WOULD motorists approaching Bitterne Park Triangle clock from the bottom of Bond Road kindly get it into their noddles that Manor Farm Road no longer ends opposite the northern end of Whitworth Crescent, but, bends, and ends at the traffic lights which feed traffic on to Cobden Bridge.

The priority change occurred a good decade ago, but very few drivers seem to have noticed - or, in the great British manner, they carry on regardless in the hope it'll go away. Ignorance, however, is no excuse in law (whose servants tell me they're too busy to do a stake out here). The clue, folks, is in the broken white line, if you remember your Highway Codes.

As a cyclist I've lost count of the times when I've nearly come to grief here under a ton of steel, thanks to a reckless idiot intent on joining Cobden Avenue in record time. And that includes you, madam, at 1510 on an otherwise glorious Wednesday afternoon (24th Oct). No, a flashing indicator does not give you the right to cut me up and miss me by inches, even after I'd looked over my right shoulder in an attempt to signal my intent to deviate right (old habit!) in accordance with the path of the road. (Why should I have to?).

I doubt you even noticed me as you haughtily steered your four-wheel pride and joy. Though, I guess a nasty bloody mess and scrapes on the paintwork from a hideously misshapen bike would have shook you out of your stupor, had I not taken avoiding action.

Any councillors listening? (Not that it matters. I seem to remember writing a few years ago about this).

Terry Hickman

Bitterne Park