Accidents, How they Happen - How to avoid Them - Part A

I offer the opinion that collisions are not necessarily the same things as accidents. In fact, I hold that there are truly very few if any such things as accidents where there is no fault to be laid at someone’s door. It would also seem that the law agrees, as court records would prove. What then is the number one culprit behind the dreadful “accident” statistics? I think that speed is the root cause. Specifically, too much speed. But that lies within the judgement of the driver to control.

From time to time the newspapers report that the national roads in Spain, the N-332 and N-340 are the most dangerous. Well, the roads are only made that way due to the use they are put to. They were never intended to carry the volume of traffic that they do. My own belief is that no one should overtake the vehicle in front just because the driver behind left home too late or is simply impatient. The remedy for having left home too late to make one’s appointment is to simply get out of bed earlier. Trying to make up time on the road is sheer lunacy and only rarely is successful.

Speeding along these national roads can only be a death wish and impatience to meet one’s maker. But why do such people have to take other people with them?

Although I am talking specifically about Spain, the same applies all over the world. Driver, more than any other group are remarkably similar throughout the world.

During my time here in Spain I have had a number of narrow escapes from accidents that would have happened had I not taken anticipatory actions to avoid them. Here are a few examples:

(A) The case that gives me the most trouble involved a five-year-old child. On returning home about midnight along a well lit roadway in my former town, I noticed two men standing on the sidewalk talking. There was also a child about five years old. Neither of the men were paying the child any attention, so I slowed to a crawl while keeping a keen eye on the child. Suddenly, the child bolted right out into the road, and then stopped facing me. Had I not been prepared to stop, and had I been travelling at my legal speed I would surely have run him down. I sometimes have nightmares when I see his face staring at me. But this was an "accident" that had no chance of happening because of my anticipation.

(B) Early one evening as the light was fading I was driving along a residential avenue. Up ahead of me on the right side of the road was a woman riding a pedal cycle. A little way behind, but on the left side of the road was another rider who appeared to be much younger. I was about to pass between them at 50 km/h. Suddenly I realised that this was a mother and young daughter. I assumed that the mother had crossed over the road leaving her daughter behind. The mother was not paying the child any notice, but I was sure that at any moment the child would cross over, probably without regard to the traffic behind. I braked softly but started my hazard lights thereby holding back the cars behind me, and, sure enough she suddenly and without any indication veered across the road. Without that anticipatory action almost surely I would have hit her, or one of the cars behind me would have.

(C) While driving along another wide avenue in a residential area at night I noticed by its lights a car approaching from a narrow road on the left. By the sound of the engine I got the sense that this person was regarding the stop sign as a mere suggestion and was not going to stop. Fortunately there was no traffic behind me so I braked hard and stopped. Finally he saw me and also braked hard. He came to a stop so close to me that we formed a perfect “L” shape. I estimate it would not have been possible to pass anything between the cars. Again, anticipation paid off.

In examples "A" and "B", had a case been heard in court the verdict almost surely would have gone against me, because in answer to the question "was there anything more that I could have done to have avoided it", the answer would have been quite obviously "Yes".

In my next column I will examine some additional “accidents” and how they would have been avoided.

Death on the roads? It doesn’t have to end like that!
Don´t overtake on two-way road systems. Save your life for those who love you.

Buckle Up!

The late, Diana, Princess of Wales, lovingly known around the world as "Lady Di," and remembered fondly, left a very serious legacy, among her many legacies. The importance of wearing your seat belt! She gave her very life making that point, so the least that we can do is learn the lesson that she has given us.
It is entirely possible that she may have survived, even to lead a normal life. Her bodyguard did, and he was wearing his. I am certain that there is no starker example than that. In many countries of the world it is now an offence if all in the car are not belted up, but getting a ticket is the least of our worries.

