My kind of solution

Everybody seems to agree that Bermuda has a traffic problem. On the way home tonight, I had an epiphany. I figured out the solution to Bermuda's traffic woes.

Let me be the one to decide who gets to keep their license!

"Hey you... yeah, you. You're driving an automatic. You only use one foot for that. Take your other foot off the brake pedal. What? How do I know? Well, your brakelights are on and you're accelerating. Uphill. Yep. Hand it over. No license for you.

"And you! The guy driving the giant flatbed truck a foot an a half away from the back end of a tourist bike. Yeah, I know they're going slow. Do you really think revving your engine 18 inches from their ass is helping? Hand it over. No license for you.

"DAMN! You almost ran me over, you diddly-bop! (Incidentally, I found out recently, the phrase "Diddly-bop" is from an old song, "...Gooseneck handlebars/Diddly-bop" or something like that. Cool, huh?) Riding with one foot hanging on the ground, one cheek on the seat, weaving back and forth for no reason, doing wheelies up a hill, with your helmet undone? Yeah.. not the safest. Hand it over. No license for you.

"Oh... you want to keep riding your bike? Welllll... Ok. But I'm gonna have to take your name, so we can spell it right when we spraypaint it on the road. Now, do you want 400-threadcount sheets with your nickname on it, or will 200 do? White, right? Yeah, it shows the grafitti better. Roses or carnations?

"Yo, BMW guy. Do you really need that big ol' car? What?! $25,000 for the sound system? All you listen to is Sean Paul with the bass turned up so loud you can't hear anything but BWOOOMPH BWOOOMPH BWOOMPH for 100 yards! At least listen to something decent! Hand it over, no license for you.

"Hold it there, Speedy Gonzales. See this thing on the side of the bike? Yeah, the thing tourists burn their legs on. It's called a muffler. Say it with me: Muh-uh-fuh-ler. That's right. I knew you could. What it does is dampen the sound of your motor. No, I don't care that you want it to sound like a 300-pound mosquito. It's too loud. That's why these things are here. Remember what they're called? That's RIGHT! Well done! A Muffler. Keep saying it, you'll get it. In the meantime... hand it over. No license for you.

"Hey hey HEY now, there amigo. Where are you going in such an all-fire hurry? What do you mean, "What do I mean?" You're the one that just overtook me... on a corner... with traffic in the other lane... just to drive in front of me at 35 kph, then park in the middle of the road to talk to your aceboy. Hand it over, my friend. No license for you.

"Sweetie? I know you're 90 years old and you learned to drive in the very first car on the island, but you're going 3 kilometers an hour and... well... your glasses are an inch thick, soooo... What? Those are contact lenses? Ah. Yeah. Definitely. Hand it over. No license for you.

"Soccer MOM! You know I love you, babe! I love that you come into town every morning to drop your kid off to school. That's amazing parenting. But, see... um... the problem is... there are, like, hundreds of you.

"There's this new thing. It's called carpooling. OR, if you really want to be hip and with-it, there's this amazing new invention called a BUS. That's right, as in "The wheels on the..." What's that? You don't think it makes that much of a difference? Mmmmmyeah. I'm gonna have to go with "NOT" on this one. See, in the summer time, when your little darlings aren't in school, it takes me 10 minutes to get into town in the morning. When the kids are IN school? 45. See where I'm going here? Hand it over. No license for you.

"Ok. Darling? Yeah, you with the fender hanging off. No, not you with the slight ding from one accident, the one with the fender off... yeah... both ends of the car. Yep. There you go. You. With both mirrors missing. That's it. Yeah, the one with dents in all four doors. I don't know how to break it to you, but...

"Hand it over. No license for you."

Comments

[Adjustah on 27.10.05 at 08:06]

That's brilliant, Mike! Well done!

"Ok. But I'm gonna have to take your name, so we can spell it right when we spraypaint it on the road. Now, do you want 400-threadcount sheets with your nickname on it, or will 200 do?"

I hollered! Classic!

[Rooster on 27.10.05 at 08:37]

And I suppose you'd have everyone playing Elton John on their way to work? The earlier (funnier)story about figure scooting hit the mark way better than this one .... maybe you need an editor.

[Git on 27.10.05 at 09:00]

Well done Mike.

Sounds like you've enrolled in the Colonel's course, 'Diplomacy for Mean, Bitter and Twisted People'

Cracked me up!

