Sir, Gerald Price of Stockport asks "Who are the people who are so determined to force powercraft to be used at 10 mph ..and rob me of water skiing?" (Letters, October 15, Mausoleum fears').

They are local residents, living up to half a mile and more from the shore, whose homes and gardens are invaded for hours at a time by the noise from speeding jet skis, all those who have witnessed sailing dinghies capsized by wash from water skiers, walkers whose peace and pleasure is marred by the noise of speeding water craft and everyone who cares about the environmental damage to the lake shore and shallows caused by wash.

In recent years, hundreds of people's safe, peaceful enjoyment of Windermere has been blighted by a small minority - in a single journey down Windermere, one speeding boat can create noise, nuisance and disruption to numerous people on and off the lake - one water skier enjoying himself, at the expense of dozens of others.

In fact no one is "robbing" Mr Price of his enjoyment, he is just being asked to stop robbing other people of theirs, by pursuing his hobby elsewhere.

The repeated threat by Mr Price and his ilk that they will move to other lakes and break bylaws, has robbed this cause of any remaining sympathy it may have had. For the record, "perfectly decent people" do not break bylaws - they respect them and the rights of others.

Diane Janes Bowness n Sir, Yet again another letter from a kill-joy who cannot grasp the concept that there are many lakes in Cumbria where he can enjoy peace and quiet', but only one where people can pursue their chosen pastime if it involves travelling at more than 10mph. (Letters, October 8, Get rid of lake speedsters').

While I agree that the behaviour of the jet-skier concerned was totally unacceptable, I find it difficult to understand how anyone can be so peevish, that due to one rare and isolated incident, he would like to selfishly ruin the enjoyment of all the other lake users who do so responsibly.

The Lake District National Park Authority, displaying such smug delight over the impending ban, has behaved disgracefully. Not just in forcing the ban through against such weight of public opinion, but also with their refusal to allow lake-based businesses to adapt their facilities.

It seems they would prefer to wait for them to be really struggling, possibly with no hope of recovery, before they will consider granting permission for alterations that should be going ahead now. Its attitude towards The Low Wood Hotel, in particular, is reprehensible.

I know I am by far from being the only person who finds it galling, in the extreme, that it is my hard-earned money that pays the wages of these unelected people and enable them to make despotic decisions with little or no regard towards the people they are supposed to be answerable to i.e. The people who live and work in the Lake District.

Hardly democratic is it?

Sarah E Tullis Staveley n Sir, Regarding the forthcoming introduction of a 10mph speed limit on Windermere, I find it hard to take seriously any group or body' that does not honour agreements or keep its promises. It happens all too frequently these days.

I would like to know who will actually enforce the limit. I know there are wardens but dozens of them would be required if the public chose to ignore the by-law. If caught breaking the limit would you receive a caution or a fine or a night in the cells? What's the worst that could happen?

Why are we all so easily bullied into doing what a small number of opinionated, narrow minded and selfish people wish us to do? Surely they have enough choices for tranquillity and calm in the Lake District or do they just hate seeing people doing anything at all that they don't do themselves?

I am certain that there is a strong case for ignoring this speed limit and I intend to do so at any opportunity, not just on Windermere but on the other more tranquil' lakes. I'm really looking forward to my Tour of Cumbria' in 2005.

It's No more Mr Nice Guy'. It doesn't work. I did as I was asked, observing the 6mph limits, only using the bit of Windermere I was allowed on, being polite and courteous to other water users and what did I get from the national park authority? A big Get Lost, you're not welcome!' I would like to inform the authority that I had only three outings on the lake this year and rescued two stranded day boats. (Both these were occupied by foreign tourists who were very grateful we were there to tow them in).

I am constantly disappointed at the state my country is getting itself into. We pay more and more for less and less and are dismissed as inconsequential and treated like children by bullies who want everything their own way.

Its time for some commonsense, time for some action and above all, time for some disobedience!

David Gaunt Silsden, West Yorkshire