I MUST protest, in the strongest possible terms, about the attitude and phraseology of your Opinion column (LET, May 21).

The editorial, headed 'Hound death race bikers off the road,' was a piece of hyper-emotional, muck-raking, 'shock-horror-probe' gutter journalism worthy of the lowest orders of the tabloid press.

Never, in 31 years as a motorcyclist have I read such a load of biased, one-sided and prejudiced bilge as this article.

I realise that as a member of the 'Blackburn Partnership,' you must toe the line of Blackburn with Darwen Council and participate in their war to drive motor vehicles off the streets, but even given the current climate or anti-vehicle paranoia, your article really wins the Pultzer Prize for emotionally-biased journalism.

Your article implies all motorcycles can reach 160mph and all motorcyclists regularly travel at this speed. In all the yeas I have been riding I have very rarely travelled at half this speed and my current machine, a 196cc Trailbike, specially designed for 'green-laning' rather than tarmac riding, is hard-pushed to do 60mph, let along 160. Of course there are some idiots who indulge in two-wheeled madness, just as there are idiots in any given field of human activity. These morons do give the other 99.9 per cent of motorcyclists a bad name and my concern is that the police will use your version of the truth as a big stick to beat all bikers with.

Because, believe me, after 31 years on two wheels, I know for a fact that the authorities need no encouragement to have a go at bikers.

So, less emotion and bias to more facts and fair play, please.

PAUL ATHERTON, Wythburn Avenue, Blackburn.

FOOTNOTE: My Opinion column was in response to a police statement about 'road racers' and a horrifying letter from a reader intimidated by these idiots. As you say, they probably only account for a tiny proportion of motorcyclists, but it was to them I was referring. I am not, incidentally, a member of the 'Blackburn Partnership' - Editor.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.