[Chris Broadhurst on 27.10.05 at 09:01]

Hope you aren't holding your breath Phil.

Just be glad you live east of town.

[Somers on 27.10.05 at 09:21]

That was awesome. Please submit to RG so more people can figure out who they are on our roads.

[bw&p?? on 27.10.05 at 09:28]

I needed a laugh this morning, thanks Mike. Although, you being part of the 'chrome hooker' generation I'm surprised you palyed licence nazi on the muffler guy...thought you would have let him off with just a warning and a brillo pad.

[Intrigued on 27.10.05 at 09:44]

Excellent. Just what the island needs, a Traffic Nazi. No license for you. No license for you. You ... back of the line, NO license for you.

[Martin on 27.10.05 at 09:56]

Very funny Mike!

Don't forget the...."So tell me again...you are doing a wheely to save the wear on your front tyres"?

And...

After following a bike for 4 kms with the right indicator going..."Sorry, I am struggling to read your mind...why didn't I realise you were going to turn LEFT"?

[SmokingGun on 27.10.05 at 11:00]

My license is in the mail.....

Actually Uncle Elvis, you left one all imporatant moron on the road. He is generally found out on the highway anywhere from happy hour on.

[Mike Hind on 27.10.05 at 11:36]

Thanks everyone!

Not sure what the Elton John thing was about, but... um... yeah.

Git:
Twisted? Me? Never!

[thisgrassman on 27.10.05 at 12:57]

or what about this one?

mmmmmm, aceboy in the Enterprise Submarine van, yeah you with the captians hat on. Please tell me why you need a commercial vehicle for a submarine rotting away on its moorings? No, i don't care if you need to bail it out every couple of weeks you don't need a van for that - you need a row boat.
Now hand over the licence........i know a landscaper who needs one.

[Mike Hind on 27.10.05 at 13:12]

bw&p?: I know I'm part of that generation... *ahem* I mean... uh.. WHat are you talking about? I'm FAR to young to remember any of that! *grin* but I never understood the whole loud muffler thing. During my misspent youth, I remember looking over my shoulder for police (Not that I did anything wrong.. of course not!) and I could never figure out why guys wanted loud mufflers, when it make you so much easier to follow! I mean, you can't duck into a driveway on Trimingham Hill, you can't jam up a side road, you can't really get away. I HEARD those were the things to do when you're being followed. Not that I advise it. Or ever did it. Or know anyone that did.
Anyway. Big bikes, I understand the desire for that deep, rumbling, teste-shaking, kidney-rattling roar. The old Mobylettes sounded GORGEOUS when the muffler was tweaked (Mmmmmmmmwaaaaaaugh... mmmmmwauuuuugh.... what a great sound). The little plastic things these days sound like out-of-tune lawnmowers.

I miss the old bikes. Someone find me an old Moby... or a Cyrus. *drool*
Wait. Never mind. Not until I get a garage.

[Mike Hind on 27.10.05 at 13:18]

Good one, Grass!
Smoking, Right on point, as always. Thanks!
Martin, You worded that perfectly. I was behind that guy this morning.

[Paradise NOT on 27.10.05 at 13:25]

HAHAHAHA... you have my vote... oh, I don't have a vote here... if I did...
I would vote for Mike Hind - Driver's License Minister....

Thanks for the laugh...

[Full Fullish on 27.10.05 at 13:47]

Ohhh, oh, don't forget the "Oh my God it's raining, lets all idle into work, lest we slide right off the Island!" Rubber tires, made of rubber for a reason...

Honorable mentions of course are:

Captain "I didn't see you trying to get out of your gate" and his 30 wards.

Joe "The light doesn't get any greener" Schmo

and

Jane "Is a clear space of 2 miles enough to pull out in" Doe

[44-40 on 27.10.05 at 13:54]

How many of the people who post on this blog are really going to lower themselves to use the bus everyday? Not many. This artical and the responses it is getting is typical of Bermuda, lots of talk but no one is ever going to actually follow through on it. If you ask me the major traffic problems are caused by too many buses and heavy trucks. People actually drive much slower than they did say 4 or 5 years ago.

[bw&p?? on 27.10.05 at 14:17]

Mobylette, Peugeot (aka pleasego), Cyrus...strip them down on a Friday night and ride into school on Monday with a new spray job! - mis-spent youth? HA!

