been young and starting on their lives. The heartache these tragedies leave behind is difficult in the extreme for their families and friends. The real tragedy is that some of the deaths have been avoidable and all of them are a manifestation of the conditions on Bermuda's roads today.

These conditions are created by people, people who use the roads carelessly and often without consideration for other road users. There needs to be general recognition that traffic on Bermuda's roads is naturally heavy and that creates a need for care and caution. There has to be acceptance of the fact that Bermuda is an urban area and that the roads are used for a good deal more than just motorised vehicles. There are walkers, joggers and pedal cyclists and charity walkers and road races all competing for space. Then there are carriages and horse riders who are generally treated by cycle riders and car drivers with a good deal of disrespect.

Everyone has a right on the roads as long as they behave well. But that means everyone. There is no cause for one group or another to assume that others should behave but they are free to do as they please.

If there were respect for other road users and an understanding that chaos leads to accidents and even death, the roads would be greatly improved. Yet in very many instances we get the opposite, bad road behaviour. In far too many cases the danger is not in how you ride and drive but in the way other people behave.

The speed limit is seldom observed and many people seem to have no idea what it is. There is far too much overtaking in dangerous situations. Cycles dart in and out of traffic, endangering themselves and others. Stop signs are becoming a joke. Few people pay the slightest attention to road signs like slow or caution. Horns are used for greeting, thus rendering them ineffective as warnings. Everyone who uses the roads has a favourite complaint.

The fact is that people who behave well and stick to a reasonable speed are treated as a nuisance by other road users and even abused for their caution.

The attitude seems to be one of, "Hurry up and get out of the way because I'm in a hurry.'' We were impressed by a recent letter to the Editor from a woman doctor in the operating theatre of the King Edward Hospital, who treats and tries to save many of the people involved in these tragedies. Dr. Barbara Jones said there was a solution..."just slow down''. Speed is often a major factor in these crashes and there is little doubt that slower speeds would save lives. We can only hope that the speed cameras will make a difference and that the Police are serious about concentrating on traffic offenders.