The only transport that matters this week!

I am a Bermudian. My home country is Bermuda, of The Bermuda Triangle fame and the Bermuda Shorts. Today begins a new association for Bermuda, as it hosts the 35th edition of The America's Cup which features six teams involved in intense racing.

I have only one focus this week so you might like to visit my other blog, http://formenseyesonly.blogspot.com to read my contribution for this week. Also, I believe NBC and Sky sports are primarily the broadcasters for the event, although many other broadcasters will be sub-casting.

Hopefully I will see you on my other blog.

Enjoy!

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael

Ferrari Racing in Valencia-70th Anniversary

The weather on Saturday, 20th May, 2017 could not have been better. A clear sunny day with temperatures moderated by a softly blowing breeze made the excitement all that more delightful. Ferrari were there in all its glory together with the unmistakeable beautiful sound of the Italian language as it seemed as though half of Italy had come for the event. Even over-air commentary was partly Italian.

I arrived about 11am just in time for time trials with the cars running full speed at over 300 kph. However, simply watching the cars going round and around without actually racing one another is a lot like watching traffic racing down the Gran Avenue at any time of day or night.

Entrance was free which was just that bit sweeter. That helped whole families to attend which just gave an atmosphere of wholesomeness to the event. However, we can always look to children for their honest opinion.  One little girl covered her ears to shut out that sound that her petrol head dad loved so much, and another little girl wanted her colouring book and crayons as she turned her back to the cars that were practically flying past. She was not impressed!  However, every little boy was impressed to one extent or another.

Someone needs to explain to me why we grown men seem to feel the need to have to dress ourselves in the colours of the race event, or especially , in this case in the cap and shirt of Ferrari. In past years I have done the same thing without understanding why. There were several fathers and sons dressed thusly. It was like there was some kind of hypnosis at work.

The next event following the time trials was a full-on race featuring 37 cars, although in reality only the first three were vital. It's true that back in the pack there were some exciting moments as somebody or other was overtaken, but that only seemed to matter if you knew those particular drivers. The one important car in the pack was the very last one because he was so slow that inevitably the first three caught up to him and overtook him, twice. Now, that's slow.

The first time it happened the leader was so far in front that he had no problem in passing without slowing, but when the second and third cars caught up they had to try and overtake almost together. He who was third used the moment to overtake both the last car and the second car to take second place, which he held onto until the end.

At the beginning of the race the car that started in second place promptly overtook the car in pole position which caused quite a stir. He never relinquished that position, so other than the afore-mention description of the change from third to second, there was nothing else to report. However, we can be sure that the drivers would have been pumped from start to finish.

Spectators do deny it but, as in yesterday's race there were no crashes or accidents so that was a disappointing race for many.

O.K. I admit it, there was a little excitement missing, but overall it was a good day at The Ricardo Tormo Racing Circuit at Cheste, Valencia. I'm glad I went and got to run my hand over the Ferrari Passionate, a car I dare not even dream about.

I wonder if Enzo Ferrari imagined in his wildest dreams the kind of products and thrills he was creating with the first car that rolled off the assembly line?

Probably not!

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael

Cyclists Lives Matter

Sunday, 7th May, 2017 was Mother's Day in Spain.  Mother's Day is a sweet day all over the world as it is celebrated for those who gave us life usually while enduring great and endearing pain during our births. This Mother's Day will stand for just the opposite as a young woman took the lives of at least three young men who were engaging in a pure exercise of enjoying life while exercising. The fact that it was a young woman who did this while allegedly high on cocaine and booze just makes a great tragedy an even greater disaster.

The fact that this same woman has apparently been struggling with drug abuse, including alcohol without learning her lesson just hardens feelings against her, so I am going to take a different approach because once I get on an anger trip against such irresponsibility who knows where that will take us.