Every car is manufactured with safety elements built into its construction. Some are active and others are passive. The active safety elements act to help avoid the accident from happening in the first place, but the driver must be actively involved in making sure that such elements can do their job. The windscreen is there to keep stuff out of the driver's face so as to not distract him, but he must keep it clean so as to have a clear view.
The tyres and brakes have their jobs to do, but it is necessary for the driver to observe the state of the tyres from time-to-time, and to keep them properly inflated.
The car's air-conditioning system is also an active safety element as it keeps the driver cool in the heat of Summer, and comfortably warm in Winter.
The seat belt and the airbag systems are considered to be passive elements because once the seat belt is snapped into place it simply sits there passively awaiting being called upon.
Anything that is not tied down when the car is brought to a sharp stop goes flying, very often out through the windscreen and into traffic. That includes small children not securely strapped in; pets, shopping and sundry other passengers. There have been documented cases where the front seat passengers who were strapped in were killed by rear seat passengers who were not.
The simple act of snapping the seat belt into place securing one's self in can mean the difference of whether you will survive that day or not. Why on earth would we not do that?

Copyright (c) 2007 Eugene Carmichael

Back into Africa

(My thanks to David Brock for the picture. Left to right: Dave Wilkins, Matthew Walpole, John Walpole)

The name Dave Wilkins has by now become a household name among the readers of the Costa Blanca Group's newspapers as we have followed Dave's adventures throughout Asia in his "Asia Odyssey", and at present his travels entitled "Into Africa" are being serialised. On that occasion he travelled with an American, by the name of Paul as they made their way across country. Paul was on the way to South Africa, and Dave was hitching a ride to Cameroon.

The travels of Dave, who calls himself "Wanderin Wilco" are amazing in themselves, but are made all the more awe-inspiring by the fact that several years ago David was struck by a horrific stroke that left his entire left side paralysed, including his left-side vision. Everyone else who I know that has had a similar misfortune to suffer this fate is now taking life easy. Let's face it, this is a major league setback that requires one to learn a whole set of skills. The main one will be in your head, and that is all about coping and wanting to carry on. Most such people don't even bother to go to the supermarket anymore, as that is simply too much effort.

Dave Wilkins is not everybody else. He is one of a kind, and the only reason I dare labour this point is because of the example that it gives. I hope his stories will be shared with people who are trying to cope with like debilitating circumstances because it just might be that they are capable of far more than they are aware. perhaps they thought there was no point in even trying. Of course, Dave is aware of what are supposed to be his limitations, and he is not actually trying to be a superman, but you know what: he is a superman. In fact he is a super-Superman because Dave has gone Back into Africa, and this time he is on a mission.

Dave is member 007 of The Malima Support Group of Spain that gives guidance and raises financial support for The Malima Project. The Group have adopted the village of Gouria, in the Extreme North of Cameroon, located in the Mandara Mountains along the border with Nigeria. A teacher at Cambridge House Community College in Valencia, Spain, Judith Burnett did some volunteer work in the region with the London based VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas). While there she was requested to help bring education to the village of Gouria.

From humble beginnings, The Malima Primary School, which she founded now has 200 students, and a large number of children in kindergarten waiting to enter the educational main stream. In addition there are adult classes for the parents. David visited the school as one of the supporting parents from Newton College of Elche to see for himself how the money donated was being used. Now he is totally committed to the village.

As proof that angels walk among us everyday, a most generous couple, Bob and Jan from Ontinyente in Spain offered the school, and the people of Gouria their surplus-to-requirements Nissan, Long-wheel base 4X4, as the village is so rural and remote and generally without transport of its own. The Malima Support Group hereby wishes to express their appreciation to Bob and Jan for their thoughtfulness and kindness. Once there, the vehicle will instantly transform life by being able to drive the necessary distance to collect water at a time when the village would normally not have any. As well, it will be able to act as their own ambulance, something they have never had before.

On the ninth of February, which is Dave's birthday, and as he pointed out, it is the date when Stanley set out to find Dr. Livingstone, Dave, together with the father and son driving team of John and Matthew Walpole left the docks at Alicante for the ferry crossing to Algiers on a 5,000 kilometre drive across the Sahara Desert to personally deliver the car. Their route is due South passing El Golea, In Salah, Tamanrasset, Arlit in Niger, and on into the Northern Plateu of Nigeria, a left turn across and into the Extreme Northern Cameroon, and the village of Gouria.

Crossing the desert there are paved roads for most of the way, providing the shifting sands do not completely cover them, but it is not exactly the same as driving the Autopista del Mediterranean. This is adventure in the making with many unknowns along the way. Already David has been reporting on their progress, and as one might imagine he tells tales of constant danger, life under the stars far away from life as we usually know it, and always the sand is constant. So far, so good!

