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By Graham Walker

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Governor’s Office Cayman Islands Government 16th November 2021 I am delighted to say a few words of welcome to new car drivers in the Cayman Islands. We are very blessed to have excellent roads but we also have challenges around road safety. There are too many accidents because of poor quality driving or driving under the influence of alcohol. You need to take care on the roads, Please help ensure that everyone in the community knows how to drive safely, not just for themselves but for everyone else and their families. Whether you have just reached the age of 17 and can start to learn to drive, or you have been driving for years but need to pass the road test to convert your overseas driving licence to a Cayman Islands one, the Drive Safely in Cayman driving book goes into exhaustive depth to teach you how to be safe on Cayman’s roads. Whether it is learning to navigate one of our many roundabouts or what our road signs mean, we hope you will take the time to learn everything you can to keep both yourself and other drivers safe on Cayman’s roads. Happy driving!

HE Governor Martyn Roper

PREFACE Throughout this book a driver may be advised to take actions; to stop, to go ahead, or to turn. It goes without saying, that the driver must follow the basic rule, simply M S M.

Firstly MIRROR Check the mirrors to see what other cars are near your path, You should be doing this anyway!

SIGNAL (Indicate) in good time so that other drivers are aware of your intentions.

Secondly

Thirdly MANOEUVRE Make the manoeuvre carefully and considerately. Many pages of this book have laws that drivers MUST obey. These are highlighted in the margin with a red marker. Observe these for your own good or disregard these at your peril.

A young person invariably believes that he or she is superbly fit both mentally and physically This is not true, in fact he is still puny in comparison to a car weighing almost a ton and travelling at maybe seventy or eighty miles per hour.

Read this book once to get the feel of it. Then read it again but this time studying it carefully. As the saying used to be, read and inwardly digest. It could be pointed out that this book has been written by someone with many years of driving experience. How has the author achieved this? Simply by obeying the rules and taking the advice of other more experienced drivers.

INTRODUCTION It is no wonder these days that there are so many road accidents. It used to be parents, usually the fathers, who encouraged good driving good driving. There are so many issues that are highlighted in this book: • Reckless speeding • It seems too much bother to use indicators even at large roundabouts •Changing lanes on approaching or leaving a roundabout without indicating or watching for other car movements. • Tailgating is common, almost normal. • Dazzling by cars driving on full beam headlights on well lit roads. • E-bike rides, not having to have a test, not license not insurance. All of these problems are dealt with in this book. Another major concern is that when Dad took his son out for a practice, it would often be after dark. Nowadays the student or their parents will pay and instructor. While teaching driving in Cayman for 28 years it was rare for a student to want a lesson late evening. They just wanted to know the route where they would be taken on the road test with the minimum number of lessons. Driving at night is quite different from driving in the daytime. The Traffic Law should be revised to include proof of night driving experience.

I am grateful to those who have supported Drive Safely over the years. Graham Walker

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This book has only been possible thanks to the kindness, support and experience of many people. I am most grateful to those who have supported Drive Safely in Cayman over the years. Particular thanks are due to Mike Johnston, whose name should also be on the front cover.

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LIST OF CONTENTS LEARN THIS FIRST Introduction to general Traffic laws.................................................. 20 Tyres..................................................................................................... 22 Seat Belts & Air bags.......................................................................... 24 Passing school buses........................................................................... 26 Large trucks......................................................................................... 27 Vehicle lights....................................................................................... 28 Drivers and vehicle insurance............................................................ 29 Before you set off............................................................................... 30 About your car.................................................................................... 31

DRIVING PROCEDURES Starting off.......................................................................................... 34 Stopping.............................................................................................. 35 Places where you MUST stop............................................................. 36 Stop and Give-way signs.................................................................... 38 Right and left-hand turns................................................................... 39 T-junctions........................................................................................... 42 Dangerous T-junctions ....................................................................... 43 Driving on the marl............................................................................. 45 Tailgating............................................................................................. 46 Single lane roundabouts.................................................................... 50 Two lane roundabouts........................................................................ 54 Three lane roundabouts..................................................................... 56 Danger points on roundabouts......................................................... 58 Overtaking........................................................................................... 60 Three point turns................................................................................ 62 Four way stops.................................................................................... 63 Traffic lights......................................................................................... 64 Pedestrian crossings........................................................................... 68 Reversing............................................................................................. 70