How'd you get that gorgeous sound? - a big front sprocket and a small back one, and for an extra ease in clutching without melting the bottom of your karate slippers, a bolt welded onto the hooker (which, I should add had that extra 'ting' if left un-chromed) to push down as you take off from the top of MacGalls Hill...oh the innocence of it all.
I'm a bit confused about ducking into a driveway on Trimingham’s Hill though...was I the only one who peddled over the bastard, tightened up the Honda helmet, ducked between the soupbowls, hitched my feet up onto the back carrier and made a run for it?
I think not!!

[Mike Hind on 27.10.05 at 14:30]

Actually, 44-40, I just spent three years not driving a bike. I wasn't taken off the road, I've NEVER been taken off the road, I just didn't think I needed a bike. I caught cabs, caught the bus, walked and caught rides with my wife in our car. Now, before you jump down my throat, yes, my wife does have a car. She needs it for work. End of story.

If you think the buses (Which actually LOWER the amount of traffic on the road. Um... yeah. One person per car, twenty on a bus. You do the math) and big trucks (which I mentioned in the article.. they're also the lifeblood, or at least the vessels (get it?), of many Bermudian businesses. They have a JOB to do. That's why they're on the road. Private cars with one person in them, driving into town to park for the day DON'T) are the problem with traffic, then you need to look around. There are cars EVERYWHERE. We're overloaded. 21 square miles and people have two cars... for no reason. It's crazy

[thisgrassman on 27.10.05 at 14:38]

"If you ask me the major traffic problems are caused by too many buses and heavy trucks. People actually drive much slower than they did say 4 or 5 years ago"

No, the problem is Bermudians are in love with their cars. The rest of the world got a head start on us but look at us now. It is almost a birth right to expect ones own hermetically sealed air conditioned metal nightmare.

[Full Fullish on 27.10.05 at 14:49]

44-40,
Um, I think it was a bit of a joke piece...

As for me, I like to wheely into work on my bike. :)

We kinda need the busses on the road for people to get around, unless you want everyone on a car or bike, can't be avoided....

YOu do bring up a point about heavy trucks, (Ie: Container, anthing with a H license or highter) and other slow bulky vehicles, IMO should be banned from the times of 8am to 9:30am.

[Nicolette on 27.10.05 at 14:52]

Thanks for the laugh - sorely needed in these dark days... however, Sean Paul's irie....

[loki on 27.10.05 at 15:00]

"If you ask me the major traffic problems are caused by too many buses and heavy trucks. People actually drive much slower than they did say 4 or 5 years ago."

WRONG!! Mike's 100% right: when schools are out, and all the mommies aren't taking the sprogs to school, the traffic flowing into Hamilton from the West End flows freely. It takes me 15 minutes to get into work when schools are out, it takes me 40 minutes when schools are in.

Oh, and the brain-donors I just love are the scumbags on bikes driving east along Middle Road, who get to the Paget traffic lights and cross over into the other lane, so they can hang on to the lamp post there and see the traffic light for the upper road turn red.......so they can pull away before the light on the lower road has turned green. Assholes!!

[JJ on 27.10.05 at 15:16]

"No, I don't care that you want it to sound like a 300-pound mosquito. It's too loud".

Yes, yes, possibly THE most annoying thing about living on this island is that incessant, million decibel, whining sound of a souped up, no muffler 50cc piece of crap (sorry P) driving past when your're trying to sleep.

[Yet Another Limey on 27.10.05 at 15:30]

44-40: How many of the people who post on this blog are really going to lower themselves to use the bus everyday?

I don't own a car or scooter and PTB it to work everyday - and probably arrive in a better mood than the people who have to drive themselves.

So that's one, anyone else?

[Triforce on 27.10.05 at 16:14]

Good stuff, Mike! I'd like to see this expressed through some of those comics that you are so good at!

Although there should be an additional one for the jokers who think that a pedestrian crossing is a start/finish line, and of course the ones who believe the yellow light means speed up, not slow down...

Wait a second... 44-40, are you suggesting that traffic congestion would be alleviated by removing buses? What would people do who do not have cars or bikes?

[areyoukiddingme on 27.10.05 at 16:17]

Here's a big part of the problem. . people who think "the major traffic problems are caused by too many buses and heavy trucks" given the fact that private schools are on break this week and I can get into town from Southampton in 20 minutes versus the usual 45 - 50 minutes when private schools are in session. (and that's via Harbour Road where busses and big trucks are usually not found) And I, for one, not only drive but also frequently use the busses or ferries. Compared to other bus systems in the world, Bermuda's busses doesn't really require one to "lower themselves".

