The cost of fuel

There was a time in Spain when we had very little choice as to what price to pay for gas or diesel. We only had the opportunity to get excited when the dollar weakened against the euro, thereby driving down the price in euros. Perhaps we got a break if we shopped at Carrefour and spent enough on groceries or whatever so as to get a discount coupon.

Then one service station opened offering gas and diesel at ten cents below the market price. Some people rushed in and filled up but the rest of us held back. The word on the street was that what you got at the lower cost was fuel that was less refined and even dirty. We had visions of breaking down in the middle of nowhere with clogged fuel lines and all sorts of other problems. When there were no rumours of that happening the rest of us went for it.

I have been using the lower cost option for a couple of years and in spite of having a service station at the turn to my estate I am trying to think of a good reason why I should willingly pay the higher cost that they impose. I drive a Jag so in the course of a year we go through an awful lot of litres, and at ten cents a litre in savings it adds up to a significant amount.

This is a farming community and the loss of our service station would be a disaster for them as they need it for farm machinery, but I don't. I get my petrol from one of the many stations that have now sprung up as low cost and my car seems perfectly happy. If those guys can sell me lower cost fuel and include certain incentives to keep me coming back, such as free car wash, soft drinks, and air fresheners, why are the others unable to do the same?

I first assumed that they were stuck with contracts but it has been about three years since the introduction of the lower cost so surely it is about time. Meanwhile I appreciate the discount I get because fuel is my biggest expense, especially as at one time we had four cars in our family plus the use of a fifth people carrier.

I think I will not question matters too intensely. It works so no need to fix it!

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael

Causing Death on the Road

Many years ago I helped my best buddy celebrate his birthday at a bar where we drank Pernod. The year before we had visited Paris and had met a couple of French girls who insisted we learnt how to drink this peculiar beverage. In remembrance of that great time we had we started with a normal quantity of the stuff in our glasses, and by the end of the night we had bought the whole bottle and possibly we had drunk it all.

Finally we were told we had to leave because it was about 4am and they wanted to close, so I decided to take the bottle with me. We then made our way to our  respective cars and we "drove" home. I use the term loosely because I don't remember a thing about the journey, so it was more a case of the car driving itself and we ended up in my yard where the motor stalled because it was in the wrong gear.
I simply fell asleep in the car, but later I was awakened as I was terribly uncomfortable as my face was red hot. It turned out to be the heat of the sunlight directly on me, so I went into the house and collapsed on the bed.

I awoke at 5pm, holding a bottle of ketchup, which I thought was the Pernod. My mouth was super dry and my head was pounding like a wrecking ball. I asked God to please let me live; I promised not to ever drink so much ever again, which tends to mean until the next time. At some point while feeling sorry for myself my thoughts turned to the previous night, and in particular I wondered how I got home.

The thought first came to me as a flash and I immediately banished it from my mind. "Did I kill anyone last night?" It would not stay banished and eventually I had to get up and go and inspect the car. It was the most difficult thing I have ever done and it sobered me up better than anything else I could have done.

I approached the car slowly and reluctantly. As I made my way around the car there was no evidence to suggest that I had struck anybody or anything. I deeply exhaled and I vowed there and then that I would never allow myself to become drunk again if I had to drive, and I never have. That was 55 years ago.

Today I don't even take one drink of an alcohol based drink if I have to drive, but going back 55 years ago, what if I had killed someone in the state I was in? The problem is that no.one deliberately sets out to get drunk and to go and kill a stranger with their car, but one drink says it's fine to have another, and two drinks and who knows when to stop. However, the person we kill remains dead for a long time and the family have a life sentence.

Now, in the U.K. the government have announced that a person who is deemed to be a killer driver will face the possibility of a life sentence in jail. Had I killed someone back then and had been given a life sentence would I have regarded that as a fair punishment?

I probably would not have on the grounds that it was not my intention to inflict that outcome on another person, and that I was suffering from diminished responsibility as the alcohol had taken over my senses. That was the truth, but the person would be just as dead and the family would grieve because of my actions.

So, what can be done? At the back end we now know that should we drink and drive and cause the ultimate we will go to jail and rot there. Therefore, there should be a strong educational program to say this is the way it is so just don't do it.

As the Department of Vehicles are so fond of saying; "You have been warned!"

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael

Roadside Services

I suppose it's common sense but when we are enroute along a major motorway those services available to us by simply turning off the highway to a conveniently located commercial area will be priced at a premium. After all, we are almost a captive group. We need food and drink, together with a little rest and all those other impulse items that catch our eyes are must-haves.

A classic example concerns lunch. I had an experience where I could have pulled off the road and drove only a couple of kilometres to a small town where a full course lunch consisting of a salad, a starter, (usually as substantial as the main course), a main course, dessert. and a beverage, which might include wine or beer, all for 8.00 euros.

Along the highway I had lunch that comprised a plate of spare ribs with potatoes and a soft drink. Price: 14.95 euros. Had I continued along for another three kilometres I could have had the cheaper, and better option.

I suppose we can make some allowances for those locations that are remote as they have to haul their supplies some distance away from the main centres but in this case there was only three kilometres difference. Clearly this was just highway robbery.

We will also pay top price for our fuel. Across the country prices vary but along the highway there is only one price and that's the most expensive.

Finally, another good reason to make the effort to drive a little farther off the main highway is that often robbers hang around the parking lots to prey on the traveller. While the occupants of the car are in the restaurant the car is being hit by thieves, whereas in the small town that is not likely to happen. You would still take precautions to keep it as safe as possible.

Just a thought, especially for those of us who might be familiar with the areas. However, some of us have more money than concern for economy, in which case the merchants are waiting for you.

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael

Brexit and the British registered car

There are a couple of people who I note have been living here in Spain for years and they are still driving their cars with British plates. That means the cars have not been tested for road worthiness for years, and even if they were submitted to the ITV I don't think such a certificate has any validity.

It should be borne in mind that the ultimate test we have to pass is the one when we are making a claim on our policy that will eventually cost the insurance company lots of money. First question will be: Is the insured car in compliance with all relevant rules and regulations in the relevant country?

Second question: Is the driver authorised and of an appropriate age and in possession of all relevant documentation?

We have a contract with our insurer in which we must do our part and they must do theirs. If we fail in any way, such as to have our car tested by ITV before the expiry date of our present certificate and to correct any defects, that is a reason for denial of claim.
If we fail to do anything necessary to comply with Spanish driving regulations, including the taking of a health test when due to determine our fitness to drive, this will be a reason for denial of claim. There are many people from Britain living here in Spain who cannot be bothered to exchange their British license for a Spanish permit. The British permit does not require periodic health checks, and that's fine for driving in England, but the Spanish permit does require it.

From time to time the Spanish police crack down on cars with British plates and impound them while the situation is corrected. I have seen them visiting garages where work is being done and detaining cars. What a surprise to the car owners.

With Brexit many things will change and one of those things will be that British registered cars on Spanish roads will only be allowed to be driven by bona-fide visitors. We can only presume that visitors from Britain will need a visa and a special permit for your car. Therefore, to British residents driving on British licenses and with British plates the time to act is now. You would be well advised to take steps now to regularize the situation.

Meanwhile you may continue to get away with driving outside the regulations but if you are the cause of an expensive accident you may be personally called upon to pay the piper, and that's something worth thinking about!

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael

Roadside Conference

I was driving along a two-way B road when I turned a corner and saw ahead of me a massive collection of cars and trucks pulled over along the side as though there was some kind of roadside conference. I first looked for the results of a crash, but there was none, however, in the midst of all those vehicles there was one Guardia Civil car and two motorcycles. Apparently all those civilians had inadvertently driven into a police speed trap. That was a Conference of Speeders.

There are a lot more of those events taking place where you drive past the entrance and the time you take to exit the distance equals your speed. Don't you just feel like you've been punked if going too fast?

I agree that there have to be rules of the road and they must be obeyed otherwise there will be even more deaths and injuries than at present. In order to ensure compliance the police will be checking from time to time, of that we can be certain. We should therefore always drive as though the police are driving right behind us.

