AS a driver, pedestrian, bus user and cyclist, I am thoroughly over the criticisms levelled at cyclists.

Yes, paths are shared, then pedestrians, women with prams, joggers and dog walkers need to equally exercise courtesy and restraint. But they don’t, they’re greedy and selfish. The amount of self righteous moaning from non-cyclists has got beyond a joke.

Some of us are trying to get to work on our bikes and we’re entitled to use the shared paths, too. Most cyclists are responsible, conscientious people and we’re entitled to use the public infrastructure our taxes also pay for without dealing with loutish behaviour from others or the constant sledging.

Stay left, slow down, be courteous; that’s all it requires to “share” public spaces. There’s only 350,000 of us in this city and it’s time people meant greater courtesy all round.

Greta Nielsen, via email

 Irrigating claims false

IT would be pleasant to have lawns return to Green Square, Kingston, but the Territory bureaucracy will not admit it was mistaken to rip out the former grass (“Pawl calls for more green in Square”, CN, August 1).

The basis for that action was the totally false claim that irrigating Green Square would use five million litres of water a year. That would have been so only if the sprinklers ran non-stop, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. An accurate estimate was just 40,000 litres a year, say $200 worth.

How much was the Skywhale thing, again?

 Stephen Brown, Forrest

Green driving rail plan

INFRASTRUCTURE Australia report says “not enough traffic” for Canberra light rail plan. That should now be the end of it and the ACT Government financial waste, oh, hang about, that’s it, ACT Labor is now under control of a solitary Green.

 Michael Attwell, Dunlop

 Political supermarket chains

AUSTRALIA has two giant supermarket chains dictating prices to farmers and other suppliers, controlling petrol prices, promoting themselves as insurance providers, offering their own credit card accounts and, now, entering the television industry.

What’s next? Perhaps the establishment of two new consumer-driven political parties – The Australian C Party and the National W Party who, having finally eliminated all opposition (Labor, Coalition, Greens and, especially, independents) and having amended the constitution, can then concentrate of determining which party’s CEO will become the next president of the Shopperdocket republic of Australia.

 M J McGregor, Curtin