LIST OF CONTENTS

Turning lanes....................................................................................... 74 Cell phones.......................................................................................... 76 Headlight dazzling.............................................................................. 78 Changing lanes and merging............................................................. 82 Driving in the rain............................................................................... 83 Driving past parked cars..................................................................... 84 Using indicators correctly................................................................... 86 Hand signals........................................................................................ 87 Ride your motor cycle safely.............................................................. 88 E-bikes.................................................................................................. 90 Sharp bends and skidding.................................................................. 92 Accidents............................................................................................. 93

ACCIDENTS, FIRST AID, INSURANCE, TESTS & LICENSES Accidents............................................................................................. 93 First Aid................................................................................................ 94 Car Insurance....................................................................................... 99 Tests and licences.............................................................................. 100 Alcohol and drugs............................................................................. 102 Parents must read this...................................................................... 103 Realities of fast driving.................................................................... 104 General Driving................................................................................. 105

ROAD SIGNS Mandatory road signs...................................................................... 107 Informative signs.............................................................................. 108 Advisory signs................................................................................... 110 Markings on the road....................................................................... 114 Hazard warning plates..................................................................... 115

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LEARN THIS FIRST Introduction to general traffic laws The following statements are written here in everyday language so they can be more easily understood than the original clauses included in the Traffic Law which most people find difficult to understand. Note: The sentences in italicsand printed in blue are NOT part of the official laws but are added to make the points a littleclearer.

Vehicle registration and licenses A license coupon must be fixed to the front windscreen within six inches of the left edge. The coupon must be valid if the vehicle is to be used on the road. All vehicles and trailers must be registered. The owner of a vehicle must be at least seventeen years of age to register it. When a vehicle is sold, the details of the new owner must be re-registered within fourteen days of the transfer (sale). The Licensing Office must be informed when a vehicle is exported from the islands or scrapped. A vehicle license may be taken out for three, six or twelve months. Subsequently, if the vehicle is to be taken 'off-the-road', for three months or more, the license may be suspended for that period when the vehicle is not being used. When a vehicle is licensed the owner must show that it has been properly registered in his name, that it has passed an inspection test and that it is insured. Duplicate registration documents may be obtained if the originals are lost or destroyed. All vehicles and trailers must be re-inspected every twelve months. All imported vehicles and trailers, (motorcycle sidecars may not be imported), must be inspected and a certificate of road worthiness obtained before being used on the road.

TRAFFIC LAWS Driving Licenses

The age of qualifications for driving various vehicles are: From seventeen years: • A motor-cycle with an engine less than 125cc • A rental car or station wagon • A rental car Car rental companies each have their own rules but will not normally agree to their cars being driven by someone who is less than 21, or in some cases 25 years of age. The law is that for a fully licensed and insured driver they are permitted to drive from the age of eighteen years. From the age of nineteen years they are permitted to drive a motor-cycle with an engine less than 125cc. To ride a motor-cycle with an engine larger this the rider must show proof the he has ridden a motor-cycle, less than 125cc, for at least two years. A person who drives a vehicle is guilty of a very serious offence if he is not licensed to drive that group of vehicles or if he is not fully covered by an insurance policy to drive it. The owner of a vehicle who allows someone to drive the vehicle who does not have a valid license is guilty of a serious offense. The penalty for either of these offenses is normally about CI$1,500 and the loss of the driving license for 12 months for both the driver and the owner of the vehicle. A person who is newly resident on the island and has a full valid driving licence from another country can, with certain exceptions, obtain a full Caymanian licence after passing the theory test. He/she would not need to take the practical road test, provided they obtained the Cayman licence within three months. If they applied after three months it is necessary to take the theory test, obtain a provisional licence and then take the practical road test. This quite expensive and considerable delays will occur and one cannot drive until after the tests have been completed. A new resident may NOT use a Visitor’s Permit here after having obtained a work permit for example. It is a Visitor’s Permit. Anyone who applies for a driving licence or applies to obtain a full Cayman licence on the strength of a full licence from abroad and knows he is disqualified from driving and holding a licence in that country is committing an extremely serious offence. 19

TRAFFIC LAWS A genuine visitor to Cayman may obtain a Visitor’s Permit by producing a license currently valid from another country and paying the appropriate fee. A permit may be obtained from one of the Driving License offices or from a car rental company. Note however, the car rental companies may only issue the permit if a vehicle is rented at the same time. If a visitor is to use a privately owned vehicle, then the visitor’s permit must be obtained, issued by a Driving License office. These offices are open only on weekdays. The holder of an International Driving License issued in another country may use that license freely in the Cayman Islands. The holder of a full Caymanian license may apply for an International Driving License issued in Cayman. This will be valid for a period of twelve months. Note: It is only renewable here in the Cayman Islands. Likewise, it may not be used as a regular license here as its purpose is to simplify driving in a foreign country. Any person applying for a driving license may have to declare he is not suffering from a physical disability. If the medical certificate shows that the disability is controlled then the applicant may be granted a license. The Director of Licensing may require any applicant to provide a medical certificate stating he is not suffering from any disability.

