Elton's Gridlock is not comic - Bristol is in Cardiac arrest

I AM glad that Kevin Hill ("Not necessarily on the best authority" Open Lines, September 2) found my letter which castigated selfish car users challenging. In particular he questioned my use of the comedian Ben Elton's book Gridlock, to substantiate my claims that Bristol is in terminal vehicular CARdiac arrest.

He rubbished a quotation used from the book by saying: "What an eminent authority to use as an argument, and I wonder how many cars there are in Mr Smith's household, one per adult? Or maybe, if he actually believes what he writes, perhaps he might use his legs for transport."

So as not to disappoint him, I will again quote from Elton's Gridlock: "How did we ever let it come to this? After all, everybody wants to unblock the jams. Or perhaps they don't. Everybody wants cleaner, more efficient car engines. Maybe. Everybody longs for the day when filthy poisonous expensive oil (dependency on Libya!) will no longer be the very blood in the veins of our way of life. Surely that has to be the bottom line?"

I hope Mr Hill, that you do not again feel Elton's words to be a comic misrepresentation of the traffic chaos in Bristol.

It matters not one iota how many cars (parked in garages, or on drives) are in family ownership BUT their unnecessary (taking to children 200 metres to school!) use!

My actual car mileage is minimal. I have legs, bicycle, moped, motorcycle, public transport, and these are always my chosen means of transport in that order.

Can Mr Hill claim such dedication to non-car usage? I think not!

R L Smith, Knowle, Bristol.