An Awful Easter on the Road

Easter on the road is not over yet and already thirty-six people have lost their lives. This is already eleven more than last year. When so many vehicles take to the road all at once conventional wisdom says that I should not be one of them. I should either leave home the day before, or I should wait until late in the day after the crowd has passed. When we do decide on a road trip this has been our strategy and it works just fine. The idea is to not have any absolute deadlines so time is not of the essence.

I just don't understand what happens to people's brains during peak times on the road. So many people just seem to disengage from their brains, or they replace their brains with excrement. There are so many reasons why cars are made to crash. One of the most avoidable reasons is driver fatigue. All it takes is for you to close your eyes once and you will probably never open them again. However, all too many times total and absolute stupidity is the cause.

Last night I was driving along a two lane road approaching the top of a rise when four cars came up from behind me when I was travelling at 80kph, the maximum allowed. As we approached the top of the hill we were required to lower our speed to sixty because over the hill there is a junction from our right. During the day often there are heavy goods vehicles entering the main road, either continuing along the lane we were in, or crossing over to proceed in the opposite direction. These are extra long vehicles that take a count of fifteen to cross one lane.

Those four cars overtook me and another car behind me as we neared the top of that hill, having no idea whether a vehicle was approaching in the opposite direction. Had there been a car in that lane there would have resulted a crash that would have involved at least six, and possibly seven vehicles because of the insanity of those four drivers.

If I could have had my way I would have taken all four of those cars and had them destroyed and the permits taken away from the drivers. I would have also given them each a damn good flogging for trying their best to add to the carnage on the road.

There can be no excuse at all for such terminal nonsense like that!

Copyright (c) 2016
Eugene Carmichael

When Calamity comes to Call

Fallas celebrations in Valencia this year drew more than three million people from out of town. They came from near and far and despite some rain it was a great success. Hotels are booked a full year in advance, and some are fully booked even earlier than that. Many young people sleep on the beach, which is not a bad alternative to trying to drive back to their homes at some very early hour of the morning.

A number of young students attending Barcelona universities travelled to Valencia by bus, and they returned on the morning of the 20th leaving Valencia at 3am. Four buses were booked to ferry Erasmus exchange students. Three of the buses arrived safely, the fourth one didn't because it crashed close to its destination and the main speculation why it did is because the driver may have fallen asleep. If that is the case it would be understandable. So many times after the celebrations are all over everyone piles into the car or bus and they all fall asleep, leaving the driver to stay wide awake. This is always very dangerous.

I have no doubt that the drivers were all  responsible and that they tried to get their rest. Where? No-one can sleep during Fallas with the noise level at its highest. For years residents of Valencia city leave during Fallas just to find peace and quiet. The problem with fatigue behind the wheel is that you only need to close your eyes once never to open them again.

Fourteen beautiful young women died in that crash that the driver survived. He was not being irresponsible or reckless. I'm certain that he was doing his best to get his precious cargo home safely. The ramifications of a tragedy like this is so widespread as to collapse the imagination. Of the fourteen who died, two were from Germany, one from Romania, one from Austria, one from France, eight from Italy, and one from Uzbekistan. That means family members from all of those countries had to scramble to get to Barcelona. In addition another 46 students were injured, plus the driver. In total twenty nationalities were on board the bus, so the impact has a very wide reach.

A tragedy is made so much worse when young people's lives are cut short and they don't get to realise their full potential.

At times life seems to be so unfair.

Copyright (c) 2016

Eugene Carmichael

Dangerous driving time

This year Easter has come early. That is welcome, but it has come up against the Fallas celebrations in Valencia and that has caused not just a little confusion.

Fallas is Valencia's biggest fiesta of the year which starts just before the first of March and continues through until March 19th. On this day we celebrate el Dia de San Jose, or Father's Day, and unlike Father's Day in most other countries, which tends to be quiet and sedate, we blow things up and burn things down. The 19th is also the final day of Las Fallas. The monuments have been put in place for five days. More than three million people have come to view close to one thousand monuments and now it's time to close this chapter until next year.

The city shuts about 900 streets making driving practically non-existent. People have to walk everywhere, but then you would want to because there is so much to see. There were, as usual, some masterpieces erected, and by all accounts the fiesta  was a tremendous success.

I deliberately avoided the whole thing. I took a complete rest from Fallas this year. Sometimes I find its refreshing to do that because it does get to seem like a lot of the same thing. However, there were a couple of monuments that I saw in the papers and on television that were exceptional. It all depends on what was happening at and before the time the designers sit down to plan next year's event. There are so many fraud and corruption trials going on, and all manner of things happening on the political scene that I think designers were spoilt for choice.

Many people who live in Valencia leave the city and come to our part of the country to get away from the noise because we will not have our celebrations for the next two weeks. No matter what other reasons are given for Fallas the favourite one is to make as much noise as `possible to chase away the old man of Winter. Since it works without fail every year we keep doing it.

From the driving perspective there were all those people getting out of town at the same time so many more were flooding in. No sooner did Fallas end did Holy Week begin the very next day with Palm Sunday walk. There were preparations for that taking place in the midst of Fallas, and the mass exodus for parts elsewhere to celebrate Easter began. Road traffic numbers swelled to alarming proportions but during the first day no traffic deaths were reported anywhere in Spain. That couldn't last, of course, and by Sunday more than twenty people had died, four of those were motorcyclists and fifteen were students from Barcelona who travelled down to Valencia for Fallas by bus.

It is always a tragedy when people, especially young people die at the very time they are trying to have a good time. We have another week to go before everybody returns, so let us keep our fingers crossed that they do so in safety.

(c) Copyright 2016

Eugene Carmichael

Learn something new everyday.

In my other blog, http://formenseyesonly.blogspot.com I wrote about being older and wiser. As drivers the opportunity to continue to learn our skills is unlimited. Every metre of road has something to teach us. Every roundabout is a lesson to learn. As an old person behind the wheel I would unhesitatingly say that the greatest lesson I have learnt over the years is to always be prepared through anticipation.

My latest lesson came at night as I approached a roundabout with a pedestrian crossing. From my left came two lanes of traffic, one line would turn off to my left, the other would continue on the roundabout. So, there I was, still moving as I approached the junction with my eyes left. I then looked straight ahead as I began to stop, but on my right there was a cluster of people who were watching me, waiting for me to see that they were waiting to cross in front of me.

What a shock! I should have been aware of them first and I should have stopped before I did. They were the last element I took note of, and considering it is not the custom of people in this country to wait to be given their rights, I am very fortunate I did not knock someone down due to my inattention.

So, driving is an on-going class in motion, and the occasional fine is an educational fee. The ground rules are to select the correct speed for the situation we are in, and to avoid any substances that will impair our concentration, and to focus that concentration on the road ahead.

I think I will welcome the day when all traffic is driven by computers, provided the software is of a sufficiently high calibre.

Copyright (c) 2016

Eugene Carmichael 

A super crash averted

For this story you will have to use your imagination.

I was driving easterly on a long, undulating straight road when all of a sudden two cars overtook me from behind. The second of those cars decides that he will also overtake the car in front of him, which he proceeds to do.

One of the dips in the road is so pronounced that when cars are down in it they cannot be seen by other traffic, nor can they see other traffic. Suddenly two cars came up from the dip with one of the cars overtaking the other. Now we have four cars, with one each on the wrong side of the road and closing fast. With some fast swerving the over-takers managed to get back on their correct sides by avoiding running headfirst into the cars that were on their correct sides.

It was a very close thing indeed, and I was the observer.

There was one other car far up ahead, and that was a police car carrying a high ranking officer, judging by his medals. I deliberately did not speed up to the point where I would be riding closely behind them, but the two who overtook me were trying their best show they were speeding.

At the far end there is one final rise to get over, but lately I had noticed that there was often a police car stationed to record your speed when you came over the crest of the hill. Whatever speed you were travelling at that time was what would be recorded. However, by that time everybody had slowed down because of the police car in the lead. Shortly after that point there is a four-way junction with traffic lights. When I arrived the were all patiently waiting in line for the lights to go green for us.

