Cyclists who ring their bells are rare in the ACT

I'm not hard of hearing and I don't wear headphones when walking but in my experience on paths between Kaleen and Canberra Uni and around Lake Burley Griffin near New Acton, based on keeping a mental count, I would say that fewer than three out of 10 do so.

Those who do are mostly female riders.

And every time someone rides past without warning I call out "a bell would be good".

Maybe with headphones in their ears they don't hear or they just arrogantly ignore me.

Of those who do, I'm occasionally rewarded with a raised middle finger.

It really seems to be a pecking order with pedestrians at the bottom as many cyclists exhibit the same arrogant behaviour they accuse motorists of.

John Widdup (Letters May 2) if you are one of about 10 per cent who actually ring your bicycle bell when you approach people from behind, congratulations.

It is actually a rarity for that to happen. Most other riders do not ring a bell or call out.

You say "when walking dogs on shared pathways, please keep left".

Obviously you have never ever walked a dog. To have a dog on a short leash for over an hour, just to satisfy bike riders who decide it is not macho enough to ring a bell, is not on.

If a cyclist lets me know they are approaching I will ensure that myself and my dog are safe from collision with the cyclist.

However, we need to know the cyclist is approaching.

Please ring your bell.

Northbourne Avenue as a bicycle route is preferred by informed cyclists because it's direct compared to alternatives, says Terry George, (Letters, May 3).

Well-informed cyclists know better than cycling near traffic fumes.

The healthy alternative route goes through pleasant parks to the west of Northbourne Avenue.

The time saved by cycling near ICE vehicles gets you sooner to the grave.

Does it seem strange to thinking Australians that a group of people carrying out a massive genocide are being given approval to do so by countries like our own?

Meanwhile, those trying to stop it by protesting are being savagely beaten, going to jail and in some cases, possibly being denied the academic degree they earned from four years at universities all around the world.

This is what is happening everywhere in 2024.

Be aware of this, Prime Minister, and do not let what is happening in the so-called "land of the free" USA receive any government support.

Our future as a now decreasingly independent country depends on it.

A very sincere thank you to the kind and honest person who handed in my small credit card wallet (found in the multi-storey carpark at Calvary Hospital) to the desk at Calvary Private Hospital. So much appreciated. Thank you again.

The case for breastfeeding goes well beyond the 'emissions footprint' of manufactured formula ("Mothers who breastfeed can save the planet: ANU study", May 2). As is the case with all mammals, human breast milk is nature's way of providing babies and young infants with a food designed by nature over at least 2 million years. It is the perfect formula for supporting the growth of children through their early formative months and ensuring their continuing health.

Thank you for sharing your story of pain, Katy. That took courage.