2015-01-31

How's that Road Safety Summit coming along, Min. Trans?

It's been a couple of weeks since the Ministry of Transport belatedly recognized there was a serious issue with road safety and the Culture of Recklessness on Bermuda's roads.

Since then we have had a silly hashtag 'promotion' that I don't think anybody cares about, a couple of police traffic blitzes in the usual spots to nail the typical 'low-hanging fruit', and zilch else.

Business as usual, for the powers that be.

Meanwhile we have had some controversial Cabinet changes, and the unfortunate (and likely avoidable) issue with Government workers and furlough day agreements, that have had the side-effect of distracting everyone from other issues, including road safety.

Of course, there's no reason why the Minister of Transport couldn't continue (or start) work on whatever campaigns or strategies that have been presented to him and his departments.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

This is why some people question the paycheck that Government Ministers get.

2015-01-27

This kind of scam may trick a few

Just another friendly reminder to be aware when you get emails purporting to help you. I suspect this one will ask you for your username and password like normal then harvest your data for other more nefarious purposes.

Stay aware, stay safe.
Dear Northrock User,
We have placed your five incoming mails on pending status due to the newest update to our server in order to serve you better.
Click here to login and wait for response from our email support team in order to receive the pending new messages. 
We are really sorry for any inconveniences we might have caused with this newest update. 
Northrock Email Service

The lack of empathy and consideration is too damn high

This, the result of another impasse between the Government and the relevant workers' unions in Bermuda.

Because the sides could not resolve the issue of cost savings measures, we've again reached the point where the public is inconvenienced and have to scramble.

There's plenty of blame to go around, but once again it's the public, seniors, students, that are dragged into this mess. Well done, all y'all.

Bermuda Blue's timeline analysis of the recent activity

Catch-A-Fire's analysis, going back to October 14th

2015-01-16

Bad drivers don't care about Hashtags

Near Warwick Post Office. A pedestrian activates the flashing lights at the crosswalk. There's also a crossing guard there, who begins walking across with their stop sign in hand to ensure traffic halts. A car slows down and stops.

You guessed it. A motorbike behind the car, zooms past and overtakes the car and flies over the crossing, bisecting the pedestrian and the crossing guard.

Nothing is going to change until bad drivers are penalised for their actions. Trying to trend hashtags like   is not going to have any impact. Neither is "Just Go Slow" PR campaigns. Education is all well and good for people just joining the vehicle-usage community, but people who abuse the laws of the road because they know there are no consequences are never going to be swayed.

Yes, hard hitting messages need to be pushed out there including the Dejon Simons story, but it must go in parcel with some major enforcement of the current legislation. And it absolutely cannot be a two-week thing, there has to be a lengthy commitment to driving home the point that abysmal road use behaviour cannot be tolerated.

The powers that be want to have a Summit at the end of January, more than two weeks away. And perhaps, after 4 or 5 meetings to congratulate themselves on forming their special committees, they will reveal a PowerPoint presentation and that will lead to planning out how to implement their strategy. What would be preferable is to get together *yesterday*, take the various ideas floated and pushed out already, run the options by the Police and other enforcement agencies, and get going. Now. What are they waiting for?

2015-01-15

Now resuming the political brou-ha-ha

All right. I think Bermuda had gotten spoiled with the relative lack of political posturing, so we were due for a controversial Cabinet reshuffle and all the commentary that it generates.

Nothing like some nice re-manufactured drama to distract us from the major issues in education, road safety and employment. Cheers, my elected MPs.

2015-01-13

Changing road habits is not an easy process

Another serious collision on Bermuda's roads has resulted in another fatality. It's beyond sad. Again, a family must hear the dreadful news.

Meanwhile, road habits among Bermuda residents haven't adjusted one bit, despite these collisions and Bermuda Police's groundbreaking 'hashtag' campaign.

Bike riders are still weaving through traffic, including around corners. Cars are still overtaking at junctions illegally. Vehicles continue to straddle centre lines as if they can't handle staying in one lane.

While the powers that be continue to do whatever they're doing that may eventually result in an action plan, nothing's changed on the roads.

People need to really see for themselves the negative impact of all this horrible road usage behaviour, and not feel as though they're invincible, or that bad things can't happen to them on the roads.

That goes for you too, woman checking her cellphone constantly while driving through city streets.

2015-01-02

Bermuda Road safety a priority? Yeah right.

Hello, 2015. I have lost count of the amount of times I've used a variation of "lather, rinse, repeat" when it comes to soundbites from politicians after a road fatality.

Yet, the Premier and the Minister of Transport are pledging more of the same, that they're serious about road safety, and will be taking steps to do blah blah blah yawn...

For some reason, it's only when a fatality (or in this case, a pair of fatalities) happens that the politician-types step forward and preach about their goals with regard to road safety. Oh, and election time too, but that's minor.

Put in some legislation, get the police and other authorities on board, get some hard-hitting campaigns put together. And no, banners on East Broadway are not what I'm talking about. The closest thing to a hard-hitting campaign I've seen in Bermuda was when they recreated wreckage complete with 'dead' bodies at the scene. But that lasted all of a couple of weeks.

There are a number of techniques that could be implemented, but for some reason TPTB are unaware of or afraid to consider them in this country. Meanwhile, the collisions continue to happen. Will *this* be the time that Government actually does something besides give soundbites? I doubt it, but we'll have to see.