So, my question is: "What worth was it to nearly kill people in order to catch up with a senior police officer, and to go through police radar, just to have to wait for the green light along with everybody else?"

This is a classic example of how people get killed due to stupidity on the parts of drivers. Hopefully, cars that drive themselves will be smarter than that!

Copyright 2016

Eugene Carmichael

The coming Cash Crash

We are told that some people are seriously considering making The United States of America the first cash-less society. Should this happen, and I'm not the one who is saying that it will, would it have any impact at all on drivers.

I think the only thing that we regularly pay for in cash are toll charges, but that is because we choose to do so. We can obtain reader buttons where a computer reads our data as we keep moving, or we can pay by ordinary debit card. We presently consider that too much trouble, but if we had to we could do so.

Every thing else we consume along the way can be paid for by card, so the driving community seems to already be cash-less, and it happened almost by stealth.

On this subject it has been predicted that something major might happen on March 15th, 2016 that may lead to the U.S. doing away with cash.

We will just have to wait and see.

Copyright (c) 2016

Eugene Carmichael

Where a driver's life is very difficult

In my other principal blog, http://formenseyesonly.blogspot.com, I have written this week of global warming, but because that is a reality is still doesn't mean that in the upper regions there is no snow. There is plenty of snow, while down at sea level, in some places we see people on the beaches and actually swimming in normal bathing attire. What a wonderful winter this is indeed. It's great to have such delightful warm days, even if the nights turn very cold. If you live in those areas where heavy snowfall is common I think that life must be very hard for you in the winter.

The news media are all too happy to broadcast pictures from such regions of snow that rises up to the roof, thereby blocking doors. You have to shovel your way out the door and down the pathway to your car. Now you have to try and remember where exactly  you left your car, because if you get it wrong you dig out someone's else' car instead.

My worst problem might be the clearing away from the car of frost on the windscreen. I will be inconvenienced the few minutes it takes for that to be completed. By comparison, after digging your way out of the house and finding the car, there is also the problem of just walking around without falling and breaking a part of your body.

I have lived in Canada, both in Toronto and Montreal, and I have visited Halifax in the middle of winter. I found I was so cold there that it was impossible to simply walk along main street without going in one shop to take a little heat before stopping next door to do the same thing. Some cities are built of a downstairs and an upstairs part to accommodate the seasons.

This is to say that I have the greatest respect for the hardiness of people who can adapt themselves to living in very harsh climates. I know that with central heating life indoors can be very comfortable, but you have to come outside sometimes, and that's when the men get seperated from the tourists.

I hope you all appreciate what global warming is doing to make life a little easier for you.

Copyright (c) 2016

Eugene Carmichael   

Driving with Love

This is St. Valentine's Day weekend, a time for lovers to renew their love for one another, but also a time for us all to soften our hearts to find love towards one another. We can do it whenever we want to. Usually it takes some kind of crisis to galvanise us into action, but we all have a reservoir of love within us and when it comes flowing out it is a wonderous thing to see.

We didn't have to wait for St. Valentine's Day for an excuse to treat one another with respect and love from behind the driver's wheel. It's really an easy thing to do. We usually call it road courtesy. The British are masters at the practise of courtesy. Some countries, that shall remain nameless, have never heard of the concept. Here's how it works: let's say that we are pulling into a parking bay and we need to square up the car. Another car is coming along but is far enough away to allow us to start the process. All we need is one more second to finish. If the passing car would just stop and let us finish, that would be an act of kindness and affection that will be returned when it is other car's turn to park.

Sometimes two cars are trying to complete the same manoeuvre at the same time. If one driver would simply indicate to the other:  "after you, old boy," that would be a very good  thing to do to add to the day's  pleasent outcome.

There are countless ways in which we can add to other people's experiences. For instance, For years another man and I would pass one another at the same place on our way to work. We evidently left home at the same time, and after a while I tried to time it so that I was in the place at the precise point in time, and there he would be, going in the opposite direction. We would wave a greeting that absolutely made my day. I think it made his as well.

The ultimate in giving love along the road comes from Johnnie Barnes. He is a man in my native Bermuda, who for more than seventy years has been greeting passersby on their way to work. He waves and he reassures us all that he loves us. For this he has become known around the world and a visit to Bermuda without going to see Johnnie to tell him that we love him too, means that your visit is not complete.

You don't need a script, just follow your heart and do an act of random kindness. Your day will be  much brighter, and you will certainly brighten my day.

Happy St. Valentine's Day!

Copyright (c) 2016

Eugene Carmichael  

An accidental misunderstanding

This past week I observed one of the saddest, slow motion accidents narrowly avoided. It is time I remind us to be vigilent for these circumstances.

The setup goes like this: you are waiting at the exit of your estate road to enter into the main road. A car is coming from your left, if you drive in a country that has driving on the right-hand side; or from your right if you drive in the United Kingdom. The car is signalling that he will turn right, which you assume he means that he will turn into the same road you are exiting. There is no other traffic on the road so you move out across his path which you think he will abandon by turning off. No! He means that he will turn right into the next entrance, so by moving out he will most likely smash into the driver's side of your car.

A genuine case of a simple misunderstanding. No one was reckless in this case, but still we now have two cars ready to be written off. All you can do is say, but I thought, etc, and you would be wrong.

What can be done to avoid this happening to you?

We can make it a golden rule that when faced with this set of circumstances we should stand firm and not move untill we are absolutely certain where he is going. We can also stop if there is a car on the roundabout. If we think he is going to go off on the exit before he gets to us, we will be wrong more times than not. That's called Murphy's Law.  

Keep this in mind and you won't go too far wrong.

Copyright (c) 2016

Eugene Carmichael

Take Care of Cyclists

This is a Cautionary Tale, as it always is when talking about cars and cycles, but especially so this week as the news reported to us about something that went horribly wrong during the week. It seems that the driver of a 4X4 collided with a pack of cyclists and sent them all to hospital.

The Costa Levante News reported that a collision took place between a car and the Dutch-based Giant-Alpecin international racing team of six cyclists while they were out on a practice run. Two were so seriously injured that they required Medi-Vac by helicopter, and one had one of his fingers ripped off.

This is a staggering blow to the team's chances of competing in the coming summer of events that are scheduled.

This must serve as a reminder to us all that cycle racing is a keen sport in Spain, and cyclist groups can be seen any day of the week in training. They have as much right to their patch of the road as do we in our cars. When encountering such groups, to overtake them is a very tricky thing to do, and often takes patience until you see you have a clear opportunity to overtake them all as one group.

I think the very worst thing that could happen would be to start to overtake a long cluster of bikes, only to be confronted by oncoming traffic. What do you do? You cannot pull back in to the right because there are cyclists there. You are faced with another car, or truck coming right at you and you are in their lane. You had better hope there is a place to pull off the road to the left, thereby allowing the oncoming traffic to pass safely. After you finish peeing yourself you can get back on the road, and this time when you pass the cyclists take care to get it right.

The news article ended with the comment that the driver of this major mess who seems to have entered into the lane of the cyclists will appear in court to find out whether she will be charged with dangerous driving.

You think?

Copyright (c) 2016

Eugene Carmichael 

Old Car Problems

Old cars are like we old people. We develop the strangest problems the older we get, and when we are taken to someone who might be able to help us, we refuse the show symptoms. Why is that? We are left standing there looking like liars. Fortunately, experienced mechanics see it happen all the time. It's a joke for them.

This past week my aging Volvo developed the strangest problem. At speeds of less than 100 klm/h all went well. The minute I got up to 100 the most awful, very loud noise would start. Originally, it scared the beejesus out of me, and anyone in the car with me. The mechanic had never been presented with such a problem before, and when he removed panels expecting to find something or the other hanging loose he found everything to appear absolutely normal.

To find the solution was through a process of determining what would vibrate if it was not fully anchored and removing that piece and changing the seal. So it was that they came to the windscreen. They took the panel out, reglued it and replaced it. After that dried they took the car out for a drive at 120 klm/h and it was as silent as it could be. Found it!

Which was just as well as the glue had started to lose its adhesion. Eventually the windscreen would have simply popped out and would have gone with the wind.

