the concern, despite accidents, despite the inconvenience to visitors and despite promises, not very much happens.

Bermuda's traffic conditions once seemed to go in waves which were governed by varying levels of Police activity and by the publicity surrounding serious traffic accidents. At least, that seemed to be the case where young people were concerned. Now, even highly publicised road deaths do not seem to slow anyone down or cut the darting in and out of young people on cycles who court death with every turn of the wheel.

Where adults are concerned, the pattern is much harder to understand. Who could explain an adult speeding along with a young child perched in front of them? Who could explain the mature drivers who constantly overtake on blind corners and expect other drivers to make room for them if they have to pull in? What is the thinking behind the constant double parking? It may be that Bermuda needs to start with driver education at an early age rather than simply passing tested people onto the roads. Competence with a machine is necessary but so is an understanding of road usage. The need for proper road usage is magnified in a small Country with crowded roads. If driver education resulted in people no longer stopping traffic by double parking to chat, it would be a big help to traffic flow.

A Citizen's Road Watch Programme with a three digit "hot line'' so that road users can report other road users has already been suggested. Wide publicity would be provided to alert offenders to the possibility that they might be reported. In that way people could be discouraged from bad behaviour. Would it work? The Police Crime Stoppers number seems to work.

Taking away the vehicle is a real threat, especially to young people, and it may, in the end, be a solution. Young people hate to "lose their wheels'' and if the vehicle belongs to the parents, then they might be a good deal more concerned about how their children behave on the roads for fear of losing the vehicle.

We remain convinced that a traffic squad, Bermuda Road Patrol, removed from the Police Service but including the traffic wardens, could be the answer. The traffic wardens should be required first to give tickets to double parkers who stop traffic flow. A group devoted to traffic, with no other distractions, and equipped with the latest in speed detectors and noise checks might be very effective. By all means ask the public for any help it might give. Right now it might give a great deal of help because it is angry. If a "hot line'' would help, then let's have it. The public might also agree that impounding vehicles is an answer.

An independent traffic squad would remove pressures from the Police Service and allow that body to get on with crime and drugs. Right now we are courting a backlash. Other places are suffering from "road rage'' provoked by poor conditions and bad driving. That seems to be coming to Bermuda just as most things do come to Bermuda.