If the holder of a Caymanian license suffers from a disability, the Director of Licensing may serve a notice revoking the license previously obtained. Any driver whose eyesight deteriorates to the extent that he cannot comply with the requirements of an eyesight test will have his license revoked unless it improves sufficiently when it is corrected, by wearing spectacles. A provisional (learner's) learners license for a mature person is officially limited to a periodof six months, after which it may be renewed for a further period of six months. No renewal after this is allowed unless the applicant has taken a practical road test.

A full driving license will be issued for either three, five or ten years. No further practical road test are required on renewal.

TRAFFIC LAWS ~L'plates 'L' plates must be displayed on the front and rear of a vehicle when, and only when, a provisional license holder is driving the vehicle. Note: The plates should NOT be placed on the front windscreen or in the rear window, especially when these would obscure the view of the driver or the qualified driver sitting in the front passenger seat.

'L' plates must be of the correct size. The red 'L' must be 4 inches high, 3.5 inches wide and should be on a white background of 7 inches by 7 inches. Note: Trimmingaway the white background to make the plate less conspicuous defeats the object and the red 'L' alone is not an 'L' plate.

Driving procedures No vehicle is to be left unattended with the engine running. Note: It is common practice for diesel engined vehicles to be parked with the engine running in contravention of the law. » No vehicle is permitted to stand on a path or road where it may cause unnecessary obstruction or danger to other persons. » All vehicles must give way to pedestrians on pedestrian crossings. » No vehicle may be parked within forty-five (45)feet of the APPROACH to a pedestrian crossing as indicated by the position of red studs. Parking is not permitted within fifteen (15)feet of a corner of a road or a junction. » No vehicle may be parked on a road marked with yellow lines. » Goods vehicles may park along yellow lines for a period of 15 minutes for the purpose of loading or unloading. » No vehicle may be driven in a one-way street except in the correct direction unless told to do so by a policeman, at a special event for example. » All vehicles must give way to emergency vehicles; police, fire service and ambulances. » All vehicles must pull over and stop when a school bus is picking up or setting down passengers. »

An overtaking vehicle must always pass on the right side of the vehicle being overtaken except: » In a one-way street, » When a vehicle in front is turning right, » When instructed to do so by a police officer.

TYRES Tyres

The tread on all tyres must have a depth of one millimeter around the circumference and across seventy five per cent of the width. The spare wheel in the trunk must also comply with these limits and MUST we properly inflated. So check it at least once a week. Tyres are damaged when striking pot holes and kerbs. This damage is often difficult to see. If a tyre is damaged it can suddenly ‘blow’ and you may find your car or truck is out of control. Fatal accidents are frequently recorded, especially in North America or Europe. Any tyre more than ten years old should be scrapped.

Wear on tyres should not exceed these limits

25% of its breadth. This requirement also includes the spare wheel. Radial tyres must not be mixed with other types on the same axle. If radial tyres are fitted, then all tyres, including the spare, must be radial.

The circumference is the whole of the tread around the wheel. This tyre has no tread This one has one millimetre of tread

3/4 of the width of the tyre must have a good tread

MORE ON TYRES Tyres The spare wheel on many vehicles is a 'space saver wheel'. This means it is much smaller than the vehicle's other wheels to save room in the trunk (boot) in the area of the car where the wheel is stored. If you get a flat tyre and replace the normal wheel with a space saver wheel, be aware that the vehicle's handling will be affected. This is especially true if it is put in the front wheel position. The vehicle's steering will be adversely affected.

Space saver wheels are not designed to be used over long distances. They should only be used to get you home or to a place where your flat tyre can be repaired or replaced. Drive carefully and do not exceed 30 mph (50 kph).

Tyre blowouts In the event of a tyre blowout: » » »

Don't brake fiercely but concentrate on steering, Slow down gradually by braking gently or downshifting until the car is under control, Pull to the side of the road.

Debris in the road Our roads are littered with all sorts of debris that has fallen from trucks. Cardboard boxes, styrofoam and small branches are not so bad but take great care with lumps of rock and metal, and coconuts! However, one of the worst things to drive over are pieces of wood. All too often pieces of wood look harmless but invariably have nails. Nails cause punctures and blowouts.