So, the moral of the story is that materials lose their strength as they get old. Glue, rubber, leather, cloth, plastic are all suspect, just as their equal objects in people are also prone to breakdown.

It's all a part of the great cycle of life.

Copyright (c) 2016

Eugene Carmichael 

This car doesn't make coffee, but it does everything else

Jaguar has released a new Big Cat for 2016, The F-Pace. I am focusing on it because I am absolutely astonished by the technology that has gone into this saloon. Firstly, I have to say that I do not like the design, but that is because I am a classic design Jaguar fan. I own an XJ6 Sovereign, so I am from that age. Jaguar has chosen, wisely, to ignore me. Otherwise they would never move forward.

I cannot include everything that should be included in my description of this car because it simply is too much for a column, Fundamentally, you buy this car and drive it, and the car then learns your drving style and molds itself to you. It's more of a pet (Jaguar) than a car. The electronic powered steering adjusts itself to you, whether you are smooth in your movements, or if you are a person who jerks the wheel about.

Are you a family driver who takes it easy and safe, or perhaps you think you're a Formula One wannabe. Click the switch to racing mode and she'll respond ever so sharply, even when zipping aroud sharp bends. Under those circumstances the car will take over, applying just as much brakes as needed and even slowing the offside or driverside wheels to maintain control. It does those things of its own accord.

The driver has the option of wearing the key as a wrist band and operating the boot door with a simple tap to open and close hydralically.

There's more!

One minute the sun is shining and the next the rain comes down in buckets. The driver doesn't have to lift a finger because the car will recognize that road conditions have become dangerous and it will adjust to maintain safe driving. While driving, if your concentration slips and you start drifting in your lane, the car will warn you. Should you not pay it any attention the car will take over and keep you in your proper lane.

One of the most serious things a driver can do is to fall asleep while at the wheel. The F-Pace is perfectly aware of this, so if you start to doze the car will first sound an alarm, and that will be followed by the steering wheel shaking you awake.

This car is super intelligent. The information/entertainment system is second to none, and it also recognizes road signs. Should you select the option it can keep you always within the speed limit. When you get to your destination just sit back and let the car park itself. Finally, when it's time to drive away and you have to back out into traffic, your car will keep you safe and sound.

And there's probably more, but you really have to meet this Cat to see for yourself. I'm just so impressed. The only reason I can think of as to why they still let the driver do some driving is because we have to do something.

Remember, I don't really like this car. Wow!

Copyright 2016

Eugene Carmichael 

The Classics

On a nice and warm, but windy Sunday, December 10th, 2016, Dolorosas 2016 presented "Encuentro y Exposición de Vehiculos Clasicos", in the central park of L'Eliana, Valencia. I went to attend this event, however, I got one important fact wrong. I thought they were going to be static from 9am until 6pm. Looking back, I have no idea where I got that thought, even though the publicity was in Spanish.

When I arrived in L'Eliana the police were leading a great and impressive parade of  seemingly, an unending sight of truly old cars, motorcycles, pedal cycles and mopeds. There were Seats and Fiats, some dating back to the 50's. There were Citroens, very old Fords, including Mustangs; VWs, Chevrolets, camper vans, both by Chevrolet and Volkswagen, and some cars that I just did not recognize what they were.

There was also a concentration of old motorcycles and mopeds, including one motorcycle with sidecar that was evidently in perfect condition. As you looked at the interior of the cars, it was also clear that the owners had spent a lot of time and money in restoring them to showroom like condition.

This club is apparently not for people with budget restrictions on how much they can spend on showering love on their vehicle. I have a twenty-two year old XJ6 Jaguar Sovereign. The car's age makes it a classic, and it is a lovely car. It is also true that I do pamper it, but only to a certain extent. When it starts to get over the line I will move on. That means I am not a true motorhead. I do enjoy the classics, but a car is really only intended as transport, at least for me, it is.

At the show ground, when I arrived there were a few vehicles left, most notably a row of six BSA 500s. Wow! Did this bring back memories as it was while riding one such motorcycle, with my girlfriend at the time did we first enter Spain at San Sebastian. That bike was fantastic to us and I have never forgotten the experience. One of the bikes on show was a BSA 1948 model that had been lovingly restored, and was for sale at the princely sum of 5,500 euros. Someone will buy it.!

I am always fascinated by the degree to which both men and women will go to, in effect take great pride in the craftsmenship of others. I think that Jaguar is the greatest marque of all, however, when it comes to my everyday car, Volvo tops the bill. That is because Volvo is made to cope with the very tough winters of Sweden, and I have found it to be totally reliable.

So, I waited at the showgrounds for the calvacade to complete its round the town loop and to return. It never did. What I was observing was the police leading everyone out of town so that they could go home for lunch. Oh well!

Copyright (c) 2016

Eugene Carmichael 

Celebrating Midnight for a Different Reason

At midnight on December 31st, around the world it is traditional for people to get really animated in celebrating the arrival of a new year. This is because the new arrival brings hope with it. Hope that our problems will be resolved and prosperity will blow in the wind. This is a great leap of faith because the facts are that no-one knows what the future 365 days will bring.

The past year has been good to my family and myself. We did not lose a family member during the year. That was definately worth celebrating. My financial situation is about the same as it was a year ago. I could wish for improvement, but in contrast to a lot of families I have a lot to be thankful for. We found that the flu virus came into our house like a monster and we had the greatest difficulty in getting rid of it. After five weeks it finally decided to leave us alone.

At this time of year we usually take stock of what the year meant to us drivers. Last year it was reported that the number of persons who lost their lives on the road actually rose, after a long period of decreasing statistics. During the Summer months the news was not good. It pains me that some people just don't learn the easy way, they have to make the same old deadly mistakes. In doing so, if they lose their lives, then so be it, but all too often they take others with them.  

I usually don't make resolutions for the new year, except when it comes to driving. I resolve not to drink alcohol or drive under the influence of anything that might impair my judgement. I keep this committment 100% without problems.

We are yet to receive the official results for 2015, but in the meantime I wish all members of the motoring public the best for 2016. May you enjoy a safe year of driving so that like me, your celebrations at midnight can be all about having survived another year on the roads.

Copyright (c) 2016

Eugene Carmichael

Volkswagen! The big story of 2015

As the year closes, and as we look back over 2015, the biggest automotive story without a doubt is Volkswagen because such a shining brand name showed us that even they are not beyond doing something deliberate and deceptive. I once owned a Scirroco, which was my pride and joy. You might have thought that I built it myself, so proud was I. The company built the Beetle in what was Nazi Germany at the time, and the whole world were crazy for this simple and reliable car.

Germany has worked hard to earn its reputation for fine engineering. Germany is the country that gave the world, among other brands, Mercedes Benz and Audi, and of course Volkswagen.

The good thing about the VW scandal is that the company has admitted that it "screwed up." It is now working to correct the wrong in a very public manner. Many people have chosen to sue the company, probably on the grounds that what they were sold and bought was superior performance and gas-per-kilometre which will be taken away when the fix goes in, which it must otherwise the vehicle will not pass the true emmissions test.

Volkswagen should have declared bankruptcy to simply protect itself, especially from the outcome of so many lawsuits. However, having a scandal is bad enough, the only thing that is worse is the stain of bankruptcy. I think that the company is making a huge bet, based on the fact that they do make such excellent vehicles, that the public will continue to buy their gasoline engines to such an extent that they will be able to survive in the end. It's not that Volkswagen are too big to fail, they are simply too good, so the public will continue to support them. In reality what VW did was not designed to directly harm the client. They provided a vehicle that gave wonderful performance for excellent gas mileage which made the owners happy. The harm they allegedly caused is through the environment, and from that standpoint so many of our products that we love cause harm to the

world around us, either is the production or the use.

Volkswagen is a wonderful company with products that are in demand. The shame and embarrassment that people suffered when the bad news broke by driving around showing the VW badge seems to have abated. VW will fix the problems and it will survive.

Good luck to them!

