Stuart Bower (Opinion, December 19) is only partly right when he criticises motorbikes.

Motorbikes are more environmentally friendly than cars, buses and lorries. How many do you see stuck in traffic jams or causing traffic congestion and hold-ups? Motorbikes use less petrol, take up less space on the roads and cause far less damage to the road and environment than cars, buses and lorries. They are more fun to use than cars. You can park many more motorbikes in a given space than cars. If everyone used a motorbike/scooter/moped to get to work, there would be no traffic jams, congestion or hold-ups.

Motorbikes do have a few drawbacks: They can be cold and wet in winter and, yes, you do run a higher risk of injury or death in the event of an accident - but remember that motorbikes are only as dangerous as the car that hits them!

The majority of motorbike accidents are because car drivers "don't see" bikers - if they can't see us then why are they driving? Until car drivers realise this, that's the way things will stay. Roll on the proposed higher penalties for causing death and injury by dangerous driving.

It is right for manufacturers to promote motorbikes as being environmentally friendly. Perhaps it would also be right to promote cars as being legally available forms of mass destruction and weapons with murderous capability.

By all means point the finger of blame, but look at where you are pointing it before you do so.

-Steve Collins, sdgz-collins@cwcom.net