Just had to share this with others who know Tortola. From the Caribbean Hurricane Network: - Tortola got its FIRST TRAFFIC LIGHT!!!! * From: DearMissMermaid@aol.com * Date: Tue, 1 Oct 2002 00:03:19 EDT Weather has been gorgeous but I study the satellite pictures first thing everyday and make my own assumptions with the help of my crystal ball. I still believe that all storms will miss us this year, and I said that at the start of the season, that we were sending them all to the states this year, and by golly, that is what happened (so far!) Downtown they installed a brand new traffic light! The first ever on Tortola. I absolutely hate it. I think it is a dumb idea and everybody here is betting it will cause a few wrecks. They cut it on and the timing was messed up real bad. It was red on all four directions, then it turned green, in all four directions! Finally they reset it to flashing yellow and installed a cop to direct traffic. I felt real sorry for the cop, he was almost killed. We could hear screeching tires every few seconds, cause folks here just aren't used to traffic lights or a cop directing traffic either. Folks here are used to driving any which way they please! The poor cop must be the real low man on the totem pole, to draw such an assignment, or else they did it as a joke to the new man on the beat. One time I was downtown, in a bar drinking, because there was a big traffic snarl in town and I figured I would relax until it cleared up. A cop came in to order a cold drink and someone asked him why he wasn't directing traffic to ease the snarl. He said "WHAT? The folks here drive real crazy mon! I could get killed doing that!" Every day on the local radio station, for an hour, they have instructions on how to use a traffic light and what all those pretty colors mean. I am starting a betting pool on how many wrecks and mashups we have the first week it is in operation. You see, it must have been someone from off island who came up with this lame brain idea. A Tortolian would know better than to introduce something so foolish! WHY? Because Tortolians like to do as they please. To do anything less is a loss of freedom. Drivers here stop in the middle of the road, to talk with pedestrians to pickup and discharge hitchhikers, to fix the carburetor or to wash the car. Yes! I had to drive up on the sidewalk one day to get around a car that was parked in the street, blocking traffic, and being washed. How does a traffic light help ease that problem? Drivers here just stop, in the middle of the road and run inside a business and stay gone for 20 minutes while the traffic just backs up behind them. How does a traffic light help ease that problem? I see folks park in the road and block the entrance to a parking lot! I stopped at a store in West End that has parking for about 20 cars. When I pulled in, there was not a car in sight. I parked nice and neatly (unheard of around here!) When I came out, there were now 3 cars in the parking lot. Mine and the two that were blocking me in, while a big empty expanse of parking lot, lay around us.
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Migration
I think I know some Tortollians that have migrated to the U.S. and brought their driving / parking habits with them.
I think I know some Tortollians that have migrated to the U.S. and brought their driving / parking habits with them.
In the BVI's
It already is a tourist attraction with the charter sailboaters and cruisers. A wild and crazy place. -Roland s/v Fraulein II
It already is a tourist attraction with the charter sailboaters and cruisers. A wild and crazy place. -Roland s/v Fraulein II
Tortola en't dat bad man
Try driving in Trinidad, Jamaica, DC, NYC, Boston or anywhere in Dade County, Florida for dat matter. An' all dem places got traffic lights too!! Peter h23 "Raven"
Try driving in Trinidad, Jamaica, DC, NYC, Boston or anywhere in Dade County, Florida for dat matter. An' all dem places got traffic lights too!! Peter h23 "Raven"
I once picked up a hitchiker. . .
in Tortola, a Rastamon with long Dreadlocks. Dropped him off at the Jolly Roger at Westend. He was very grateful and offered to give me a big bag of mushrooms he had. Very generous of him. Chris s/v Tidesong
in Tortola, a Rastamon with long Dreadlocks. Dropped him off at the Jolly Roger at Westend. He was very grateful and offered to give me a big bag of mushrooms he had. Very generous of him. Chris s/v Tidesong
If we're lucky...
the traffic light is right by Pussers so when it is red we can run in for a Painkiller!
the traffic light is right by Pussers so when it is red we can run in for a Painkiller!
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