Sir, – Fintan O’Toole, a columnist I have always admired, should know better than anyone what prejudice and stereotyping are– the application to an entire group of people of a set of pre-conceived ideas about their presumed attitudes, behaviour or values.
His angry, bigoted rant about cyclists (Opinion, June 11th) tars us all with the same brush. He would be the last person to generalise about Travellers, or white Irish people, or immigrants. Why is it alright to do it, and in such intemperate terms, against cyclists?
I am a life-long cyclist, who does not cycle on pavements. I take personal exception to the hurtful, unreasonable and prejudicial terms of this article and to the assumption that “we are all the same”. There are bad cyclists, bad drivers, even bad pedestrians. As it happens only motorists are in possession of a lethal machine (and I drive myself), but I would not dream of describing all motorists in the kind of terms used here.
It is not acceptable to write like this about any group in society. When one considers the statistics for the number of cyclists killed or seriously injured every year on Irish roads, many through no fault of their own, such language comes dangerously close to fostering a climate of indifference or even intolerance. – Yours, etc,
PIARAS Mac ÉINRÍ,
Model Farm Road,
Cork.
Sir, – I enjoyed Fintan O’Toole’s take on cyclists being saviour and martyr at one fell swoop (June 11th). He might have taken the opportunity, however, to point out to these Christ-like riders that without the good sense of wearing a helmet there is a good chance they may not rise again. – Yours, etc,
ULTAN Ó BROIN,
Half Moon Bay,
California, US.
Sir, – In considering various political, social, ethical and moral issues, certain people such as Vincent Browne, Patricia McKenna and Fintan O’Toole have always been of help to me. Knowing their view on an issue could confirm for me that the opposing viewpoint must be the correct one. Alas, Mr O’Toole’s column complaining about the bad behaviour of cyclists has shown that this system is not infallible. – Yours, etc,
CIARÁN CONNOLLY,
St Assam’s Avenue,
Raheny,
Dublin 5.