Two road safety issues

January 20, 2008

Dear Sir,

There have been a number of letters recently submitted to the editor regarding road safety. There have been two issues that I have not seen raised that if properly addressed would reduce the frequency of road accidents in Bermuda.

? Many drivers use high-beam headlights and fog-lights indiscriminately, blinding oncoming traffic. Automobile and scooter drivers are both guilty of doing this. We do not require a government study in order to know that blinding drivers at night causes accidents, some of which will result in death or serious injury; it should be illegal and penalties should be strictly enforced.

? Drivers should be required to signal their turns. Not indicating a turn is not just disrespectful to everyone on the road, but dangerous.

Police efforts to curb these common practices would be the most effective possible police measure in making our roads safer.

J. DUNLOP

City of Hamilton

Shocking behaviour

January 16, 2009

Dear Sir,

This afternoon I received a true glimpse of the mentality of our civil servants. As an employee in the international business sector, it shocked me. In my world, what I witnessed would be unacceptable. I arrived at Devonshire post office at about 4.05 p.m. and joined quite a long line of people awaiting service. There was one clerk operating at one window. Meanwhile, at another window, with a "closed" sign displayed another clerk stood and chatted and laughed with a person who was obviously a friend, and not on post office business. The clerk on duty suggested to her chatting colleague that perhaps she could help someone in line; to which, she replied: "Oh I knocked off five minutes ago." While I waited in horror, this young lady continued to chat and laugh while totally ignoring the long line of customers. I find it very hard to accept this total lack of any sort of work ethic on the part of our government employees and the fact that they find this to be OK.

AMAZED

Devonshire

If it wasn't for Oprah...

January 25, 2009

Dear Sir,

This recent quarrel in the local courts over television rights between Bermuda Broadcasting Company and CableVision just blows my mind … BBC have been granted "grace" by the courts to broadcast over the network until further notice. So wouldn't one think here is an opportunity for BBC to display to us, the viewing public, a need for them? No, they choose to telecast the British Broadcasting Corporation news on both stations (ZBM/ZFB) simultaneously. If it weren't for shows like Oprah or Young and the Restless, neither stations would be necessary … period. Television Viewers often experience three stations broadcasting the British Broadcasting Corporation simultaneously, and in all honesty, we don't like it either. So in spite of however brief their broadcasting of local events is on Sunday evenings, it's appreciated.

LOGICAL MARKETING

St. George's

Channel conundrum

January 23, 2009

Dear Sir,

I read with astonishment today the two letters defending Cablevision and their refusal to pay Bermuda Broadcasting for the right to broadcast ZBM/ZFB. I would like to point out to Junior Club Alumni and Common Sense Cable Fan that when one signs up for CableVision with one of their packages we have no say in some of the stations they give us. Currently there are at least four religious stations, five foreign speaking stations, three cartoon stations, and about six others that I would like to drop because I have no use for them nor do I want to have them in any package that they offer me.

I would much rather pay to have ABC and CBS along with local content and news and at least I am supporting local jobs. I do not have a choice. CableVision will cut me off of watching these two stations and drive religion, cartoons and languages that I do no speak nor understand down my throat and tell me that I have a great selection in TV viewing. A farce if there ever was one! I would like to drop at least 15 stations and support Bermudians. I would also like to point out that CableVision had a very decent bottom line last year and can well afford to pay BBC, or at least give me, the customer the choice as to what and want to pay for. It certainly isn't religion, cartoons or Spanish! I guess you two don't think that local jobs are important or local content is ... Maybe you two speak those languages, like cartoons and are both deeply religious! In which case happy CableVision.

BERMUDIAN SUPPORTER

Smith's

Showing bad habits to kids

January 27, 2009

Dear Sir,

Driving into Hamilton yesterday from Warwick I was stunned at the number of adults with children on their motorbikes that were dangerously weaving through the traffic. A couple of these cyclists overtook vehicles around sharp bends, thus exposing not just their lives but the lives of their children to obvious danger. When these children grow up and get their bikes they are only going to ride them in the same way that they saw their parents/guardians riding their bikes. It is an uphill struggle to educate these children of the dangers on Bermuda's roads when those who have charge over them are modelling bad habits to their kids. What is the big hurry anyway?

JOY

Warwick

Won't happen to me mentality

January 26, 2009

Dear Sir,

I would like to make a suggestion on how we can maybe get these kids to slow down just a little, because 90 percent of these accidents are kids who think they are cool and they know how to ride, they have that it won't happen to them mentality. "That other kid had an accident because he didn't know what he was doing not like me."

