Just one of those Things?

So often horrible events take place on the road, and in response we shake our heads, go tut! tut! and say, “well, that’s just one of those things!” And then we say to the surviving members of the grieving family, “now you need to go on with your life.” I have been reflecting on a number of such situations and I must admit I have no idea how surviving family members are supposed to do that.

In the United States, the great comedian Bill Cosby and his wife lost their only son out of five offspring. Their son was driving his very expensive car one fateful night when he had a flat tyre. While changing the tyre another person came upon the scene, and in what was described as an opportunistic crime based on the assumption that since this was a driver of such a high value car there must be other valuables for the taking. The robbery went horribly wrong and the son was killed in the process. Mr. Cosby makes magical comedy. How on earth he can continue to find humour in anything when we can reasonably be sure that not a day goes by without recurring thoughts of their overwhelming loss.

In my own country, Bermuda a young man from a family whom I know well was someone with so much promise. He was an outstanding student, a fine athlete, a very handsome person with all the charm in the world. One day he pulled into a petrol station on his off-road motorbike and there he lowered the side stand that allowed the bike to rest at a side angle. Having refuelled he set off and made a right turn exiting the property. However, he made a deadly mistake. He failed to return the side stand to its folded position. There traffic circulates on the left-hand side of the road, and as he approached a left-hand bend he leaned left whereupon the side stand dug into the ground bringing the bike to a sudden stop throwing its rider headlong into an oncoming truck. He was killed instantly.

I doubt that anyone on that island has ever forgotten. I know his family never will. And neither shall I. That’s why I recommend to any rider of a motorcycle with a side stand arm that swings down and has to be swung back up, remove that killer piece now. The more high-end motorcycles that have them also have a failsafe switch, so that if the rider forgets to put the stand in the up position, when he puts the engine in gear it will stop running. The rider cannot get underway until the situation has been rectified.

Do we say to them, “well, now you must try to go on with your life.” What life?

On one of Spain’s interurban roads a family of five were returning home after a day out. The road they were travelling was one of two lanes in opposite directions. Ahead of them loomed a gentle bend in the road to the left. Apparently what happened next was the following scenario: a car being driven by a young man with his girlfriend as passenger came round the bend at top speed and the centrifugal/centripetal forces were too much for him to keep the car under control at such speed and in his lane. Consequently he ran head-on into the family car at such force that all concerned were taken from the scene to arrive at hospital DOA. (Dead on Arrival). One young man’s folly has affected forever too many families to contemplate.

Just one of those things? Certainly not!

Finally, another young man, another tragedy. This driver set out at one end of a residential road where he drove at speeds topping more than three times the posted limit. Near the other end of the road a child set out to cross the street. Had the driver kept to the speed limit, which was set for the good reason that this was a residential area, that child would have crossed safely and in all likelihood he would be alive today, growing up to fulfil his promise. Instead he was mown down like a blade of grass by a speeding machine that travelled the distance in a mere fraction of the time it should have taken. Some people were heard to say that it was such a shame, but it was just one of those things.

What do you think?

Death on the roads? It doesn’t have to end like that! Speed kills!

Stay safe! Drive safely!

Copyright (c) 2007 Eugene Carmichael

How Distracted are You?

“The leading cause of distracted driving arises because some people conduct themselves in their cars as if in their living rooms.”

We are all familiar with the refrain “ but I only took my eyes off the road for a split second!” No reason to disbelieve the speaker because that´s all it takes, a nano-second for a well ordered life to slip into absolute chaos.

Distraction is at the heart of so many collisions that it is now getting the same type of recognition as driving while impaired. One is DWI, and the other is DWD. On the one hand it is not good to drive for long durations without a glance to the side, as to do otherwise is to risk becoming hypnotized; the crucial thing is timing. When to avert one’s gaze from time to time for relief, and also to flex one’s fingers.

There are just so many things competing for our attention. Firstly we have to be aware of motorists who would pass us on our right side. These could be motorcycle riders, (normally moped riders) when we are slowed by traffic, to other cars if we are in the central lane on a motorway outside town. Then, of course there are the plethora of road signs, both as to speed and direction, and the special circumstantial signs that have to do with detours and road works. So, really, do we need all those signs about Real Estate Agencies, supermarkets, hardware stores, shopping centres, fast foods, and the like?

“Hands-Free Mobile Phones”
Into this mix some bright spark thought it would be a good idea if we drove while holding a telephone up to our ear. Fortunately we are coming to our senses on this one. I have a “hands-free” mobile unit that is very efficient, but I must admit that I do find that my concentration for the road is shared with that of my conversation with my caller. I did reason in the past that it was the same as talking to my front seat passenger, which in itself is distracting, but I’m coming around to the view that the telephone is more demanding.

For one thing, I am always concerned that my caller can hear me, so the volume of my voice is always higher than if I was speaking to a passenger next to me. By that sheer effort more concentration is put into that conversation. Increasingly, I am letting the phone ring as I drive, electing instead to ring back when I am well and truly safely able to do so. It is prohibited to use mobile phones with earpieces or headsets, as these mask over essential road sounds.






Smoking while driving.

I have no personal experience of this but it does seem to be a prime source of distraction. Lighting the cigarette with the electric lighter, as efficient as that is does require that few seconds when you have to look at where you are putting the lighter. And then there is the matter of ash management, and stray ash is at least dirty, if not actually hot.

GPS

These are marvellous technologies that can be very helpful.(They can also get you completely lost.) At times I sure could use some help in finding some of the addresses that I need to get to, but if I have the GPS screen to look at while driving that could be even worse than driving and looking for a street name that is usually written in such small letters that you have to be standing right up close to read it. The voice direction is good, but I do think that the screen should not be visible to the driver. That is something for the passenger/navigator.

Car Stereo/CD player/Radio


A car without the above is incomplete because these could be counted as a safety measure to keep the driver alert. When playing the radio it is frequently necessary to change stations. Best to be able to do this by touch rather than actually having to look at the display. If a CD, at least that can be set up before staring the journey and would not normally need any more attention from the driver. This is about as good as it gets.

Daydreaming/Meeting Planning/ Mental Column Writing/Apologising to Partners

Long journeys where the scenery is so familiar encourages all sorts of mental activity that is outside that of concentrating on the road. Fatigue is also a killer that must be carefully planned out of the question. But the most common thing we do is to start daydreaming about what we would do if we won the lottery. On a more constructive level, if we are driving to meet with clients we tend to strategise how we will conduct ourselves in the meeting. It simply is as natural a thing to do as breathing, but being aware of the possible negative consequences of being so distracted is important if we are to avoid the failure to arrive.

I am always writing this column because by simply getting behind the wheel the ideas start to flow like fine wine. I am learning however, that I must put things in perspective and that a simple one-word thought is enough. I don’t need to have the whole thing written by the time I arrive at my destination..

Finally, driving while emotionally upset deserves a column all its own, which I may attempt at some future date. This can be the set-up of a very deadly end result of a string of events. When a couple clash in the home over something or other, and that results in one person storming out of the house and into the car, full of anger or tears, the ability to drive becomes perhaps even more impaired than through alcohol, and may even include a death wish. How many innocent other road users have become entangled in what was originally a lover´s break-up?


Motorcyclists! Please wear the lime-green reflective “Gerry Jacket” by day as well as at night. Be Seen to be Safe!



Copyright © 2006-2007 Eugene Carmichael

The Bermuda Long Riders Motorcycle Club

Motorcycle clubs all over the world have one thing in common: these are big girls and boys with their grown up toys. Bikers just love their machines, more than anything else in the world. I am now going to use the “we” form throughout because I include myself.

We cherish our machines, we tend to their every ping and tinkle; we keep them in our living rooms during periods of inclement weather, or even the hint of bad weather. Wives and girlfriends will almost always be in the club, or they will be left alone as he joins all the other hobbyists as they go on long and exciting rides.

Bermuda may indeed be a small island, but Bermuda bikers have a big heart and a love of biking on a par with any other club one might care to mention.

I was privileged to attend a blessing and dedication of the club on Sunday, April 15, 2007 while in Bermuda. It was quite an impressive sight as bikers rolled up on their customized “Hogs”. The maximum power rating allowed is 150cc, but other than that all the gear that could be expected was in evidence.

Please bear in mind the size of the island is 35 kilometers long by three kilometers wide, and the maximum speed limit is 35 km/h, so really 150cc is way more power than actually needed. Club riding is not about speed or long distance necessarily, but is more about the camaraderie and the feeling of fraternity that comes from the sense of brotherhood.