Copyright (c) 2015

Eugene Carmichael 

Driving over Christmas and the New Year

From the position of travel along the motorways, driving over the coming holidays is about as dangerous a proposition as there is, because it mixes family with alcohol in a moving platform towards almost certain extinction. I wish it were not so, especially as to lose a family member at this time of the year is a pain that can never lessen with time. Every Christmas or New Year's celebrations, while everybody else is having a good time, the subject family has to relive the tragedy all over again.

For all drivers an  especially heavy burden is placed upon our shoulders when driving the family, at a time when everyone else are allowed to drink and eat to excess, we have to remain sober, and to eat lightly so as to stay alert when behind the wheel.

If we can look back at the conclusion of the season and our family remain safe, that is more than enough reward and satisfaction that we did our part in keeping them safe and sound. Irresponsability on our part can lead to harming our own family, and also to bringing harm to others.

As we set out with our families to visit other family members and friends, let us keep uppermost in our minds that we are the driver designate and it is our responsability to get us there and back safely.

I wish readers a Happy and Safe holiday period, and Safe Driving throughout 2016, combined with the very best of good Health!

Eugene Carmichael

Copyright (c) 2015

Moral choices for the Driverless car

Someone brought up certain problems that they thought would come along with the driverless car. Most had to do with matters concering the routing of getting from one place to another. The question that caught my attention has to do with moral, ethical or value driven decisions we make as drivers all the time.

With real quality engineering I accept that the car could be capable of making better choices than a human. That, of course is the very basis of the concept of taking the control from humans.

One of the hard choices that humans make is to avoid swerving around an animal that might lead to a head-on crash with an oncoming car occupied with a family. Would the driverless car (the d.r) simply recognize the animal as a living creature but the other car as something inanimate, thereby ignoring its cargo?

Could the d.r. recognize the lesser of two evils if it was presented with such a choice. It might indeed be better to run over one person than a group. How would it know the difference? Could it decide to run into the old man, who is at the end of his life,  rather than to run into the child whose life is in its ascendency.

I have never had to make any of the decisions outlined above, but I have had many decisions to make that have avoided accidents. These are decisions that come from anticipation. One of the most outstanding that I have never forgotten was the time when I drove up from behind a mother and her daughter. We were in a one way street. The mother was peddling her bike on ahead of her very young daughter. She had crossed the road from left side to right side and was completely ignoring her daughter. My decision was to hang back until the daughter followed suit. Sure enough, the daughter made her move without looking to see if it were safe, at about the time I would have been overtaking her. A calamity was avoided because of my decision to be cautious.

With so many cyclists using our roads we humans need a lot of help in making better decisions for overtaking whole groups of bikers.

The d.r. will automatically eliminate a lot of stupid, but deadly human errors, but others may be created. Only time, and a lot of thought will tell.

Copyright (c) 2015  Eugene Carmichael

A One in a Trillion Chance

I am always aware of the law of physics that holds that when entering an unpaved parking area that is laden with chunky stones, there is always the possibilty that a stone will be pinched by the wheel of a car and launched in my direction. Such a missive becomes  similar to a speeding bullet that is capable of causing severe damage to property, and debilitating damage to tissue, and even death to persons and animals.

I had never actually seen a stone moved by a car, but, on Saturday it did happen to me under circumstances so perfect that I estimate the incident to be One Trillion to One.

I had left my car parked in such a car park as described above and drove off with my wife in her car. When we came back my car was the only one left. My wife drove alongside it, and as she backed away her tyre touched a sizeable stone precisely correctly. Too close to the centre of the stone and nothing happens. Not enough grip and the stone simply slides away. Just enough grip, and provided the stone in firmly set on the ground and the rock is launched with the force and speed of a large size bullet.

This stone was launched toward my car at an upward angle. It struck the wrap around rubber bumper of my Volvo. Had it struck the steel body it would have caved it in, as though it had been struck by another vehicle.  Had the hit been flat on, the bounce back would have hit her car, caving in part of the bodywork. As it happened, the rock struck at an angle that caused the bounce back to deposit the rock in the sand next to my foot. Had I been standing in the way of the original trajectory my leg would have been broken.

I equate that with the possibility of a piece of space rock falling to earth and landing next to me.

I saved the rock because I think it a sign that this year I will finally win the Lottery.

Stay tuned!

Copyright (c) 2015  Eugene Carmichael

You, Me. and the Helicopter Police

The helicopter police patrol is simply amazing. I say that begrudginly because these guys can do a lot of harm to drivers because of what they see, and because of how efficient they are at catching us when we least expect it.

They are overhead, and because we are driving with the windows up and the aircon on, and the music system pumping, we don't hear them. It never occurs to us to look up, until it's too late. By then, using very powerful cameras they can come right into our cars and see who is wearing our seatbelts; how much faster than the speed limit we are breezing along; they can see that we are texting while at the wheel; they can see if we are eating; and were we having a little oral sex while cruising along?

Once in a while they run some examples from their overhead surveillance on the evening news. They do blur the person's image, but the guilty person knows that was him. Busted!

If you are speeding they come up from behind you, so if you ever get to see them at all it's too late. I honestly do try to be legal most times when I'm behind the wheel but there are times when I step out of line. So often there's a policemen right there. I have been very lucky as my infractions have not been anything serious.  

The thing to bear in mind is that their ability to see who is driving and what you are doing in detail is highly effective. They are more efficient than any of the other traffic patrols so we would do well to remember that those guys always get their man, or woman.

Look up!

Copyright (c9 2015  Eugene Carmichael

Technology finally caught up with the Times

It had to happen, sooner or later. Technology has caught up with the all important testing of vehicles to determine that they are roadworthy. I think we probably all know somebody who has pushed the limit by continuing to drive after the due date for testing of their vehicle. A shortage of money is usually the reason, but that could also mean that the vehicle has also missed its needed maintenance appointment at the garage. Such a vehicle could be an advancing menance to other road users.

I have to admit that I need to keep my car in practical condition otherwise, when spotted by an officer it will be his duty to remove the car immediately from the road. That may mean a long walk home for me.

In my own country there are electronic readers that read a decal on the windscreen to determine whether yours is a vehicle that is still running past its renewal date. If so, it issues an automatic fine, everytime you pass it! Obviously it makes sense not to let that happen as it will be a whole lot cheaper to get the car passed, or leave it home.

The new method of recording if you are legal will only apply to new cars from the middle of November, 2015. In the fullness of time all vehicles will be controlled in this manner, but in the meantime the old system will operate with the new. Already I don't need to carry my insurance certificate with me, as that information is on-line afftecting everybody. The only thing remaining are the road tax certificates, and it is just a very small step to bring this online.

Welcome to the 21st century, everybody!

Copyright (c) 2015  Eugene Carmichael

What's wrong with us Drivers?

Here in Spain the Departamento General de Trafico sent out an advisory to the public warning that a sustained campaign against driving offences would be conducted along secondary roads over a set period from the 19th October to the 25th October.

It was well publicised, so no-one has any excuse if they were trapped in one of the checks. Half a million checks were made, and 27,370 drivers were reported for a variety of offences. We knew the police would be there, so why on earth did 16,564 drivers still insist on speeding, some by as much as 20 kilometres over the limit?

By now, clicking the seatbelt in place before even starting the car could be expected to be the norm, but no, there are those people who don't think it necessary, even many while transporting children. In fact, 1,349 people were reported for this offence, and another 57 people insisted on riding without wearing a crash helmet. Both of these "offences" will likely result in the death of the offender in the case of a crash. To die because we deliberately ignored these simple safety steps is to die from stupidity. There is no other way I can think of to put it.

Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a subject on its own. It appalls me that people who belong to  special car clubs or motorcycle clubs will meet up for rides or club tours, and when they get to the restaurant or bar of their destination, the wine or beer flows like water. When damages occur to their vehicles because of drunkeness, everybody stands around with mouths wide open, appearing to be in shock. I did belong to one such club but after seeing what was expected of me, I took my polite leave.

Finally, a category of offence that is on the rise is driving without due care and attention. If you said that is because of using smart phones to text while driving, you would be right. I know that the people who do these things surely are aware of the danger of taking one's eyes off the road to text. I refuse to accept that anyone could claim ignorance, but they still do it. These are people who are otherwise intelligent, but they are so addicted to their phones that to seperate them for as long as it takes to complete a journey is just too much.