If we ever want a definition of stress that would be it. To be followed by a marked police car, as I was along this very route which is 13 kilometers, and have them follow me the entire distance is not only stressful, but it brought to mind every rule in the book. I even indicated when making certain turns, although I had to kind of search for the correct stick to make the turn signal. I found it after trying the windshield wiper.

The problem is that drivers have always been thought of as easy targets. The government needs more money they send their officers out to get it from the driving community. They call it a charge to remind us to obey the speed limits or to buckle up, or any other thing they can impose a fine upon us, but it can get to be a very fine line between making money, taxing us, and enforcing the law.

In the old days of transport by horse there was always the highwayman to be worried about. He was the one who suddenly appeared in front of us declaring, Stand and Deliver! This is a lot like that.

There is a way that we can defeat their strategy and that is by sticking to the speed limit at all times. I'm not suggesting I will do that, but it's something to consider.

As I drove along there was a straightaway ahead of me and a car was overtaking another as they both headed along the test stretch. It will be bad enough if you were travelling at 90 in a 80 kilometre zone, but if you speed up to overtake that will only make things worse even though you slowed after passing the slowpoke.

Be careful out there! The Highwayman awaits.

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael

Summer's Gone - Part Two

In my previous blog on this subject I noted how sad I get at this time of year because the best part of the year is fading fast as it gives way to cold weather. This weekend we are getting a little taste of what's to come.

However, we also got a bit of good news to relieve the dread as we have early figures relating to the road deaths statistics for the Summer. We are told that in the Community of Valencia the number of people who died this year has fallen by 50%. Last year 34 people lost their lives which resulted in thirty-four families in grief, which possibly might mean for the rest of those people's lives. This year, while even one person lost to death on the road is one too many, we lost 17 fewer people which resulted in 17 fewer funerals and 17 families that were not affected negatively and unnecessarily.

We see life sometimes very strangely. When a person decides to end his life through suicide and he leaves us a note saying why, we get sad and a little angry. We say that what that person did was selfish and uncaring for his family. We are left with a stigma for the rest of all time because our loved one hung himself, or shot or drowned or cut himself to bleed out. Very sad

However, take that same individual who dies in a hospital as a result of lung cancer that is directly tied to his 30 cigarettes-a-day smoking habit and there's no stigma associated with that.

Perhaps he drove his car quite regularly while under the influence of drink or drugs and this time he ran into a wall or a tree that wouldn't get out of his way and he died. Both of these examples are suicides, they are perfectly good methods of ending one's life, the only difference is we don't leave a note, so therefore no stigma.

I noticed a package of cigarettes that says, "Smoking Kills" with a picture of a young woman who had just spit up blood. I am absolutely amazed that anyone would buy a product with such a warning on the cover.

Driving while under the influence of anything that will impair our judgement is an attempt to commit suicide, and it is also an attempt at murder. We don't even care who we kill, just as long as we have that drink or hit of drugs. That makes the person at fault deeply flawed.

The good news continued that loss of life throughout the country during the Summer dropped from last year's 253 to 226. Very encouraging!

Let's all try our best to make this year's annual numbers decrease by a meaningful amount. It's too late for zero deaths but there's still time to make an impressionable decrease over last year, but it's not too late to aim for zero for 2018.

We can do it, Yes we Can!

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael

Summer's Gone

I always think that this is the saddest time of the year. It has been a long, very hot Summer here in Spain with record numbers of visitors from other countries. Terrorists have driven many people to our shores and more Spaniards have stayed home to take their leisure in the mountains or along the beaches, so Spain has had a very good year indeed.

The thing that has blotted the picture was the attack along Las Ramblas in Barcelona which was totally senseless. Sixteen people dead for no reason and people from 34 countries impacted to prove what? Spain as a country cannot take an arbitrary action of simply throwing out all Muslims but individual Spanish patience is well frayed. It seems to me to be down to the Muslim community itself to control its bad apples less they all have to pay the price.

There is always a bad side to a wonderful Summer and that is so many people died on the road just getting from one place to the other. I'm convinced this is not necessary. In so many cases the cause can be put down to just plain stupidity or irresponsibility. If you are the driver when you arrive at your destination with your car filled with your family, you do not join in the fun by drinking alcohol or taking drugs. You are the one charged with the responsibility of getting everyone back home safely. That's your job! Your family are depending on you and no one else can do that for you.

We often hear of the statistics that note how many died and how many were injured. If only there were some way in which the lives of those people who were left behind could be documented so that the pain and the effects of the death of the one who died could be shared by the community as a whole.

We see the flowers that are left by the roadside to mark the spot where someone died. Many years ago I regularly passed a spot in Torreviejo where I noticed that the flowers were constantly changed for fresh ones, so I tried to meet the person who was changing them. I finally did meet the lady who turned out to be the victim's mother. He was a young boy who lost control of his motorcycle and crashed into the wall. It was a single vehicle crash that led to his death. No mother should ever have to bury her son, especially under such circumstances.

For her life stopped for both of them at the same time. She was obliged to continue to be animated and to go through the motions of living but in reality she was as dead as her son. The only thing she lived for was to bring her son flowers and to communicate with him. She didn't take the flowers to his grave because that was not where his soul was; his soul was where she thought he left it, right there on that bend in the road.

I am aware of one of those people who contribute to the injured statistics. In many ways those who die from their collisions are the lucky ones. Those who suffer life altering injuries bear much heavier burdens. Some are life sentences, as in the case of young men who ride fast and crash and who are left paralysed for life.

There is a man who crashed into a car, or perhaps it was the other way round, but he is left in a body brace where he will remain for at least two or three years. I think I would have preferred to have simply died and have done with it. What he is left with can hardly be called life, although his family would disagree.

We will wait for the grim news yet again while at the same time giving thanks that those of us who are alive and uninjured made it through another season of enjoyment.

Be careful out there.

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael

A Good News Tale beyond the Operating Room

I have been away from my word processor for a while to allow me time to get through an emergency major medical operation, the need for which I discovered by accident. I described the build-up to this situation in my blog of the 8^th of July, 2017 which I titled “My most important blog to date.” That was a cautionary tale that highlighted the fact that the body is always under potential attack from the silent killers, and our mission, if we choose to accept it is to be aware and ever vigilant to spot the attackers and to deal with the threat aggressively.

In my case I was feeling just fine, in fact I was congratulating myself for being in such good condition for a man of 77 years. I have prescriptions for both reading and long distance glasses but in general I get through each day without resorting to the use of either. I am modestly overweight but I am fully independent in getting around. I eat moderately, sleep well and visit the toilet regularly, so what could go wrong?


The first week in June a low level pain developed in the right side of my abdomen but after taking Pilatus exercise the pain became intense. I backed off Pilatus and the pain went quiet, but then later in the month it came back with a vengeance to the extent I thought I needed to go to emergency as it might have been my appendix. Before leaving the house I made a stop in the toilet where I discharged the most amazing amount of gas. The pain mostly went away immediately, so no, it was not my appendix.

The pain continued as a kind of background noise so I decided to ask my GP to diagnose what was driving it. By the time I got in to see him the pain had left me entirely, but I persisted in trying to determine what that was all about.

My doctor sent me to have my blood, urine, and crucially my faeces analysed and the report came back that I had blood in my faeces. That was a problem that required the intervention of a specialist who referred me for a colonoscopy; and discovered that for approximately the past five years I have been growing a cluster of polyps within my colon that now posed the threat of blockage and cancer. The hospital was adamant that it had to be removed immediately, and on the 27^th July, three weeks to the day I underwent surgery.

This was the first time for me for such a major procedure. I have had surgery before for a bunion correction and a broken leg, but nothing like this. All went well including the part where I came out from under the anaesthesia and endured the aches and pains of recovery. The surgeon was well practised and is highly regarded and the professional staff of the hospital maintained an eye to detail.

The main point I want to make is that as stoic and accepting of the protocols as I was the one source of great comfort to me was the presence of my wife in my room. Even if she was simply observing to know that she was there for me, in spite of the fact that the staff managed to make me feel human made all the difference. For me that was priceless and it is the principal point I hope you will take away. When a family member finds themselves in hospital they can feel alone and confused, but a family member who is there who simply brought in a good measure of love helps the healing process go so much better.

