I FOUND three species of cretins during the recent spell of frost and snow:

1. Cockhedge Centre Car Park( Wilson) have the cheek to demand payment for all cars yet did not salt even the in/out barrier areas where motorists were literally sliding on the thick ice to pay for the privilege of parking on a skating rink!

2. Are pedestrians gods unto themselves? I was not the only motorist to have the car bonnet banged by irate pedestrians who presume THEY have the right to walk out in front of cars (even though the cars cannot stop on a sixpence) wherever and whenever they please.

3. Clever motorists who defy logic in only clearing the wiper arcs of ice and snow from their windows. Their cars looked like mobile igloos, but surely even they could see what a danger this is.

I returned from Australia exactly one year ago and I am amazed at the attitudes of the pedestrians and motorists here. Pedestrians continually amaze me in their quest to get themselves killed on the roads. Dodging in between vehicles to cross the roads at the most dangerous points and giving verbal and indicative signs of abuse to any motorist who tries to point out that they nearly caused an accident. On the other hand there are the motorists who try to commit suicide by treating the narrow roads like race circuits. I thought the Italian and Greek drivers in Australia were bad, but they are nothing compared to the drivers here that seem to have adopted "I am king of the road get out of my way or else" attitude in the 18 years I have been away.

It all appears to be dog eat dog what has happened to the good old English sense and manners?

IRENE THOMAS

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