That they will have some pretty good stories to tell when they get back is without doubt. We can be sure that there is at least one hotel along the way that goes by the name of "The Mirage." Let's hope it's real.

For more information regarding the Malima Project please visit www.Malima-Project.org

Valencia, One Super Sexy City

Valencia, no longer the ugly duckling! This city is all grown up into a beautiful and graceful swan. All eyes are on Valencia, so much so that some people might ask Madrid-who?, or Barza-who? When the names of the other two major Spanish cities are spoken in Valencia, they are uttered in hushed tones, because Valencia's time is now.

There are so many things taking place all at once it seems. The city itself is in renaissance and several of its satellite towns have undergone makeovers so as not to be recognizable from their former selves. Whole blocks of casitas, (little houses) have been torn down to make way for super apartment blocks. In one example, once open land is now home to sixteen thousand homes. We stand back in awe and ask where are all the people going to come from to occupy them, and then, as if by magic all the lights go on and the developers are off to repeat the same thing somewhere else.

One success story involved a block of ultra-modern smart apartments that were being marketed off-plan. The average price was a cool million euros. Reportedly, the project sold out in a day. Hey Valencia, what's going on?

What about all those road works! Did every decision maker wake up on the same day and decide that it was time to get started on his project. There are very few routes free of being dug up, carved out, paved over, and just generally in a nightmarish state. The town of La Pobla de Vallbona is one of the hardest hit. It is difficult to get into, to motor through it, or to get out of it. A lack of planning is what it is, but these things too will pass. I'm sure its not just Valencia, everybody throughout the country probably has a story to tell.

Within one year there have been some exciting events of world importance taking place here. First, there were the preliminaries to the America's Cup. That caused Valencia, a city that normally turned its back on the sea to do an about face. The entire waterfront has been upgraded, and is now a real showplace. Then came the visit of the Pope to the city, and that brought families from all around the world. So many visitors that they had to be housed in schools and other public buildings. A great many of them simply slept outside.

Valencia normally has a full programme of events throughout the year. During the month of March more than two million visitors come to enjoy the Festival of Fallas. This is the erection of massive monuments depicting almost any subject, and at the end of the festival they are burnt where they stand. Last year, one such entry cost in excess of 600,000 euros to construct. It all went up in smoke, believe it or not!

Easter is a favourite time of mine as the Easter Pageant is enacted by various cofradias, (brotherhoods), but in the town of Benetusser they produce a spectacular event in period costume wherein they re-enact the trial of Christ and the Crucifixion with the whole town having been turned into a sound stage.

Out at the racetrack at Cheste it had been a busy year, and talk of Formula One racing coming to Valencia was making the rounds. Then came January 15th, 2007, and the fantasy became a reality . Formula One was quite literally in the middle of town with all the bosses and politicos and Fernando Alonso and the McLaren Team to announce the beginning of yet another new chapter in Valencia's story.

What a glorious event that was, although I don't know the half of it. You had to be one of the selected few invited ones to have sipped the champagne, or cava as it is called here. Otherwise, you got to stand ten-deep along a course to watch the roll out of the new car. Fernando went past us at 150 km/h, which was so fast, if you only had a view between heads you didn't even know what colour the car was. Very dramatic! Even better that having a full-on view as you really felt the speed and power.

Well, what could be better than being able to watch Formula One racing around the streets of Valencia? How about driving one yourself? I know, I didn't believe it myself, but apparently there are some people who call themselves PureSport who can make that happen for you. Now, unfortunately, I'm not being paid to promote their programme, nor am I doing so in the hope of a freebie, (because it would be a hope in vain), but this is so off the wall, not to write about it would be just plain silly.

Fundamentally, this company offers the company perk of all time. The price for a group of 18 is approximately 45,000 euros, or 2,500 euros per person. However, it is an all-day event that immerses the participant in a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so where money is no object those who dare will surely feel they got good value. Oh, and by the way, if you're on your own they can accept singles.

So, sell, sell, sell all you sales groups. As for me, if the folks at PureSport appreciate the mention I would settle for simply getting to sit in the car and having my picture taken. If that happens I will share it with you all. Now that's not too much to hope for, is it?

Copyright (c) 2007 - Eugene Carmichael

THE IMPORTANCE OF LOOKING GOOD!

