AM I alone in thinking that we need a new bye-law which addresses an annoying modern social curse?

I refer not to the drinking habits of our up-and-coming young citizens or to the near mentally deranged mobile phone users but to the inappropriate use of the hood.

In my opinion it should be punishable to walk about in public with your hood up if it is not raining or blowing a gale.

I am speechless at the many examples which can be observed by any of us as we go about our daily lives.

The most common is that of the youth who, on one of the very rare sunny days we are blessed with, insists upon having a hood pulled over his or her head.

Notwithstanding the general abuse of the hood I have been quite amused at some of the examples of more extreme hoodism I have observed.

Recently I had the pleasure of dining out in one of Newcastle’s many excellent restaurants.

During my meal I was fascinated to watch a young man conduct his whole evening with his face covered in the hood of his track suit.

On a more serious note I had the misfortune to be on the same stretch of the public highway as another young man dressed in a similar manner.

He was riding a bike and was totally unaware that vehicles were close to him.

Only the diligence of his fellow road users saved his life.

D Gunning, Frosterley.