In spite of flaws that may be possibly inherent in cars that drive themselves using Artifical Intelligence, stupidity or addicition are not likely to be a part of the programme.

Can't wait!

Copyright (c) 2015  Eugene Carmichael 

Help from the Spanish Departmento General de Trafico in English

Spain is a magnet that attracts people of all nationalities, especially those from the northern climes who suffer from a lack of sun and warmth. Consequently there are people living here who speak all sorts of languages, far too many for the government to be expected to translate it laws and rules into.

Previously if you needed to obtain a driving license you had to study for it in Spanish. Then came a major step forward that translated the tests into English, and Arabic and one or two others.

This still left a number of drivers cruising around without really knowing what they were doing. We get traffic tickets and we have to go and find someone who can tell us what we did wrong. The fact is that Spain's economy has been greatly helped by its expatriate population, so to take steps to assist us foreigners in integrating is greatly apprecieted, but also very smart.

The latest move is by visiting the website, www.dgt.es/es/ we can find information in English regarding what to do if you receive a traffic ticket; how to appeal a ticket, and (presumably after you lose your appeal) how to pay the ticket, and when.

You are also told how to identify an offending driver, if that driver is not the owner.

This is an important point. A driver caused me to break my leg, then drove off. I did get the number, but on the day we ended up in court the owner, a short man, came to court and said he had never seen me before, but the driver of the car was a tall man. The owner had to confess that he did allow this man to drive the car, so on the basis of that and my identification I won my case.

Driving in Spain gets to be more complex every day, so especially if you are a foreigner you need all the help you can get.

Copyright (c) 2015  Eugene Carmichael 

Self-Drive cars in today's World

There are several companies that are working on self-drive cars, but Volvo expects to offer the first version to the market in 2016. In road tests it seems to work well, but the adverts suggest that you can get work done while the car takes care of everything else. It is elective. You can choose to let the car drive itself, or you can take it off autopilot and drive as normal.

I think I would have to be very sure of the technology, and I don't think I can get to that place without feeling highly stressed. I have enough problems now when I am firmly in control. I am trying to imagine myself simply sitting behind the wheel intently watching the road ahead and hoping the car will act promptly when the car ahead applies its brakes. Every passenger thinks the driver is crazy. We sit in our little passenger seat pressing down on the floor to apply the virtual brakes, everytime we think the driver should be doing the same, so this will be an increase in the stress.

There is another thing that causes me concern. I think this technology has out-paced the law that demands that drivers conduct themselves with due care and attention. Simply driving with only one hand on the wheel is cause for a fine. Volvo is suggesting you need have no hands on the wheel, and neither is it necessary to pay attention to what the car is doing. Sorry guys, this just does not compute.

There appears also to be at least one flaw: apparently the car does not recognize red lights, and presumably green lights as well. If that is the case we can't do away with the driver just yet. The best that can be said is that this would be a wonderful element to the Volvo driving experience, but we might have to save it for demonstration purposes only, to be shown off-road.

Still, it is a giant step in the right direction because I will welcome the day when we get rid of the drunk driver; the stupid driver; the boy-racer; the overly tired driver; and the simply incompetant driver, among others. People who fall under these headings are responsible for more deaths on the road than anything else combined.

In other words, cars, bikes, trucks, buses are wonderful ways to get around. It's a shame about the people who control them.

Copyright (c) 2015 Eugene Carmichael

When are we responsible at the driving wheel?

A young man had not had slept for almost 24 hours. He got into his car to drive home and along the way he was passing an area where many people were camping. He fell asleep and drove over a tent, killing a sleeping man and sending his wife to hospital for many months.

His lawyer argued in front of a jury that this was not manslaughter but rather, it was a simple and genuine accident, for which the young man should not be held accountable.

Generally, the law holds that when a collision occurs someone is invariably responsible, and this is based upon sound concepts.

If a person is driving when suddenly he is struck by a heart attack, can he be held acountable for any injury or damage caused? Heart attacks usually are indicated by a deterioration in health. We should get the opinion of our doctor when we are not feeling at our best, so that treatment can be prescribed. However, men are terrible at taking ourselves to the doctor on a timely basis. If we have any condition that comes with the warning not to operate machinery, that includes driving.

It might take forensic investigation to be certain, but it is likely such a person could be held responsible for driving in the probable likelihood that he might have a heart attack or stroke due to the state of his health.

If you are driving and you are in perfect health with no warning signs that anything is a problem, but because you inhale some dust you suddenly violently sneeze. As a result you have to close your eyes and you lose control of the vehicle Can you be held responsible for any injury or damage caused?

I think there would be a very good case to make that this situation is the classic description of a true accident. You had no existing condition that suggests a sneeze, like a cold, so there was nothing to indicate that you were in a position of peril. The same could be said of an animal that was not the responsibility of anyone, that suddenly darts into your path. (The collision would not be your fault or that of anyone else.) Even if you are warned that you have entered an area that is active with wild animals, you should slow down and remain alert, but you cannot absolutely avoid the collision if the animal is determined to run into you.

However, in the case of the young man who stayed awake much longer than he should have, as a driver, the jury found him Not Guilty! In doing so I think the jury has said that if you fall asleep while driving, because your body is starved of sleep, it is not your fault if other people are injured or killed. So, no problem. Stay out as long as you want and party to the max, (without alcohol or drugs.)  We understand!

We got your back !

Copyright (c) 2015  Eugene Carmichael

 

The Bankruptcy of Volkswagen

It must have been fifty years ago when I watched a black and white television advert that started with the camera focused on a one storey, snow covered building. The announcer asked, "Ever wonder how the man who plows the snow gets to work?" The sound of a Volkswagen Beetle starting its engine was followed by the doors of the garage opening and a VW Beetle drove on out, taking our hero to work to clear the paths for the world to get to our own work.

Simple! Direct! Effective! This is the type of image building that brought us to revere VW.

There are many experts weighing in with their opinions on the effects of excess emissions, and corporate fraud. I am not one of those, I am simply Joe Public, but I too have my opinions and my questions.

Volkswagen has been an iconic brand that earned the world's respect by producing one of the simplest of cars, The Beetle, dubbed The People's Car. It was one of the most reliable cars known to man, and so we bought it. I owned a VW Scirrocco, one of the sweetest cars I have had the pleasure to own in my lifetime. VW cars were always known for German engineering, and that occupied an exalted position in world opinion.

It seems that the VW Board required a diesel engine that would perform well and give extraordinary mileage and meet strict emission standards, but VW engineers apparently were not able to achieve that, so they developed a Defeat Device to make monitoring authorities think their cars were on target.

What worries me is that if VW engineers were not able to develop such capabilities, why would we think that any other engineers suceeded where they failed? Are there also other brands out there that have nothing to do with VW that are cheating?

VW has a choice: fix the problem in full at its own cost, or close up shop permanently. VW is a company that is "too big, and too beloved to simply go out of business permanently." However, it is facing overwhelming costs in terms of worldwide fines and fixes. Added to that are the lawyers who are busy with their class law suits and we can see that VW are facing unknown liabilities in connection with this problem.

As was the case with GM in the U.S., VW will have to bite the bullet to protect itself and declare Chapter 11, (Bankruptcy) to limit the exposure, and it must do so soon.

The effect of VW's actions on owners is that when the recall begins you will have to take your car to authorised dealers and repair shops, get the fix and then drive away in a car that will not perform as well and will drink more fuel. That was not what you bought but that is what you will be left with.

In the fullness of time this scandal will be forgotten, just as the GM affair has settled down. Other than the damage done to the environment owing to your car emitting 40 times more CO2 than was allowed, this was not a safety on the road issue. If it were not for the fact that all affected cars will have to be certified that they have been rectified, a lot of people would not bother with the recall.

We need not panic when it is announced that VW has filed for bankrupty. The old VW will be dead, but Long live VW.

Copyright (c) 2015  Eugene Carmichael  

Two Idiots, One day!

Sunday, October 4th, 2015. It was just my luck to be there to spot the idiocy of two drivers.

