Rob Martin (ViewPoints, April 21) is right: too many Oxford cyclists flout the law, but cycle campaigners want more blame laid on motorists.

James Styring claims (On Yer Bike, April 19) “cyclists killed no pedestrians in 2009, but per mile cyclists fare worse than any other group on the road”.

Actually, in an average year in the UK, 200 pedestrians are hit by cyclists and three are killed.

Responsible safety campaigners use five-year averages, not misleading one-year totals.

And cyclists do not have the highest casualty rate per million miles. Motorcyclists do.

Causing death by dangerous driving has a sentence of up to 14 years but killer cyclists face a different law. Its maximum sentence is only two years and is seldom used.

In 2008 cyclist Darren Hall killed pensioner Ronald Turner and got seven months.

In 2007 cyclist Jason Howard killed teenager Rhiannon Bennett and got a £2,200 fine.

In 2006 cyclist Peter Messen killed Gary Green and got 300 hours’ community service.

All three killers were Cycling on the pavement.

James wants the law changed to presume the larger vehicle in any collision is guilty until proven otherwise.

This is worse than Rob describes. Equality before the law and assuming innocence until proven guilty are fundamental English rights that James would erode.

MP Andrea Leadsom’s Dangerous and Reckless Cycling Bill would apply equal responsibility to cyclists.

Accepting equal responsibility for one’s actions is part of growing up. James opposes her Bill.

Hugh Jaeger Park Close Oxford