The club draws its 150 members, both male and female from all walks of life. The common interest is the machine.

Before setting out on a ride that would cover seventy kilometers, there was a very touching moment when an ailing member who was off-island in a North American hospital was contacted by phone and was able to speak with all those assembled. We wished Mr. Carson Marshall a speedy recovery. Alas, it was not to be as he has since passed to ride the great highway in the sky.

When you visit Bermuda the only form of transport that you can hire is a moped. Consequently, you will be able to retrace the ride of The Long Riders as experienced by myself.

The day was perfect, sunny with a light breeze. We set off in a convoy of thirty-five bikes from the City Hall parking lot in Hamilton and headed towards the East End of the island, traveling along the South Shore Road.

Thirty-five bikes is not a lot, considering I have ridden in a group of 500 in another country, but in that small space that is an impressive number. Our ride took us along roads shaded by overhead greenery and a riot of color of spring flowers and vegetation.

The pungent smell of flowering bushes and hedges was at times so strong as to be heady. That included the smell of fresh cut grass that I love so much. Not that I love to cut the grass, but to my sense of smell if one actually tasted the grass it would probably be quite sweet. I must ask a cow!

Always, the cleanliness of the island is outstanding and noticeable. That is no accident, as the island is a tourist destination and is kept pristine clean for the showplace that it is.

Bermuda has been described as a grown-up Disney World. Perhaps, that’s not too far from the truth.

Our route took us along roads that passed churches that were emptying of their congregation in their Sunday best. Cheerful greetings were exchanged.

We had crystal clear blue seas on our right as we hugged the coast for part of the way. We passed sun worshipers on the beach at John’s Smith Bay, and bewildered golfers waiting to tee-off as our seeming never-ending procession meandered through the world famous Mid-Ocean and Castle Harbour golf courses.

Bermuda’s buses are painted pink, and meeting one coming in the opposite direction resulted in a very happy greeting.

And on we went passing small boats in the bay, airplanes on the tarmac at the island’s only airport, The L.F. Wade International Airport, and across bridges while sea traffic passed below, until we reached the Ole Town of St. George’s, which is twinned with Lyme Regis, Dorset, England. This was the original capital of Bermuda, established in 1609 upon the re-discovery of the island by Admiral Sir George Somers, the British explorer.

The island was originally discovered by the Spanish explorer, Juan de Bermudez approximately 100 years before. However, about 1543 the Spanish Crown declared it had no further interest in this tiny rock in the middle of the Atlantic. It is entirely possible that should the present Spanish Crown visit Bermuda they may very well want it back.

We terminated our outward bound ride on Ordinance Island just off the main square in the town. The following week that would become the berthing place of weekly cruise ships from New York and Boston. On May the 13th the Long Riders were joined by a Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Club that were carrying their bikes with them on a cruise. They were given special permission to ride their over- powered cycles on Bermuda’s roads in what would was a very exciting event, the likes of which Bermuda had never seen before. Even those people who know the Harley-Davidson and Honda Goldwings well discovered a new appreciation for them in that context. I wish I could have been there!

The Bermuda Long Riders Motorcycle Club are a truly delightful group of well disciplined men and women, and I am certain that they would be very happy to hear from clubs here in Spain. Their web address is http://www.blrmc.com/ Like many other clubs they use the power of their association to do good and positive works, such as to Ride for the Needy; and for specific Charity Fundraisers; and therein lies their strength. They will no doubt be happy to welcome you and to show you their Bermuda from the saddle-seat.

Motorcyclists! Be Seen to be Safe! Wear a lime-green reflective “Gerry Jacket” vest at all times.

Copyright (c) 2007 Eugene Carmichael

La Multa (The Traffic Fine)

I have often wondered how the Spanish system works in case I happened to commit a road offence.

Well, it was first thing in the morning on a cool crisp January day. Traffic was fairly heavy with most people on their way to work, probably thinking about the problems ahead. My drive would normally take forty-five minutes if traffic cooperates, and so far this morning all was going well. But then, there was a sudden slow down where I didn’t expect it reducing to a crawl. Up ahead to the right on a piece of open ground there was the sight of several parked cars. In fact it looked like a market day parking lot. As I drew nearer it became apparent that The Guardia Civil were in action pulling cars off the road. I have been through several of these checkpoints and know the routine by now, so no worries. After all, my documents were in order if they wanted me to stop.

Well, they did want me to stop, so I pulled off and parked where indicated and waited. And waited. And waited some more to the point of impatience. Finally an officer approached and gave that lovely salute which I returned by a tip of my cap. “Ever so civilized”, I thought. He asked for my Permiso de Conducir, (my license) which I handed over, but he didn’t seem at all interested in the documents for the car. This was unusual, but it failed to trigger the alarm that it should have. Then the good gentlemen proceeded to enter into a longish monologue, most of which I did not understand, but the words that leaped out at me like alien monsters were, “camara”, “ha capturado su coche,” “excesiva velocidad”, “ochenta cautro en la zona seiscenta kilometres”. I missed the rest, I was too busy recoiling in horror. My mind said, “Oh Oh!”. Funny how those two little words can sum up so adequately every cataclysmic event known to mankind.

Well, I was truly busted. (Later, when I revisited the scene, as one tends to do, I looked for the sign that I, and a cast of dozens had overlooked to our chagrin. There was not one, we had passed three warning us to slow to 60 km/h, so we had absolutely not a leg to stand on). I had truly worked hard for my fine, but I wasn’t expecting to have to part with 200 euros so suddenly. That’s approximately 8.33 euros per kilometre over the posted limit. Ouch! But then the agent with the kind voice assured me that if I paid the fine within 15 days I would be allowed a discount of 30%. In this country, the after Christmas sales period is discount time in all the shops. But to get a 30% discount on my fine too left me wondering whether to laugh or cry.



So, these are the mechanics of paying a “multa” (traffic fine): If you are a visitor driving on your home issued license, or for that matter a resident driving on a foreign license, (“Oh Oh!), the fine is paid then and there. No, you don’t get to ask the audience or phone a friend, although you might have to if you have no other way to satisfy the demand. Your car will be immobilised until the fine is paid. Credit/debit card or cash will do.

Otherwise, you are issued with your denuncia which you can take along to any Trafico office, and there you first go to the window marked “sanciones” and show your denuncia, which is in duplicate. It is scrutinized and if not requiring any special action,(like Heaven knows what) it is stamped and you are directed to the next window where, in my case I parted with 140 euros. (“200 euros less 30%). Peculiarly, the lady taking my cash and issuing me with a receipt was one of the most pleasant clerks I have ever encountered anywhere in Spain. What a place to find her.

And that was it, over in less than three minutes. It takes me longer to buy a necktie.

The real significance of this tale is that I was trapped by a speed camera, one of Britain’s less welcome exports, and in spite of promises made that they would only be employed along with warning signs that state “Speed camera in Operation”, there were no such signs. So, be warned, particularly when you encounter zones where the normal speed is reduced. Adhere to the slower speed. Those signs are placed there for a reason. Stay within the speed limit because the slowdown signs appear very suddenly.

You may wonder what happens should you forget to pay within the 15 days. One poor soul found out. The fine was increased by 20% and the money taken out of his bank account by the TAX authority. Yikes!

Death on the roads? It doesn’t have to end like that!
Stay Safe! Drive safely, and don’t speed!

Copyright (c) 2007 Eugene Carmichael

Be a Good Samaritan - It's the Law!

While driving along a country road I happened upon an accident that had just occurred. A van had tipped on its side, an injured woman lay in the road moaning loudly; evidently other occupants of the van stood idly by, and a lone policeman was directing traffic around the wreckage. There were two other cars that had stopped to render assistance. The policeman waved me on, but to be sure that I covered my obligations I asked him if he wanted my help. Having been told no, I continued on.

Road users have a duty in law to stop and to render assistance to an accident scene unless excused. Failure to do so could result in prosecution. This is an obligation that I take seriously because if it is my turn to need help I can only expect to receive it if I am prepared to do my best for my fellow travellers.

To know First-Aid is a good idea anyway for the sake of our own families. The situation on the road can lead to some awful accident sites where every ounce of such knowledge can be tested. Even jaded ambulance teams can be shocked by what they encounter, yet by law ordinary members of the motoring public are expected to take action to intervene.

What does one do should one encounter a scene where there are multiple injured. Essentially this would involve practising triage, something medical personnel say they hate to have to do. Triage is the determination of which injured person needs attention first. Lay opinion is divided, but if the person is demanding attention very loudly, he’s living and probably not in danger of expiring right away.