I had parked my car overnight on a main street that crossed over an avenue, only to awake to find my car sandwiched between streets that had been closed off on account of a cycle race the length of the avenue, which had been made into a loop for the cyclists. No problem for me. All I had to do was make a U turn and drive away from the avenue. Just as I was making my U turn I spotted in my mirror a car carefully threading its way through the barriers and coming my way.

"Where the hell does he think he's going?" The marshall at that end came running after him but her colleague on my end picked up on what was happening. There was no way he was getting through that end. I stopped to watch. Evidently he was telling her that he had to get across the avenue, and she was actually having an argument with this genius to tell him that was not going to happening while the race was taking place. He was evidently insisting, so she called a policeman to convince the moron that he was making a total nuisance of himself.

I left. Such stupidity was making me very uncomfortable thinking that I might one day meet the man coming toward me.

Within forrty-five minutes, perhaps I met his brother. I was moving along a two-lane autovia at 120 kph. I was in the process of overtaking a slower moving car when my brain struggled to process what my eyes were seeing. Coming towards me in my lane, headed for a head-on crash was a car heased the wong way. But, there was not supposed to be a car coming towards me. This put me in a very difficult position. I was alongside the car I was overtaking, there was another car behind him, and now, what to do? Fortunately, the car alongside me had the presence of mind to speed up which allowed me to duck into his place, which must have shocked the hell out of the driver behind me, but the crash had been averted. It was a close thing!

He would have had to repeat that same good luck many times over if he was to make it safely off the wrong-way lane. We call this type of driver a kamikazi with a very serious death wish.

I have tried to see in my mind's eye how on earth he got on the wrong-way lane in the first place. I suppose if there was a place where there were two back-to-back C loops, one for OFF, and one for ON the main road, it is possible that a confused driver might cross over the ON ramp to the OFF if there was absolutely no other traffic around to give a clue. You would have to be very determined to make this kind of mistake.

From my viewpoint, the first thought I had was it must have been my fault. I must have missed the fact that the one-way road I was on had become two-way.  Of particular danger was that the man had put himself in the left lane, or overtaking "fast lane" so the chance that a head-on collision will take place is that much greater, and someone will die.

The implications of this type of error are far reaching. I can only hope that the police take this seriously. If ever I should make such an error I think it would be in my interests to be tested and thoroughly examined to determine whether I should continue to have the privilege of driving. It is simply not enough to apologize and to be able to carry on as though nothing happened.

When the day comes that the steering wheel is taken out of the hands of humans this type of thing is just one of the human errors that will be eliminated, provided that the technology is sound.

copyright (c) 2015  Eugene Carmichael

Oh Dear! Volkswagen, Oh Dear!

In the words of Volkswagen, "We screwed up!" Yes you did, Volkswagen, yes you did.

The thing about this scandal is that it was deliberate deceit upon not only the owners, but upon the whole world because of what it involves, Emission standards are set very low to protect the environment, but manufacturers presumably were not able to build into their cars the capacity to meet those standards, at least economically, so they came up with a bit of software that allowed the car to narmally flout the standard until it realised it was being tested. Then it performed according to the standard expected of it.

Question: why not simply program the software to reduce emissions all the time?

There have been many problems with cars over the years, some resulting in massive recalls, but generally, or so we thought, these were due to good faith mistakes. We have always believed that manufacturers provided the market with the best product for the times. As time has moved on cars have become more sophisticated and ever safer. Owners have likewise become more confident in their model car. Volvo is bought by people who absolutely believe in the safety aspect and quality components of the vehicle. We believe that Volvo has our best interests uppermost in mind.

Volkswagen, "The People's Car" also enjoyed similar belief and confidence, so the scandal is more than driving a car that deliberately damages the environment, it's about driving a disgrace. It is said that the car you choose to drive mirrors your own personality. If I drove a Volkswagen I think I would feel as though I was driving a car that was heaped with shit upon it. Why would I do that?

I will need to buy a car to replace my aged Volvo. Top of the list is another Volvo, the XC60, but I was torn also between a Volkswagen Toureg, the new SUV Jaguar F Pace, and other top of the line models, for which I do not have the money.

Well, strike off Volkswagen. That's not going to happen.

The unspoken question arising from this is: what other deceits are out there, and what other car manufacturers might be involved?

Oh Dear! Volkswagen. Oh Dear indeed!

Copyright (c) 2015  Eugene Carmichael 

Trying to Exhale!

I opened a news article this week, sucked in my breath, and now I'm trying to exhale. I am so excited!

The news was Jaguar is releasing it's first ever SUV. Jaguar and SUV don't even belong in the same sentence, but they have gone and done it. I must tell you that I am a Jaguar purist. I have been slowly warming to the Jag F-type. I own a Jag V6 3.2 Sovereign. That, for me is the Jaguar benchmark design, and although over 20 years old, it still is as fresh a design as the day it came on line.

We have come from that to the Jaguar F-Pace, and I must say I am so struck by such a radical move by Jaguar that on the one hand I am lost for words, but on the other, the cars speak for themselves. I wanted to make my next car something like a Porsche Cayenne, or a Ferrari SUV, or the Volvo XC60. All those dreams have gone out the window. With Jaguar, there will be several models of the SUV, but they are all tricked out with superb technology, and there is even one model that will give up to 57 miles per gallon. That's the one for me.

I'm not going to try and describe the technology in detail as there are simply too many variants, but the car is due on the roads in April of 2016. Between now and then I will have to save up my pennies to be ready to get in line for the most extraordinary event in motoring history, as seen through my eyes. The bad news is that this car may become really hard to get as I think it will be seen as a Must Have.

Welcome, Jaguar SUV!

Copyright  (c) 2015  Eugene Carmichael

Another Cautionary Tale!

This is not a rant about something that went wrong, because while it did go wrong I have only myself to blame.

A few blogs ago I spoke about having taken a delightful train journey from London to Valencia, but I was shocked to find that I could not claim the tickets I had paid for, so had to re-purchase. This is an update to that story.

It was way back on April 1, (April Fool's Day) that I originally bought my tickets from London to Barcelona for travel on August 9th. In buying so far ahead I got very nice discounts that the company really intended that I made good use of. The lady at the agency impressed upon me that I had to get my tickets from the rail company before the start of my journey. The start of my rail journey was in London. I got to London by plane. I thought, what a strange thing to say. If I didn't pick up my tickets how else was I to start my rail journey.

What she meant was that I was to collect my tickets before leaving Spain, and that was underscored by the written notice on the voucher that was headed: IMPORTANT! A lot of time had passed between buying the tickets and travelling, but if only I had read the voucher to refresh myself as to what was required of me. Well, I didn't and off I went expecting to key in my code at the machines at EuroStar, London, and out would come my tickets. They didn't, so I had to scramble and buy same day travel tickets without any discounts at all.

Fortunately, there was space and I got to Barcelona as scheduled. That was just as well as I had not realised that I had paid for a night's stay in a very nice hotel in Barcelona, which was in danger of having been lost as well.

The next day I caught my train from Barcelona, which was also pre-paid and arrived back home as scheduled. That was important as I had my pets to collect.

So, I have said all that to say this: We enter into a number of contracts when we make a journey like this, and each one has its own terms and conditions. We really do need to observe our roles to the letter. If we don't not even insurance will bail us out.

By failing to have acted exactly as I should have, my original journey costs of 464 euros, including all rail, hotel, and transfer costs, ultimately cost me 923 euros, including new tickets and lost purchase that was not refunded. It could have been worse had I needed to stay in Paris, thereby losing my night's stay in Barcelona and having to re-purchase a seat from Barcelona to Valencia. That could have come to 1,056 euros, plus an additional night's boarding for my pets.

There's nothing else to do but suck it up and learn from my mistakes.

Copyright (c) 2015  Eugene Carmichael   

Thrilled to Death

While stalled in slow moving traffic a motorcycle drew alongside me with the engine revving, and came to a stop in front of me. It was being ridden by a young man, and sitting up high on the pillion seat was a young woman. He continously revved the engine so the bike sounded like a snorting bull ready to break out of the pen.