[TheRealDeal on 27.10.05 at 17:36]

Actually what they really need to do are the following:

1. Tell Ewart to spend some money and computerize the assessment number database.

2. Once it's a proper database query it to find out how many cars are sharing the same assessment number. If you aren't the current tenant in that apartment and or the owner of that dwelling, revoke the license of the car immediately. Flag that person prohibit them to re-license any car for 2 years. Then charge them criminally $2000 for fraudulent use of an assessment number.

3. Let the police impound vehicles who do not have license and / or insurance. Owner wants the car? Pay the insurance and license it legally. Otherwise it becomes government property in 2 months and is auctioned off.

My suggestions might be a little strong, but hey, it would definitely cut back on the traffic congestion, generate revenue for the PLP to waste on something else, and really teach a few people some well deserved lessons on fraud.

[SmokingGun on 27.10.05 at 18:25]

'My suggestions might be a little strong, but hey, it would definitely cut back on the traffic congestion, generate revenue for the PLP to waste on something else, and really teach a few people some well deserved lessons on fraud.'

Posted by TheRealDeal on 27.10.05 at 17:36

Not strong enough as far as I'm concerned. This has been one of my pet peeves for years. I am very interested in hearing more about how much progress Colonel Burch is going to make on forcing all those "empty" apartments to start renting out to help ease the shortage. He's opening a can of worms because the whole assesment thing has just been one big loop-hole scam that people have used to get more cars for their family. And it affects many many people who have positions in Bermuda that will be more than embarrssed once the word gets out who's been cheating.

[Mike Hind on 27.10.05 at 20:08]

Nicolette, I'm not disputing that Sean Paul is irie. I like it. But it seems that all these amazing, expensive sound systems pump out is thump thump thump stuff. I'd LOVE to hear some Louis Prima, Otis Redding or even some punk and ska *drools at the thought of the bass from Flogging Molly pounding my eardrums in. I know it's not healthy or good for my ears, but... ohhhhhyeah.*

Triforce, thank you for the kind words about my cartoons. I think one is coming up here soon.

RealDeal, I'm all for your suggestions. I think they should go further! Bring back the old rule of not being able to buy a car for a year after you sell yours! Beef up the fines for traffic offenses, especially anything that puts others at risk (I was once busted for no license and insurance. Naughty boy, I know, but, when I went to court, one of the people in front of me was up for falling asleep at the wheel and smashing his car, another was up for reckless driving (read: drunk driving, but they couldn't prove it) and another was up for rear-ending someone. Hard.
Their fines? Ranging from $200 to $300. Mine? $900.
I'm not saying that mine shouldn't be high. I broke the law and I had to pay.
But come ON. $250 for falling asleep at the wheel and crashing your car? $250 is nothing. It's not a deterrent.

Rant over.

bw&p?, you never saw the man (not The Man. That's another thread...) coming 'round the roundabout when you're about 3/4 of the way up Trimingham Hill and KNEW they were after you, so you turned into that first right (I never DID know what it was called. We always referred to it as "Where the Rich Folk lived") and jammed to the nearest driveway that had a spot for you to hide?

Um. Me neither.

I DO miss that 'ting'. Mwauuuuuuugh... Mwauuuuuuugh... MWAUUUUUUGH... TING tingtingtingting...

The sound of my youth. *snif* I'm getting all nostalgic!

[Rincewind on 27.10.05 at 20:54]

""Soccer MOM! You know I love you, babe! I love that you come into town every morning to drop your kid off to school. That's amazing parenting. But, see... um... the problem is... there are, like, hundreds of you."
"when schools are out, and all the mommies aren't taking the sprogs to school,"

Ever so sorry that we dare to take care of our children, guess it must really bug those of you that don't have any kids. Of course, how silly of me maybe I should put my 5 year old and my 8 year old on the bus by themselves. They are old enough to look after themselves aren't they. My older children, maybe instead of taking them to scouts and sports and all the other activities that they do, maybe instead I should just let them veg infront of the computer or on the street. Get a grip, maybe we need to only allow people with kids to have vehicles and the rest of you walk, ride pedal bikes or use public transport.

[VB on 27.10.05 at 21:58]

As a former delivery driver in tawn (ever wondered how the food gets to the restaurants?)the traffic has been terrible for decades.