Conventional wisdom suggests some commonsense things to do, and just as important not to do upon arriving on the scene of an accident:
- In the case of an injured person wearing a crash helmet, unless the helmet is actually strangling the person to death, it should not be handled at all by the first-aider.
- The injured person must not be given anything by mouth.
- The crash site should not be modified by persons attending, except to prevent further injury, damage or another crash.
- Do nothing to cause secondary injuries, such as moving the injured person simply to make them more comfortable. Spinal injures could result through improper handling.
- Do not directly touch a person’s open wounds.

The list of things to do in accident site management is seemingly endless. The first thing to do, in my opinion is that when stopping to help, make certain that your own vehicle is parked so as not to be the cause of another crash. (Did you ever see someone’s haphazardly parked car at some weird angle, with the driver’s door wide open.) Activate your hazard lights.
Secondly, make sure to wear your reflective jacket, day or night. This includes motorcyclists. Thirdly, I would call for emergency help just based on my initial observations before I began working with the injured. Once that process begins I would need to concentrate on my patient.

Many people believe that the first fifteen minutes of arrival of the first persons on the scene are golden because this is the period when a person’s life can be saved and his condition stabilized, and secondary injuries can be prevented through proper protocol. However, it's important to keep in mind that we are administering only First-Aid. We are not required to function as paramedics, nor as doctors. I was always taught that in assessing an injured person to follow the A-B-C guidelines.

A: Check for a clear Airway and loosen clothing that might cause a restriction around the throat. Such as neckties, scarves, unbutton the first and possibly the second button of the shirt.
B: Check for Breathing. Lack of breathing requires assisted breathing techniques, i.e. mouth-to-mouth. Here would also be a good time to check for a pulse.
C: Consciousness. Although presented to me in this order, (ABC) I would actually check for consciousness first. I think the idea was that these are the three things to check for and are easy to remember as ABC. However, if we don’t check first whether the person is conscious we might get half way through doing the other two things only to be shocked by the person ask loudly, “ what are you doing?”

Clearly, having to provide road-side assistance of this sort is a grave responsibility. In Spain we are commanded by law to carry out Good Samaritan principles. We can only do our best.. One more important point: always protect a lady’s modesty!

Death on the roads? It doesn’t have to end like that!

Don´t overtake on two-way road systems.. Save your life for those who love you.

Copyright (c) 2007 Eugene Carmichael

Needy Things

Things to take in your car.

In general:

- Spare Wheel, and tools to exchange the flat for the spare
- A complete set of spare light bulbs, and the tools to make the change
- Hands-free mobile phone
- Two warning triangles (at least)
- Reflective vests for all passengers
- One-time use camera in case of accident to record the position of the cars
- Fire extinguisher
- Spare set of eyeglasses or contacts for driver
- Combination generator/compressor/light/battery charger or jumper cables
- Emergency food (Digestives, muesli bars, etc)
- Water, sufficient for all car occupants (All year round-especially Summer)
- Radiator emergency water
- Strong tow rope
- First-aid kit, kept replenished
- Maps
- Notepad & pencil (particularly to take note of cross-country road numbers and kilometre numbers in case of necessity of assistance)
- Spare car key carried on the person at all times
- Documentation for the car. To be carried into and out of the car by driver. (Never left in car for the convenience of car thieves)
- Your driver’s license
- Bag for trash
- Bungee cords
- Handkerchief style tissues
- Workmen’s style gloves
- Steering wheel locking device
- Rags /paper towels and hand cleaner, i.e. sealed wet wipes
- Medical type gloves to deal with injured persons
- “Mouth-to-mouth” style tube

Winter driving, especially in the mountains:

- Wheel chains
- Blankets for all occupants in case of breakdown (Sleeping bags are better)
- Gloves, scarves and hats for all
- Windscreen ice scrapers
There is a process called Ultra-Seal that could be used to good advantage when tyres are new. By having the tyres ultra-sealed you should never have to deal with a flat tyre.

When setting out for a journey, particularly one that involves entering the motorway one should be prepared for any eventuality, including a very long wait in case of a serious accident that blocks the road. The most versatile item that I carry is a very thick, hard- wearing blanket that can be used to protect fragile items being transported, or to cover an accident victim to protect against shock. But the main thing is to be prepared. If I could, I would also carry a W.C. because whatever the problem that has halted our journey, there is no crisis like the one where everyone suddenly needs to go to the bathroom.

Death on the road? It doesn’t have to end like that!
Please don´t overtake on two-way road systems. Save your life for those who love you.

Copyright (c) 2007 Eugene Carmichael

Defensive Driving

This is an acquired set of skills, normally gained through trial and error over a set period of time, generally being the entire driving experience of the driver.

I have attempted to pass on what I have learned to young drivers, and I intend to do the same thing to my son. Essentially, it is a matter of learning to defend one’s self from the actions of other road users, and when mistakes are made, to use them as learning examples.

We never stop learning when in our original country, and the lessons start anew when moving to another country. There is a common thread, however that follows wherever we go, and that is anticipation. To anticipate what the other driver will likely do in a certain situation and to be ready to compensate for it.

Some examples from driving in Spain:

- Drivers emerging from side streets tend to poke the nose of the vehicle forward without first stopping until the driver is able to see whether there is cross traffic flow. If you’re the cross traffic and if you are driving close in to the right side of the road, there may occur a crash. However, by anticipating that this will happen you should place your vehicle closer to the centre of the road, leaving about the width of a parked car. The other driver will be able to see you sooner and the crash will hopefully avoided.
- We are terrible about taking the time to properly correct our mistakes. If we suddenly find that we are taking the wrong exit, the proper and safe thing to do is to follow through with the mistake and make the correction when it is appropriate to do so. What usually happens is that one minute we are in the exit lane, and the next we make a violent left lateral movement that puts us back into the main traffic flow, to the complete surprise of the drivers following.
- The opposite of that is we find ourselves passing the exit that we need, and instead of carrying on to the next exit and then doubling back, we make a violent right movement that puts us in front of other traffic on the exit lane. Both of these moves set up a potential crash that is completely avoidable.
- When driving through estates where there are many crossroads, we have to anticipate that we will meet other traffic. There may be stop signs or not, but we know from experience that road signs are mere suggestions in this country, so we have to be ready to give way even if we have the right of way. The object is to avoid the crash at all costs. To say that we were in the right is O.K. for afterwards, but beware at all times.
- People here take driving very casually, almost as if they are at home in their own living rooms. We often see drivers fully engaged with their passengers in conversations. I once suffered a BMW that was simply driven into the back of my car in downtown Valencia because the driver was paying total attention to his passenger. The truth is, we cannot divert our attention when driving in the city even to blink. What on earth was that man thinking?
- When passing a crash site, all drivers need to be totally alert to other traffic. What happens is that everybody is busy looking at the scene. You need to be hyper alert to traffic ahead and behind. I was recently stuck in very slow moving traffic until we came upon a scene on the other side of the road. I’m not certain what that was all about because the car ahead of me braked and slowed, but the driver behind kept coming. A blast from my horn alerted him and I survived to drive another day. If your car is the one in the centre of a three car pile-up, you come out of it with a shorter vehicle than when you went in.
- Sometimes, the way to avoid trouble is just to simply not drive at certain times. Peak driving times when everybody and his brother is leaving the city to drive to some popular holiday destination is the time to be sitting at home with a G&T. I don’t really know what brings about such high death tolls during holiday driving times. Oh, I know that alcohol is involved in a lot of the cases and that speed and inattention are prime causes, but what I don’t know is why so many people choose to do those things when they are supposed to be about motoring pleasure.
- A very common error that leads to the happening of far too many “accidents” is the misinterpretation that the vehicle approaching from your left along the main road signalling a right turn, means that he is going to turn right before he gets to you. Actually he means I’m going to turn right just after I pass you. If you can anticipate that this is probably what he means, you will hold until the situation completely shows itself.

Defensive driving is also about adapting your driving to local situations. Strangers go barging through where locals know to tread lightly. You need to read the road conditions and make adjustments accordingly. For instance, if the main road connects with a natural T-junction, and the main road has the right of way, but general practise is that no-one stops or slows down, that is a crash waiting to happen. It doesn’t have to involve you. Use extreme caution.

Finally, it really goes without saying that these roads are far too dangerous already to add alcohol into the mix. Make it a rule, as is the case with airline pilots to separate throttle from bottle by at least twenty-four hours. Stay Safe! It’s a concrete jungle out there!

