Cyclists are rude, abusive and uncivil – but they do deserve more protection on our roads

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Last year, when I dared to suggest that not all cyclists were considerate road users, that many pedestrians feel threatened by aggressive riders and that the building of special lanes for cyclists had brought traffic in London to a standstill, I received a torrent of abuse which lasted for months. Last week, the Government announced an urgent review into road safety legislation relating to cycling following the death of mother-of-two Kim Briggs, who was fatally injured when hit by a bike without a front brake as she crossed a road in central London. Scot Mark Beaumont completes round-the-world cycle challenge in record 79 days Matthew Claxson, a lawyer specialising in serious injuries, would like a more comprehensive approach – a new road safety bill which recognises that cyclists must have greater protection if they are involved in collisions while riding in a designated lane. As we are frequently reminded, there are fewer coppers patrolling our streets than ever – and crowded inner-city pavements can be frightening places when cyclists swoop through, never using anything as namby-pamby as a bell, and frequently shouting abuse, re-enacting some weirdo version of Mad Max crossed with The Warriors in their heads.