In his letter, ‘Cyclist’s safety’ (March 28), Jean Karl Soler missed  the point made by Jim Wightman  (‘National cycling strategy’, March 22), namely, that the  fearsome rumble strips  installed on a  new  cycle track  on the Kappara bypass would force a cyclist to “slow down  when  joining  the cycle path from the main road  at 30 or 40km/h”.

Mention of this speed led Soler to suggest indignantly that  “it is  time to introduce proportionately lower speed limits and appropriate speed-calming measures for cyclists”.

This is, of course, utterly counter-intuitive and absurd. Limiting bicycle speeds on a highway with fast-moving traffic  can only result in increased hazard  since it would require more overtaking manoeuvres from passing vehicles.

A cyclist is safest when moving at the same speed of the traffic of which s/he forms part. In any case, it is rare for an average bicycle rider to travel faster than 25km/h. The only cyclists who dare to use roads and bypasses with fast-moving traffic are seasoned cyclists. They know what they are doing.

Soler’s demand for speed limits for cyclists seems all the more contradictory  in the light of his earlier  letter (‘Road vehicle accidents’, October 15) in which he had  argued in favour of raising motor vehicle speed limits  on the basis that  “we already have the lowest national speed limits in the world”.

Finally, with regard to Soler’s ‘shock’ at seeing a  photo of a cyclist, not wearing a helmet, “in breach of the Highway Code”,  he is misinformed. Cycle helmet wear is not compulsory in Malta, neither is it in Europe. Cycle helmets are compulsory only in a very few countries and there is mention of repealing the law in some of these countries.

It is sad to see  disparagement of a valid healthy alternative transport option, which is being strongly  encouraged in advanced countries.