stop the insanity on the roads. He is correct that there is insanity on the roads. We think the bad behaviour is growing. What we fear is that the open offences committed by some drivers, some but not all, will soon lead to the kind of road rage which is seen in other places. So far the rage in Bermuda is confined to private fuming on cycles or inside cars but it is important to understand that there is a good deal of anger.

Chairman George Morton Jr. has asked if we are truly serious as a community about trying to eradicate the problem of irresponsible behaviour on our roads.

We think a great many people are very concerned. The problem makes our daily driving a nightmare and detracts from the enjoyment of visitors who use the roads. It can no longer be any pleasure for visitors to rent a moped and go sightseeing in Bermuda. For that very reason, this newspaper has been suggesting a major overhaul of the way our visitors get about the Country.

The problem is that not many individual road users can make a difference except to improve their own road habits. What can an individual do about others who grossly offend? People tailgate so close that you cannot see their headlights. People regularly dart in and out of traffic at dangerously high speeds. Cars pass on blind corners expecting you to slow so that they do not collide with oncoming traffic. Cyclists habitually ride up on the inside often with children on the pillion paying no attention to their safety. The latest offence seems to by cycle riders who decide to pass traffic by riding on the sidewalks.

We all have our own pet complaints about other drivers but the truth is that individuals can do very little about other road users.

Mr. Morton says that his council is preparing a position paper recommending new legislation for road users. We already have a great deal of complex legislation which is ignored and increased penalties do not seem to act as a deterrent. People who are disqualified from driving very often continue to ride and drive with no interruption. People caught for driving while disqualified should have their vehicles impounded.

Mr. Morton is correct when he says we need hi-tech measures like photo-radar.

Where is it? It has been promised for some time. Yet, while photo-radar may cut excessive speeding it will not affect other behaviour.

The solution as we see it is two-pronged. There are a great many demands on the Police these days and, quite naturally, road traffic patrol takes a low priority. We think that not much will happen until Bermuda has Police dedicated only to road traffic. It is an expensive solution but one which is necessary today. Right now people think they can do anything they like on the roads because not much will happen.

The second prong is mandatory driver education before a licence is granted and after driving offences. That education should be part of the sentence and if it not completed then the licence is not returned.

It is time to get serious about traffic and to take back the roads from those people who are making them so difficult to use.