The other point is that certain medical authorities are conducting a campaign wherein they send around letters urging that you send in a sample of your poo for testing. In spite of the unpleasantness of this if you simply refuse on that basis you may be signing your own death warrant. 

Presumably you would rather not do that.

Copyright © 2017

Eugene Carmichael

Keeping on Trucking

Without trucks the world would come to a grinding halt. This is also true of various other segments of the transportation community, but for the moment I want to focus on the trucking industry.

I was idly watching some YouTube videos about trucking around the world which made me happy and relieved that I live in Spain. The worst complaint I have about trucking traffic in Spain is that when they are travelling in convoy they stick much too close together, sometimes nose -to-tail. This creates a wall of trucks that makes it impossible for other traffic to get off the motorway, as well as to get on.

It is also illegal for good reason. When vehicles travel too close there is not enough time for the following driver to react to whatever the driver ahead is doing. That is why there are minimum prescribed distances that must be adhered to in order to contribute to safe driving.

When this is observed there should be a coordinated police action to stop the entire convoy and to issue fines and a loss of points to all drivers as what they are doing has huge potential negative consequences. Also, the drivers know better.

I have to say that I have the utmost respect for the driving abilities of the drivers who pull considerable loads along Spain's roads. To drive along the motorways is one thing but they often turn onto roads that barely accommodate two cars travelling in opposite directions. There are many times when things get held up for considerable periods of time as two giants try and pass one another along these narrow slips of roadway, but there are only rare disastrous crashes. The record in third world countries is just the opposite.

To give people trucks and a driving permit is an exercise in suicide encouragement in those countries. The things they do with their trucks, or try to do is enough to make my skin crawl. The standard recipe seems to be that first overload the trucks in an insecure manner, then add as many people on top of the payload, and then you head off down the road at far too fast a speed. It does help to restrict the population growth in certain countries.

In India a person dies every four minutes from road crashes. Also, in India there are liquor shops spaced every one minute along highways. In 201,5 147,000 people died from highway incidents.

On our own roads we would all do well to give truck traffic the respect it deserves. By that I mean we should do ourselves a favour by driving defensively. It would help to be aware that these machines take longer to get up to speed, but they are also more difficult to stop. It would not be wise to position your own car so as to cause a truck to come to an emergency stop. He may not be successful and should you stand in the way you will pay the price.

It would also be wise to give them turning space, including a wide berth for the trailer. Some awful video footage I watched showed the trailer as it fishtailed and swung around the cab and smashed into the camera platform which was a car or other truck. In one very sad case a car that was full with people had stopped at a red light. A truck had stopped alongside but it had braked sharply which caused its trailer that was full with bricks to roll over on to the car. It's hard to see how anyone in that car would have survived.

Truck traffic is with us everyday and it is essential to our way of life. Truckers have the responsibility to drive with care and caution, and absolutely sober and drug-free, which goes without saying. We have to do our part as well and long may we exist together.

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael

The Conflagration

A great fire broke out this week in my region about twenty kilometres away from where I live. That was much too close because this was a tire dump that went up in flames producing thick, black toxic smoke. Luck was in for us as the smoke blew off to the West but it sure as hell was a nightmare for everyone living under its fallout.

The problem is that today's tyres are so well made to meet stringent standards for safety and security that when the thread wears down and the tyre has to be disposed of the question becomes, "How?"

All around the world this universal problem has experts scratching their heads, and in the meantime the tyres go to holding dumps and they accumulate. Here in Spain we are having horrendous high temperatures in the cities and the mountain tops, but in these dumps where there could be millions of tyres the heat that builds must be truly hellish. Its no surprise that from time to time spontaneous combustion will occur and that will be the start of something that is almost impossible to stop.

Apparently some place in Wales had stored 10 million tyres and a fire broke out that burnt continuously for 15 years. For this reason the dump owner cannot set his own fires, but apart from the hellish nature of fighting to control such an outbreak fire is probably his best friend. The stockpile will be reduced in volume but the cost to the environment is unacceptable.

Re-Threading was thought at one time to be the solution and while the industry continues to do rethreads these are dangerous in countries with high speed highways. Trucks especially use them but I constantly come across threads that come off, which is not good for the vehicle that lost it; for following vehicles they can cause accidents as they become an obstacle that can cause a car to go out of control.

Clearly something new is required to replace the wheel in its present form. Manufacturers have been concentrating on developing new and super efficient, secure tyres to serve heavier and faster vehicles, but that still leaves the by-product when the tyre wears out.

I'm not suggesting I have any ideas, this is not my area of expertise, and I'm certain experts are researching the issue. As drivers we change our tyres as and when necessary and think no more of the matter. Every now and again we are reminded that the problem has not gone away. When one of these dumps goes up in flames a lot of people are affected.

An illegal tyre dump near Madrid it appears was set afire by arsonists which resulted in 9,000 people being evacuated. That's the type of impact a fire like this can have because of the toxicity of the burn off. A normal forest fire is bad enough and Spain is having more than enough of those, but to turn a horror into a genuine nightmare a tyre fire will do.

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael

Summer Kamikaze Motorcycle Riders

I am a fan of motorcycles having ridden them all my life. Even now we have a Honda 125 that is for sale, but I have ridden a great variety of bikes, including the King of the Road, The Honda Goldwing
I have been accused of having been everything from a hooligan to a model rider, and I have earned those titles. I don't know what happens to turn a respectable and responsible person into a lunatic when he gets on his bike, but it happens every day.

They greatest sin that we bikers commit is that the rules that are followed, (kind of) by car and truck drivers don't seem to matter to us. Because of our slim size we seem to think that we can just zip in between the traffic and be on our way. Summer makes it worse because off goes the heavy clothing with skid protection and we ride around with t-shirts and shorts and flip-flops.

Many a person who has road rash will tell you it damn well hurts!

To make matters worse guys place their girl friends on the back of the bike and there she sits looking so vulnerable, holding on for dear life. He so often thinks he will give her a thrill by riding real fast, when if he wants to really impress her all he has to do is get her back home safely.

Considering how fragile a rider is, in comparison to a car driver you might think that out of self-preservation they would be very careful, but no, they seem to enjoy tempting fate. These are generally young men who think of themselves as being indestructible. I have been there and done that. What was I thinking?

The one thing this crowd don't do at all is take advice from anyone other than themselves. They have to have the experience of crashing, perhaps several times and bearing the bruises before they come to realize that they should slow down. It's just a part of growing up and hoping to survive to maturity. Perhaps too many don't make it.

So give them a little extra room if you don't want your car to be scraped and let's all try to enjoy Summer driving.

Let's all stay sober while on the road, especially those biker clubs who are so proud of their bikes. A good way to smash them up is to drink then ride.

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael

Summer Fines (Multas) like flies

One way to definitely tell that it is Summer is by the arrival of flies and new fines. That's important because in some regions of the country it is difficult to tell that it is Summer because their weather is more like Winter with hail and snow. Crazy!