Aquaplaning Aquaplaning in some countries is known as hydroplaning - the same thing really. This occurs when there is a layer of water between the tyre and the road surface.

To prevent aquaplaning: » Check the tyres are correctly inflated on a regular basis. Scan ahead for large puddles or pools of water. » Reduce your speed, especially during heavy rain. If aquaplaning occurs: »

Decelerate (slow down) and drive in a straight direction. Never brake or swerve.

SEAT BELTS AND AIR BAGS Seat Belts Perhaps you have seen someone who has been thrown through a car windscreen and she has been cut to shreds or has received some other dreadful injuries you would get the feeling that you too should be amongst those who belt (buckle) up. A woman whom I met frequently on a business basis was indifferent, sometimes she did and sometimes she didn’t. Then one day her car was hit by another car. Luckily she was not injured. After that she always wore a seat belt. When we met she then pretended to put on a seat belt and quietly saying “Clunk Click, every trip.” And smiling at me! On a sunny day in England I was driving on a country road. I was suddenly overtaken by another car. The driver was well over the speed limit and in order to pass me, was on the other side of the road. Another car was coming towards us. There was no chance for anyone to avoid a nasty accident. The oncoming car was driven by a young woman who came through her windscreen. Her head an especially, her face were not a pretty sight. She was not wearing a seat belt. She will be badly disfigured for the rest of her life. The young man was wearing a seat belt but it had been put on for appearance and was too loose. He was complaining about his ribs. Another bystander was heard to say, “It was a pity it was not his neck.” The Police an ambulances were soon on the scene. After having given all particulars we were free to go.

Airbags Air bags, if used correctly, save lives. They are in a way, more effective than seat belts because you cannot forget to fit it on. Almost all cars these days are fitted with airbags. Airbags are an additional form of protection. The law says you MUST wear a seat belt even though you have airbags fitted. In the event of an accident an airbag deploys in one-fortieth of a second with explosive force to fully inflate before an adult body can hit the steering wheel or windscreen.

AIR BAGS AND CHILD SEATS Airbags Air bags, if used correctly, save lives. They are in a way, more effective than seat belts because you cannot forget to fit it on. Almost all cars these days are fitted with airbags. Airbags are an additional form of protection. The law says you MUST wear a seat belt even though you have airbags fitted. In the event of an accident an airbag deploys in one-fortieth of a second with explosive force to fully inflate before an adult body can hit the steering wheel or windscreen. The airbag does not have any means of knowing if a young child or an infant is in the front seat area. It is therefore the responsibility of the adult to place infants, toddlers or young children in the rear of the car, on a child booster seat or an infant's car seat. Each year countless accidents take the unfulfilled lives of some of these children - invariably in a gruesome way - some are even decapitated in an accident which could be just a twenty-five miles per hour fender bender ..

Child Booster Seats A problem here in Cayman is that a driver is sometimes asked to give someone a ride to town or elsewhere - and then it appears that the unexpected passenger has a child or infant with them and the car owner has no child or infant seats.

Youare NOT allowed to take children in your car unless your have the appropriate seat for their age group. When driving with young children in your car, remember that they are a most precious gift from God. Always fit them into a suitable child seat. Never ever allow them to be loose on the front seat. Drop a water melon on to the ground and it will split open and get smashed up. This is exactly what would happen to a baby's skull in the event they were loose on the front seat or in someone's arms. In a fender bender, even with each car going at only 20 mph, the impact is such that a twenty-pound child has the effective weight of maybe one hundred and twenty pounds, possibly more. No mother on this earth could hold that child safely.

Take the advice of experts in the matter of infant’s seats and child’s booster seats. Don’t ask me. Visit a specialist store such as The Baby Shoppe. 25

PASSING SCHOOL BUSES General rules for passing school buses You are not allowed to overtake, or pass a school bus on either side of the road when it is taking on, or letting off, passengers. You MUST stop until all of the children are clear of the road and the bus has moved off. The meaning of a broken white line in the centre of the road is that you can overtake with care and that it marks the centre of the road. A yellow line in the centre of the road means you must not park on either side of the road. Young school children should be expected to do foolish things. Adult drivers who are supposed to be mature must be responsible for the safety of all kids. Some time ago a teenage school kid who had been used to getting off a yellow school bus and running across the road as all road traffic should have come to a stop. One day, instead traveling on a school bus she rode on a regular bus. When it stopped to let her off she dashed across the busy road near Ocean Club in her usual fashion. A car hit her and she was in a coma for almost a week. She recovered but sadly was never as sharp as she had been. The moral is two fold. First, be very careful when passing a stationery bus. Second, parents and schools should teach all children the different rules for the different types of bus.

