The End of 2008

It's been a very interesting year, hasn't it? We've seen the world's fastest man, both on land and in the water. And the world paid attention to the U.S. presidential elections like never before. There were some global tragedies like the earthquakes in China and hurricanes in Haiti and the relentless battles in parts of Africa and the Middle East continuing.

Closer to home, crime and road deaths remain a source of frustration. Everybody has strong opinions on the future of International Business and the impact on our livelihoods. The topic of race and racism remains in the forefront, the arguments on how to deal with it still ongoing.

But there are some points of excitement. I for one, would not have thought that at the end of the year I would be employed at a new company where I feel more valued and encouraged to contribute. I would not have thought that I would be engaged to a sweet young woman who tolerates my occasional episodes in geekery (of which this blog may be considered part of, I assume).

It's just been an action-packed year overall, and I'm looking forward to seeing what 2009 brings us.

Another evening on the roads

Last week, I watched a TV interview on ZBM with the Premier, who pretty much said that despite 15 deaths on the roads, he thought that not much extra needed to be done in the realm of local road safety. I thought it was the equivalent of the "Stay the course" attitude of one Dubya Bush. Anyway.

Since then, we have had two more fatalities on the roads, a few more serious injuries and of course some additional vehicular damage. Tonight's ZBM news had several speeches from MPs, Police representatives and Road Safety Council personnel, and perhaps somebody there has finally realized what has been going on for years; that people are simply not listening to the pleas for safety and no amount of begging is going to sway their behaviour.

Later in the evening, I was on my bike and as usual, witnessed several things that ordinarily wouldn't be considered safe, but is pretty much part of Bermuda's road culture:

• first I was behind a large Dodge 4x4 vehicle, with a nice HB licence plate. Took up the width of the lane, and we have to thank Government for allowing people to bend the law for vehicles to exist here that aren't really suitable for our roads.
• near Paget stop lights, a bike headed in the other direction, flaunting green lights on its rims. The proliferation of coloured lights on vehicles is crazy. The law is pretty clear on acceptible lights for vehicles, but it's been ignored by many.
• Later, was behind a small truck carrying mattresses. Mattresses weren't tied down for one. Also, to accomodate the mattresses, the tailgate was down. Said tailgate covered the licence plate, as well as any rear lights (if they were on, at least). Standard play.
• Eventually I reached Raynor's Shell gas station (my favourite gas station in Bermuda, by the way). As I refueled, the attendant was telling me about the collision today and that it was a set of brothers that crashed. My sympathies to the family.
• Later, a car flew past us near the Evans Bay junction. Since this was a bendy part of the road, clearly there'd be little chance of Police traffic monitoring in the area. Meh.
• One annoyance that exists is the propensity of drivers here to drive along the middle of the road whenever possible instead of sticking to their lane. If that's what they teach at TCD then something's wrong with the country. Anyway, experienced this while on Scott's Hill Road, a public road that passes by two schools.
• Same situation on Beacon Hill road by a truck. When you're riding and you see a truck headed directly for you, it's not a fun experience.
• The law concerning bicycles at night is that a front light is needed and a rear reflector also. Came across one without either. Not the safest course of action when on a public road by said cyclist.

Just another evening on Bermuda's roads, and that doesn't include the ride home from work when some fool on a bike overtook me while on the bend at Flatts. Yes, the near-hairpin turn. Bet that rider never gave one crap about the collisions this year, or is inclined to change his driving style anytime soon.

Will the Premier finally change his stand on the current attitudes to road safety by the powers that be and Bermuda in general?

How many police does it take...

Yeah I'm beating up a bit on the Police lately, sorry. Just that on Christmas Eve there were THREE police officers chiling out and joking with each other on Queen Street opposite the library. Meanwhile, maybe four car lengths down, traffic was being held up by someone double-parking. That's not to mention seeing the cars cruising around with up to four officers in them. Maybe there's a strategy that I'm not able to figure out concerning deployment of officers in town.

Some retailers are doing well?

Christmas Eve, it was perhaps 2pm, walked into H2O (aka 'Buzz') Cafe.

"Sorry, we're closed."

Huh. You'd think that with tons of people in town shopping, that restaurants would try to gain more revenue by staying open, arrange for whatever additional manpower they'd need, etc. But maybe not.

Perhaps some retailers are doing well enough that they can close shop early despite the potential for increased numbers of customers.

The future of free TV

May be worthwhile keeping an eye on this situation with Bermuda Broadcasting. With Cablevision attempting to drop its carrying of the local TV stations, and Bermuda Broadcasting apparently continuing to lose money, one would wonder about the future of local 'free' television. I think that free television is on a similar level as public transportation in that it's virtually an essential service that if it wasn't present, it would be severely detrimental to those parts of the community not in a position to afford subscription television as they won't have access to televised news and entertainment.

If the chairperson who's behind the plan to purchase outright the stations and property has ideas to infuse much-needed cash into Bermuda Broadcasting we'll be better off for it.

Some people have a "who cares" attitude and think that because of the low quality of local broadcasts that it would be better if the stations went off the air. But imagine a country where the only outlet for televised news was (1) only available if you subscribed to another company's broadcasting outlet at cost and (2) only provided by the Government of the day.

What's frustrating about the Police's policy on booking people

Speed, speed and speed. When Police are on traffic watch, they're armed with their cute phallic radar guns and they spend the day pointing them around looking for people going at above some arbitrary speed, probably around 56 kph, then prance around like the sherriff in a Western.

People don't get pulled over for riding like a loon, for example. This morning I was passed in the other lane by some fella riding side-saddle with his leg hanging in the air. By other lane, I mean where traffic is coming from the other direction. And across the dividers of a road intersection (Palmetto and Roberts Ave, for those keeping score).

Later, I come across a car at the entrance of a roundabout which stopped to let somebody out. On the roundabout. During rush hour.

Police are only in those areas if there is an 'accident'. Never to monitor traffic. Because they'd rather be out waving their radar guns around.

Maybe the powers that be genuinely believe that 100% of all the 'accidents' on the road are caused by speeders as opposed to people being inattentive or careless. Common sense and the newspaper reports seem to indicate otherwise, but you know what they say about common sense...

The penalty for striking a human with a vehicle

Apparently it's zero. Someone was driving, struck a pedestrian!, continued to her home without stopping. According to the Gazette:

• For driving "without due care" - the sweet saying that means very little: $250.
• For failing to stop - was there a stop sign? not sure what this entails here: $250.
• For failing to report an "accident" - meh - zero, apparently. Demerit points it seems.
• For failing to give her address - that must relate to the above two items - zero but demerit points again, perhaps.
  
• For HITTING A HUMAN BEING WITH HER VEHICLE!: nada.

Complete and utter joke. Disgusting.