Some functionary has sat at his desk day after day thinking of new rules to dog motorists and now that it's Summer it is also time to raise the curtain. Don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying that these don't make sense, just that they are here and we have to be aware:

1. It is such an easy thing to inadvertently do because we dress down when the weather gets hot, but if we forget to change our shoe wear and get in the car with our flip flops we risk a fine of 80 euros. One reason for that is they can slip off the foot when you have an emergency and impair your ability to bring the car to a full stop quickly.
2. This is one for the young guys with the six-pack gut, but driving around without a shirt is not cool and will get you a fine of 80 euros. However, your sister could probably get away with it.
3. It's definitely recommended that you stay hydrated by drinking lots of water but if you do so while driving, in spite of the bottles that you open with your teeth, you will still be fined 100 euros. This is a playing- it- safe rule because it does distract your attention, even if a little bit.
4. One reason why the driver might hang his arm out the window is that it does channel air into the car, however, apart from the fact that you need both hands on the steering wheel far too many people have actually lost their arm to passing traffic. You will also pay a fine of 80 euros and let's face it, you really didn't need to attract the attention of the police.
5. I always wear a hat or cap while in the car but if I'm wearing one that covers my ears I will attract a fine. This is because a hat, or anything that covers the ears also reduces the ability to hear road sounds like the ambulance or police trying to get past you. Needless to say wearing earplugs to listen to music or to talk on the phone are no-no's. The fine is 80 euros.
6. Summertime is ice-cream time and leaving the beach on the way to the car is too tempting to pass the ice-cream truck. This is fine for your passengers, although I would insist everybody finishes theirs before getting in the car. For the driver in particular you are simply not allowed to lick and drive. Who wants to concentrate on turning the wheel when the taste of ice-cream is so much better?  Fine for this is a sour 100 euros.
7. Here's one that most people don't give a moment's thought to and that is the placing of objects on the rear tray behind the passengers without clamping them. The risk of this is that should the car have to make an emergency stop all that stuff will go flying. The most common item on the space is an umbrella, and if it has a pointy end it becomes a spear. This sounds more like something that falls under education rather than a fine-able offence, but the police have to make a living too, so 200 euros for the cost of having to stop and advise you.
8. I don't know what is so offensive about washing your car while properly parked on a public road. It seems to really piss off a lot of people, almost as much as driving around in a dirty car. It almost seems as though the car wash lobby have successfully persuaded the authorities to direct everyone to their fore courts because if you insist you might pay anywhere between 30 to 3,000 euros for the privilege of making your beautiful pride and joy sparkling clean in the sight of passing traffic. Very strange!
9. This is a peculiar one that makes me wonder where it comes from. The offense is having your co-driver (?) placing feet on the dashboard. This does not state whether the car will be in motion or not, nor does it state whether the offender will be female or male. The wording for this needs to be severely tightened up because we could be talking about two different types of offenses, but in any case the fine will be 100 euros.
10. This next one has long been an offense but perhaps they are trying to make the fine more realistic. If so they have failed yet again. The offense is throwing a cigarette butt, whether lit or not from a vehicle, whether moving or not. The potential for disaster that this action carries is indescribable. There have been cases where the butt has landed in another vehicle, or on the motorcyclist following behind, and of course forest fires have started as a result. As I write this the first major fire of the Summer season is still burning after four days and has caused horrendous damage. It seems to have been started by nature, which is the only positive thing to
11. be said. The fine is still only 200 euros and the loss of 4 points. Considering the potential loss of property and life and the energy put into fighting the blaze caused by your cigarette that's no punishment at all.
12. Always remember to carry the car documents and your own driving permit. Many of these things can be determined by the police themselves through the internet but it is our responsibility to have our driving license with us when behind the wheel. I find my permit useful in all matters where I need photo identification. The fine is a small tap on the wrist of 10 euros.
13. Finally, if you exceed the lawful capacity of people in the car for which it is rated you will only be fined 80 euros. This will be the best outcome if it's the only result because if your are involved in a crash your insurance will be nullified and you could be exposed to millions in risk. Don't do it!
14. This is the one that is not included but should be, and one day after something very tragic and highly publicized happens it will be. That is smoking while driving causes such high risk from lighting the cigarette in the first place, to the disposition of the ash, including that which falls into the crotch of the driver, especially if it is still burning, and the throwing of the butt from the car, instead of placing it in the ashtray, all of these things are unnecessary risks that do cause problems that are preventable now.

I hope that we all have a safe season of driving over the Summer. Remember that alcohol is never a good idea when driving, but when coupled with heat the effect is made worse. The other killer is tiredness. The moment you feel exhaustion setting in start looking for a place to pull over to rest. So often it happens to me close to my home that I think I can make it without stopping. I have learned that this is a mistake.

You need only close your eyes once to never open them again.

Have a safe and happy Summer.

Copyright(c) 2017

Eugene Carmichael

The Ultimate

It's only June and even before Summer officially started we had been having some of the highest temperatures that we have ever seen so early in the year here in Spain. I shudder to think what July and August will be like. The entire country has been on red alert against fires but fortunately the rains have started and will shortly cover the entire peninsula, thereby reducing the chance of out of control forest fires like the one that has caused so many deaths in Portugal.

Ramadan has just ended. I have not heard any stories such as those that occurred last year where so many people died because they were strict adherents, refusing to take even water during super hot days. In the general community the elderly and the fragile will have to use supreme common sense and caution to avoid sun poisoning, another killer. Extremes of weather are to be guarded against, even in the young group where our youth think they are indestructible. They go out in the noonday sun on the beach and lay out and go to sleep unprotected. Not a smart idea.

When it's hot we really don't need anyone to tell us that it's hot, although we do that with everyone we meet. It makes us uncomfortable if we're standing in the full sun, so we move into the shade. If the air-conditioning is working in our cars we drive with it on full bore. When we stop and shut the engine down, if we are parked out in the open we know how quickly the car heats up. We can't wait to get out and move away.

So, here's my question: if the driver closes up the car with a child or an animal inside, saying daddy or mommy will be right back, how stupid must you be to think that is a reasonable thing to do. The thing that is so worrying is that it is happening in more than one country around the world. Children and animals have died, and others have had to be rescued and put through emergency procedures to save their lives, and the people who do these things always ask of their child or their puppy who has been rescued, when can I have it back? What?

Talk about being terminally stupid! Duh!

The first step in punishing anyone guilty of such behaviour is to take away their licence to drive a car. The public don't need anyone with such an empty head coming towards us. Such a person would be a hazard to society.

To those of us who know this is not the reasonable thing to do we must be aware that in every car we pass as we walk along the sidewalk there may be a child/animal locked inside. It will be an oven and only your awareness and quick action can save the child or animal from someone who is as deadly as a terrorist with a bomb or a knife.

By all means I hope you enjoy your Summer, but please stay vigilant. I would also add a note to remind anyone who might lock their child or animal in their car to please don't do that, but who am I kidding, such people are not capable of being able to read and comprehend.

Copyright (c) 2017

Eugene Carmichael
 

Now I have definitely seen everything!

This past week I was in Javea, a large seaside Mediterranean town which is famous for ex-pat living. It has a wonderful beach community and an important port. There are so many different nationalities living there as to form a real melting pot of humanity.

I was there on Wednesday, a really hot day with brilliant sunshine but also with a lovely cooling breeze. I was sitting under the shade of a terrace having a BLT sandwich and a cooling drink when I looked up and was struck by the ultimate in lunacy.

A young man who was evidently born with not so much as one iota of brains went riding his scooter along the major avenue allowing the bike to steer itself as he held his mobile in both hands while he sent text messages. This meant that not only was he not controlling the bike, he wasn't even watching where he was going.

The offense of which he was guilty was "Conducting a vehicle without due care and attention." He was on his way to perhaps knock down a pedestrian, or to run into another motorcycle, or to crash into a car or truck. In the process he would likely harm himself or even die in the crash he would cause.

I know that being young also usually means one's intellect is not fully developed, but this was taking things over the top. Addiction to mobiles is a modern problem that is totally out of control. I recognise how it starts and I know that you have to fight against it. Young people don't seem to have the strength as it just takes them and they become totally caught up in the wonder of that powerful instrument.

The irony is that in this modern world of ours we need to be aware of what is going on around us more than ever. People have been simply going about their business only to become victims of terrorist strikes by being deliberately run down by trucks and cars. To be absorbed in your mobile to the exclusion of what is taking place around you is a recipe for disaster. Some people have actually walked into their own deaths because they were unaware of oncoming traffic.

To deliberately relinquish control of your motor vehicle for the purpose of texting while in motion is taking stupidity to a new level and cannot end well. In the world of young people if one person is seen doing it others will follow just because it's so stupid.

I suppose we will have to be patient while it plays itself out. There will be death and injury but although we can try to counsel young people they will not listen and heed the advice of us old fogies. We will just have to wait and see.

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael

Summer Driving and Smoking

Summer's here again with heat and flies. Without having given it any thought I always assumed that everybody would welcome this time of the year but the truth is that many people prefer Winter. Both Summer and Winter can be dangerous and uncomfortable in their extremes.People die as a result of prolonged exposure to both heat and cold, but if I had to choose I think I would choose the heat.

