Bullies on bikes

MINISTER for Safety Lisa Harvey recently claimed it was “common sense” to give cyclists a free-for-all on footpaths.

Common sense is what you think others should know; based on your life experiences i.e. it is neither common, nor necessarily sense.

If common sense was “common” (i.e. held by a large number of people) we would not need so much legislation to stop so many people from making so many senseless decisions.

Moreover, if common sense “was sense” (i.e. sound judgment based on experience), it would not be common – because we all have different life experiences.

As psychologist Jim Taylor reminded us “trusting in common sense causes people (including, it seems, the Barnett Government) to make poor, rather than sound, judgments”.

Hopefully, when the bullies on bikes have scared all pedestrians (including young children, mums with bubs and the elderly) off our footpaths – and accidents or lack of fresh air and exercise have added exponentially to our obesity problem and health budget – somebody with sound judgment, and the guts to stand up to the bullies on bikes, will get them back where they belong – on the roads and designated cycle paths.

ANGELA SMITH,

Coodanup.