Please don’t overtake along two-way road systems. Save your life for those who love you!

Copyright (c) 2007 Eugene Carmichael

A MATTER OF RESPECT

We live in a society of laws and rules that govern our conduct with each other. To give these rules and regulations effect we employ enforcers. They go by the name of “The Police”. In other words, we are policed by our consent.

Since this is the case, why is it that many people refuse to show respect and cooperation in the presence of the police. In fact, there is that lunatic fringe that actually wait until they encounter the police to act up. What on earth is wrong with those people?

Some examples of what I mean follows: While driving along a stretch of highway that mandated a speed limit of 80 km/h I observed up ahead a patrol car of The Guardia Civil. They were moving at about the speed limit. It was therefore amazing to see one car after another passing the officers at more than 100 km/h.

The officers appeared to take no notice. Why they didn’t is beyond me, but that’s not the point. Police officers represent the Crown and have a sworn duty to uphold the law, therefore, it seems to me, and I suspect every other law-abiding citizen to show them, and the Crown dutiful respect.

At times, officers have the experience of pulling over a motorist for some infraction only to have the individual show utter contempt for who the officer is and the job that he has entrusted the officer to do. Should such a person find himself in certain other circumstances, he would likely be the one to call for help from a policeman the loudest.

In my home country of Bermuda, for many years I was a member of The Police Advisory Board, a body of civilians who form the liaison between the police and the public. In our role, one of the things we did was we examined police methodology in the light of current times. Specifically, we often looked at whether methods were too heavy- handed, or not strict enough, and what equipment, plant and facilities were needed for the police to do their job effectively.

I was also one member of The Permanent Police Tribunal that was concerned with dealing with matters of pay and conditions of service where agreement was not obtainable between the Police Union and the Government.

As a result I became well versed in the workings of the police service, and I also got to know many of the officers themselves. Indeed, my eldest daughter served a period as a constable with distinction.

The most successful officer will be known as one who serves without fear or favour. He or she will be someone who is reliable and who holds himself/herself accountable to the law. Such an officer requires the support of the people whom he serves and protects, and can only function properly if he or she has our respect.

It is inevitable that there will be the oddball cop who is a bad apple. Certainly, the job does attract many people who are control freaks. Unfortunately this is not necessarily seen as a bad thing, so this trait often leads to the police getting a bad name for brutality.

The other side of that is the member of the public who is his own worst enemy. If he is apprehended in the act of committing a crime, or for suspicion of doing so, he then goes on to violently resist arrest.

Questions arise such as should the police be trusted absolutely? Do the police themselves ever commit acts outside the law that are criminal, while in uniform? Are there any cases whereby the police stitch up an innocent person, who they know to be innocent, just to be able to close a file as solved?

To the first question, I believe that because the police are human beings, they can, and do make mistakes. Therefore, the checks and balances that are in place need to be continually reviewed and updated, and the officers’ work must constantly be checked for quality. Internal Affairs is the department that polices the police. The members of that team are, unfortunately uniformly despised by the regular police in any force that employs it.

Individual members of the force surely do, from time to time get carried away with their sense of power and do take actions outside the law. When they do so, they simply become criminals in uniform and a disgrace to the force. Lastly, we would be very naïve to think that persons are not put in the frame if they have done nothing wrong. I am absolutely convinced that it does happen. I wish it were not so.

Anecdotal experience with respect to the justice system enforcement in Spain is mixed. I can only say that whatever branch of the service I have ever had any dealings with, I found them to be completely professional. They do have a tough job to do, and that job is made all the more difficult by the many nationalities that reside in Spain. It is certainly better to be on the correct side of the law.

So, as foreigners who have come to reside here in Spain, is there anything that we should do ahead of time just in case we have an unpleasant encounter with the law?

We would be well advised to register with a legal office, especially if English is spoken. We are allowed one telephone call once in custody. Now is the time to make those preparations. We simply do not know what the future will bring.

I must now close this topic as I have to go and make my arrangements with an abogado. In the meantime perhaps you might have the answer to the eternal question: Why do policemen have lockers for their personal effects that are actually lockable?

Please don’t overtake on two-way road systems. Save your life for those who love you!

Copyright (c) 2007 Eugene Carmichael

THE FUTURE OF MOTORING IN SPAIN

Firstly, here’s a dreamer’s ideal of motoring in Spain in the not too distant future: Easter long week-end break. Death toll on the roads: zero. Well, why not? In 2006 the toll nationwide was 108.

The dream continues: End of the year, 2007: Death toll for the year: Less than 100 unfortunate people will lose their lives in mainly weather-related incidents. These will be due to extreme foggy conditions, and ice patches in unexpected places.

We wish: From July 1st, 2006, the points system bit hard and removed all the hard-core cases off the road. The ones who could not accept that driving while under the influence of drink or drugs would no longer be tolerated, quickly lost all their points and were sent to driver re-education. There, they found that in order to regain their license involved a process of demonstrating that they were ready to go back out there to be a part of the solution, and not a part of the problem. In this, they simply failed.

They had heard that people who were trying to get a license for the first time were finding that it was really difficult. Such people had not done anything wrong, so it could be assumed that if those people had a difficult time, anyone who held a license and lost it through avoidable infractions could expect to have it doubly difficult. Impossible, in fact.

So, with the bad boys out of the way, that left room for the rest who were genuinely trying to be good motorists. Also, the dreaded day of reckoning when the government expected absolute gridlock never came, because by simply declaring that anyone caught driving without a license, and who had never held a license were sent directly to jail.

Previously, people who had tried and failed several times to obtain a license simply bought a very cheap car and drove anyway. When they were caught they accepted that the car would be taken from them. They paid their fine and then bought another cheap car. But, this thing about going to jail had to be taken seriously. So, they took public transport or bought a moped.

Why it took authorities so long to use the prospect of going to jail is difficult to fathom, but it had the desired effect. Whereas there had been about 40% of traffic that had been illegal, the vast majority of those cars were pulled off the road, and that gave breathing space to everyone else.

One of the immediate and most noticeable changes was the sudden availability of parking space in the towns. It was amazing and no longer necessary to park across pedestrian crossings, nor to occupy pedestrian sidewalks. Some people had to go back to driving school to learn to park properly.

The characteristics of cars will continue to evolve. Most cars at present are computers on wheels, and this trend will continue. We are now seeing the new generation that uses electric and petrol engines in an effort to be more environmentally friendly. Experimentation continues with all-electric models as the industry looks ahead to the end of fossil fuels.

I believe that for the foreseeable future we will simply have more of the same. This is because even if someone came up with an all-new concept car that would run on wind the oil giants would buy up the patent and keep it under wraps until there is no more oil to be had. Who knows how many such patents they now own. I suppose there are a lot of very clever people about with great visions that would take society ahead by a quantum leap, but probably Big Oil, and their partners the car manufacturers deliberately get in the way of such development.

Of course, they have their legitimate concerns as well. Investment, plant, inventory, and jobs, all of which form a delicate balance. Sometimes I wish I could live to see my 200th birthday just to see what kind of world there will be at that time. Given the direction in which we seem to be headed, I very much doubt that there will be a world that any of us could recognize by then.

Back to the present, we can do so much to make 2007 motoring’s best year. If we all started now to play our part in reducing the carnage on the roads, with our combined People’s Will we can achieve any thing we set our minds to. Naturally, I need to translate this column into Spanish.

Please don’t overtake on two-way road systems. Save your life for those who love you.

Copyright (c) 2007 Eugene Carmichael

First Time Motorcyclists

Congratulations to my son, Nathaniel, on gaining his A1 motoring permit. This allows him to ride motorcycles up to 125 cc. In obtaining his permit he has achieved the near impossible, in that not only was he challenged to pass the theory exam for the motorcycle, which is difficult enough, but he also had to pass the exam for cars, although he won’t be eligible to drive one until he is eighteen. He is at present nearly seventeen.

The thinking behind this is that the same set of rules applies to both types of vehicles, and because the 125cc can travel at speeds of up to 120 km/h, he must be well versed in the rules as though he were applying for a car license. I personally can support that, and I would rather that his preparation was over complete, than lacking in important detail.

What makes this a difficult challenge is that he had to study from two sets of textbooks, and the exams were administered on the same day. He passed both tests on the first try, and the exams were taken in Spanish, and he did it all himself. Normally, with a bit of luck one might pass one and fail one. I am particularly proud of his achievement because I too took my theory in Spanish, having arrived in Spain with no command of the language at all. So, like father, like son, although he went one better and took two on the same day.