Could we not take note of the licence plate, I ride along North Shore to work and every day I get over taken by some dare devil who is not only putting his life at risk but mine. Some of these children are in school uniforms, could we name them and shame them, if we got their licence plate number and every week published the plate numbers so their families could see and try to talk with them? I saw a young boy riding along on his back wheel on the wrong side of the road and when a car beeped him – he laughed. It would have been really hilarious for his family if it was a truck that could not stop in time and wiped him into next week.

DRIVER

Pembroke

Shame on (some) pony drivers

January 22, 2009

Dear Sir,

Today I could not stand by silently as the harness ponies who are about to be destroyed have to. Today I want to tell the general public the truth behind Bermuda's racing pony "industry". Every year around this time (the end of the "racing" season) without fail, healthy ponies end up being "euthanised" through no fault of their own. The reasons their owners give are usually the same sad and pathetic reasons, no time, too expensive, not fast enough. Enough! This has to stop!

Frequently the owner who chooses to end a pony's life will then turn around and bring another pony in from overseas, this is insane, selfish and beyond belief. I have stopped asking myself why this happens, and how people can do such a dreadful thing. But trust me, it happens. This is not a sport where there is huge prize money, far from it.

So what makes them do it? Fun? I suppose. Ego? Undoubtedly. Bragging rights? Assuredly. Don't get me wrong, I know of plenty of racing pony owners who adore their animals, this letter is not directed at them. I also applaud the Driving Association's decision to random drug test.

So the three banned pony drivers can't race for a year? What a shame! Whatever happened to enjoying your pony? Take the year to reflect on your actions, get your animal fit and ready to race again, if that is what you really want to do. Maybe next time you will think twice before you caffeine up your animal or numb its damaged legs with Phenylbutazone ("Bute") to the point it will cripple itself racing for you. Shame on you.

But let's put this in perspective for a moment:

1) Ponies are not and never should be considered "disposable" items, to be passed along to unfit owners, or killed on a whim.

2) Pony owners who have a pony destroyed for any other reason than a veterinary one, should be banned from further ownership for life.

3) All ponies should be Microchipped and licensed much like we have to license our dogs, after all they demand even more responsibility than a dog!

Why do I feel so strongly about racing ponies?

We have one that was going to be destroyed because he fell on the track at two years of age, and wasn't fast enough. That's why I feel so strongly. In the two years we have had him we could have rescued at least ten others, but being responsible owners and knowing we would be leaving the island, we could not afford to take more than one pony with us. That's right, we are taking him with us! Not dumping him because of our plans or because it costs a fortune (try the cost of a new small car). We will have to make sacrifices to do this, but we are doing it because we love our pony, he is a living, feeling creature, just like the ones who are about to die.

In Europe it has been law since January 2008 that all horses and ponies must be licensed and microchipped. You cannot sell or transfer ownership of a horse or pony without this. You must also make sure that their vaccinations are up to date.

The time has come to license every horse and pony on this island. I urge everyone who is as outraged as I am to call or write to their MP and call for a Bermuda Horse Licensing Bill to be passed. I also call on the SPCA and all the vets on this Island to speak out and do something. We can make it happen. Lets make sure that it does!

OWNERS OF AN EX-RACING PONY

St. George's

You are just as bad

Dear Sir,

This is an open letter to all my fellow Bermudians. I am a Bermudian business owner who loves his job, who gets up early in the morning, who works no less than 60 hours a week. Why? I do it for my family, so they might have a better life then I had growing up (not to say I had it hard in any way). My mom raised six of us by herself (four boys and two girls), dad died when we were very young. I think she did a wonderful job; all of us are law abiding citizens, who cherish our children and our country. Now you're probably wondering where this letter is going? I have to hire non- Bermudians, because there seem to be no Bermudians that apply for the jobs that I have advertised for. I have watched for myself how my fellow Bermudians treat non-Bermudians. I have even had a lady call into one of the radio talk shows to say she won't come to my place of business because I have foreigners (she must not get out much). I feel sorry for her! I am now sick and tired of the abuse from my fellow Bermudians and they way they have become.

My mom raised us to love everyone no matter the colour of their skin or what country they may have come from. You might say to yourself, I'm not a racist, but look into the mirror. You might not judge our non-Bermudian by the colour of their skin, but you now judge them for the country they come from. You are just as bad! If you come into my place of business and are greeted by a non-Bermudian, remember that I (the Bermudian business owner) had no choice but to hire them, to stay in business so that I can provide you with the service you require. I don't want to go through the expense of bringing in foreigners and having to deal with the Department of Immigration (that's another story)! Step in my shoes for one day and I think you'll change your attitude. Bermuda is another world. Yeah Right!

SICK AND TIRED BERMUDIAN

Pembroke