LARGE TRUCKS Large trucks and buses It is not easy to handle a large truck. Some are heavy, hard to steer and have many gears to change, generally making them cumbersome. Pay close attention to truck indicators when you are driving behind or alongside them. Trucks often have to make wide turns and must have an open space on the side to manoeuvre by turning, first opposite to the direction of the intended turn, and then swinging across in the direction they wish to go.

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Remember also that it will take you longer to overtake a truck than a car. Be sure to move into a space in front of the truck only when you can see your rear view mirror.

Large trucks need special consideration so watch their indicators. Don’t get squeezed between a large truck and a pavement. 27

VEHICLE LIGHTS Vehicles are not permitted to have any external light unless it is white, red, or amber. Vehicles must have red reflectors fitted on the rear of the vehicle. Blue spotlights at the front are unlawful. All lights must be fixed ie. no light is permitted to be movable when the vehicle is being driven except that beam of a headlight may be on ‘full’ or ‘dipped’. Headlights must be capable of being dipped to the left. The lights on most American Cars dip to the right which is unlawful when in the Cayman Islands. No light other than headlights, stop-lights, hazard lights or indicators may be more than seven watts. No red light may be on the front of a vehicle nor may a white light be on the rear with the exception of a reversing light. No amber light is to be visible from the rear with the exception of the indicators. No lights may be less than 18 inches no more than four feet from the ground. NOTE: Some SUVs have lights over four feet from the ground which is unlawful. Pedal cycles must have a front and rear light plus a rear reflector. In addition, motorcycles must have a stoplight and a rear number plate light. This book is directed to car drivers and drivers or other vehicles. The Cayman Islands Traffic Law requires all cycles to be fitted with lights. However, since cycle lights are easily removed it is a long time since these have been seen. So when you driving between dusk and dawn, take care be vigilant. If you are parking in George Town and cannot see a yellow line on the side of the road, make sure you are allowed to park there by looking for a NO PARKING sign. When you park your car at night and there are no parking spaces in a parking lot, you should find a well-lit street within 20 yards of a street light.

DRIVER’S & VEHICLE INSURANCE Driver’s Insurance Many policies specify that a fully licensed driver {one who has passed the driving test) is NOT covered until they can prove they have had their full license for more than one year. Note: Most vehicle insurance policies cover only the vehicle. In the event of an accident the insurance company may excuse itself from all liability if it happens that the vehicle was towing an unlicensed and uninsured traile~ stating that the additional load was the cause of the accident.

Where the owner of a vehicle intends that a person under the general age limit is to drive the vehicle agreement MUST be made with the insurance company and the name of the young driver must be listed on a revised Certificate of Insurance. Note: What is generally known as an 'open insurance policy' does NOT cover fully licensed drivers under the age limit or with less experience set by the insurance company nor learner drivers of any age.

Third Party risks means any injury or damage to any other person or their property. A policy covering only Third Party risks does NOT cover damage to ones own vehicle. Insurance companies issue temporary cover notes whilst the full policy documents are prepared, often overseas. The Insurance Law specifies that a cover note is for a period of fifteen days. Note: One-day cover notes may not be legally valid but are often issued by Insurance companies in Cayman. This is a pity as one-day cover notes encourages drivers to drive without insurance until the day of their practical road test.

All vehicles and trailers used on the road must have an insurance policy that is current and valid for all Third Party risks. Note: Most insurance policies state the minimum age that a fully licensed driver must be to be covered. A driver holding a provisional license is not covered by the insurance policy unless agreement has been made with the insurance company and the name of the learner driver has been listed on the Certificate of Insurance.

Emergency Vehicles

It is the duty of every driver to pull over to the side of the road and to take any necessary avoiding action to clear the path for any emergency vehicle as soon as they are seen or their sirens are heard. 29

BEFORE YOU SET OFF This part of the book includes information and ideas you should be aware of BEFORE you go out on the road.

Getting settled in the car When you first get into the driver's seat you should: 1. Adjust the position of the seat so your feet can reach the pedals easily.

2. 3.

4. 5. 6.

(Never, ever, adjust the position of the seat with the engine running, the car in gear and your foot on the footbrake). Position your right foot so it can move easily from the accelerator (gas) pedal to the brake pedal. Adjust the interior rear-view mirror so that you can see through the rear window without moving your head. Do not adjust the mirror while the car is moving. Pull in, stop and then adjust it. Adjust the head restraint. Put on the seat belt. Hold the wheel in the 'ten-to-two position. The hands should hold the wheel in the same position as the hands on a clock/ace.

