A stiff warning has been issued to motorists whose poor driving it is claimed has led to potentially dangerous roads for motorcyclists.

Many people believe a lack of respect on the road and an increase in speed has made two-wheeled motoring increasingly perilous -- especially for visitors.

The warning came from cycle livery officials, speaking after the husband of an American visitor killed in a cycle accident last week launched a bitter attack on the state of the Island's highways.

Stanley Snyder, whose wife Helen was buried yesterday, said he would tell visitors not to hire cycles because of the heavy, speeding traffic which he claimed did not show any respect to motorcyclists.

Mrs. Snyder died after suffering serious head injuries when her cycle lost control and hit a wall on the Causeway at St. George's on Thursday.

The liveries were united in their belief that there was a need for better driver education and a return to the "politeness'' of yesteryear.

Bad drivers criticised Geoffrey Gibbons, general manager of Oleander Cycles, said there was a lack of patience and noticeable increase of speed on the part of motorists.

"I think the public have to recognise that these people are visitors to our Island,'' he said. "We need to give them space and slow down. What is another five minutes? If you run tourists off the road you might as well run them off the Island.'' He said the onus was on resident drivers to show some respect to the 200,000 visitors that took to the roads each year, remembering that they boosted the economy and the country needed them to return.

Apart from one or two rogue operators, all liveries took time to instruct visitors on the bikes before they ventured out and would refuse to hire to those who couldn't handle the machines on the roads, he said.

But Mr. Gibbons added there was also an onus on visitors to be aware of traffic, ride properly and follow the rules of the road.

He added that exit surveys showed that riding scooters was an extremely enjoyable part of visitors' holidays.

With cruise ships and a couple of large hotels understood not to be recommending guests hire scooters, one livery official said there would need to be a look at some serious transport alternatives if the Government became involved in the issue.

Eloise Dowling, a partner in St. George's-based Dowling's Cycles, which operates the Grotto Bay Beach Hotel livery, where the Snyders rented their cycles, said: "Not everybody wants to go by bus or can afford a taxi.'' She sympathised with Mr. Snyder but said all riders were given safety advice before they were allowed to rent a bike.

Politeness had disappeared on the roads and she said there big difference between the traffic of 12 years ago and today.

More visible policing and an improvement in driver standards could help ease the strain, said David Panchaud, president of Wheels Cycles.

"There is a bit more congestion,'' he said. "But it is still the best way to see the Island and all the riders have been given adequate instruction.

"We have been doing the same thing for years. We turn away people who can't handle the cycles. We tell the others to keep left, drive carefully and avoid the rush hours.'' But Mr. Panchaud added that, although last week's accident was very unfortunate, the actual statistics of accidents compared to visitors who hired machines indicated that visitors were safe and more cautious on the roads.