As I write this we are in deepest Winter and I am sitting in my car at Cambridge House Community College, Rocofort, Valencia, Spain. I am waiting for my son's class to end for the day. It has suddenly dawned on me that I am observing perhaps one of the biggest rolling fashion shows there is. The mothers are arriving in every type and make of car imaginable, and when they step out they are dresed to impress. Beside the ordinary family car, here's a partial list of the parade of exceptional autos going by:

Firstly, every car that Audi ever made seems to be represented. I think we have had their entire A-series. There goes a sleek black BMW X5. Man, that thing is huge. Plenty of other type beemers around as well. They seem to be competing with Audi for the title "Most of in parade." Staying with the alphabetical pecking order, since we have started that way, there are a couple of Chrysler Voyagers and a Citroen C-5; a Ford Explorer, and I thought I saw a Honda Hybrid, the future of motoring. There were two or three Jeep Grand Cherokees. (I have a special fondness for Jeeps.) No fashion line-up of cars would be complete without a Jaguar, and of course, a Lexus. We have one of each. (I wonder who I can convince to take me for a drive in their Lexus?)

There are Land Rovers, Land Cruisers and Range Rovers, all making the school run. Aren't these vehicles more at home crossing the Sahara Desert? Then, not to be left out there was a Nissan 4x4, and Mitsubishi's Shogun, Pajero, and Intercooler 2800. Quite naturally Mercedes is quite well represented to the extent of being almost commonplace. Bringing up the rear, so to speak were a VW Toureg and a Volvo XC90. In a special place all of its own was a sole Mini Cooper.

When one looks at this impressive list of high value cars simply carrying the children to and from school, I am reminded that Spain has come a very long way within a very short time indeed. Much of this prosperity is owed to the influx of foreigners buying up Spanish real estate that has made many Spaniards wealthy beyond their wildest dreams.

As a parting thought, just who needs a Ford Explorer, a virtual tank of a car, to take the children to school. This is a 4.6 litre, 24 valve, V8 monster of a vehicle. Just starting one up would blow my fuel budget for the week. It is absolutely humongous! When it pulled alongside my car it blocked out the sun. The lady driver looked down on me sitting in my ancient Volvo 850 as thought I were an ant.

What will they come to pick up the kids in next? A Hummer! Oh No! Here comes one now!

Death on the Roads? It doesn't have to end like that. Take care out There!

RAAAAAAGE !!!!!!!!!!!

Road Rage is a form of temporary insanity, sort of like breaking into someone's home and doing all their housework, then leaving without taking anything. When we look back on what we did we are puzzled. What on earth was I thinking? When you get out of your car to go face to face, almost always it goes way beyond where you imagined. Think twice!

Once, in Pennsylvania, USA, I ended up in the middle of a shoot-out between two drivers that was the most amazing thing I have ever seen, (and lived to tell the tale). It seems that the driver in front had annoyed the driver behind in some way. I guess he forgot about the traffic lights up ahead. There I was, riding in the private car of an off-duty detective, (although there is no such thing as off-duty) when these two cars came to a screeching halt in the lane to our left. Doors were thrown open and much shouting of profanities followed. Suddenly someone screamed "Look out, he's got a gun!! Suddenly, everybody had a gun. Then, these two Einsteins began shooting in this busy junction.

My friend, the cop lit up his emergency light and yelled, "drop the weapons ! Hands up!" I heard the two guns drop, and the clatter of more guns kept dropping. Brilliant! There were all these people standing around with their hands over their heads, but one by one they picked up their weapons and walked off, except the two brain-dead combatants.

I looked around for the cameras and Lesley Snipes. This had to be a scene from a movie. No, this was just the good ole U. S. of A.

In another incident, a young guy who evidently took great pride in his car thought nothing of parking it in such a way as to lock in at least two other motorists. They were waiting for him when he came back. One was part of a family of four, including a crying baby. Understandably, the child's father was angry, but when he tried to tell thug what an inconvenience he had caused the guy got right up in his face. A very professional looking guy, who could have been cast for a role in Murder, Inc was passing, and observing what was going on went over to the car and kicked in the headlights. Thug froze at the sound, turned around to take a piece of this guy with the death wish and froze again. He was facing Bruce, a U.S. Navy Seal trainer, a man with no neck that you could see, and no sense of humour about what was going on.