5 6

Rear-view

mirror

You are expected to look into your rear-view mirror at least five times every minute. When you are in heavy traffic or there appears to be a lot happening, you should look even more frequently. Your only responsibility is to safety and driving properly, not passing the time of day.

Remember before turning, or making a manoeuvre: Mirror, indicator, and then make the manoeuvre if it is safe to do so. 30

ABOUT YOUR CAR Steering wheel When you are driving normally, you should be holding the steering wheel in a relaxed manner. You should not have to hold on to the wheel like grim death to save yourself from falling out of the car side window!! As shown in the illustration below, the steering wheel should be held in the "ten-to-two" position. The hands should hold the wheel fairly gently, not as if the right hand and the left hand were in competition to steer the car. Shuffle the wheel through your hands when turning a corner. Do not hold the wheel rigidly and turn your hands into a tangled knot as you will have reduced control. When you are driving around a corner you obviously need to turn the wheel in the appropriate direction. You must not 'palm' it. When you are straightening up you MUST NOT let the wheel spin through your hands. Your instructor will show you how to do this correctly.

The driver's hands are basically correct

The driver has now turned the wheel to go around the corner but held on to it. This is a dangerous habit 31

IN THE DRIVING SEAT Vehicle checks Get into the habit of checking your car on a frequent basis for dead light bulbs. You can easily set the indicators flashing, walk around the car and make sure they are all working. Check that the horn sounds loudly. When you fill up with gas, in addition to checking the oil and fluid levels, ask the attendant to see that the rear brake lights are working. Regular checking of the pressures and the condition of the tyres is important.

Car controls Your driving instructor will ensure you understand how to use all of the controls in the car. When you sit into an unfamiliar car, ask someone to explain the controls so that you can see how to use and adjust everything.

Instrument

panel warning

lights

It is always important to understand the purpose of the warning lights on the instrument panel. Some relate to functions on the car that would only cause inconvenience if a problem persisted, but others warn you that your car could have a major defect. If the oil pressure warning or water temperature warning light comes on you should stop the engine at once and find a good mechanic.

Yet other warning lights are of vital importance from the safety point of view, such as the brake oil level and handbrake (emergency brake) warning lights. Many drivers think that if the brake warning light is lit they should check that the handbrake is down. If it is still lit, they believe there must be a problem with the wiring. Not so. It is most likely that the brake oil level is dangerously low.

Loose articles Before setting out on a journey, however short, check there are no loose articles in the car that could cause injury if you have to stop quickly. Heavy articles are sometimes left on the rear seat or inside the rear window, or drivers take off their shoes and leave them beside their seat. Heavy articles could cause a head injury in the event of sudden braking. Shoes or an empty soda drink can on the floor can get under the pedals and prevent you from braking or accelerating properly. Some drivers clutter up their rear windows with soft toys of all types. It just shows a juvenile mind and a poor concept of safe driving to needlessly block your view of other cars on the road. Don't do it. 32

GEARS & CLUTCHES Gear lever in standard

shift cars

A manual, or standard shift car, has a different type of gearbox, which is simpler mechanically, but driving is slightly more involved. Every time the engine speed becomes too high, you have to change into a higher gear using a third pedal, the clutch. This action reduces the engine speed to reasonable limits. Your instructor can show you how to drive a standard shift car if you need to use one.

Clutch The clutch on a standard shift car is operated by the left foot. It is used to enable the gears to be changed. Press the pedal down fully, change the gear and then release the clutch slowly. Do not rest your foot on the clutch pedal while driving steadily along the road as it will cause needless wear. If stopped on an uphill slope, do not use the clutch to hold the car stationary. Use the handbrake instead.

Using the gears When driving down a long hill, reduce your speed and change to a lower gear. The engine will provide some braking effect. Remember, if you ride the brakes, these may overheat and when you want them most they may be non-effective. » Avoid over-revving the engine when changing to a lower gear. » Always slow down in gusty crosswinds. Slowing down will allow much better control. » Make sure the car is completely stopped before changing into reverse. If it is difficult to shift into reverse, select neutral, release the clutch momentarily and try again. » Be careful when accelerating, changing gear or braking on slippery surfaces. The abrupt change in engine speed can cause the drive wheels to spin or skid. » If you are overtaking or intending to move into a fast moving traffic flow, maximum acceleration may be necessary. Make sure you do not over rev the engine. »

Automatic

and Standard

gear shifts

DRIVING PROCEEDURES STARTING OFF General driving

Remember the sequence of Mirror, Indicators and Manouevre. Always check your mirror first; then use your indicators and follow this by making the manouevre. Do not forget to check the blindspots if changing lanes. This should always be your routine when you get in your car.