During the Summer drivers often open the car windows but if you are a smoker this could lead to problems for other road users. I often see drivers smoking while driving and flicking the ash out the window. This becomes a problem to following motorcyclists who take the ash in their faces. Presumably this must lead to some heated discussions. It wouldn't be a surprise to anybody if it did.

It also seems to be a temptation for the driver to flick his still lit cigarette into the undergrowth at the side of the roads. Why these people don't realize that they are probably starting a forest fire with all that involves, I just don't know. Spain has suffered some major disasters in the past with fires that were started in this way that have gone on to cause great property loss and distress to many people.

How many people have actually lost their lives because a driver suffered fallen hot ash in their laps? I have never come across any statistics to that effect but we can be certain, it has happened. I can attest to a near miss head-on crash that was caused by a driver who was trying to light his cigarette from the electric starter in the car. Our cars were encountering each other on a gentle bend, but because he had his head down trying to connect the lighter to the cigarette in his mouth he didn't realise he was floating directly toward me. I blew my horn, he looked up and dropped the cigarette and threw the lighter towards the back seat while swerving away from me.

Another coat of paint on our cars and we would have collided! They say that smoking kills, and while that can be true we are not always aware of the many ways that can happen.

Lastly, I can never understand people who load up their cars with their children and who smoke while they drive. There is no nice way to say this, but geez guys; how can you be so selfish and irresponsible. It would be easy for you to tell me to mind my own business but that does nothing towards solving the problem that you are creating. You are still irresponsible and selfish to your own children who you chose to bring into the world.

If you die a horrible painful death through throat or lung cancer caused by your own selfishness, justice will be served. I don't mean that in a bitter way, just that it would be a fact.

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael

S.O.S.

S.O.S. in this case stands for Save Our Syclists.


I wrote in a blog a few weeks ago that we could pay homage to the three cyclists who lost their lives, and to their companions who have been damaged for the rest of their lives in that well publicized crash by conducting ourselves as drivers to make that crash the very last.

I have been excited to notice that my fellow drivers have that sad crash very much on our minds as we approach cyclists by slowing and overtaking by passing into the opposite lane when safe to do so. This is great that it is happening, but the loss of our fellow citizens is still fresh and very raw. In time the memory will fade and we might be tempted to go back to our old ways. How can we avoid that happening?

It would help for all cyclists to wear some form of clothing that is high visibility with the message "Please give me space!" That will keep the awareness fresh. Another method to keep drivers constantly aware is that each of us as individuals have to share the roads with a number of other traffic classifications. They have a right just as we do and we must respect their right.

This is a matter of driver education and is a constant. We will inevitably find ourselves crawling behind something moving slower than we would like to be moving. That is when our discipline comes into play. It may not come naturally to each and every one of us but we must learn to be patient. This is a bitter lesson some of us must take in and to do that the government, through the justice system needs to step down hard on people who cause death and injury just because they were impatient and in a hurry.

There is also a flip side to cyclists safety and that is where cyclists themselves behave in a manner that is in their own self-preservation. What can cyclists do to help themselves.

Always wear high visibility clothing so that you can be seen to be safe.

Never ride more than two abreast.

Most importantly, where cycling lanes exists always use them. Do not choose to use the roadway together with motor traffic instead. This is perhaps one of the most important bits of advice because we see this happening all the time. The government has gone to the time and expense of putting in cycling lanes and whole groups of cyclists choose not to use them.

This is terribly frustrating to drivers because we do have to undergo a certain amount of stress in order to keep you guys safe. Why do we not have your cooperation? I think I speak for all drivers when I say that we mean you no harm, but if you do put yourself in harm's way by using the highway when there was a cycle lane running parallel you will have yourself to blame.

That is just common sense!

Stay safe!

Copyright (c) 2017

Eugene Carmichael

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

Spring has truly Sprung

In my last blog I wrote about taking to the road by motorhome. This week I feel I must return to the subject as the weather has taken a major turn for the better here in Spain. There can still be days when the wind blows a bit cool, and especially at night when temperatures fall dramatically, but I am absolutely amazed by the number of motorhomes that have suddenly appeared on the road.

I took a slightly long journey during the week and along the way, both going and returning there were stretches of road where there were long convoys of motorhomes of every description, except the big American style luxury bus, because our town roads would be stretched to accommodate them. It seems that everybody and his cousin heard the call at the same time and fired up and set off all at once.

Back in 1963 I did a tour of Europe on a BSA 500 and I thought I was the bee's knees. At camping sites I met so many people in their caravans or motorhomes who were living the life of Reilly. A lot were retired people who said they lived like that year round, just following the sun as best they could.

In researching my last story I was astounded to discover the wide variety of vehicles that serve as the base for some really innovative configurations in luxury and comfort. However, I don't think I would choose the lifestyle as I need more space rather than less. I prefer to live in a country house with some area around the house to put my stuff. Unfortunately I have difficulty throwing stuff away. I'm something of a squirrel. Once every five years I have to make a special effort to get rid of clutter. If its a box and I haven't opened it in the past five years I throw it out without opening it to see what's inside. The thinking being that if I haven't opened it in that period of time it's not important.

Spring has brought out the sun in all its warmth and that makes all the difference. Attitudes change, our spirits rise as we throw off the blanket of Winter. It's so liberating to open the windows to the breeze; to put the electric blanket in its box and to watch the plants grow by the day.

I know how all-important the sun and the warmth are to me so I find it hard to imagine what life must be like living in those parts of the world where the sun does not shine for very long periods. What is the impact on the human outlook on life during such times of living in the dark?

So Spring is truly here and that will be followed by the Summer. Here's hoping we all get to enjoy life to the full and try not to spoil it by driving under the influence and killing our selves and others.

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael

Springtime and Motorhomes

For many of my compatriots in the retirement community, come springtime and they get restless, having been cooped up in the house over the cold months and they want to spread their wings. Time to dust off the home-away-from-home and head for the open road. Freedom calls!

This is a subject that is treated with different outlooks in every major country around the world. The  countries that lend themselves particularly well to life on the road are The United States of America, Canada,  and Australia. This is because of so much open space that allow for the ultimate in large motorhomes to circulate more freely.

However, the tradition of life on the road is particularly valued in Great Britain and Europe, with Europe being the winner in so far as a variety of countries that are accessible from the comfort of the driving cab is concerned.

There exists a wide variety of ways in which to travel the road in your mobile house, governed only by price. First some definitions: A Campervan, (sometimes called a camper, or Caravanette) is usually a smaller version of a Motorhome or Recreational Vehicle (RV). However, it can accommodate two to three people in moderate comfort, and is self driven.

A Caravan is an unpowered version of the same, but because it needs to be towed it requires a car with the power and the weight to be able to haul it up steep inclines and to control it going down the other side.

A Camping Car is a Station Wagon that converts into a full double bed; and then there are many varieties on this theme.

The ultimate in travel in mobile homes can be found in The United States, Canada and Australia where full size busses are used to create pure luxury. Many such models are far better appointed than most fixed homes and apartments.

For approximately $500,000 you could get one of these super road yachts with a floor plan that goes something like this: As you enter the vehicle from the front door that is found in the usual place you pass through the cab which gives the appearance of a spaceship. You are now in the living room with very nicely appointed sofas that double as sleep accommodation. Above the cab is a 32" television; and of course a full music system and as we move down the bus we come to a dining area on one side and across the other side we find a full kitchen with pantry, dishwasher, stove, microwave and oven, refrigerator with ice dispenser, and sink with trash compactor.

There is an electric heater to warm the communal area, as well as air-conditioning and  fans throughout. Next we come to a soundproofed toilet and on the other side of that there is the master bedroom with its own ensuite full bathroom with shower. It too can be equipped with large screen television.

As we pass through the luxurious and sumptuous bedroom we find at the back of the bus ample storage space for linens and extra bunk beds especially for young children.

Under the living space there is room to store all the necessaries, including a small garage for motorcycles and pedal cycles, etc.

