SIR I read with interest the comments by Dr Mohammed Ali OBE in the T&A (May 8) about barriers' and disproportionate punishment', as I have experienced such rough justice' myself.

In 1999, a private hire car driven by an Asian gentleman ignored both give way' signs and road markings, coming from a minor road on to the main A657 Shipley road I was driving along, hit my car head-on causing it to be a write-off.

That vehicle was almost new, but I had to find £3,500 on top of the insurance payout to replace it.

I myself and his passengers were all injured. He was never prosecuted, even though the police officers who attended said it was obvious who had caused the accident.

The taxi was not registered in the name of this driver with the local authority and he carried no documents at the time, but produced a temporary insurance note dated just the day before the accident some considerable time later.

However, some time after, when I parked a van with two wheels on the pavement ostensibly to allow larger vehicles, eg, HGVs and buses, to pass more easily, also on the A657 Shipley road, I received a £30 fixed penalty fine from West Yorkshire Police for my trouble!

I leave Dr Mohammed Ali to form his own opinion about the rationale behind this, but I believe that this is what puts barriers up in the first place and also regrettably encourages the BNP.

D S Boyes, Rodley Lane, Bramley