The Mean Police!

Watch your Speed!

Sure! The traffic police have a job to do to maintain law and order on our highways. They enforce proper documentation and our observence of speed laws. I respect them when they warn us that speed checks are being carried out by using radar. They don't have to do that as drivers should always assume that our speed is being monitored. It is in our interest that we are being kept in check because it is usually an excess of speed that leads to car crashes. I prefer to go through my day accident-free.

There are places where the radar trap is set which is at the point that a higher speed changes to a lower one. As we pass the sign we should be driving no faster than the posted speed. Some of the signs are posted so close together I would have to stand on my brakes to comply. That is neither fair or reasonable.

During the past two weeks I have passed a particular spot where the police have set up their radar so that drivers will blindly blunder across it. I have tried to determine from posted speed signs what the limit for that stretch is, but there are no signs. When driving into the city the last signs lower the speed from 120 to 80. We drive over a bridge, and around two sets of roundabouts before driving across the radar.

On driving from the city, although there are no signs to say so, we should have been travelling at 50 kph when passing the radar. So, 80 one way and 50 the other? This can't be right. I drove through the first time at 60 without problem, so my guess is 80 must be correct, but surely, this is not the way to treat drivers.

This seems to me to be just another way to rip off soft targets. It also seems to be using the police as though they are highwaymen, and that is not in accordance with their station. I want to continue to respect what I usually consider the most professional police service in the world. Tricking drivers in this manner does not help my perception.

Copyright (c) 2013  Eugene Carmichael

Some Badass Rides!

Ambulance Anyone?

This was the scene in Boston following the Marathon Bombings on the 15th April, 2013. There are more ambulances in this picture than taxis.

Once I became aware of what was happening I spent entirely too much time in front of the television as CNN brought us Breaking News. I know this was not intended as coverage to entertain us, but it was riveting. What could possibly be worth the death and destruction that was caused by two young men from Chechyna, who were given asylum by The United States? How cold do you have to be to even conceive of something so evil. I feel certain that the older brother was the mastermind who brought his younger brother on board. The question now is: who or what  terror group were they acting for?

As coverage unfolded one thing became clear: American law enforcement have some pretty snazzy rides up their garages. Especially S.W.A.T! However, I can't show you any because if you go to any of the pages with their equipment shown, forget taking a copy. Those images are stuck in concrete on the pages, which I suppose makes sense as they will likely consider it a security issue if we get to know too much about their vehicles.

Never before has a major American city and its suburbs been completely locked down, with a full scale operation putting live rounds and bombs in play. Most homes are built of wood, so that's nothing to stop bullets entering the house. Indeed, those living in firefight zones have much to show in the way of stray bullets. Fortunately, there were no deaths or injuries from friendly fire, there was just terror and panic. In that regard, the brothers were entirely successful.

It took such a full scale event such as this to put on full display the massive armoury and rolling stock of all the agencies involved. At one time there were almost ten thousand men and women looking for this one misguided teenager. It's one thing to be a pain in the ass teen, but this guy takes the cake.

I'm glad he was captured alive because the American people need some answers. He was so young. Seeing that he and his brother had so much more explosives one can only wonder what they were thinking of doing next?

Copyright (c) 2013  Eugene Carmichael

A Marvellous Invitation!

I, like many owners of classic cars, am invited to attend a meet at the Cheste Racing Circuit, on Sunday May 6th, to take our cars around the race course to show off our darlings. Later in the year we can do this again, but for charity, although I think this time it will all be about strutting our stuff and puffing out our chests.

As I'm a neighbour of the town of Cheste, you might think that I would spend all of my time there, not missing an event. However, I rarely go there as I'm not interested in motorcycle racing, and after a few laps of cars going round and round I might as well be in downtown Valencia.

However, this will be exciting, and so I'm looking forward to it. A full report will follow..

I will have to be careful round the corners.

Copyright (c) 2013 Eugene Carmichael

When driving is no longer a pleasent experience.

This MAY have been caused by the driver sending a text message!

During the Easter week celebrations it is estimated that more than three million journeys were undertaken that would not have otherwise been done. That raised the level of danger on the roads to the maximum level. As a result of so much more traffic underway, twenty-one people, who only wanted to enjoy time with each other and relatives, actually lost their lives. They will never see another Easter, and that was too high a price to pay for simply leaving home.

My own response to statistics like these is to stay off the roads during such peak times. If I don't have to add to the problem, I would rather not. What contributes to spikes in road deaths during these times? Probably every possible situation that one can think of. Take for instance one very simple situation that happened to me. I was at the exit from my estate when a car approached from my left, swas ignalling that he was going to turn to the right. In other words it appeared that he was coming into the road from which I was leaving. However, there was another estate turning to my right, and as a consequence I am always on alert that the car indicating a turn to the right might mean the road to my right. (Hope that was not too confusing.)

This man gave every indication that he would turn into my road, so I began to move on out, but I took one more glance to the left and noticed that he had changed his mind and wanted the next exit. He was travelling too fast, and had I not braked hard he would have broadsided me, a slam that could well have placed me in the hospital. This is one of the most common causes for accidents.

Other people drink alcohol or partake of drugs that will likely impair their driving and end up killing either friends and/or family members travelling with them, as well as others in traffic.

That can be avoided by simply not drinking or doing drugs then driving, but there is another menace that should know better. That is the person who insists on text-ting while driving.  Talking on the phone while driving, hands-free is bad enough, but text-ting is the ultimate form of insanity. When the crash comes it cannot be called an accident because text-ting quite naturally leads to a collision, sooner or later.

None of these things add to driving pleasure, and the weather problems of high winds and lashing rain that caused a tail-back that extended for 160 miles between Madrid and Alicante city, that also caused a three hour delay must have been the things that nightmares are made of.

The message seems to be clear: perhaps you should not do as so many other drivers did and all travel at the same time if you would prefer to avoid such stressful situations.

Copyright (c) 2013  Eugene Carmichael