Thug had to get down on his knees and apologise to the family with a sincerity that impressed Bruce. Rarely have I enjoyed a case of road rage quite so much.

In another case a man drove his car in such a way as to cause a fender bender with another car. When the other driver got out, presumably to discuss exchanging particulars for insurance purposes the aggressor driver beat him within an inch of his life.

I once questioned out loud why mild mannered accountants like myself leave our offices at the end of the day and drive like lunatics. The person to whom I addressed this question said he thought it must be because we are lunatics. O.K.!

I think it must all be about attitude, and leaving enough time to get to where we are going. And one more thing, tolerance and patience. Other people cannot be expected to drive exactly the way we would like them to. I was driving at the speed limit when a trucker came up behind me flashing his lights telling me to move on. Move on to what? I was already at the speed limit.

Before setting out for the day I try to remember to take a deep breath and to promise myself that I am not going to let anyone ruin my day. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it don't!

Please don't overtake along two-way road systems. Save your life for those who love you!

Driving, Bermuda

" And now, for something completely different", as the Monty Python crew would say. I would like to talk about Driving in the U.K. and Driving, USA; and Driving through Europe, but how about driving in a mini-state? I have chosen my native Bermuda, and a picture of one of our more unusual visitors along the South Shore, with the all-important Bermuda Lighthouse in the background. As soon as I can find the credit for this superb photo I will post it.

Firstly, Bermuda was originally discovered by the Spanish explorer, Juan de Bermudez, from Cartegena. Spain relinqushed its interest in the little rock in the middle of the Atlantic, and about 100 years later it was re-discovered by the British. It still remains a British possesion, or to be more politically correct, it is a British Overseas Territory. It is one of her territories where she didn't have to dispossess the natives, since there were no people living there at the time. (Or so the history books tell us.)

It is located in the North Atlantic, about 650 miles (1,046 kilometres) off the coast of North Carolina. Its relevance to mini-driving is that the island is only 20.7 miles long, (that's 35 kilometres). It can be walked in one day.

There are 65,000 souls clinging to this wee small rock surrounded by all that ocean, and that figure has remained remarkably static over many years. Some say that every time a baby is born a man leaves. We think that's a joke, but maybe not. Our historic mix is one of African, British, Caribbean, Portuguese, and Native Americans. We don't have nearly enough Spanish, so my friend Pepe is on his way.

Driving in Bermuda would remind you a lot of driving in the U.K. We drive on the left, and all our roads resemble English country lanes. American tourists arriving at Bermuda's International airport usually get real quiet when they realise that the driver is on the wrong side of the road. Eventually, when someone finds their voice it is to ask, "so when do we get to the main drag?" As one comedian put it, "I've seen king-sized beds wider than those roads."

True, our roads are winding, hilly and narrow. We reached what one politician said was saturation point about 20 years ago, but we keep adding more vehicles as everybody wants their wheels. Bermuda is only one of a handful of countries that nearly found a political solution to overcrowding on the road. In 1946, when the enabling legislation (reluctantly) gave the green light to private ownership of cars, it limited the ownership to one per family household. (We have four cars here in Spain, although one is a looker-after while the owners are away, which is most of the time.) So, in Bermuda, you may be from a household of ten people there can only be one car among you.

It worked for many years to keep the number of cars in check, but then came prosperity and young people got good paying jobs and wanted both a car and an apartment. So now we have too many cars and too many houses. Ah well! It seemed like a good idea at the time.

On the plus side, when you visit, you will not be able to rent a car. We concluded many years ago that to rent cars to American visitors, who are accostumed to driving on the right would likely lead to more calamities than we could endure. So, it's mopeds for all.

One tourist who had been out riding all day was finally stopped by the police. "Sir, do you realize you wife fell off the back of your bike sometime ago?" "Oh! Thank God for that", he said. "I thought I'd gone deaf!"

Now here's the kicker to this entire tale. The maximum speed limit anywhere on the island is 20 miles per hour, and usually it is prohibited to overtake. (That's 35 kilometres per hour.) I have a friend, Juan, who when he is driving at 35 km/h thinks that he is stopped, and parked!