Drastically increase parking for bikes. All of #1 shed would be a good start. Increase the shorterm street parking for bikes. Make all or at least most of City Hall & Parla Ville short term car & all day cycle parking. Charge single occupant cars quadruple for parking at Bulls Head 7:30-10:00 & let cars arriving with 3 or 4 occupants park all day free.

Let's not even begin to talk about the GPs.

Impound the illegal cars & those guilty of multiple offences. There is lots of secure room out in the salty air of the disused runway.

See how fast people change their attitude to the way they use their cars. Driving is a privilege not a right.

[Uncle Elvis on 27.10.05 at 21:59]

Ok, Rincewind. Sorry I offended. It WAS a humour piece.

Having said that, and maybe I should have elucidated, I just don't think it would have flowed as well, 5 and 8? No, they shouldn't be on the bus. And yes, you SHOULD take your kids to scouts and sports. I'm all for that.

However.

Do you carpool? Surely some of the other kids in scouts live on the way. Or maybe you live on the way for some other parent.
If you DO carpool, if you DO try to help with the congestion problem, then I have no beef with you on this subject and you can ignore that section of my article.
If you don't? If you DON'T try to help with the problem, if you DON'T carpool...

Hand it over.

[Elli on 27.10.05 at 22:12]

Rules for driving in Bermuda:
1. Make sure you are driving at least a foot over the yellow line. It shows oncoming traffic who's boss.
2. If you drive a bus, turn off the air-conditioning, open the windows and let the folks appreciate the tropical vegetation as it comes flying through the windows on those tight corners.
3. If you're in an accident, blame it on a tourist, or at least an ex-pat.
4. If you wear your hair in dreadlocks and thus have difficulty fitting a helmet on your head, no problem. Simply stuff all your hair into your helmet. Your helmet may now be floating more than 8" above your head, but at least you're complying with the law!
5. Honk (2 beeps) at absolutely everyone you know, and at everyone who looks vaguely familiar. Honk (2 beeps) as a thank you if anyone does you a road favour. Waving is for foreigners.
6. If you need to park, but no parking is available, simply stop in the road - people can go around you.
7. If you accidentally hit a duck on the road, witnesses will be interviewed, you will be tracked down and prosecuted and it will be front-page news. If, on the other hand, you hit a chicken, that's completely okay, understandable even.
8. If you drive a scooter, drive down the middle yellow line at top speed, weaving around everyone taking advantage of Rule #1.
9. The best way to merge with traffic on a main street is to fire yourself out onto the road at top speed. Take 'em by surprise, that's the key.
10. It is perfectly okay to come to a dead stop in the middle of a busy road and try to get the attention of someone sitting on a wall.
11. Despite the fact the roads are extremely narrow with no shoulder and lined with stone walls, this doesn't mean you can't walk, jog, or ride your bike or a horse on the road. Vehicular traffic will simply have to drive slowly behind you and wait one by one for a suitable split second to pass you.
12. And, if you and thirty other cars are driving slowly behind a cyclist, and you finally get your turn to pass, check to see if you recognize the cyclist. If you do, well then - feel free to drive side-by-side for awhile and converse. If the car behind you honks, honk hello right back!
:-)

[jbhvt on 27.10.05 at 22:16]

Why doesn't Bermuda have schoolbuses to help ease the traffic situation?

[Uncle Elvis on 27.10.05 at 22:16]

Amen, Ellie, Amen.

Now hand it over. *grin*

[blovator on 27.10.05 at 22:37]

Why doesn't Bermuda have schoolbuses to help ease the traffic situation?

Because the government would have to face the fact that half the school going population's parents would not let thier kids take one step inside a public school. The dept of ed would have set the whole thing up coordinating all these people who know what a lousy job they do. Not the kind of job you can ask a government worker to tackle.

[Lisa on 27.10.05 at 23:23]

Excellent Mike - just excellent.

Your humour reminds me very much of Bill Hicks. I've sent this to friends on e.mail along with a link to the site.

Wonder how long it will take before it gets sent back to me ;-)

L.

[Uncle Elvis on 27.10.05 at 23:47]

That may be the greatest compliment I've ever received, Lisa.

Bill Hicks was a genius.

Thank you.

[Mike Hind on 27.10.05 at 23:56]

Gah. I keep forgetting to post as Mike on this thread. Sorry about that. Mrs. Wells, I'm Uncle Elvis. *grin*

[Anne Steele on 28.10.05 at 07:25]

I remember a few years ago, the police pulled over all the bikes driving past the Aquarium and impounded the ones that were too loud. Parents were mad because kids were late for school. I say .. "who cares"...

