The biggest worry here - are the idiots who could follow his advice! i've already ridden over very dangerous DIY "stinger" type devices made out of nails on my local trails!

like thumpers mum (remember bambi) if you dont have anything nice to say dont say anything at all !!!! hello mr parrish. beaten by a rabbit.

if he's serious about an apology, perhaps he should participate in a well publicised event or ride for a cycling charity.

I wonder what Mr Parrish does for fun. Rambling perhaps? I hope he's an equestrian (does that mean horse? Or horse rider? You know what I mean) because then we can just move the strings up a bit further ;)

terrym surley you mean cyclepath??

Seriously though, what with attacks on cyclists by both motorists and pedestrians emphasised in the national press recently (before christmas and this letter), e.g. the chap in Edinburgh jailed for attacking a cyclist with his car, and the many stories about slapping cyclists from a moving vehicle etc, you would think that an educated man like this would have had more fore-thought than to spout forth in his column, without at least guessing at the reaction it would cause.

I would wager that this was an attempt at gaining notoriety in the press, particularly during such an emotive period for the motorist/cyclist issue. Notice that there is something on TV tonight (7th January) about the rad rage 'war' between cyclists and motorists.

Remember that being in the press is usually never bad for the career of someone in the press

How could we be so poe-faced, it was humorous!

I have a similar sense of humour. Let's alll send nail bombs to the homes of Times staff!

I trust this was not taken seriously?

Trouble is..........I felt embarassed and a little sick as I typed that comment, and I really would be mortified if it were published in a national newspaper.

Sorry Mr Parris, I didn't get the joke.

Matt Seaton of the Guardian has posted a column on the Guardian's 'Comment is Free' site here: http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/matt_seaton/2008/01/parris_je_ne_taime_pas.html

The really worrying thing is the number of anti-cycling comments made about Matt's article. Frighteningly there seems to be a significant minority who really believe we are vermin and need to be exterminated. One reply suggested a 12 bore to the back of the head. It's true that much anti-cycling comment comes from the London area but Parris lives in Elton a small village in Derbyshire and popular with cyclists (including me!).

Even if only 1 in a 1000 motorists hate cyclists to the extent that they're prepared to run us down that's still represents a lot of danger. How many cars pass you in the course of a year's riding?

I wish urban car drivers would who find cyclists 'in the way' thought through the position more carefully. If those people were in cars they'd be even more difficult to get past.

Geoff

The main problem with Matthew Parris' facile attempt at humour is that it may encourage violence against cyclists by psychopathic (cycopathic?) drivers. His apology was half-baked at best.

Is Parris malicious, or is he seeking nomination for the Upper Class Twit Award?

Here is a news item on this topic:

http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/01/04/decapitate-cyclists-jest-angers-dead-rider-s-dad-91466-20311958/

AVDAVE ... please don't be ridiculous! The sort of people who 'might' string wire across paths are quite capable of using anything i.e. fishing line, clothes line, string/rope or many other things!

Whilst they also aren't likely to read the Times, ideas like this have a way of spreading!

I was one of the complainants to the PCC, I also wrote to the editor of the Times to complain, I received no reply, the burying ones head approach methinks.

The article certainly was NOT humourous, how can you advocate violence and then claim it was a joke?

If Parris had substituted Homosexual, Christian, Muslim for cyclist, he would now be in prison.

i'm stupified...i think that says it all.

Interesting, AFCTUMIKE. What gets me: I don't mind anybody having a laugh at cyclists, but there's so much concrete wrong information there. Cyclists are, Parris says, ecologically unsound law-breaking litterers who shouldn't be tolerated. All that is given as fact and isn't fact. There are plenty of violent people out there who want to believe all that, joke or no joke. Then the apology is phrased as if the problem was merely that he had underestimated cyclists' sensitivity on this issue, not that he has put out false information that could provoke death.

So if I suggest we all "key" 4x4s - and then apologise? it's still a dumb thing to do. Journaliism carries with it a sense of responsibility. I've emailed the Editor of the Times asking for the removal of Parris pending a complaint to PCC. I've also emailed BC and CTC expressing my displeasure over the article as I am sure they should be able to exert more pressure. (I am also waiting replies from all concerned)

Parriss' latest offering does not amount to an apology.

Furthermore in relation to dumping old cans etc he talks about "cyclist height": Well on my bike my hands are still at the same height as they would be if I was walking.

I emailed the Editor of The Times, James Harding, and received a reply!

In the reply Harding mentions his own enthusiasm for cycling as a regular commuter by bike. He states that although initially alarmed he soon realised Parris was exaggerating for dramatic effect. Harding concludes by saying it is important that cyclists shouldn't lose their sense of humour.

Hopefully such a sense of humour doesn't literally mean laughing our heads off (my comment not his!)

I accept it was intended as humorous, but I don't accept that that is a satisfactory defence. As Tom Crispin posted on Parris's 'apology' column (see http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/matthew_parris/article3123486.ece)

"It's not so much of a concern that cyclists take your "humour" seriously, but a fear that non-cyclists would."

I wrote to the online editor of the Times as that's what the PCC website said should be the first step. As I have no reply, I'll write to the PCC now.

PJH - do the sort of people who might put piano wire across a path read the Times let alone know where their local piano shop is? Has there been a run on piano wire since this article was printed, is it now as hard to find as a Wii at Christmas. While I agree that this was a pretty stupid thing to put in print I don't think anyone really thinks this was an incitement to murder. Mr Parris was foolish to put this in print and the Times were even more foolish to print it,however I think an apology is all that is required.

I should point out that I don't take the issue of trying to decapitate cyclists lightly I still recall that a boy was killed around 25 years ago very close to where I live in just such a manner. I also remember very vididly that about a month later i was stopped while cycling down a path within half a mile of where the incident had occured by a group of boys warning me that there was a wire stretched across the path further down. I cycled on very slowly to discover a washing line at head height. And as for all this cyclists and motorists garbage that people keep spouting well anyone would think they were two opposing religions that have to call for the mutual destruction of each other. Some people who drive cars: some people who ride bikes: not motorists and cyclists lets stop putting everyone in a category, its lazy sloppy and in the end of no benefit to anyone.

And a happy new year to anyone I might like regardless of their view on cycling or their transport arrangements

Mr Parrish in his brief, grudging and rather belated apology describes his article as ill-judged and claims it was intended to be humourous. Well Mr Parrish, you must have a singular sense of humour indeed as I doubt that anyone in this country finds the thought of decapitating any group of individuals funny in the slightest.

Such a group did once exist and would have shared his "joy" in public lynchings but even the Ku Klux Klan excercise better judgement than Mr Parrish in this day and age.

The whole story is beyond belief,where did he get such an idea from. If this is the sense of humor that he posseses then he really needs help. As for it not to be offensive, what did he think that most cyclists would think. Christmas is supposed to be a time of good will.Many motorists dislike cyclists anyway, and a so called(quality newspaper)printing stories like this does not help our cause. If i was a seagull i know who,s head i would like to sh#t on.Greetings Ademort

I'm glad my email to the PCC was worth the effort. I didn't find it funny simply because I think that so many of the people who might just 'string piano wire across a path' wouldn't be able to see that Mr Parris may have had his tongue in his cheek!