the Airport from Pembroke after a three week visit because she had two suitcases. She says the bus driver told her that some drivers allow suitcases but he does not. We recognise that there have been very constructive changes in the buses in recent years and we are using this refusal only as an example.

It is an example of Bermuda not fitting that often used phrase, user friendly.

There can hardly be a place in the world which does not allow people to take luggage on a bus to the Airport. We seem to have a growing tendency in Bermuda toward "Don'ts''. This amounts to all kinds of petty regulations which make daily life inconvenient for Bermudians and for visitors. The "don'ts'' create an atmosphere which many people, especially young people, consider oppressive.

We should work towards a society which allows its citizens and its visitors not to feel constantly restricted. We should provide freedom but not licence.

Because Bermuda is small and crowded there has to be public order in terms of such things as traffic and noise so that the Country is liveable for all the people. That is understandable and acceptable but a country can be well run without being restrictive. Sometimes all that takes is common sense. However we tend to produce rules and regulations which sometimes are and sometimes are not acted upon but which are intolerant and do little more than make daily life difficult. A problem arises because many people are not even aware of these rules until they become caught up in them. They then, quite rightly, feel that they have been singled out for no good reason.

The young Canadian woman who went to take the bus with her suitcases did what she would do in most countries and went with her baggage to take a bus to the Airport. After all, the bus runs to the Airport. She then had to take an expensive taxi because she was refused a bus ride.

The Airport general manager has said, "Basically I think people should have the full choice of transportation options to get them where they want. The Airport often implies luggage.'' People will argue that the buses are small and the luggage might get in the way of other passengers. It is more likely that drivers do not want the bother of luggage. Surely there will not be so many people taking buses to the Airport given those with such things as pre-paid transportation, that luggage will become a big problem.

Bermuda really needs to take a look at all kinds of restrictions and think about what they contribute or do not contribute to the convenience of daily living. Too often we restrict to no real purpose or agree regulations which we do not enforce, like the law that says cyclists cannot ride two abreast. When we do enforce them, they make people unhappy. There is not a great deal of sense in that.