Bermuda is facing a time where there are a lot of overwhelming problems, but some can easily be solved. For me, traffic noise pollution is totally unnecessary and something that falls under "easily solved" categories.

Kids love bikes and loud things.. but I think they would choose to keep their bikes and put back the proper mufflers if their bikes kept getting impounded.

Anne

[Paradise NOT on 28.10.05 at 10:10]

"Of course, how silly of me maybe I should put my 5 year old and my 8 year old on the bus by themselves.

My older children, maybe instead of taking them to scouts and sports and all the other activities that they do,..."

Well... really they can ride the bus... other school children of that age do, I know as I don’t do the scooter thing and I do not own a car... The children are fine on the bus...

The older children can certainly ride the bus...

The time period that seems to be the worst is the morning commute into Hamilton... I believe all the children should be required to ride the bus to minimize congestion...

There is such an obvious difference when the private school children are not in school...

IMO - Put the kids on the bus... and by the way... I am a soccer mom of three adult children and now a grandma of 5...

It's not going to hurt those kids to be on a bus....

[SmokingGun on 28.10.05 at 15:29]

Front Street circa 2010:

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=2260267

By the way Mike, were you inspired to write your post after reading the letter "Idiot driver" to the editor by KBJ/Hamilton Parish the other day? It made me think that if that was someone in my family just how angry I would be at the idiot who killed someone just because of their reckless stupidity.

I vote for 30 years without parole for anyone who kills someone due to reckless manslaughter. No questions asked.

[Mike Hind on 28.10.05 at 16:38]

I was inspired by driving home the other night. The woman in front of me had a bumper hanging off the car, was driving with both feet, doing about 15K down the wrong side of the road along Harbour Road. I was then overtaken by a guy on a bike doing about 70K, only to slow down RIGHT in front of me, for no apparant reason.

Needless to say, the amount of @&#^$(%s in my first draft was significantly more than the edited version!

[Rincewind on 28.10.05 at 22:28]

" I am a soccer mom of three adult children"

no you are not a soccer mom your kids are ADULTS dear, you are not dealing with the here and now, may have not happened yet in Bda but it will not be one of my kids, and if you need to know what I am talking about you don't pay attention to the news in other countries, I would like to be sure my kids are safe.

"It's not going to hurt those kids to be on a bus...."

no its not the bus that will hurt the kids, its the nuts that assulted 2 elderly tourists on Saturday on Front St, its the man who thought he heard my son say something he didn't like and assulted him, its the nut knocking on my car window and shouting at me as I filled in my parking voucher, its the horrid person who threatened to smack around my daughter when she was 3 because she was playing with her juice container in the back of the car.

[Triforce on 31.10.05 at 12:43]

Rincewind fair enough. I think that this addresses another deterrent to using public transportation ahead of your own vehicle, so efforts should be taken to make traveling on the bus a safer experience.

I was catching the bus to and from school when I was 8 or so, but admittedly times have changed.

And I'm not sure that we should tell parents that they should put their kids on the bus instead of driving them to school, it's their right as a vehicle owner and if they feel more safe because of it then it's harder to object.

I do think that encouraging carpooling is a better solution. Hamilton was not designed to handle the large volume of cars; parking areas seem to be reduced all the time - even for cycles - and with there being so much construction going on to disrupt the flow, it makes the journey very tiresome.

Serious efforts should be made to encourage busniesses to set up shop outside of the city, I think. I think TheRealDeal's suggestions have merit and Anne Steele, I think I recall that as well. Confiscate the noise polluters, it's not that difficult.

[hotspur on 31.10.05 at 16:45]

Congestion has been moaned about for years. Nothing has ever been done.

Maybe Government (past and present) have no real desire to do anything to fix it. Maybe they rather like the revenue it generates (parking fees, parking tickets, tax from additional fuel consumption, etc etc). If anything they have actually encouraged the situation by creating more car parking in town.

[Denis on 07.12.05 at 14:09]

With the vast number of expats as well as locals who drive their kids to school in the morning, it puts extra strain on our already stretched traffic woes. This begs me to ask the question of why? The only answer I can determine is that expats simply do not feel safe placing their children in the hands of the public transport system.

Why don't we have dedicated school buses?