There came over me an awful feeling that he was giving the girl a thrill, and as we were about to enter a long one-way, dual lane road, I sensed he would ride very fast, which, in my mind was likely to end very badly. The entrance to this strip of road is on the downhill, and as soon as he could he was off, as fast as he could go, with the engine screaming like a banshee. In mere seconds he was out of my sight, and I could see well into the distance.

I think the bike was a Kawasaki, so I Googled Kawasaki and I think it would have been a Ninja, which is a 998cc model. That being the case, the estimated top speed could be 150 mph, or 240 kph. The rider sits in a snug well between the tank and the pillon seat. However, the passenger simply gets a small pillon seat with no backing, so she has to hold on to the rider as tightly as she can. Perhaps it's just me, but I think that is dangerous enough at 120 kph. At twice that speed, I hate to imagine.

Along the motorway there were two places where I could have turned off, but I chose not to do so because I could not see where traffic had come to a halt n the distance. Did the couple make it safely home? I saw nothing in the media to suggest that they had come to grief.

In 1963 I took someone's daughter on a long ride around Europe lasting over three months. There were times I was very tempted to ride fast, but always in my mind I was aware that I was responsible for her well-being. There were a couple of times that we would have met with serious injury, or even death had I not been careful, so my caution paid off.

I think I really impressed her by simply getting her home safe and sound. My reward was in her saying to me: Thank You! You don't get to hear that if you injure or kill someone.

Think about it, Guys!

Copyright (c9 2015 Eugene Carmichael

A Rolls Royce Life

This is straight from my imagination. This is what I think that being the owner of a Rolls would be like. I am writing this because a friend of mine once owned a Rolls, and I came upon a Rolls that was for sale at an amazingly low price. The reason was because it is a U.K. registered vehicle and has to be taken out of Spain back to the U.K. It got me to thinking what if!

What was on offer was a two-door, Phantom drop head coupe convertible in striking blue.

This was a lot of car for one man. Just standing close to it and running my hand along its fabulous lines was almost sexual. My emotions were telling me that I wanted this machine perhaps even more than I had ever wanted a woman.

I walked away from it with frequent looks from over my shoulder. For a long time after that encounter I thought about it, with the question of what kind of life is a Rolls life?

I think that this car is only for people who don't have to ask what things costs. If you live on a budget, move on. This is not for you or I. Also, if you are thinking of driving it yourself, perhaps you should not do that. When the Rolls is parked the driver should stay with it. That way, if we mere mortals should need to park our cars anywhere near it we can be supervised.

The image of a captain of industry sitting in the back doing work while sipping a glass of champagne is probably about right. In that regard he could be sitting in a train, or plane, or yacht. However, if you are a young owner, perhaps a successful entertainer, it still seems inappropriate to drive it yourself, but I suppose you could, but that would be unconventional.

It's also a convertible. A big convertible, but some time ago I came to the conclusion that convertibles are a bad idea. They look nice, but driving them means that you are behind the windscreen so you really don't get the full feel of wind in your hair, (if you have hair) but you do get the full feel of the hot sun on your head.

Finally, it's no good having a Rolls without a home to park the Rolls out front. You can't live in a simple flat, no matter how comfortable because a Rolls is not an apartment car. It needs a country estate to enter and to leave from to complete the image.

Even if I could afford a Rolls I don't think this would be the car for me. A Maserati however, is a different kettle of fish. Can we talk?

Copyright (c) 2015 Eugene Carmichael  

Security on the train

In my last blog I spoke about travelling by train from London to Valencia. While I had some problems with ticketing, the journey itself was very pleasent. When I boarded in St. Pancras, London I went through tight security as though I was flying, but when I boarded at Gare du Lyon, Paris there was absolutely no security at all. I could have dragged anything at all on board. Later in the trip we started making stops in the country, where, again people coming on board could have brought God-knows-what with them.

You have a lot of time to think as the train speeds along and you look out at the changing scenery. I did reflect on the difference in security, and I marvelled that given the odd things that people are doing these days, I thought it amazing nothing of a serious nature had happened on a train that I was aware of. I didn't mention this in my blog because I did not want to possibly bring the lack of security to the attention of the wrong person.

What a difference a week can make. This week a very serious attempt was made to kill a train full of people by a man loaded down with weapons. Thankfully, he was brought down by people near to him who were prepared to act quickly and decisively. Without their actions we would be dealing with a very grave tragedy.

Now it is clear for all to see that probably most trains of Europe lack security. We take our lives in our own hands, in most cases when boarding a train. However, having said that perhaps we should pause and count the ways that our lives can end in violence, and ask the question: Why is this so?

In the Western Hemisphere, for which I include Europe, people have been killed at work. A number have been killed in restaurants while simply having a meal. People have been killed on buses and the metro. While sunning themselves on the beach half naked, 38 people were attacked for doing nothing at all. Others were attacked just because they were curious about culture in a musuem. Still others were killed while attending church or bible study.  Others have been killed by simply going about their business, including in the cinema, and sometimes by the police who are supposed to serve and to protect.

I have probably not included every type of incidence that may end your life, but of course we have to add the old standby of travelling by plane, and now train to get from one place to another.

What is really happening?

The only thng I can think of, especially when we factor in all the regional conflicts that end so many lives, is that we may be seeing Mother Nature at work in culling of the human species. Seven billion people on the planet is too many to be sustained. By 2050 it has been said that earth's population will reach ten billion. That cannot happen. Such numbers cannot sustain themselves and earth's resources will be well over stretched. So, we are seeing strange happenings that fall short of the nuclear option, but it is not too strange to believe that that solution will not be used.

No-one is happy about this, but reality can be harsh.

Copyright (c) 2015  Eugene Carmichael 

Long Distance Train Journeys

Every once in a while I get the feeling I would like to take a long, uninterrupted train ride. I flew to England to attend a wedding, which is worthy of a blog on its own, but I chose to return by train, leaving St. Pancras, London, for a run down to Paris through the Euro Tunnel. From there the journey would take me to Barcelona, and from Barcelona to Valencia. I reasoned that much time on trains should get the obsession out of my system for a while.

"The best laid plans of men and mice often go astray." A very wise man said that, and all too often it turns out to be true. On April 1st I bought my train tickets for travel on August 9th. That gave me very useful discounts. (Or, so I thought!) On August 8th I presented myself at the EuroStar machine and punched in my six digit code and out should have come my ticket. Machine had no information about me, so I spoke to a person who looked and said she could see where a reservation had been made for me, but as no money had been received they had no ticket for me.

This is absolutely the worst thing that can happen to a traveller at the end of his holiday when, supposedly you have spent all your budget. I originally paid 161 euros for this leg of the journey, now it cost 222 euros.  I set off the next day, very early after having spent a totally restless night in the world's worst hotel. Leaving St. Pancras is boring. There is nothing worth looking at, so I decided to close my eyes at that point so as to be awake for the run through the countryside. I awoke and I was in the country, but the countryside of France. Ah well!

My arrival in Paris was at La Gare du Nord. I needed to get to La Gare du Lyon fast, as for all I knew I had no ticket for the onward journey. I approached a taxi and the driver said he would be pleased to drive me, but the fare would be 75 euros. Sweet Jesus! O.K. I didn't have time to argue the point, or so I thought.

Gare du Lyon was the most confusing station I have ever encountered. There was no ticket waiting for me there, and it was thought that I might not get space on any of the trains to Barcelona that day. Even I was amazed how calm I was, but when I finally got to the ticket seller there was space, but not until the 4 pm train. I could have walked over from Gare du Nord, I had so much time to wait. For this leg of the journey I had previously paid 100 euros, which was heavily discounted, but now it cost 232 euros.  At least I would arrive in Barcelona that night where my pre-paid hotel room was waiting for me.

This was a fast train, travelling at up to 300 kmph, but nevertheless it took six hours. It was comfortable and the scenery quite interesting. I didn't acquire a seat companion for a long time, so I was alone with my thoughts and a constantly changing picture from my window. When I finally did get a companion, he turned out to be Benjamin, a Frenchman who spoke fluent English. His second love is sailing, (he will marry his first love next month) which is something I know a little about. We got to talking about the evolution of sailing and much of our conversation centered around the world of the America's Cup class of futuristic competition.