Some people simply choose this way of life as a permanent arrangement, having sold the family home in favour of life on the road. The added incentive of being able to cross borders freely in Europe is a powerful lure. 

I have not yet personally given in to the joys of being a constant traveller, albeit living life at a very comfortable level, but it's one of the things on my "To Do Bucket List."

We'll have to wait and see.

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael

Professionalism should be applauded

I make a certain journey often enough to almost call it a regular commute. Twice along this journey the National Police have conducted document checks imposed on a random selection of drivers. The first time it happened I was one of those excused from examination, but the second time a different officer was in charge of selection. He took one look at me and I could see plainly what he was thinking by the expression on his face.

I am a foreigner driving my classic Jaguar Sovereign, which is a nice car, albeit somewhat aged in the tooth. His expression asked the question: what are you doing driving this car?

I stopped where indicated, shut down the engine and produced the documents required, even follow-up documents to the ones that should have given them comfort that all was in order. The particular officer was having some difficulty in accepting that nothing was out of place, but eventually he did, apparently to the slight embarrassment of the officer who held my documents, because he actually said, "Lo siento" when handing my documents back.

Ironically, that same day I drove into the parking lot at the Estacion del Tren Norte in Valencia city. I parked and realised that a vagrant and his girlfriend were taking undue notice in my car and I was reluctant to walk away from it. The time was 4:45pm and I didn't notice that four National Police had entered the vicinity and to them I was acting suspiciously by staring at the two people and by taking steps towards them.

The police came up to me and demanded my identification, which I promptly surrendered to them all the while explaining that I thought I had a problem with the vagrants. They checked out my documents and apparently they were speaking to the same person who confirmed my documents in the morning. What has he done now? Where you about 100 klms away this morning, I was asked. Yes, I was and your colleagues stopped me to check my documents in a routine stop.

Seems this is your lucky day, stated the officer. (Smiles all round.)

However, the reason they had arrived at the train station was due to the fact that fifteen minutes earlier in London a lone terrorist had struck down several people ending in the deaths of four, including himself, plus injury to about 40 others.

I find the security forces in Spain to all perform to a very high standard of professionalism in any dealings I have had with any of the branches, but I would much prefer to be on the same side as they rather than on the wrong side.

Just to be able to say that makes this a wonderful country to be living in.

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael 

That Time of year again

We here in Valencia are hard at celebrating our annual Fallas festival. The season was started in very late February, and it seems to get earlier every year. One reason we put forward in making a whole lot of noise is to scare away the old man of Winter. It always seems to work so why change it if it ain't broken.

As always, many of those downtown Valencian residents head out of town when the noise starts. It's fine for those of us who live in the suburbs as we can still get to sleep throughout the whole of the festival. When you live downtown there continues lots of noise late into the night, and to make matters worse it all starts again at eight o'clock in the morning as they come to wake you up.

Effectively Valencia shuts down against motorised traffic because so many streets are closed as they have Fallas monuments planted right in the middle of them. That's one reason why residents take their cars and head for the mountains. Fallas, as wonderful as it is becomes old hat after a while and we Valencians become jaded. Perhaps it's better to attend  every few years to keep it fresh.

It is so liberating to walk around to view the fine work that has gone on over the past year without having to be confined to sidewalks. There are so many people who head for the city as they consider that to be the main event that we can barely move. However, every pueblo has it's own contribution so there is no real need to go elsewhere, but people feel the need to at least visit the city at least once.

Part of the excitement is to turn a corner and walk straight into some wonderful event taking place involving bands and gaily dressed participants. It's great if you like pleasant surprises.

Long live the Fallas Festival, even if it is a pain in the neck for driving around. That part only lasts a week which seems a small price to stage one of the grandest shows on earth.

Drive carefully!

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael 

Promising much more than we could ever use

In the world of super cars there exists a strange mindset. Manufacturers produce vehicles that have top speeds over 200 mph, which are F1 speeds for cars that will be driven on the normal road network,and that can get you from zero to 60 mph in 2.7 seconds.

Firstly, under what circumstances would you want or need to do that? I suppose if you were sitting still and you looked in the rear view mirror and saw T-rex bearing down on you, or a great bear, or an avalanche or a fire ball about to roll over you, that type of getaway speed would certainly come in handy. It would also be handy if the woman's husband whom you have just spent the night with is about to catch up with you. The capability to get away that fast would be invaluable, but what's the likelihood of any of those things happening?

This car, and others in its league are called touring cars. One thing is certain; the car looks absolutely great. Its performance is superlative and in motion it is a sore temptation to put the foot down a little too much. I drove a Jaguar F-type which is a naughty thing. It whispers in your ear constantly, "go on, give me more; you know you want to." Well, there are rules and limits to the speed you can get up to on roads that are being used by other people.

There are no roads at all that are safe and that permit us to drive at speeds of more than a maximum of 130 kph, so under no circumstances will we ever be able to use anything more than  those limits. In Germany it is different in that on certain parts of the autobahn  there are no limits, but the average driver will not be proficient in fast driving techniques. It is very likely that such a person will be taking an extraordinary risk in driving so fast. You would have to be an experienced racing driver to be able to control the car from fishtailing if you tried to stay within that 0-60 thing in 2.7 seconds. That is incredibly fast. If you lose control at that fast a start you could flip the car and then all bets are off.

I don't know about using this car for gran  touring because there's only room enough for overnight bags, and even then you may not be able to get much more than a couple of handkerchiefs in them, so I'm not sure what practical use such a wonderful auto would be other than the admiration of all who see it. When I drove the F-Type Jag the looks I got and the respect was something I will never forget.

I had to content myself with that pleasure and with the thrill of entering a motorway at a moderate speed and then blasting forward up to 120 as fast as I could just to feel the G-forces on my chest. Other than that I had to drive the car as I would any other and be a good motorist by staying within safe limits.

The problem is that once in a while someone will pass me and all the other motorist in the so-called fast lane travelling at what seems like supersonic speeds. They seem to forget that there are constant monitoring of the roads by cameras mounted on poles and in helicopters, so while you may not see them, they see you.

In summary we pay for a lot of excess power, speed and capability that we will never experience, and we pay a massive premium for those things. I once watched a person drive his car round the race track at Cheste on an open day at the track and he took one of the bends a little too fast for his ability and went into a skid. I think he might have soiled himself, poor fellow, because for the rest of the route he drove very sedately to the great amusement of us spectators.

Ah well! 

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael

Still Here?

I came across a car this week that I had not seen for a little while that is on foreign plates that I first encountered when I arrived here in Spain 18 years ago. I only noticed it because it's a very attractive vehicle but with the steering wheel on the right, but I liked it so much I always wanted to buy it if it came up for sale. That would most likely have been a mistake had I done so.

Back then there was some confusion caused by the barroom lawyers as to the maximum time limit for changing your foreign plates to Spanish ones, or if you ever had to do it. The owner of this car evidently believes that it is not necessary at all, but he would be mistaken.

When he causes a crash the first question on the claim's checklist will be: Is the claimant's license and car documents all in order? To answer yes to this question the driver's license  must be valid and appropriate to drive in Spain. That means if a U.K. citizen has been in the country for more than two years and is driving on his British issued permit that permit is no longer valid.

If the car has been kept in Spain for more than six month's and is being driven on it's British plates those plates are no longer valid as the owner/driver is now properly deemed to be a resident for tax purposes in Spain and the car should have been converted to Spanish plates not later than six months after first having landed in Spain.

That means there will be a resounding No to the claim's question and that will result in the claim being  denied without considering any other information. No matter that you have paid your premiums faithfully for years. This could now be a very serious matter for the owner who will be liable for the full extent of the damages caused. We sometimes wonder why the police don't make more of an effort to take these cars off the road as they are a danger to all road users. If I suffer serious damages from another driver and that driver is one such example who effectively has no insurance I am the one who is the loser. The police have much to do to keep them busy so perhaps they give a person enough rope to hang themselves. This would be very cynical on their part, so I hope it is for other reasons they don't act.

The thing is that I first noticed this car eighteen years ago. I think it's time something was done to rectify this situation.

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael

Off the chart irresponsibility!

