Skip to main content

Drivers’ Tales. We reached a stage where it stopped being funny…



Driving my way from Mellieha is no mere undertaking. Keeping aside the driving habits of most of us Maltesers, the roads we drive our battered vehicles upon are not exactly the epitome of perfection.



I wonder if there is an authority in charge which actually checks, I mean, literally investigates the quality of the asphalt or tarmac, the realistic location of signage, the consistence of road surfaces, the legibility and visibility of street markings, the street lighting, and so on.

Just off the former (now derelict) Belleview site, one reaches a huge roundabout, or what a tourist may describe as a ‘garden-like circular structure’.


Pay double attention as the traffic island leading down to this roundabout, from Mellieha centre, is high and bushy. Its shrubs obstruct your view of any oncoming traffic swerving around the circus - if not for a bus or truck - as the latter are high so slowing down at this stage helps. It is obvious one will need to give way but if driving to work late and in a hurry, you may easily snap the occasion and drive forth into a surprising crash…


Down towards Mistra, you driving by a hideous structure, an Enemalta room or store, situated on the left at the foot of what used to be the road leading to Selmun. This structure has now an ominous cement field all around it, as some genius decided to flatten the green patch of field that adorned its perimeter for future BBQ's, perhaps. Very ugly site indeed. A round of applause goes to MEPA for their stroke of genius, or blindness.

At the Mistra valley we drive over a bridge, albeit few may realize it actually is a bridge. This is an old structure, must be over 40 years old (is it?), or so I reckon. If you drive this road for over 10 years you grow familiar to the cracks alongside this little treacherous stretch. I hope and pray these are nor the tell tale signs of a bridge in distress, and that the regular cement and tarmac resurfacings are not a cosmetic touch-up to hide its advanced dilapidation…



So yes, it seems we are driving through a 'risky' road…and we haven’t yet crossed half the journey to Attard…Xemxija. What a sight! Sporadic structures that look more Middle Eastern than Sounthern European or Mediterranean adorn the hills, boringly designed apartment blocks, especially on the site formerly occupied by the graceful Mistra Village complex. I am not sure but they all seem vacant and so dull.


It shows trucks are very common on these roads. Cement and paint trails along the surface can be seen from as near as the notorious St. Paul’s’ Bay by-pass. What a pity. Recently launched, this road was potentially a cut above the rest on the island. It used to be smooth, pacenzja, as we say in Maltese…it is now peppered with dried cement that give you an annoying vibration on your steering wheel as you drive – making sure you wake up well in the morning…



This by-pass boasts other tricky features, as its partially collapsed part, just overlooking Xemxija bay. A long standing saga of the first part of the road that collapsed, and was never repaired has reached tragicomic state as driving up this stretch of road, just leaving Xemxija, become a duel as the two lane carriage way narrows down instantly in one narrow lane, partially barred by shabby metal barriers.



It takes remarkable driving skills if you happen to be at logger heads with another car on your left, one has to give way…




To be continued…unfortunately, this is just 10 minutes of driving, not the complete trip. Seriously, considering what we pay in road taxes we deserve better, don’t we?


Ray de Bono

Comments

Maria Lewis said…
I look forward to Part 2.... I wonder how the rest of the journey goes? :).... Not much of a prospect for anyone about to test their driving skills on the Maltese roads! Did I just hear myself screech?? :))
Ray de Bono said…
Grazzi tal-feedback

Popular posts from this blog

Another mask, anyone?

POEM Our precious soil, betrays our innocence How many more Must perish Souring over our barren land? Undeserving of so precious Blood We are! Of so graceful Creatures ...they adorn our skies and cry their last desperate sorrows for the bigotry of its inhabitants and their bizarre gods of gore and limestone and euro orgies of smoky, petrified incense as they kneel in front of HE whom they claim to adore. How many more Must perish Souring over our barren land? As the exchequer squambles over another excuse With his peers He jokes over how great he is In his infinite wisdom And his children look for A morrow where feathers are Nothing but Exhibits in classroom books Hailing from days gone by... And deep within each soil granule So miniscule, insignificant Lies the blood of them... The souring angels, Up above... Ray de Bono 9th March 2010 He/she who wants to understand, let him/her understand... ........................................

Elusive, lost Love

Play this music whilst reading it… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HCvyJvqpqY&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Efacebook%2Ecom%2Fpages%2FAttard%2DMalta%2FDmaxtv%2F14281068665%3Fref%3Ds&feature=player_embedded I am happy Thrilled So full of life Yet inept And so bizarre in my fetish muse That dictates my testosterone driven vibe In this chess game In the dark… She left Killed the warmth That engulfed my abyss Setting alight Wrath so hellish …at the Maker’s standalone whims My Useless howling In the wind… Tear drenched eyes Alone, yet in a crowd of pseudo-passion Like flashes In the dark Not even a twinkling candle Just a puff of light Micro seconds Quick-and-go.. Chilled heart In gay hilarity White wine thrash Dripping Lousy mornings… How many more Yet to come? Pathetic pretentious Scribbles of mine… Ray de Bono Monday, July 20, 2009

Smart Phones set to take over ‘conventional’ Mobile Phones during this decade even in Malta

Article by Ray de bono, CEO - Dmax Marketers the world over are always on the lookout for intelligent marketing media that give them the edge over competition. The holy grail of marketing is a cost-effective medium offering high ROI, real-time statistical data and the capacity to narrow down or broaden reach of target audience at will. The way technology is evolving right now, the much desired solution may very much literally already be in our own hands… According to a Deloitte Report of Technologies published in 2010, the Growth in demand for smart phones - devices boasting powerful processors, abundant memories, large screens and open operating systems - has outpaced the rest of the mobile phone market for several years.Already in 2008, smart phone sales increased by almost 35 percent, while the market as a whole grew 10 percent. By year-end, smart phones had taken 13 percent of the total handset market. Operators need data traffic growth to offset declining margins for voice and SMS