According to an article published by the only daily newspaper on the island, The Royal Gazette, the police and the Bermuda Road Safety Council are frustrated in their attempts to get people to slow down. Everybody seems to feel that they are in a hurry with places to go, people to see, and things to do. I'm sure that half the time we could just as easy e-mail. Unfortunately, failure to take road conditions seriously ends too often in loss of life. The toll tends to be around unlucky number 13 per year of those killed, often in single vehicle collisions with trees and poles.

Given that Spain suffers more than 3,000 deaths per year, thirteen may not sound like a lot, but I think those affect a great more people, per capita because of the island's smallness.

I hope one day you will visit Bermuda. Please say Hello! to Gene Steede as he welcomes you at the airport by singing you a calypso. Everytime I go back I am struck by the beautiful clear waters, the coral reefs, the verdant green lushness of the vegetation, and the cleanliness. You will meet people who are genuinely glad to see you, and be sure to say a hearty HI! to Johnnie Barnes as he hails you first thing in the morning on your way in to the city of Hamilton. He will most probably tell you that he loves you, and he will mean it. He said to one struggling lady tourist on her moped, "Lady, I love You!" She called back, "Say What!"

Motorcyclist, everywhere! Wear a lime-green "Gerry Jacket" day and night. Be Seen to be Safe!

What Drivers and Riders Accept

I am writing this from my home in the Mountains of Pedralba, a village outside Valencia City, and it is a very cold day. That makes this activity just perfect.

We arrived here from my native Bermuda towards the end of 1999. We must surely be the only immigrants who did not come to Spain for the sun, sand, and the sea, but we will take the sangrias. Bermuda has all those things in good measure, but it is a very small island, only 35 kilometres long and 3 kilometres wide. Like most things precious it comes in a small package.

I decided to give myself a 60th birthday and take early retirement to go in search of adventure, challenge and change. For my family and myself this has been just the tonic.

On the way in from Valencia airport I concluded that what Spain really needed, right there and then were safer roads, and that if I ever got the opportunity to make a small contribution I would not hesitate. In my own way I have been doing my bit, including the writing of a regular column on Spanish Motoring that has been published by the largest publisher of English language newspapers, The Costa Blanca News Group.

So, here we are, seven plus years later. My wife, Lorna, who is from Cornwall, South West England is a fluent speaker of both Castillian and Valenciano Spanish. So much so that many consider her to be native born. Our son, Nathaniel, who was nine when we arrived was holding his own in the language department after six months. I am the problem, but even I am able to travel anywhere in the country and do business without too many costly mistakes.

I have to give praise to our friends, Pepe and Amparo and thier son, Juan, and daughter, Carolina, for without them we would have had to invent someone like them to help us get settled. We chose an area where Spanish only was spoken because we came to Spain.

Spanish roads were really bad when we arrived. The types of behaviour seen on the roads were more suitable for the bullring, but to be honest, things have improved. They could hardly have gotten any worse. We had people darting each and everywhere without total disreagrd for lane discipline. Traffic signs were mere suggestions, especially "Stop" signs. To put it mildly, I was simply horrified. Now I often help newcomers to adjust to the so-called system here, which is still a lot of organised chaos.

So, driving in Spain carries some risks that are somewhat unique because many of your fellow drivers are actually frustrated bull fighters. These young men think nothing of standing still while a mad bull charges at full speed with one thing on its mind. "I'm going to stick it to that little fella!" Having said that, modern driving has many shared risks, and we who take to the road tacitly or openly accept those risks. Here are some of them:

- We know that our road systems are overcrowded and getting worse every day;
- Many of us are incompetent, confused, purchased our license, we are careless and distracted, drunk, on drugs, stupid, or all of the above;
- Sooner or later someone will bump into us, and when they do we can only hope that it will be gently;
- That sooner or later we ourselves will likely bump into someone else. This is not mandatory, however, so be careful out there. A collision is not the same thing as an accident.

For those of you who have to switch from the left side of the road to the right when visiting Europe or North America, there is an easy to remember failproof mantra. "The right side is the right side." Also, if your left elbow, that's the one with the watch normally, is pointing at the center of the road, you're probably doing it correctly. If, however, it is pointing at a hedge alongside, you have to make a correction and you have to be very quick about it.

"Death on the Roads! It doesn't have to end that Way."