Sir – I felt that I should write in support of Tom Benyon of Bladon (Letters, December 23) concerning “Cyclists in the Dark”.

I am employed as a lodge porter at a college in Oxford, finishing my duties at just before midnight. Earlier this year, on my journey home along Woodstock Road towards Bicester, I saw what appeared to be a barn owl coming out of Polstead Road from my left. Instinct told me to brake and to my amazement I found, not an owl but a young lady cyclist dressed in a dark duffel coat and blonde hair, whose front wheel was now under my nearside front wheel. There were no lights on her bike nor was she in a fit state to ride. I advanced to make sure she was OK but found she was shocked more than anything. Shock then hit me. What if I had been a second later, she would have been under my car. I inspected my vehicle but couldn’t see any damage.

The cyclist said she was all right and pushed her bicycle away.

I decided to call into Bicester police station to report the incident, in case, when the student woke up in the morning, she saw the damage to her bike or sustained bruising she could charge me with driving away from an accident or worse.

I was taken into an interview room where I made a statement and volunteered a breath test to cover all eventualities. I eventually got home at 3am. A month later I received a letter stating that no charges would be brought against me. I felt like a criminal through no fault of my own.

Every night I alternate my journey home using the Woodstock or Banbury Roads but still see plenty of cycles with no lights and no enforcement officers.

Tony Mead , Bicester