He then went on to do his practical, and that involved going to a special driving school that trains motorcyclists, truckers and bus drivers on a special track. The system here in Spain does not allow for gaining practical instruction by going on the road with an experienced driver, who might be one of your family, as is the case in the U.K. So, one can only get some experience by taking driving lessons in a school-owned car or motorbike.

He proved so adept that after only four training sessions he was deemed ready for the test, which is conducted in Valencia at the El Saler examination centre. Again, on the first try he passed. And now, he has his wings. Our young lad turned an important milestone, and we, as his parents will have concerns whenever he is out of the house. Time marches on and soon he will don tie and suit and have little people who will address him as Dad.

I wrote in a previous column on Young Motorists (see my blog address above) that this is just not enough to properly prepare our first-time motorists to deal with these roads. So, I’m going to share with you some of the extra tuition that I have given to my son:

Always wear your helmet securely on your head.

Particularly with bikes, too much speed is your worst enemy, and is almost always present in crashes. You are especially vulnerable without the surround of the cage that car drivers have. Also, stay focused; pay attention; avoid surprises.

You are not authorised to carry a pillion passenger until you have attained your eighteenth birthday.

Once you have your licence confine your riding to the daytime for at least a couple of weeks as you gain in riding experience and grow comfortable with your machine. Save night riding until later because there is a very real difference. Roads that are familiar during the day become new roads at night. Do one thing at a time.

If your bike has a sidestand that will allow you to operate the bike if it is still in the down position, discuss this with your mechanic, because should you move off with it in the down position it will probably result in your death. Have it removed or have it spring back to the up position the moment you take the weight of the bike off it.

If the bike is a 125 cc and can attain speeds of at least 100km/h, you have a perfect right to occupy the middle of the lane in which you are travelling. That is to say that if you position your bike close to the right hand side of the lane, cars will be tempted to push past you, even pushing you off the road. However, should you position your bike in the centre of the lane the car that wishes to overtake has to go around you and into the other lane. As he overtakes you can then move slightly to the right, as you are required to do.

The first words from the mouth of car drivers who collide with motorcycles is, “I just didn’t see him!” To rob the driver of this excuse, wear a reflective lime-green vest, that I call a “Gerry Jacket” during the day and at night. These jackets are worn by all road workers and police, and the mere hint of one says “Human Being!” There can be no excuse. The driver will have to look for another explanation.

Never operate your bike under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and that includes prescription drugs from your doctor or over the counter products that warn against the operation of machinery while taking the medication. A collision with an immovable object can kill you even at fairly low speeds.

Never intentionally run red lights or pass on the right. The overtake side is to the left. The Undertake (Undertaker’s) side is to the right. It’s always such a crying shame when someone young gives up his or her life too soon.

Don’t cut corners unless you can see that nothing is coming toward you.

Driving is all about the use of judgement, either good or bad. Good judgement and anticipation give a much better chance of having a long and safe road riding experience. Bad judgement is how people get killed before their time.

I conclude by relating that a young man with somebody’s daughter as a pillion passenger passed me on the right going as fast as he could, and when I blew my horn in protest he actually looked back at me, grinned and flipped me the finger. If he really wants to impress the girl all he has to do is get her home safely, every time.

Motorists! Please use extra care and caution for motorcyclists. Motorcyclists! “Be Seen to be Safe!” Wear the lime-green reflective “Gerry Jacket” by day and by night.

Copyright (c) 2007 Eugene Carmichael

EL BOTELLÓN (II)

Some time ago I wrote about the social phenomenon sweeping the country among Spanish youths and their friends, the Bring your own Bottle party. I also wrote a follow-up column that I called “The Telephone Call in the still small hours of the Morning.” This dealt with what can go horribly wrong when your son or daughter is out all night attending one of these parties. We almost lost our son to alcohol poisoning.

A reader e-mailed to ask me whether I had actually attended one of events. The answer was no, of course not. I am the enemy; I would be about as out of place as Waldo the Circus Clown in the boardroom of Telefonica. (Maybe not!) I was aware that things really get going after midnight, and that sometimes people attend from far away. Text messages get sent as invitations, and young people are drawn like moths to a flame.

These parties are hugely popular, with both sexes well represented. When I wrote the first article there were certain things that I had taken on good faith. I had passed by the congregation in the parking lot at just after midnight, and already the crowd was quite thick. I could see the boxes with bottles of liquor and the litre bottles of mixers. Already there was some serious drinking going on, but then, I went home where I was well past my bedtime.

My reader challenged me to write the whole story. I had apparently only scratched the surface. In order to get the full picture, I had to do as he had done. I had to get out of my bed at 4am and go see for myself. In his case, he actually went looking for his daughter and was so horrified by what he saw that he felt you should know too.

I don’t think that either he or I wish to spoil the fun for young people. We simply want them to survive this period in their lives, and if your teenager is one to hang out at these parties, there is something that you can do.

I arrived at Heron City in Paterna, Valencia at 3am, and I drove my car practically right inside the party zone and parked it. I stayed put for exactly two minutes, because that’s all the time it took for a very young looking girl with a green face to come lunging toward me with a look of abject panic. She then proceeded to upchuck the contents of her stomach over the car parked next to mine. I quickly reversed to a position of relative safety farther afield. Hopefully I was now out of the barf zone.

I felt like the latecomer to the party. Everybody else had a real big head start and there was a lot of laughing, camaraderie, and slurring of words. If you have difficulty understanding the Spanish language as it is spoke normally, you haven’t lived until you’ve heard it spoken by people who are totally out of their minds with booze.

To be perfectly honest, I really don’t mind if people drink a bit too much, the sort of thing that will result in a splitting head the next day. After all, it’s not my head that will hurt. But I watched a young lad take a bottle with a little coco-cola in the bottle and add what I think was vodka, so that the liquid in the bottle was about half full. He was already well wasted, his clothes were sticking to his body with what appeared to be sweat.

He then put that bottle to his lips, and to the cheers of his friends he proceeded to knock it back in one go. That is precisely the sort of challenge that ends in the person collapsed on the ground, dead as a doornail. In Russia, every year more than 42,000 persons die from alcohol poisoning from just this sort of binge drinking.

This is what we as parents can do. We can ensure that our children respect alcohol and the deadly effects of abuse. I am convinced that most of those young people on that night were blissfully unaware of what they were doing. Of course, once the party gets going it’s all too easy to throw caution to the winds anyway, but at least if you have done the research and you have sat your young person down at home and had them understand the dangers, that’s all that you can do. The rest is up to them.

I wrote in “The telephone call in the still small hours of the morning” about how my son ended up at a bottle party, even after I had a discussion with him three days earlier about the inappropriateness of doing just that. To be fair to him he thought he was attending a party in the disco.

Once he found himself in the midst of El Bottellón he accepted the first drink that was offered and then went on to drink himself into a stupor. He was eventually transported to the emergency department of a nearby hospital where I expect the staff have a lot of experience with this sort of patient.

We made certain that he was aware of just how close he came to losing his young life to alcohol abuse. He now understands that alcohol can kill, even without getting behind the wheel of a car. So far, he has demonstrated a very healthy respect for that demon drug, and long may it last.

I now see what the reader meant for me to see. The whole story of what goes on at one of these parties is wretched excess, too graphic for me to even attempt to describe on these pages. Even if I did or could be so explicit I can’t think of a good reason to do so. There has to be some compelling reason to tell the story, other than for the sake of content. I mean, these are young people going through their own rites of passage. I have been there and done that. Yes, it was a long time ago, but I still remember the sheer lunacy of it. That I get to remember and tell the tale is more due to good luck and a very worried and active guardian angel than my own knowledge and good judgement.

I just want your son and daughter to be a survivor. Give them a chance through education. Make sure that they know what they are doing. Research Alcohol Poisoning on the internet then share your findings with them. And Good Luck!

Drink, Drugs, Drive equals Suicide!



Copyright (c) 2007 Eugene Carmichael

Convoluted Thinking!

Insurance for newly-qualified drivers

A certain insurance company will not insure anyone, regardless of their age, who has not held their license for less than two years. So, how does that work?

Let us say that they provide cover on the family car. An additional member of the family obtains their Spanish driving permit. It need not be an 18 year old. It could be the other mature partner, but this insurance company will not let them drive for two years. So, for two years they have not been able to put in practise what they have learned. Also, as a newly-qualified driver during this two-year period they would have had certain restrictions placed upon them, such as being limited to drive at no more than 80 kmp/h, and virtually alcohol-free.

