Sir, – It was interesting to read about Enda Kenny's suggestion for a national strategy on walkways ("Taoiseach opens Mullingar to Athlone cycle way", October 18th). I've been an avid hillwalker for over 25 years, and after my own experience this week, I am convinced what we really need is a national strategy on combatting break-ins to cars parked on hills.
As I walk quite a lot in Wicklow, a paradise for hillwalkers, I can vouch that parking a car any where up the mountains in Wicklow is now becoming foolhardy and risky.
I parked my car in the Shay Elliott forest entrance, en route to a ramble up Mullacor, skirting the Derrybawn ridge. The car was parked at 3pm, a dangerous time I have been told, as the marauding thieves are out and about from that time onwards. I returned to my car at 5.30pm. The car appeared okay and intact from a distance. I always leave a flask and sandwiches in a rucksack in the boot of the car. I opened the car and then proceeded to open the boot. There was no rucksack and the travel bag with spare clothes was gone. All that was left were my shoes and a pair of old socks. Nothing of value had been left in the car.
The garda who later met me in Laragh – and who, I might add, was most courteous, efficient and a credit to the force – told me that the thieves’ mode of access to the car was to sever a cord to the passenger door and “Bob’s your uncle”.
Anyway, let nobody parking up the mountains in Wicklow or any mountain range throughout the country be under any illusions – you park with no guarantee that your car is safe.
Strategies for walkways are great and badly needed, but who and what is going to guarantee the safety of your car on the uplands? – Yours, etc,
SEAN LANE,
Newbridge,
Co Kildare.