Cycling has really developed as a sport and a form of exercise while getting around, bringing ever more of them onto the road where they have equal rights as those of us who drive. Already more than 400 cyclists have been killed through various forms of collisions in Spain. Those of us who drive can use this unspeakable obscenity to reaffirm our commitment towards cyclists and pedestrians to give them the space they need to stay safe.

I think we drivers tend to think along these lines when looking up ahead and we see a bus, truck or cyclists. I have to get around that obstacle. However, in reality there is usually no real urgency to do that. Whenever I am on my way to someplace specific I usually give myself extra time to deal with traffic. I would frankly rather arrive half an hour early and have a coffee than expect to arrive right on time and suffer stress if I am delayed by circumstances beyond my control.

 I have been made aware of several horrible collisions between cars and cycles that has led me to commit to doing my bit to avoid hitting somebody, even if it will not be my fault.

The first thing I would ask cyclists (and motorcyclists) to do is wear bright coloured (hi-viz) jackets so that you can be seen to be safe. I came around a corner recently and a cyclist was right there in front of me. I had not seen him because it was at the time of sunset and he was wearing dark clothing. With a bright jacket I would have seen him long before I got to him.

A cyclist "owns" the space across the lane in which he is at the time. Therefore we should not overtake him unless we can move completely into the opposite lane. Additionally, as cyclists very often  ride in groups, to overtake a group of them can be very tricky business. If the road ahead is not straight enough to see that there is nothing coming toward you in order to make the overtaking safely, then wait until it is abundantly clear.

In Spain we suffer terribly from a lack of patience. it is a part of the national character fault but it is something that causes us to do things impulsively that leads to serious mistakes for which "I´m sorry" just does not mean a damn thing.

Something else that has no value at all is to kill and maim people while in control of a vehicle while under the influence of drugs of any kind. To have to say I was drunk or drugged up at the time and I didn't mean to do that is even more infuriating. No one wants to hear that!

Let us learn the lesson that this odious young woman failed to learn over several chances afforded her. If we are made more aware that cyclists (and pedestrian's) lives matter than at least those so callously killed or maimed will not have done so in vain.

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael 

Car rentals in Bermuda?

My home country is Bermuda, but I reside in Valencia, Spain as a retiree and I love this place. I have recently returned to Spain from visiting family and friends in Bermuda, leaving them all as they run up to America's Cup races starting in just a couple of weeks.

The island will be overflowing with visitors as this is shaping up to be perhaps one of the very best AC events ever. However, if you are going to Bermuda for the first time you will be totally confused as you try to rent a car. Since the introduction of cars in Bermuda the island has never rented cars owing to the severe limitation of space on the roads. Instead you have been offered mopeds for rent, but you should have been an expert motorcycle rider. These little bikes can get you in a whole heap of trouble although the speed limit is 35kph.

I have never been happy about visitors on these bikes. It's bad enough that we drive on the left and our roads are even less wide than a King's sized bed and full of twists and turns. One of our visitors from New York braved the morning rush hour traffic. She passed Bermuda's long-term goodwill greeter,(the late) Johnnie Barnes who seemed to jump out at her yelling, "I LOVE YOU!" She replied "SAY WHAT?"

She went directly to the Royal Gazette daily newspaper and complained that some man yelled at me saying he loved me. What the hell is wrong with you people? I'm from New York. We don't love nobody. Damn near gave me a heart attack!

If you Google car rentals in Bermuda you are given a number of sites that talk about cheap Bermuda car rentals of six to eight dollars a day, only to finally tell you that Bermuda does not rent cars. What a disappointment, especially as that is no longer true. Bermuda started renting cars from this past week as this is America's Cup and how can you tell people who own all the money in the world that they can't at least rent a little electric car?

Well, that is what Bermuda has embarked upon but you can forget those $6 and $8 a day numbers. I'm not exactly sure what the daily rentals will set you back but the people going to Bermuda this time of the year won't even ask for the price.

So, since the advent of the motor car in 1947 Bermuda's driving experience will take a radical turn, There will be a lot of bikes up for sale at very cheap prices. Get 'em while they last!

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael