I sometimes get the impression from your pages and letters that while individual motorists may break the law, cyclists share a collective guilt.

Much has been written lately of cyclists running red lights. Yet this in fact causes few accidents.

Of injuries to pedestrians in London in a collision caused by red light jumping, only 4% involved cyclists whereas 71% occurred when a car driver jumped a red light and 13% when a motorcyclist did.

Speeding causes many accidents. However, motorists tend to consider speeding as somehow a different sort of law-breaking, in some way justifiable – 70% of motorists admit they regularly break the speed limit.

The point is made often that cyclists are rarely caught jumping red lights. Yet the chances of being caught speeding are extremely small in relation to the number of times the offence is committed.

Little is also heard about the many motorists who encroach upon bicycle safety areas at traffic lights, causing danger to cyclists behind them.

Bearing in mind that most cyclists also drive cars, and many motorists also ride bikes or have family members who do, I believe the behaviour of both has much to do with the vulnerability felt by cyclists and the impression of invincibility experienced by motorists.

It is well known that cyclists are most often injured waiting at traffic lights and often feel it is safer crossing against the red light, when they judge it safe to do so.

To motorists, however, crossing at a red light is when their sense of invincibility is most often threatened.

We hear a lot about cycling the wrong way down St James’s Street in Brighton.

Consider, however, the options facing a cyclist coming into the centre of town from the east. The cyclist can turn down to Marine Parade, a main road carrying much traffic ,which narrows from being wide enough for two lanes to a single lane and culminates in an extremely dangerous roundabout. Alternatively the cyclist can turn uphill and cycle down Edward Street. This road is a badly surfaced, downhill racetrack of a dual carriageway which has many minor roads leading on to it.

I commuted down this road for 30 years and had about two near-death events a week.

I suggest a bicycle lane similar to that in Old Shoreham Road for Edward Street, or that bikes should be permitted to cycle down St James’s Street and cars not permitted.

These things would help.

Michael Barry, Brighton