CLUNK-CLICK, EVERY TRIP Rear-view

mirror

You should check your rear-view mirror every twelve seconds at least. It should become part of your way of driving a car. It is no effort to check your rear-view mirror if is properly adjusted. When it is set correctly, you will see traffic moving behind you even if you are looking ahead at the road in front. Any movement that occurs behind you will be noticed and will alert you to look carefully to see what is happening. You should also check your mirror every time you want to manoeuvre your car.

Blinds pots The blindspots are any area behind the car that you cannot see by looking in the rear-view mirror. Check the blindspots in the road by looking over your shoulder. Looking into the rear-view mirror is not good enough. Remember there are two blindspots; look especially into the one where there may be cars coming past you.

Starting the car Never start the car until you have put on your seatbelt and closed the door securely. The following is the correct procedure:

Automatic cars: » Put the gear lever in Park and put the handbrake on. Standard shift cars: » Put the gear lever in Neutral and put the handbrake on.

STOPPING Stopping distances Below are examples of stopping distances so that you realise that the faster you drive, the greater the distance it takes for the car to come to a complete stop. Notice how the distance quickly gets much greater as the speed increases. Students, if you can remember your math at school you will realise this increase is exponential. For those who cannot recall their time in the math class, then just believe what is printed here. The stopping distance at 30 mph is 75 feet. The stopping distance at 40 mph is 120 feet. The stopping distance at 50 mph is 175 feet. SPEED

(mph)~

- __ §'_.4.__,;;:__~0;;..$&4 30ft 75ft

--~§'

...4.._ _____ 40ft

---

You for t MUST k he t heo now thi ry te s rtJA...;;;._..;;'o';.,:t,a. st

~f'-'!'•~----------~_;__,;;.6'.._. 50ft

17511

- - - - - .g}); o' ~6~01::-1 4 _______________

iJiD;::;.

__;::...;:~~240ft 4

It takes almost three quarters of a second for the body to react ... » » »

for the eye to see the danger. for the mind to decide some action needs to be taken, for the foot to move to the brake.

This is known as the 'Thinking Time'. In three quarters of a second the car will travel 10 feet for every 10 miles per hour car speed. If you are tired or have been drinking, your reaction time will be longer. The time taken for the brakes to pull you to a stop is the 'Braking Time' and at 20 mph on dry roads and with everything in your favour, you will still travel 45ft.

On wet roads or where there is a bad surface, the stopping

time doubles.

'Stopping Distance'= 'Thinking Distance'+ 'Braking Distance'. At 30 mph the car will move 75ft. from the moment you see danger before it comes to a halt.

PLACES WHERE YOU MUST STOP Emergency Stop To make an emergency stop, either as practice or for real, apply the brakes hard. (Do not indicate or waste time looking in the mirror. You should know what is behind you at all times anyway!!). Hold the wheel firmly. Bring the car to a complete stop and under full control, in a straight line. Do NOT swerve to avoid hitting anything in the road as you are likely to end up skidding and losing control of the car and having a worse accident.

Do NOT stamp down on the pedal in a panic when you are told by your instructor or examiner to apply the brakes hard, as you are likely to skid. Instead apply the brakes very quickly, very firmly, increasing the pressure all of the time, ensuring the wheels do not lock. You should stop so fast your eyeballs rattle Remember. Do NOT let the car skid!. When a car is skidding, you have lost control, and anyway it will not stop as quickly with the tyres scraping on the road as it would if the brakes were binding the wheels. After an accident has been avoided you will want to move off. Do this correctly by checking your mirror and then indicate. Look over your shoulder into your blindspot. Now, and only now, should you move off.

Places where or when you must stop: At a Stop sign, » At an amber (yellow) or red traffic light, » At a pedestrian crossing when someone is crossing, » If involved in an accident, » When signaled to stop by a policeman in uniform, » When a school bus is picking up or setting down passengers. »

Students, remember this well: Many of our roads do not have STOP signs or lines at road junctions. You may not be able to see them, your instructor will not be able to see them, but you can bet your last dollar the driving examiner can and he will fail you if you do not stop correctly.