During this past week a crash occurred involving three large trucks on the A-7 near the exit junction to Valencia city. I admit that I do not have the details of what happened and how it happened, so I have to be careful in jumping to conclusions. What I can say is that daily we see trucks driving in convoy, nose-to-tail, and in doing so they create a wall that prohibits other traffic from exiting, and it contravenes the law on keeping a safe distance from the vehicle travelling in front.

In recent memory there occurred a crash involving three large trucks in the same general area, but travelling in the opposite direction. At that time the truck in the lead applied brakes suddenly and the one behind ran into him and that was followed by the third running into the second. That took many hours to clear up. I suspect that this crash was probably a result of the same thing.

Truckers drive like this to save fuel. I have seen as many as seven trucks in such a convoy. They are driving in each others slipstream with the truck ahead effectively sucking along the one behind. They take turns in being the leader. When a crash occurs it is usually such a horrendous and disruptive event that the impact is spread over such a wide area that involves so many people's lives and routines it may be almost impossible to accurately measure.

This latest mess occurred at about 7am which resulted in traffic gridlock impacting several different routes. Children were late for school, teachers were late, employees were late in starting their days, banks were late in opening, cars ran out of fuel while running their engines hoping to move forward a centimetre at a time, and of course that made matters worse. People were late for trains and planes, and in general life came to a stop because of the three drivers who were involved.

Was this as a result of the usual stupidity and irresponsibility? If so what should be done to impress upon the trucking fraternity the seriousness of their actions?

I lump this type of irresponsibility along with those drivers who drive at high speed in dangerous weather when speed should be seriously restricted in the interests on safety, such as stormy, snowy, thick fog, icy conditions, etc. Drivers should slow down but many do not as they head into causing massive inconvenience to untold thousands.

To begin with if they cannot be responsible they have no business holding a driver's permit. It is a permit, not a right. Take it away from them! When we see trucks in convoy it should be made easy to report them in the knowledge that the police will be immediately dispatched to stop the convoy.

Let's get serious about this entirely avoidable problem and eradicate it once and for all!

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael

Encouraging News Statistics

I have been looking at the report of Deaths on Spanish Roads for 2016, which is a morbid report at the best of times, but this year it does makes good news out of bad.

The Director General of the DGT has reported that the provisional numbers for 2016 indicate that there were 1,038 fatal incidents on all of Spanish roads during the calendar year 2016 which resulted in 1,160 deaths, plus 5,067 people needing hospital treatment for their injuries.

However, in 1960 when results were first tabulated there were one million vehicles travelling Spain's roads, and today there are 32 million. On average three people died every single day during 2016. In 2000 there were 11.6 deaths every day and now it is the aforesaid 3.2 with a lot more traffic. For instance, although the number of deaths went up in 2016 over 2015, there was a great jump in traffic in just that one year to 392 million long-haul journeys , an increase of 18.5 million journeys.

In 1960 there were 1,300 road deaths and 1 million vehicles to 1,160 in 2016 with 32 million vehicles, an increase of 32 times more traffic congestion.  In realistic terms that is really encouraging. In the intermittent period we have seen a lot of outrageous behaviour including stupid drunken stuff with people seeming to deliberately want to kill themselves. Unfortunately they also killed people who were not planning to die that day.

Last year 214 motorcyclists died principally due to too much speed. Speed usually is a factor in fatal crashes, combined with other things such as inattention due to distractions, and perhaps the number one sure fire cause being simple exhaustion leading to drivers dropping off to sleep.  If we have to drive for long distances it cannot be over emphasised enough that we get lots of rest. Ideally that should be planned into our journey. Young people should plan to stop every two hours for a rest. Most likely they will not because their powers of concentration allow for longer periods of focus, but they should do so anyway.

The problem with exhaustion is that we start to feel a little drowsy but we think we can carry-on a bit farther. We´re almost there and suddenly you snap awake having closed your eyes. If you get to do that you really did only close your eyes for a Nano-second. Any longer than that and you will most likely  be counted as part of the statistics.

It has happened to me, and I am someone who is acutely aware of how that happens. The older I get the more rest periods I have to factor in which means having to leave home that much earlier as my journey will take longer.

Another cause of road fatalities can be so easily avoided and it is this: even if you may have to drive at anytime during the day, simply avoid adding alcohol to the things that may impair your judgement. Simple, just be a grown up responsible person. So many really horrible crashes occur over festival and holiday periods when we load up the car with family and as the driver we engage with everyone else in having a few drinks for the road.

For those surviving family members to learn that a whole family has been wiped out because Mom or Dad didn't have the common sense to simply not have a drink is so sad that it is off the scale of sadness.

The healthy activity of pedal cycling is on the increase in Spain, and is to be encouraged. Roads systems are being developed to include safe lanes for cyclists, yet time and time again we see cyclists totally ignoring these pathways, preferring instead to ride out in the motorised traffic where they get knocked off their bikes and killed. I wish I could know what their last thoughts were.

During 2016 there were 118 pedestrian deaths, three more than during 2015. This is an area where we need to take a moment to give some focus. As more cycling lanes are integrated into sidewalks we have a situation where pedestrians are placed into the paths of cycles, some travelling at speed. It only takes a person to step to the side without being aware that they have entered into the path for a moving vehicle and the result can be two fatalities. Such a collision will involve two people who are at their most vulnerable, and especially if one is an older frail person there will most likely be a fatal outcome. The cyclist will be thrown and should he or she land in an awkward manner that could be the end for that person.

To add to the problem cyclists don't seem to appreciate that the rules of the road actually apply to them as well as all other traffic. We are going through a learning curve where a lot of these people don't wear headgear. I guess they must think their heads alone are sturdy enough to cope with crashing into an immovable force. They will learn, and then die.

I offer a serious suggestion that cycles be fitted with a mandatory warning system much like those for lorries when reversing. A bell needs to be fitted that rings frequently warning pedestrians of an oncoming cycle.

To conclude, although there is much more work to be done by all of us who use the roads, Spain suffers a loss of 36 road deaths per one million inhabitants versus the EU average of 52, making Spain's roads some of the safest, but that is cold comfort if someone you have loved so much becomes one of those who will lose their lives during 2017.

Drive carefully, the life you save maybe your own, or better, it may be mine. 

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael

The Trials and Tribulations of a Cuban Car Owner

Sometimes we here in Europe grumble over keeping our cars properly maintained and running, but essentially we have all we need to do that, with the possible exception of enough money. I count myself very lucky to have in my Pueblo an excellent family garage run by highly experienced mechanics who are wonderfully ethical. I love my Classic Jag, but at times getting parts can be a bit difficult. However, no matter how many problems I encounter I have to remember that the issue of transportation for many other people can be a real challenge.

One of the best examples would be that of the Cuban driver. The picture that is presented to the world by American media is that of a range of American brand name cars that were operating at the time of the Revolution that started on July 26, 1953 and continued until January 1, 1959. People fleeing Cuba left these cars behind and they were commandeered by new owners who continue to operate them  today. That was sixty-four years ago that they have been kept running without manufacturer support. How have the owners managed to do this?

The answer  is through ingenuity and perseverance. The Cuban mechanic has come to be a master at  creativity, including crafting his own parts, to replacing motors and drive trains by stripping certain Russian models.

During Cuba's collaboration with Russia modern transport needs were kind of met through the importation of Russian cars and trucks. The West takes a very poor view of Russian quality in motoring, but at least Cuba could bring in vehicles and spare parts without difficulty.

One of the most common cars was the Lada which is hard to describe. I don't think I would like to be seen even dead in one, but the motors from these were often used to replace the big motors in Fords, and Chevrolet Bel Airs, the most common type of car that was left behind. Naturally those motors didn't drive the heavy Americans very fast, but at least they did move forward.

The Russians also exported into Cuba the Gaz 2410, that is being used mainly for taxi use, and The Vaz 2105 that resembles an old model Mercedes.

