Driving Standards

[GRAgusta]

I've begun travelling a little in Trinidad the last few days, thinking about bringing a bike over.

Mrs A and I took the truck to the local beach, and amongst the kiss me quick tents sampled the local seaside delacacy - bake and shark - which is really good. (It's more like cod than shark ....).

A significant proportion of the locals were sharing a beer and some sweet smelling cigarettes, everyone chilling out.

On the way home on a narrow twisty road in the rain forrest we headed up hill towards a tight right hand bend. Just as I was slowing for the bend a silver hatchback passed before my eyes at a great rate of knots - not in contact with the ground. We then saw it clinging to the tree tops looking into a precipace. A guy came out of the trees and approached the car, so we did move off. A police car then sped past us in the opposite direction.

Feeling a liitle guilty about not getting involved, but once we saw the guy there .... we wanted to move along. The erratic driving folk don't tend to wear seat belts.

Vis a vi riding a bike here ... the jury is still out, but I do appreciate being surrounded by a significant 4x4.

We did see an R1150GS on the way home though ....

[McBoxer]

Sounds like you visited Maracas? Best beach in Trinidad (but have you been to Tobago yet?). I got sunburnt within an inch of my life there back in January, Couldn't lie down for 3 days

Yes, bake n shark is very nice (especially when washed down with a cold Carib). When my wife first told me about it I thought she was saying bacon shark, so was slightly confused! Have you tried Doubles yet? UWI doubles are the best, if you can get over that way.

I find the driving standards in Trinidad to be between shit and awful (as are the roads). It scares me sometimes (and I lived in London for 3 years) so I normally make the Mrs drive. I've heard stories that some driving test officials were (and possibly still are) taking bribes and passing people who they hadn't even seen drive, so you have to be on your toes all the time. And have you seen the teenage lads tearing about on sportsbikes? If not, it might be because they've all died!

[GRAgusta]

The incident with the car was on the road between Las Cuevas and Maracas.

I washed down my bake and shark with a coke, but yes it was good. As for the beers I prefer Stag to Carib.

My wife and I both had to do defensive driving training before being allowed to drive the company car, and we have been given strict instructions on where not to go ...

We will get over to Tobago soon, it is much more calm I believe.