04/05/2014 00:00
TW
0

Dear Sir,
As a keen weekend cyclist, I am growing increasingly angry at the tour group cyclists that are on our roads. I live and cycle all year round on Majorca, and love it. I am overjoyed that a ”new tourist” is coming to Majorca and all the benefits that that brings to our island. However, the difference between the all year round cyclists with the mass invasion of the groups in spring and autumn, is vast. The small groups are, generally, respectful of other road users and are quite at home allowing traffic to flow freely. The tour groups do not have any thought for others on the road. They have been sold a ”cycling paradise” and they enjoy the road as if no one else is allowed to interfere with their paradise.
2 weeks ago I nearly crashed into 3 different packs coming up the hill from Es Capdella to Galilea. If I had been in a car then I would have killed them as they were all over the road coming around blind corners.
Last week it was a train of cyclists going through the Santa Ponsa motorway roundabout stopping the cars who were on the roundabout with the right of way!
This week it was the coast road from Andraitx to Estellencs. There were at least 30 people in a group taking up the whole side of the road and allowing no one to pass.
It is time that the police started fining the tour companies heavily (or any other cyclist that causes a danger to other road users). Normally there are 2 guides with the groups whose responsibility it is not only to look after the cycling needs, but to make sure that the tourists know how to behave on public roads, and what the law of the land is regarding cyclists travelling in a pack.
 Traffic wardens have cameras to take pictures of people parking too long, why can’t police take photos of these cyclists and fine the tour company. That way they will hopefully start to pass on the message to the cyclists that yes we want the tourism, but no we do not want dangerous roads. After all, it is only common courtesy.
“Angry from Santa Ponsa”

Dear Sir,
After a week of relentless Viewpoints by Jason Moore and Ray Fleming, plus articles by Andrew Ede, that nearly all called for a ‘crackdown’ and investigations into the all-inclusives, I I say nearly all, because you Mr. Moore  did, in the first Viewpoint, accepted that the status quo should be observed, which agreed with my analysis of the problem.
 However, today (Saturday 3 May), the Bulletin printed a news story on Page 3, that, for the first time put the views of the British Travel industry, in particular the chairman of Monarch Air, who declared that such calls for investigations were “barmy”, a view that I believe to be apt. As I pointed out in my previous correspondence, you cannot buck the market. As it was pointed out in the article today there is a great popularity for these packages.
 The argument regarding the closure of bars and restaurants, has I think been grossly overstated. I live near Magalluf and Palma Nova resorts, where I see many of these establishments still in business and flourishing. In any event, let us hope that sanity returns , and the subject is put on the back-burner, where it belongs.
 Yours Sincerely,
Phil Green
El Toro