There is one part of that journey in Perpignan where the train crosses the marsh flats. As you look out the windows on both sides the train appears to be a boat because there is water all around. I have to assume there is a bridge network, but if so it is very low to the water.

To make a long story shorter, the rest of my trip went well. A good night's rest was had in Barcelona at a hotel that more than made up for the night before, and the next morning I caught my train for the run down to Valencia, and home at last.

I told people in England that they were having much more comfortable weather than was Spain. England had 27 degrees, dry, and sunny weather. Amazing! Spain had been having high 30's, and mid 40's, together with thunderstorms. England was pretty pleased to realise that for once they were the winners.

If I had it to do again I would not rely solely on a six digit code to produce my tickets. At least I would insist on confirmation through the agency that my payment had been received and properly credited.

Copyright (c) 2015  Eugene Carmichael

CAR HACKED !!!!!

If this doesn't give you a very bad case of the Heebie Jeebies, then nothing will!

Readers may recall that I wrote of a couple experiences I have had with my cars where the engine simply stopped running while on the highway, without any apparent cause. It happened in a Chrysler, and again in my Volvo. In both cars the engine would simply quit, but after waiting about a minute or two, the engine would again fire up and off I would go.

Mechanics were totally flabbergasted. They had no idea what the problem was. I suggested what turned out to be the cure for the Chrysler, a change of the motherboard in the car's computer system. In the case of the Volvo, the factory suggested a change of the main fuses.

Neither of these problems were due to a third person, sitting in the comfort of their home, hacking into my car's running system and taking control, but alarmingly, it has been demonstrated that in the case of new high tech vehicles, which are in effect computers-on-wheels, hackers can do some real damage. When someone with mal intent takes over this computer it will crash. When they take over a car and it does a crash the implications are shocking to even think about.

This places into question so many new developments. It appears that hackers can find their way into the operating system through the entertainment option. When that happens they have demonstrated the ability to take away all control from the driver, including control of the wheel, brakes, accelerator, clutch, musical sound and volume, to mention a few.

If your car is an automatic and you experience a problem where  the accelerator gets stuck and you can't slow down, you should move the gear selector into neutral. The engine will rev and scream, but you will maintain control with your steering and brakes. Once you have stopped you can then turn the engine off. Do not turn the engine off before as you will lose all control!

It is unnerving to think that a person, perhaps sitting at his computer in another country, has the potential power to take over your car while you are underway and to tamper with it in any way his perverted mind may choose. It seems to me that manufacturers have an obligation to design  out the possibility of security hacks even before they build the car. It is a shame that the human mind can be so sick that progress can be halted because of the deadly potential, but that is the reality.

Consider what that can mean for the new generation of cars that drive themselves, and for travel by air!

Brave New World Indeed!

Copyright (c) 2015  Eugene Carmichael

The Capital of the Road Rage World

This past week, starting July 12th, in the U.K. a West Sussex man became so enraged by the driving of a 79 year old man who ran up his backside, that he laid into him stabbing him multiple times to death.

What causes us to undergo such a drastic change when we get behind the steering wheel of our vehicle? In our other activities we can be perfectly normal individuals, but we turn into potential killers once we get into our cars, either through irresponsible driving habits, or when someone does something to irritate us.

Firstly, I think it is a natural reaction to be annoyed and impatient by the actions of others on the road. What makes us think we are the perfect ones?  Personally, I have my good days and my bad days on the road. Sometimes things happen that make me feel like smashing the other driver's brains to a pulp, but the feeling passes quickly. More to the point, I think I would never actually act on such an impulse.

Probably the worst countries for road rage are the United States, Russia, and the U.K. In certain States of America, a country where everybody and his brother insists on the right to own a gun, shootings take place between drivers leading to bystanders becoming collateral damage. What makes so many drivers on British roads actually get out of their cars and act up?

In my opinion it's all a part of the British DNA. The English make things their business. If they see that their neighbour is doing something on their own property they will inquire whether the neighbour has the relevant permission. Long ago, while driving in the U.K. I was hugging the middle lane along a stretch of quiet road when another motorist came up behind me, and he stayed there flashing his lights, insisting that I move over.

Should you take any action that does not conform, someone will inevitably have a word with you. I suppose it's no surprise that this will include driving, and statistics as reported by The Dail Mail are not out of the ordinary. Apparently nine out of ten say they have been victims at least once. Presumably this encourages the practise, leading to the U.K. earning the title of Road Rage Capital of the World.

Twenty percent of those interviewed said they had experienced road rage more than ten times; and 70% of those said they were the instigators. Most of those said they felt just fine about unloading on their victims who they felt deserved it.

I tried to find out what country was least affected by road rage. I'm still not sure, but when I first came to Spain the thing I noticed was that drivers on Spain's roads are generally passive about some very shitty things that people do here. In the U.K. there is general respect for road courtesy, which seems incredible, but here in Spain we have never heard of the concept. I found myself wondering what would it take to cause an act of road rage. In all my years of driving here I can only think of one time when one driver went after another.

Drivers in this country are perfectly capable of doing horricly stupid things. Many have killed themselves through being so stupid, but the public remain amazingly calm in the face of bizarre behavior. Frankly, I have no idea what would drive a Spanaird to react badly, and I never want to know.

I can only tell you how I remain cool behind the wheel. First I use a silent mantra everytime I get in the car. "I will not let anyone spoil my day!" Secondly, I drive with constant anticipation as to what the other driver will do. It is amazing how well I read others actions and take defensive steps to avoid the crash.

My approach works very well for me, and driving is a reasonably pleasent experience, although I no longer actually like it. I am waiting for the day when I win the lottery. Then I will hire four female drivers and I will just sit back and enjoy life.

Copyright (c) 2015  Eugene Carmichael

TAKE CARE TO REST ADEQUATELY ON LONG JOURNEYS. ONCE YOU CLOSE YOUR EYES BEHIND THE WHEEL DON'T EXPECT TO EVER OPEN THEM AGAIN.   

The greatest concentration of motoring offenses are committed.......

It came to me quite by accident, because I was not doing some kind of research. I was simply sitting and having a coffee while waiting for my friend who had business at the offices of Trafico. This is a place where all drivers must visit at least once. Consequently it is a place where there is always a concentration of vehicles and riders/drivers.

You might think that in such an environment people might be on their best behaviour. You would be wrong.

At Trafico in Valencia there are a number of surrounding oficinas de medicos where you take your physical exam and renew your driving license without actually going into Trafico. That simply adds to the choas. If you have business that takes you into Trafico, the feeling is that of going into a building with no idea of when, or even if you will ever come back out.

In front of the building there is a Taxi rank for six taxis. Why? Trafico is where you come because you have your own vehicle. The reserved taxi parking is therefore usually full of driving school cars. When I got there two policemen had parked their scooters in the taxi rank which gave car drivers a real problem. When the policemen left they rode the wrong way before riding up on the sidewalk so as to take a shortcut across to the street they wanted. But they were the police, so who was going to complain.

People double park while staying close to their cars, but that adds to the confusion. There was one disabled person reserved car bay. A woman drove into the bay and immediately put her disabled decal on her dashboard. That joined a parking ticket that you would get from the machine. Hers appeared to be about ten years old, judging by its crumpled state. It certainly was not freshly printed.

Motorcycles are parked along the sidewalk. This is apparently because there is no actual parking bays for motos. However, you have to park them along the side next to the road, rather than along the side of the buildings. This is because of the need to avoid them becoming hazards to the blind.

There is a constant fight to get a parking space anywhere within reasonable walking distance of trafico. People put themselves through such a hassle when there is also a Metro stop directly in front of the building. You have to wonder why people don't simply leave their cars at home and take the Metro. (I was wondering why my friend and I didn't do so.) Well, perhaps it might be because that particular stop is the one at which there was a horrific metro crash in which 43 people died, and another 44 were injured.

In the midst of such continuing behaviour there is usually only one traffic warden who is only concerned that you should correctly pay and display. 

So it goes. Who am I to complain, and to whom would I complain?

Copyright (c) 2015  Eugene Carmichael