At the end of the two-year period this insurance company actually expects to retain that same client on its books, and it will be happy to then insure the new person, who by then, without experience, can go onto the highway and drive up to 120 kmp/h, and whose blood alcohol rate could be up to 0.25 milligrams per litre of air exhaled.

The general perception is that a driver is safest as a risk when they have just recently obtained their license; are desperately concerned not to do anything to lose it; are especially concerned about their new car, and are under restrictions to help them gain in experience safely.

Insuring Jewellery

This is not strictly speaking a driving matter, but it sure is strange thinking. We held a policy of contents insurance that included certain items of jewellery that were declared at the time of applying for cover. The insurers accepted our application without asking for any further proof or description of the jewellery items. This is quite normal if the total amount that is declared is within a certain bracket, and if no one piece is valued at more than ten percent of the whole. However, much later when a thief broke into our house and stole the items of jewellery and other contents, the insurers demanded that we provided proof that such items of jewellery existed in the first place.

Such “Cowboy” insurers, who clearly didn´t know what they were doing, should have asked all the questions they needed to before taking on the risk. That´s how real insurance companies do it!

Suggestion: It might be a good idea to call your insurance agent and discuss this with them. If they are going to want proff the best time to do that is while you still have the items.

Those Slow-Down Signs

In a well-documented case, a driver was in the act of entering a major road from a minor road. He had come to a full stop at the stop sign, and when it appeared to him that the way was clear he started out to cross the road. For traffic circulating along the major road there were speed reducing signs bringing speeds down from 80 km/h to 60 km/h in view of the fact that this was a stretch of road that presented some danger.

As the driver was crossing the road along came a car that was travelling at way in excess of the 60km/h restriction, and judging by the skid marks, she was most likely travelling way in excess of the 80km/h as well. Consequently she slammed broadside into the other car. She explained her speed by saying that she was late for work. Well, now she was later.

When the police came the officer in charge took the decision that the collision was the fault of the driver who was crossing the street as he had left the stop sign. He completely ignored the evidence of the skid marks that pointed to speeding on the part of the lady motorist. The officer was Spanish, the lady driver was Spanish, and the motorist was English.

Those signs that require motorist to slow-down are there for a purpose. Consider for a moment that the vehicle that was pulling away from the stop sign was a very large truck. These vehicles move very slowly as they are put through their many gears, and especially when they are hauling very heavy loads. These are very long vehicles. I observed one such vehicle recently crossing the road from a dead stop. I counted a full nine seconds before all of him had cleared my lane. Not only did I need to reduce my speed to 60, it was necessary to reduce it further to 40km/h.

With respect to that officers reasoning, someone needs to remind him that the sign said “Stop!” It did not say, “Stay!”

More than 3,300 people lost their lives unnecessarily during 2005 on Spanish roads. Although things are getting better and the death toll is falling, it's not falling fast enough.

Please don’t overtake on two-way road systems. Save your life for those who love you.

Copyright (c) 2007 Eugene Carmichael

Copyright (c) "2007 Eugene Carmichael

Cigarette Smoking can Kill

Published on the 7/7/07. A day with all the sevens. Some consider this a good luck omen, others, not. Will today be a day of unspeakable atrocity by terrorists, or will it pass quietly and without incident. We'll see! One thing is clear, however, life has become one giant crapshoot, a lottery. El Gordo! If you lose, you lose all! Read on.......

The warnings on every pack of cigarettes sold here in Spain could not be clearer: Smoking Kills! I think that this means if you inhale the tar and nicotine contained in cigarettes, that eventually they may very well impact your health to the extent that your life expectancy may be shortened. That would be something that happened over time.

Cigarette smoking came very close to ending my life in one blinding second, and I don’t smoke.

While driving along a two-way country road I rounded a bend that opened onto a straight section of road, only to be faced by an oncoming car that was already over the middle line and heading directly for me on head-on collision course. The driver had his head inclined slightly to the right and looking down while he was in the act of lighting a cigarette from the car lighter.

With no time to spare I could not afford to panic. I simply hit the horn hard and veered as far to the right as I could go. To his credit the driver reacted immediately by veering to his right. As he brought his head up the cigarette flew from his mouth, and the stricken look on his face told the whole story.

As for me, I got that metallic taste in my mouth that comes just before certain calamity. If there was time for even a fleeting thought it would have been, “This is it! I’m going in.” But there was no time at all to think, just time to react.

As we passed each other we were so close we certainly could have shook hands. Maybe it’s just my imagination but the picture that is stuck in my mind is one of the driver with his eyes bugged right out of his head and the cigarette falling from his lips.

Of course I have replayed the scene over and over again in my head. I have concluded that what we had was a case of two motorists in the act of two separate activities. One was in the process of complete abandonment of vigilance; the other was practising anticipation and paying appropriate attention.

I travel that stretch of road regularly, and I know to be on the lookout for very large lorries that leave very little room for other traffic. Also, as it is a country road, early morning and toward sunset the chance of slow-moving tractors up ahead is a particular hazard.

Added to that, many other drivers see this as a speedway, more or less un-policed, and they drive like madmen. Especially, it seems the high-end makes get put through their paces. There have been numerous crashes along that road, the VP-6116 between Villamarchante and Pedralba, that traveses between massive orange fields. It would seem that the farmers are also growing a very curious crop of car bumpers.

I wonder why the parts of the cars that fall off are not collected, but rather left to add to the other garbage. I only wish that drivers would take a warning from it, but no, they appear only too happy to add their own car parts to the mess.

I have had some very narrow and close calls in my time. I would like to think that I have cheated death owning to my skill, calmness under duress, and readiness for all eventualities. The truth is probably that it simply has not been my time to go. There must be some purpose yet for me to fulfil. In this latest incident we were both travelling at between 60 to 80 km/h. It’s almost certain that the way the cars were lined up, with each driver directly facing the other, certain death would have come to both of us.

Had that happened, there would at least have been an argument in the hereafter about it.

So, what’s the moral of the story?
Our cars are not our living rooms.
When in charge of a vehicle our full attention is demanded at all times.
Lighting up of cigarettes is a no-no, and is the main reason the legislature is considering banning smoking while driving.
Holding a telephone up to one’s ear while trying to concentrate on traffic is an impossible task. Only women have the slightest chance because of their multi-tasking skills, but this is even beyond their capabilities.
Even talking on hands-free mobile units takes away too much concentration to be considered safe. Let it ring!
Drinking anything, while driving is not to be recommended, but drinking hot coffee is begging for trouble.
Anticipation is key to survival on the roads. If you can anticipate that something will happen, you can prepare for it to the best of circumstances. So, when you round a sharp bend and come face-to-face with an oversized vehicle, if you anticipated it might happen you would have slowed your speed and placed your car as far to the right as possible
When in charge of a vehicle you are not allowed the luxury of panic. It is natural at first to panic, but we must regain control instantly. After it’s all over and you have survived, you can then go to pieces if you like. During the event. You must have the calm of an astronaut. “Ah! Houston, we have a problem!” You would use the same voice that you use to ask for an ice-cream.
Finally, I appeal to drivers to be especially careful of motorcyclists, many of whom are very young people who are gaining their own road experience on slow moving bikes. Remember, you were once young too, and you may have sons and daughters, or other young relatives. Be careful for other people’s young relatives in order to expect the same from your fellow motorists for your kith and kin.

Cyclists! Always wear a lime-green reflective “Gerry Jacket”. Be Seen to be Safe!

A Timely Remnder

July 2006 was the day that a raft of new measures came into effect, designed as they were to change behaviour on Spanish roads. For a while we drove with these new sanctions in mind and we did alter our behaviour for the better. Also, the traffic police were pumped up for action, but one year later we are all sliding back to our bad habits, and the memory of the details has faded into the background.

At the top of the list of bad habits is our attitude towards stop signs, give-way signs, traffic lights on red, one-way streets, and of course, speed limits.. We have tended to regards these as mere suggestions. For a short while it was quite noticeable that adherence was much improved, and accident statistics reflected this. Lately however, I have noticed a regression back to the way that it was, and in some cases, behaviour is even worse.

I apologise for putting it this way, but frankly I really can’t think of a more polite way to say that sheer stupidity is at work in most cases involving crashes. If stupidity could only be outlawed and banished I wonder how much of an impact that would have.

The person who deliberately drives through a stop sign or red light is simply being stupid.

The person who drives at a speed that clearly endangers other road users is simply being stupid.