The principal solution to daily transport seems to come from China in the form of the Geely Emgrand EC7. This is a modern looking car along the lines of what you might expect from any of the European suppliers. The car is used by the government and it is also used as a hire-car for tourists. China also exports into Cuba a 4x4 model, the Beijing BJ212. In China this vehicle is used by the military and the police and it serves the same purpose in Cuba, although there is no prohibition against private ownership in Cuba, if you can afford the price. They will be very interested in you if you can afford it.

Cuba is a country that is 700 miles long (42,000 square miles ) and occupied by 11.2 million people. The average wage is only about $25 per month, so I find it difficult to understand why we are even discussing private car ownership in Cuba in the first place. At least gas costs about $1.20 a litre and diesel about .60 cents.

I am obviously missing a very big part of the puzzle.

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael

 

How 200 vehicle pileups happen.

During this past week we have had to contend with thick fog across the country here in Spain. Naturally driving has been fraught with danger. Most of my fellow drivers got the message to moderate our speed as in places visibility was down to less than 50 metres. I know this because when approaching an exit and you pass the markers that count down from 300 metres to 200, and then to 100, when I passed the 300 metres sign there was no indication that there was another sign ahead.

It is a weird feeling when you are in a situation like that. At times you seem to be all alone in the world as you are socked in on all sides by solid mist, not that you get much time to be looking around you.

On the motorway I was cruising at about a maximum of 80 kph, as were most people but those monsters who walk around with excrement where their brains are supposed to be were passing us at speeds ranging anywhere from 120kph on up. They would come out of the mist and then they were gone in a flash. They could no more see where they were going than I could. All it would have taken would have been for one vehicle up ahead to get into trouble and the pileup would have begun. Once it gets started it would have a mind all its own. When would it end? Only Heaven knows. I have no idea of how it would stop.

While we can see how easy it is to start something like that happening the question persists, why even take the chance?

That person who thought he had to drive so fast and risk us all, was he thinking I'm late for an appointment and I'm in a hurry? A hurry to get to his death? There is a lot of truth in the old saying, more haste, less speed. If we leave home when we do, so that we have to make up time on the road, you lazy bastard, next time get out of your bed earlier and give yourself adequate time to arrive safely and without putting other people at risk.

If I were controller of the Universe I would swoop down and snatch your speeding car from the road and I would crush your car with you inside. You are an irresponsible shithead and you have no place among decent and reasonable people.

So, be my guest, go kill yourself by running into a very stout tree.

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael

Weather Woes for All

What a week, January 15th to January 21st  has been for weather in Spain. Even for those who were not caught up in the overwhelming cold, ice and snow it has been a very uncomfortable week Places we would not usually associate with snow, had snow. On Benidorm beach they had sun, salt, sea, surf, sangria, and snow. What a shock that was.

My own story was that I had a meeting to attend in Denia on Wednesday, but I just wasn't sure it would be possible. The forecast on Tuesday was that the temperature in Valencia city would be 11, and 10 in Denia on Wednesday. However Denia might experience a light dusting of snow. I decided to chance it.

I left home in Valencia in brilliant sunshine and dry conditions and thought I was doing the right thing. By the time I reached Cullera the sky ahead had turned a dark grey, so I removed my sunglasses. I decided to stop and call a friend in Denia to ask what the situation was. OMG, said he, turn around and go back this instant. We are socked in by snow, traffic is slipping, sliding and slamming into one another. It's a mess! You would be well advised to go home right  now.

So, I did. I went around the roundabout and put my sunglasses on again and drove home and into my garage where my car remains to this moment.

The traffic story is one horrendous tale after another. People were trapped in their cars, without heat for many hours, including overnight. How no-one has died due to hypothermia is anybody's guess. If you had not properly prepared for the journey with food and blankets your experience would have been awfully difficult. This includes trains that were stuck by snow banks, including the much lauded AVE trains. At least I had the presence of mind to call ahead to avoid driving blindly into disaster. I am so thankful that I did.

In the Summertime I usually carry water and biscuits in case I get stuck; and for winter driving I did carry a sleeping blanket and a car blanket. I did these things for the past eighteen years but I never had to use them. Eventually they made room for more practical things in the luggage compartment.

No prizes for guessing what will go back into the car when I go out again.

Be prepared and be careful are really good pieces of advice that we should take serious.

Good luck because it is not over yet.

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael

Dangerous Roads Ahead !

The date today is January 15th, 2017. Spain is in the grip of rolling super cold weather that is gradually blanketing the entire country with snow and ice which is making driving extremely hazardous. This is a time when we must all act in unison to get through the weeks ahead. As the weather brings these challenges it means being super cautious. These are the types of conditions that are unforgiving, so anyone who does not take proper notice will end up in the ditch. We will be lucky if that is the worst thing to happen to us.

It has been a long time since the weather was this bad, but in the light of the changes taking place affecting the weather cycle  it's a no-brainer that the climate is becoming more extreme. We keep hearing from people who have vested interests in denying that conditions are changing, but that doesn´t mean that change is not taking place. Change always happens. Nothing stands absolutely still in the world. If we don´t adapt ourselves to change we simply get left behind. To put that in a more concise perspective, if we are not moving ahead with change, we are actually moving backwards.

So, yes, climate change is happening right before our eyes and one of the effects is the possibility that driving is getting more difficult because of trying conditions. We cannot wish it away, and we cannot just close our eyes to it and continue on as normal. Mountain driving will be particularly difficult with its steep slopes and tight curves. I can´t just say be careful and expect that to adequately cover the situation. The only thing that would do that is to stay home unless you absolutely must use the roads.

This is a time for common sense and caution. The challenge is to survive this period and find ourselves on the other side in one piece, both alive and uninjured, nor suffering any damage.

Good luck to us all!

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael  

Starting the year in motoring heaven!

Today I celebrate my 77th year, plus three months and eight days. It's important that I tell you that because you see, a good friend asked me to do a critical favor at the last minute and I said yes, so as a reward, where no reward was necessary, they insisted that I have the unfettered use of their $75,000 Jaguar F-Type sports convertible for the weekend. They also seemed to have thrown in absolutely perfect weather for maximum enjoyment from the car.

Most people my age would not dare sit in such a car because of the danger they could never get out. At least that could be their excuse. I was sure that I would have to pay for my experience with pain in my back, but no, once seated, and provided I kept each journey reasonably short my back is just fine.

I'm addicted! If I had the ready money I would buy a car exactly the same in a heartbeat. I have completely fallen in love with it. Keep in mind that I drive a Jaguar myself, but this model is just playing with my heart.

The exact model car is a V6, 3000cc, 8-speed automatic convertible, in white with black soft top. The sound it makes, especially on acceleration is that of a Formula 1 car which is the most tempting thing. You always want to go fast but no, when driving on regular roads, as opposed to closed tracks one must observe the speed limits and other motorists. Normally, at my age I have long ago rid myself of the need for speed, or so I thought. Normally I content myself with driving along at 100 kph which is an optimum speed both for my car and its driver.

This rocket on wheels keeps egging me on. Go on, go for it! So, to reach a compromise I really like the feel when joining a major road, and if the way is clear of going from a slower speed to 120 kph in as short a time as possible. The kick in the back is just fabulous, plus the roar of that amazing engine and the G-force, and I'm awake!! The fact that it is a 3.0 litre, V6 340 Supercharged beast is just so over the top for me that there is no way I can ignore this car.

My Jag is a long wheel base XJ6 Sovereign that conveyed Her Majesty The Queen in the day when she was not using The Rolls. When I brought this one home the neighbours simply assumed that I had bought it, and now I am known as "Two Jags Gene" in my town. Oh Dear! One day I must get around to setting everyone straight.

This is an act of generosity in the Jeremy Clarkson mould, so I get to know how he feels when all those people say to him, "drive my car, please?" I, unlike Mr Clarkson, cannot think of anything I would want to criticise about the F-type . That may be because I am so in love with this glorious collection of materials, but give me some time when the newness rubs off and I'm bound to think of at least one tiny thing. Until then I am very happy to have had this wonderful experience.

If I had the funds I would definitely buy it and take it home and caress it, and care for it by washing it everyday and covering it in something nice and fluffy so that it can stay warm.

I wonder how my wife might react if I did the same thing for her?

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael