All entries for Thursday 27 December 2007

Matthew Parris joins the ranks of the bigots

Writing about web page http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/matthew_parris/article3097464.ece

What’s smug and deserves to be decapitated?

Cyclists, according to Matthew Parris. He writes in today’s Times

A festive custom we could do worse than foster would be stringing piano wire across country lanes to decapitate cyclists.

Our crime, according to Mr. Parris, is that we chuck empty cans of hi-energy drinks into hedgerows as we pass.

I have never chucked a can of hi-energy drink into a hedgerow. Why should I have my head cut off? Why should other cyclists, who don’t litter the countryside, also face the death sentence. What about horse riders?

Isn’t the death penalty a bit much for throwing litter? I suppose if there’s capital punishment in some middle eastern countries for adultery or homosexuality, it’s not too far fetched to apply it to littering. As long as the person throwing the litter isn’t in a car, when of course, it’s only a misdemeanor.

Stringing wire across tracks is not unknown. More commonplace is aggressive driving. No doubt Mr. Parris will claim it’s not his fault if some homicidal motorist, wound up by the likes of Parris and Clarkson, decides to clip a cyclist whilst overtaking at speed.

Cyclists killed

: 27 Dec 2007 14:39 |  Comments (3) |  Close comments |  Report a problem