Crash !

If you have ever been so unfortunate as to have been in the wrong place at the wrong time to bear witness to a collision on the road, you will know what a traumatic experience it is. Of course people actually pay to see spectacular crashes on the racetrack, but those are somewhat controlled. At least they are in so much as the drivers have extra safety measures built-in to the cage, and the risks are reduced by the fact that there will usually be only one class of vehicle, and they all start off going the same way.

It was my bad luck to have a crash happen directly in front of me, the results of which might well have been worse that they were. This is a cautionary tale for us all, as it could have so easily been anyone.

It happened in the town of Vilamarxant, in the suburbs of Valencia city. The set-up for this crash is a maze of narrow cross streets. The rule is that should you have traffic approaching from your right, that traffic has the presumed right of way. All traffic should therefore circulate at walking pace speed, ready to stop until certain who will proceed first. Unfortunately, that’s not the way it works in practise.

I had made my way along a street that was crossed by one-way traffic that was alternately coming from my right and then my left. I did have to give way to crossing traffic, and we did so safely. That was because I anticipated that it would happen, and I was moving at walking pace and therefore able to stop in time. I did this even for those junctions in which I had right of way, just in case the other vehicle did not give way to me. (Avoid the accident by any means necessary.)

Having parked my car and locked it I was waiting on a car coming along the same street that I had travelled. A mother carrying her eleven year-old to school drove the car. The girl was sitting in the front passenger seat. As they drew abreast of the cross street closest to me a white van appeared suddenly, moving at about 50 km/h and broad sided the car. I estimate that the car’s speed was about 40 km/h.

Within seconds both drivers were out of their vehicles accusing one another of being responsible. Meanwhile, the child passenger, who took the brunt of the crash, was badly shaken and traumatised, but otherwise unharmed. The material damage was mainly caused to the car in that the passenger side door was caved in, and that would result in a very expensive repair and loss of use of the vehicle for quite some time.

There were several things wrong with this situation: The most serious was that a young person was sitting in the passenger seat. It is not against the law provided that the youth is properly restrained, but is not to be recommended, as there is greater exposure to harm in the front passenger seat.

Secondly, neither of those drivers exercised a proper level of caution for the circumstances. Visibility was restricted to the last minute, which meant that both drivers were assuming that they were the only people using those roads at that time. That is always a dangerous and ridiculous thing to do, and they both received a short sharp, shocking lesson in the fallacy of such an assumption.

The lady driver repeated that she had priority as she was on a priority road. In cross town and urbanisation grids, this is rarely the case. Mostly, such roads have equal value. It is for drivers to take the appropriate precautions, and even if they are not certain about who has the right of way, they can deal with the situation by stopping and agreeing who may move first.

When the police came to sort out the matter the lady was disappointed to learn that she was indeed responsible for the incident. That meant that added to all her own inconveniences, she would also have to repair the damage to the van.

All things considered, not a good way to start the day. I repeat, the moral of this story seems to be, “Avoid the accident by any means necessary.”

Copyright © 2008 Eugene Carmichael

Lewis Hamilton at Silverstone

Lewis Hamilton is a Phenom. He seems to have come out of nowhere to take one of the most prestigious sporting events by storm. He seems to have been cut from the same cloth as Michael Schumacher in F1 Racing, or Tiger Woods in golf.

This is a compelling comparison to make because both Tiger Woods and Lewis come from humble beginnings, and they have entered into primarily white sporting circles without a shot having been fired. None of the privilege existed for them to grease their entry. Both young men had the benefit of strong fathers in their corners, which is a major plus and not to be glossed over, as both of these young men have black fathers.

There is another story here that is of greater depth and complexity about the black family experience, particularly in America and Britain. We’ll save that for another time, but trust me, all black fathers are taking note of what can be achieved by giving solid support to their sons and daughters. Venus and Serena Williams in tennis are prime examples also of having the full support of their father.

Another parallel is that both Tiger and Lewis present such charming public images. They are equally poised, well spoken, very handsome, and quite intelligent, and of course, accomplished. Those are all the qualities that allow their fans to be proud of them.

It is truly astonishing what a decade or two can mean in so far as change is concerned. Baseball had to endure a difficult period when it finally accepted black players, and golf in particular has had a chequered past. But that was then, this is now, and for the sport of Formula 1, the one to watch is Lewis Hamilton. He must take his turn as world champion one day. Perhaps that will happen this year. It didn’t happen for him last year, although he came exceedingly close. It would have been a remarkable achievement to have become world champion in his F1 debut year. That would have been an extraordinary record for the books, but probably the start of his decline, as it may have seemed too easy.

Silverstone was a superb win for Lewis and the Vodafone/McClaren team. It was on his home turf, under difficult conditions, and one to savour the sweet taste of for a long time to come. Performing on one’s home circuit is a double-edged sword for the same reason. The fans don’t forget the win or the loss. But, as they say, no pressure when that many people are desperate for results that please.

He drove a clear and flawless race when so many things were conspiring to trip him up. Unlike poor Felipe Massa who was in a continual spin throughout.

Now, the driver’s points standing is a three-way tie with 48 points each toward the world championship, Lewis, Massa, and Raikkonen. Anyone remember Fernando Alonso, former world champion. This season has not been kind to him at all. He has only managed to rack up 13 points. This is a tough and vicious sport. One minute you’re the Toast of the Town, and before you know it, you’re just plain toast.

Lewis dedicated his win at Silverstone to his family. That meant that four very proud people had really big smiles on their faces. His Mom Carmen, and his step-mom Linda; his younger brother Nicolas, whose eyes light up like street lights as he looks at Lewis; and particularly his Dad, Anthony, whose roots are from Grenada, in the West Indies.

To Anthony I say the following: “ Sir, it’s no wonder your son is a winner because that is what you are. You believed in your son, you were there for him; you inspired him; and you have apparently done that fathering thing with distinction. You have shown black fathers around the world where the real life satisfaction is, and how important it is to stay the course. So, thank you for your example, and congratulations on raising such a fine son. Oh! One more thing. You’re one heck of a spokesperson!”


Copyright © 2008 Eugene Carmichael