Beware what you wish for Mr Tucker. (‘Errant bikers needs to be punished, February 7.) It is only fair if cyclists are to be punished for breaches of traffic regulations and the Highway Code then so should motorists.

An article in the national press reported the fact 38 motorists in the West Midlands were prosecuted after a recent clampdown for overtaking cyclists, which happened to be policemen, within 5ft.

Cyclists are to be given the same space as a car when being overtaken (Rule 139 Highway Code).

This means legal overtaking on most roads requires the use of the opposite carriageway.

Quite clearly most drivers are in breach of Rule 139 Highway Code, as it is impossible to overtake a singly cyclist safely without crossing the centre-line on most roads.

I understand in Holland it is illegal to overtake cyclists if there is traffic coming on the opposite carriageway, which removes any ambiguity regarding safe overtaking distances.

Quite clearly, almost all motorists are in breach of the Highway Code when overtaking cyclists when there is oncoming traffic.

To prevent motorists overtaking too close to cyclists, traffic police advise two cyclists to ride two abreast to prevent motorists overtaking them when there is oncoming traffic on the opposite carriageway.

There are going to be some mighty long traffic queues if local police follow West Midlands examples, but some will say they won’t notice the difference.

A McCarthy Westwood Drive, West Mersea

  • Accept invite to be European Citizens

If William Jolliffe honestly believed a Brexit deal could be agreed almost instantly, he really is living in La-la land.

We were warned many times before the Referendum it would take years for a deal to be reached - no one knows just how long it will be.

As committed Remainers, my wife and I were devastated at the result of the Referendum.

We will always feel the British people have made a big mistake - time will tell.

The EU is probably the largest economy in the world, with over 500 million consumers.

How this country can jeopardise free trade with a market of this size, we cannot understand.

I assume Mr Jolliffe is confident all will be well as soon as we leave the EU.

I cannot share his optimism. Taking aside the huge cost of the protracted negotiations, has he taken a good look at the state of the country, both locally and nationally?

Here in Colchester we have potholed roads with dangerous uneven pavements.

Our road infrastructure has not really improved in 50 years, in spite of all the new housebuilding.

Our NHS is at breaking point - something the government should be ashamed of.

I find it ironic Lincolnshire, one of the most pro-Brexit areas, is having to recruit doctors from Portugal to help the situation in the county.

Also, we learn our prisons are in a terrible state, some apparently being virtually run by prisoners.

We are said to be a wealthy country, with the fifth largest economy. Unfortunately, although we do have a decent level of employment, much of it is in the service industry, with low pay, and zero hours contracts.

Will Brexit put all this right and create the panacea the Brexiteers promise us?

My wife and I have very serious doubts. If we are proved wrong we will be quite happy to apologise for our lack of faith.

Unfortunately, as we are both in our seventies, time is not on our side.

We are sure it will take many years for the country to recover and fear for our younger people.

We do have one consolation. Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliament’s chief negotiator, has proposed individual British subjects can become European Citizens, with the same current benefits.

He has been inundated with requests - my wife and myself included.

Dave Lester Myland, Colchester

  • Odd interpretations of our democracy

It has been reported researchers at the university have discovered a condition which they have decided to call “Referenda Misinterpretation”.

It appears to be an affliction of the mind that causes the suffer to misinterpret what is seen and heard and only seems to occur when the word referendum is mentioned.

It apparently occurred both before and after June 23 when certain people read, for example, statements such as “British economy booms after Brexit” and saw “Britain to go bankrupt after Brexit”.

The unfortunate thing is council leader Paul Smith seems to have, according to an article last week, been afflicted with the condition brought on by the suggestion made by Cllr Willetts that a referendum be called over the introduction of wheelie bins in Colchester.

It would appear having read the section of the Conservative manifesto which stated “wheelie bins will only be introduced by public demand” what he actually saw according to the article was “the Conservatives have a clear policy - no wheelie bins”.

Likewise having read the appropriate part of the Labour manifesto which stated they will “allow wheeled bins to be introduced in areas of the borough where there is a clear majority in favour of them” he now interprets this as giving the voters what they want by rolling them out in certain wards regardless of their views.

The sad fact is that no matter how much Cllr Willetts pushes for the referendum and attempts to justify the £50,000 cost, it will not happen because the council has already bought a job lot of wheelie bins from a car boot sale and will have to justify the expenditure by dumping them on hapless households in designated areas of Colchester.

The above condition also explains why when Cllr Smith and his like-minded cohorts read the definition of the word democratic as “being based on the idea that everyone should have equal rights and should be involved in making important decisions”.

What they actually see is “we will take into account the views of all and do what we want anyway”.

Richard Hart Harwich Road, Colchester

  • Bin referendum would save council money

Councillor Paul Smith is rather disingenuous to think because the Labour/Lib Dem coalition controls the council, the majority of people in Colchester want wheelie bins, unless of course this was their only policy in the elections.

People will vote based on their political beliefs, or perhaps because they like and trust a candidate who they believe can benefit their local area, but this is simply not a party political issue.

I am sure there are voters of every political persuasion holding pro or anti wheelie bin opinions.

He says a referendum will be a waste of money – I expect this will be much less than the cost of bringing in wheelie bins, and if the vote turns out as I expect, it would actually save a lot of unnecessary expense.

The biggest farce of this is to have different operating methods in different areas of the borough.

This can only lead to inefficiency and increased costs.

Peter Hazell New Farm Road, Stanway

  • Why is no one nagging about horse muck?

I WOULD like to know why it is always dog owners who get the blame for their pets messing on the path.

I would like to stick up for them.

Has anyone thought about horses leaving their much in the road while walking around housing estates.

Perhaps someone with on a bike with a bucket shovel should go with them and pick it up before it gets flattened by cars.

G P Hall Elm Drive, Brightlingsea