While sympathising with Adam and Christopher Braggs over their accident with a car (The Argus, January 29), they should not have been cycling on the pavement in the first place.

Why will cyclists not accept they are legally on a vehicle and must adhere to the Road Traffic Act and all its implications?

This includes not cycling on pavements, not going along one-way streets the wrong way, going through red lights or not having lights on their bikes, to name a few misdemeanours.

I am a motorist and also a keen cyclist, as is my son. I have had to cycle in London, including Trafalgar Square, Elephant and Castle and Hanger Lane, as a means of transport for business.

I am a member of a cycling organisation and cycle on and off-road and have found no need to ride on the pavement, nor has my son.

I have been involved in training youngsters in safe cycling as well as off-road techniques and during this it has become obvious with regard to cycling on the pavement and not using lights most had no idea it was illegal to do either of these things.

Many thought lights were only needed to see where they were going, although unless they have eyes in the back of their heads, I don't know how only a front light or none at all would help them see the car that is behind them and about to hit them on account of the driver not seeing them.

Lights are also there to show the presence of the cyclist to other road users. I even arranged a demonstration to show how a car driver might not see a cyclist without lights at night and in adverse conditions such as rain.

At the risk of upsetting many people, I feel proper parental guidance about law-breaking, accompanied by proper action by the police with regard to stopping offending cyclists and suitable fines being imposed by magistrates, might help alleviate the problem. It might even get children - and adults - to respect authority and the law.

If cyclists want people to listen to their environmental message, they would gain more respect by showing a sense of responsibility.

-David Churchill, St Andrews Road, Portslade