The person who passes the car on the right, only to promptly pull over into the right lane and then goes off into the exit lane, thereby cutting up the other car is being incredibly stupid.

And above all, when we drink to the point of being impaired, and regardless of that we get in our cars and drive, not only are we taking stupidity to its ultimate level, we are also being just about as irresponsible as we can be.

Speed:

The section dealing with speed is one to be carefully considered. Firstly, it would appear that an allowance is now being generally made whereby should you exceed the posted speed limit by 10 km/h nothing happens. That is not guaranteed!

Information taken from a page that appears to be posted by the Department of Traffic, (the DGT) on the internet gives the following chart: For a driver caught driving at between 101 and 120 km/h in a 90 km/h zone the penalty will be a fine of 120 euros, but no loss of points.


For a driver caught driving at between 199 and 208 km/h, the fine is 450 euros and a loss of 6 points. This would be considered a very serious offence.

Evidently, the rules have changed, because a year ago there was no 10 km/h free allowance, and by exceeding the posted speed limit by 50% or 30 km/h this was considered to be a “Very Serious” infraction. Very Serious meant the loss of one’s driving permit on the spot. It was simply taken by the Guardia Civil officer.

Someone once said that “Spain would not be Spain without alcohol impaired drivers.”
This is the one area in which the police seem to have actually stepped up their pressure. That is just as well because when we consider local custom it really is frightening. Alcohol has traditionally played such a prominent role in daily life that it’s no surprise that it is a factor in most collisions.

Forget starting the day with a coffee and a brandy. Forget stopping in at regular intervals throughout the day in the bar to tank up personally with a coffee and a brandy or scotch. Forget having a beer at the conveniently placed bar on the forecourt at the service station. Take a pass on that beer with the bocadillio at 11am, and wine with lunch. Entirely too many people lose their lives through this type of behaviour. Should a driver be caught driving over the alcohol limit while driving against the normal flow of traffic, (the wrong way) he loses 6 points per offence. i.e. all 12 points gone. Should he also be speeding at the time he will not be seen legally driving for some considerable time to come.

Should you lose your license it will be gone for at least six months, and before it will be returned you must take a driver’s re-education course during which you must spend at least 24 hours in the classroom. At the end you must pass a theory test.

For new applicants trying to obtain a driving permit the process is extremely difficult. Some people experience several tries and failures before finally passing the theory test. These people have done nothing wrong. I think it is reasonable to assume that if a person had a license and lost it for avoidable reasons, the likelihood that the license will be returned in six months is highly remote.

Other than the objective of changing driving behaviour, I believe that there is a second objective. I may be wrong as to whether authorities have it as a stated mission, but the end result will be the same, and that is a significant reduction of traffic on the roads. Certainly we have all seen the effect of so much more traffic. The building of so many new urbanisations in isolated locations requires that inhabitants have their own transportation. Consequently, 10,000 new housing units suggests at least that many new cars. In some areas saturation point has already been reached and we are headed for gridlock in the cities.

Finally, it has been reported that during the last 12 months, more than 5,000 drivers have lost more than 20 points each. Incredible!

While our annual death toll on the roads still hovers around the 3,000 mark, believe it or not, things are improving. Contrast that with the 5,790 deaths in 1997, with another 500,000 injuries sustained.

The granddaddy of all is the United States. In 1994, 40,676 people lost their lives on American roads, with another 4,100,000 injuries sustained.

Drive safely. The life you save may be mine! Thank you!




Stop Press! The road death figures have just been released for the periods, year-over-year 2005-2006, and 2006-2007. Throughout Spain, 3,272 people lost their lives unnecessarily between July 1, 2005 and 2006, but during the 12 months just ended the figure dropped by 14% to 2,795 deaths on the road. Compared with the awful year of 1997, that means that last year 2,995 fewer people died on our roads, so we are definately doing better.

Another very uncharitable way to put it is that every time a lunatic driver kills himself the roads are made a little safer for the rest of us. The shame is that almost always he takes others with him.




Copyright (c) 2007 Eugene Carmichael

The Metaphysics of Motoring

Published Sunday, June 24, 2007

How Sweet it is!

This term was made famous by Jackie Gleason, the comedian in his role as Ralph Kramden, of “The Honeymooners” TV series fame. It came to my mind when a really great client of mine sent me the following unsolicited testimony with the words, “You may do with it as you please.”

Her very kind words made not only my day, but my entire year, so I am very pleased to share with you. As though I needed an excuse, I hold this testimony up as an example of the result of doing a job to the best of one’s ability, although in most cases clients don’t take the time to put their thoughts down on paper.

I am greatly encouraged by my super-client’s comments. I fear that many of the cashiers in our household-name supermarkets will never hear such approving words regarding their performances. For them we need a rudeness award. But don’t get me started on that!

As you read on, I Thank the lovely Jackie for her praise and I am happy to have been of assistance. I wish her many years of happy and safe motoring. Here in its entirety is her e-mail:


“Eugene and The Metaphysics Of Motoring


“Eugene Carmichael, is a highly experienced driver with over 50 years experience of driving including advanced police and emergency driving training. He also obtained his Spanish driving license by passing the Spanish system of examination.

“No matter how experienced a driver may be it can be daunting driving in a new country especially if a person has come from an urban environment in northern Europe where a car is seldom used. Such would be the case for London residents.

“Yes, one can and should take additional lessons in the new country if one feels and knows it to be necessary but what happens next, when one feels back in the swing of driving, yet there is an apprehension about local driving conditions and an initial language barrier?

“Eugene is the man! He helps his clients banish their fears, real or imaginary by helping them to appraise their skills and develop new ones where appropriate. Eugene is fully supportive of the new stricter driving code in Spain and is committed to road safety.

“Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy which investigates the first principles of nature and thought. It is natural to move and mankind, ever inventive, has for centuries devised methods of moving from A to B, hence the motorcar. Travelling / moving involves a thought process and it is the thought process which shapes our skills as motorists, given that we are physically and mentally competent to drive.

“Eugene has a marvellous ability to help one internalize safe and competent strategies for driving. He is kind and considerate but firm where necessary; his services are helpful for women, who without being sexist, sometimes do not know how, or have forgotten to care for their vehicle, for example oil levels and tyre pressures. Yes, this can be managed by a garage, but it’s best to know the basics oneself.

“Eugene’s tuition is complete from the basic care of your vehicle to the revision and addition of good driving skills and practice. As motorists we have an obligation to ourselves and other road users to use our best endeavours for safety and competence on the roads. Eugene is a mine of information, but the most important aspect is his sound coaching skills. Eugene has helped many people literally from square one, people who have passed their driving test but for many reasons have not felt confident to drive in Spain.

“Eugene is above all a really decent chap with a tremendously worthwhile mission. It could be that all that is needed is a couple of hours of instruction , or it could be that a detailed programme of instruction is needed by the motorist. You will have to make the decision yourself, but making the decision to seek help and advice is a positive step towards safety. A driver no matter how skilled, who has for one reason or another become nervous can be a risk to themselves and to others.

“Yes it’s true that a lot of bad drivers are not nervous or even aware of their incompetence but what happens when you meet them on the road. On one of my coaching sessions a motorist overtook me on a dual carriage way by crossing a solid white line; another pulled almost half way out into the road from a side turning! Fear does not help in these situations, strategic defensive driving does. Eugene also has a corrective eye for drivers with bad habits and will check you out for this.. He is a really nice man who is easy to get along with and inspires confidence.”
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My caution to new arrivals, particularly from the U.K. where you have been driving on the left is to take the greatest care not to make the fatal mistake of driving on the left here on the Continent. Always, before setting off, check that your left elbow, that’s the one that’s part of the arm you most likely wear your watch on, is pointing at the middle of the road. If it is pointing at the wall next to you, you have to take corrective action quickly and safely. You may also wish to use as your mantra the sentence: “The Right side is The Right Side!” In the U.K. the right side is the wrong side.

Driving round a roundabout the wrong way may be a bit more difficult to do, but be mindful that here the flow is counter-clockwise. Some very determined people have got it wrong. To do so could ruin your entire day.

Motorcyclists! Wear a reflective green “Gerry Jacket” by day and night. Be Seen to be Safe!

Copyright (c) 2007 Eugene Carmichael

Young Motorists

Published June 17, 2007

My son is now in his sixteenth year. At age fourteen he obtained his moped license (over my personal objections) because at that time the law allowed the minimum age of entry at fourteen. That law was put in place when Spain was a much different place and the pace of life was much slower and gentler. The law has recognised the danger in allowing people onto the roads at such an early age, so the minimum age is now sixteen.

