslims, our teachings lecture us not to abuse anyone's beliefs. The US government states it is also tolerant of all faiths and beliefs, but this incident again seems to show double standards in US policy.

As we condemn individuals from our own faith for the wrong actions they take, can we not also expect others to also condemn and apologise for the disgusting actions that their people are involved in?

Saraj Mohammed, Harewood Street, Bradford.

Good riddance

SIR - Oh happy day. May I be among the first of Mary Unfaithful's close neighbours to bid her good riddance? After buying the only affordable house in our area, moving the builders in and selling it on at a quick profit, thus pricing young local people out of the market, she is moving away.

Unless you are one of the people on Oak Street that she has argued with in the few months that she's been here, you will need to look at her photograph to recognise her, as she has spent little time at her house and made no effort to meet any of us.

The silly comment she made in her column of June 24 about "being surrounded by Morris dancers and ageing hippies" simply displays her utter and total ignorance of the local community... or was it an attempt to get a cheap laugh at our expense?

We are pleased she is leaving us to mix with "like-minded" people in Central Manchester, although I've never previously thought of "like-minded" being a synonym for "air-headed". I spent many years living and working in Manchester. I hope she survives with her attitude intact.

Chris McCarthy, Oak Street, Haworth.

ID nonsense

SIR - Re the government's proposed identity cards for everybody, supposedly to keep a check on who's in the country

What a load of bunkum! Are the thousands of illegal immigrants going to come out of hiding to get theirs? Not on your life!

Also, a computer expert has said it will be easy to clone any of the cards.

This is another way of keeping tabs on the law-abiding - it will also take up police time with an increase of 'stop and search' and is another step towards a police state.

To add insult to injury, we are to pay £90 per person for this infringement of human and civil rights.

I have a strong feeling that, as opposed to the hunting fraternity invading the House of Commons, it will be shut down completely by the irate populace.

Why don't the authorities have a purge on foreign nationals and deport those with no identification or dodgy passports, or is it a racial issue to deport illegal immigrants?

Some of our leaders can be likened to the three wise monkeys but the difference would be: Hear me! Look at me! Can't help you!

Trevor Williams-Berry, Bredon Avenue, Wrose.