I pointed out to my son that riding a moped outside of urban areas, (outside of town) carries an especially dangerous risk. Because the moped is engineered to travel at no more than 45 kph riders find themselves riding along the extreme righthand edge of the road. Consequently, impatient vehicle drivers tend to ignore them and push right past often resulting in the moped rider being pushed right off the road.

In some areas moped riders are allowed to use Autovias as there does not exist any other reasonable road for them. The autovia allows for cars and motorcycles to travel at speeds up to 120 kph. So, the moped rider must use the breakdown lane to stay out of the way of speeding cars and trucks. But what happens when the cycle rider wants to go straight on but has to cross an exit or an acceleration lane for vehicles entering the autovia? The potential here is unacceptably high that the cyclist may well be killed by some impatient imbecile, of whom there are far too many on our roads.

When I realised that my son would get his license anyway I at least looked around for a school that would give proper training to him to build the twin skills of bike handling and coping with other road users. There is the world - class racing track at Cheste near us where we thought that such instruction might be available, but no, it simply does not exist.

I did convince my son to wait until he turned sixteen so that he would be able to ride a motorcycle with an engine of 125 cc. A moped of 49cc is insufficiently powered to get its riders out of trouble. It can only get him into trouble by being so slow moving. At least, with 125 cc the rider can get up to the maximum speed of 120 kph, and therefore he can occupy his place in the lane. Here, he now needs to be visible to car drivers, therefore he should follow the example of the police and wear a lime-green reflective jacket, by day as well as by night. Of course, with the additional power the rider can get himself into trouble by riding too fast. But that is something he can control, and what’s more, only he can do so.

It is my intention to train my son thoroughly in defensive riding. He will have the benefit of more than 50 years of my experience. I have been trained to high-priority standards so that when he begins his riding experience he will be well prepared for almost any eventuality. All very well for my son, but what about your son or daughter? I hope the following tips will be of help:
- Does your bike have a side stand that you have to swing down to park. If it does, what happens when you want to ride off? Do you have to remember to flip the stand up again, because if you do, the first (and probably only) time that you forget you will almost surely be killed, or at least suffer severe harm. What would happen if you set off with the stand in the down position, is when you lean to the left the stand will dig into the ground and throw you off like a bucking horse. Other traffic will probably finish you off.

Recommendation: Unless the side stand automatically swings into the up position when you take the weight off it, have it removed as it is a death trap. Please note that some motorcycles have a failsafe mechanism fitted so that if you try to set off with the side stand in the down position, when you put the bike into gear the engine will cut out.

- As part of the visibility factor your bike’s headlight should remain on by day and by night. However, you cannot rely on this to make you as fully visible because if you are coming towards a car driver from out of a background where there are lots of lights, your one little light blends in and could be a street light to the driver. Again, this is where a reflective vest would increase your chances of not being hit by a car that wants to turn left across your path. The sight of a lime-green vest means “human being present”. The situation of your visibility at night is worse from the rear because you only have one tiny little red light to indicate your presence, and even that could be mistaken for a roadside marker. Wear the vest. “Be Seen to be Safe.”
- When applying the brakes on your bike it is very important to apply both the rear brakes and the front brakes together. This gives your bike stability when stopping, but of course, too much pressure of the front brakes and you go flying. Unfortunately, most cycles don’t have their own version of ABS, (anti-lock Braking System), which is a shame.
- When riding with a passenger there seems to be a universal need to show off to give your passenger the thrill of speed while threading between cars. If you really want to impress your passenger, get him or her home safely. That will impress them for all time.
- Wear appropriate bike attire, starting with a good helmet. Also, a good leather jacket, worn both summer and winter acts as a second skin so that if you do go down the leather will save you ugly and painful road rash. Remember that asphalt contains ground glass. Girls, I love to see you ride by wearing the skimpiest of clothes, but I would rather forego that pleasure to know that you are properly protected. Some say that they don’t want to mess up their hair by wearing a helmet. Well, reflect on this: if you get taken to hospital with head injuries your hair gets shaved off!

“Be Seen to Be Safe!” Ride carefully and responsibly. You are too vulnerable otherwise.

Copyright (c) 2007 Eugene Carmichael

What A Crying Shame!

Published Sunday, june 10th, 2007
As reported by newspaper, The Sun’s headline read, “ 3 killed at 125mph”. They were reporting on the tragedy of three young people, 30 years and under who lost their lives in one blinding flash while being conveyed in a top of the line BMW M3 convertible at apparently such a horrendous speed that upon impact with a palm tree the car actually exploded. This occurred at the La Zenia roundabout along the N-332 on the Costa Orihuela, Alicante Provence.

As this is an opinion column I feel compelled to weigh in with my two cents worth. But, this is not going to be a judgemental piece about young people out partying because their families have quite enough to deal with already without someone, such as myself, who didn’t even know any of the three or their families making critical comments. After all, I’m not so old that I don’t remember that I was young once. However, I am reminded that one only gets to be my age if you have a whole lot of luck and a very active guardian angel.

Rather than getting bogged down with the obvious, I would like to give you my impression of how I felt on hearing this news: Firstly, I became aware of what had happened through the Spanish nightly news, which included some rather graphic footage of the crash scene. I could not take in what I was seeing. Later, the Costa Levante News produced the print version of the story, which I have read and re-read many times. The first time I read it completely through, and subsequently I have analysed selected parts and dwelt on them.

One sentence stated “The impact was so great that the car’s engine was hurled 200 YARDS from the wreckage.”

If The Sun and The Costa Levante have their measurements correct, we can make a comparison with the following to get a better idea of just how far the engine was thrown. The width of an American College football field is 160 yards, and the length is 360 yards.

The regulation soccer field length is 130 yards, and the width is 100 yards.

This means that the emergency services would have passed the engine on the way to the scene. If it was in plain sight they would likely have exclaimed, “ What’s that?”

Another sentence stated that the car “ smashed into a palm tree at 125 mph and exploded into pieces.” Using a converter I found on the internet to convert mph to km/h we see that 125 mph is 201.16 km/h. I then proceeded to find something to measure that with, so I looked up the current land speed record held by a road going car, which led me to the strangest discovery. It seems that a young man named Mike Newman, in an effort to raise awareness of the problems of blindness, (as well as raising funds) set the record on October 11th, 2005 at Evington Aerodrome, near York, England, in a BMW M5, by travelling at 178.5 mph, while blindfolded. His previous record was 144. mph, and that is only 19 mph more than 125 mph. If indeed that car was travelling at 125mph, that will surely be the record for the N-332.

Incidentally, I also have a new found respect for palm trees.

I have long held an opinion that a manufacturer who makes a road-going car that can greatly exceed the maximum speed limit is not acting responsibly. In Germany there is no limit on the autobahn, but elsewhere in the civilized world the maximum is 120 km/h. So, why do we have cars in Spain that can top 200 km/h? It is not an isolated case that someone drove a car at such a speed. I have written before of very rich people who have been seen driving along the motorway at top speed in their top-of-the line sports cars. They seem to have been completely oblivious to the fact that they would very quickly catch up with unsuspecting traffic ahead.

Most loss of life on the roads doesn’t involve such dramatically high speed, but death is death. This incident comes on top of so many others we might be tempted to say that we have become numb. That is not the way I feel. Each tragedy weighs upon my psyche. Because my wife and I are parents of a teenaged son I always think of what must it have been like for the parents to have received the initial news, and how do they cope on a day-to-day basis. I think of my own mortality and wonder if it might all end in a flash for me. Most of us think and assume that it will not, but why not? Yes, we can control our own behaviour, but we cannot control the behaviour of others.

Former American President, Bill Clinton was famous for saying that he felt the pain of those who suffered around him. I feel the pain of the three families and their friends. Their loss did not have to be, and that must surely make it worse. It’s one thing to have a family member involved in a high-risk endeavour and to lose them through that, such as was the case of the space shuttle Columbia that disintegrated upon re-entry into earth’s atmosphere. The three families concerned simply lost their loved ones to a fun night out.

Finally, a police spokesman made the understatement for the year as he said, “it’s a miracle nobody else was injured as there was wreckage all over the road. The car exploded on impact.” That particular roundabout is usually very busy with people even waiting at the impact site for the bus. The fact that it happened at 6am saved many other peoples’ lives.

So, to Emily Scourfield, 24; Jonathan Grafton, 27; and Brian Hill, 30, Rest In Peace.



. Copyright (c) 2007 Eugene Carmichael