Stop lines The continuous white lines across the road at a junction mean Stop. It is the EXACT place where you MUST stop. Do not stop well before the white lines on the road at misplaced Stop signs and then creep forward. In Cayman very many Stop signs are set quite a distance from the line. Driving examiners will fail you for stopping away from the line. If there is another car behind you, the driver may be surprised if you stop short, and may not be able to avoid hitting you. 36

PLACES WHERE YOU MUST STOP Drivers often go straight through Stop signs and over the white lines when driving, especially in residential areas. When asked, “Why didn’t you stop at the white line?” they often reply, “There was no traffic coming.” You MUST ALWAYS stop. If you drive a few feet over the white lines you may be hit by a truck travelling along the major road in front of you.

Coming to a halt too far from the white lines makes it difficult to see cars in the main road. The two cars that are hidden from view are accidents in the making.

Coming to a stop on the white lines in the correct position enables you to see cars on the main road, positioned in the same places.

Stop lines are the EXACTplace to stopl 37

STOP & GIVE-WAY SIGNS Stop Signs It is necessary to be absolutely clear about something very simple.

Stop signs mean what they say-STOPI You can see in Cayman, many drivers find it very difficult to obey this simple law. Stop signs can be modified with additional words on a plate underneath such as 3-way or 4-way. There is a $50 reward for any reader who finds a STOP sign with a plate with the words, "If you feel like it." You must stop, absolutely dead still - even if you can see the junction is totally clear because the sign must be obeyed. By dead still, we mean dead still. The only thing that should be moving is your heart going, boom didi boom.

Give-way

Signs

These are different. You must look in each direction as you approach the junction to see the traffic ahead. Having done that and before you reach the junction, make up your mind whether or not you have to stop or can proceed through the junction.

If there is something coming you MUST stop. However, if there is nothing on the crossing road, you MUST NOT stop. A vehicle travelling behind you, seeing it is clear, will assume you will drive straight through.

If you stop needlessly, the car behind could hit you in the rear. It is his fault as you always have to avoid hitting the car in front, whatever they are doing. However, he will be really mad with you and ask, "Why did you stop?" It is no good saying you stopped since you had spotted a friend. Never stop just before a junction, on the junction or immediately past it. Always pull over to a good, safe place before stopping. If you realise you have made a mistake and should be braking to let a car through you had not previously observed, then do not hesitate, brake hard.

RIGHT AND LEFT-HAND TURNS Right-hand turn from main road to side road (Diagram A shows the correct procedure but Diagram B is incorrect and is dangerous.) Check your mirror and indicate right. Move over to the centre line of the road, if there is one, or where one should be. This will enable vehicles behind you to pass on the left if there is adequate room. (Note that vehicles should not drive on the marl at the side of the road to squeeze past). Allow all approaching traffic to come through first. Check both your rear-view and side mirrors to make sure you are not being overtaken! Make the turn as shown in Diagram A adjusting your speed as necessary but do not cut the corner or cross over the white lines Note: The reason you should look into your mirrors before making the turn is that although you may have indicated right your rear indicators may have failed to work properly or the sun may be shining on it; just when an impatient driver decides you are going too slowly and wants to overtake! Diagram ‘A’, correct right-hand turn procedure

Diagram ‘B’, incorrect right-hand turn procedure 39

RIGHT AND LEFT-HAND TURNS Left-hand turn from main road to side road Check your mirror and indicate left. Ensure there are no approaching vehicles cutting across in front of you. Check your mirror again. Make the turn, adjusting your speed as necessary and giving way to any pedestrians crossing the road into which you are turning. Note: Be extremely careful as pedestrians are more often than not making a phone call or sending a text message on a smart-phone and are oblivious to traffic, and anyway, they believe that if they walk in front of you that your vehicle will miraculously stop.

Turning on to a main road This is the same procedure as a T-junction described on page 36, but the point to be emphasized here is the danger from other drivers who think they are high-speed hot-shots. Drivers often look to the right to ensure the road is clear, glance to the left and drive out on to the main road. That look to the left must search every time for cars in the opposite lane with impatient drivers who are just about to overtake slower moving cars in front of them. These drivers are wrong if they are overtaking near a junction. What if you are coming out from a private property or from a concealed exit they had not noticed? It is up to everyone to drive carefully

Danger points on left turns

RIGHT RIGHTAND ANDLEFT-HAND LEFT-HAND TURNS Sadly, many houses are beside a road junction have walls, fences and light poles right up to the property lines. This makes it difficult to see traffic on a twisty main road when you are coming from a side road. Consider that you are wishing to proceed on to the main road being stationary at the STOP line. Try this some time; park your car in a safe position from the junction. Count how many seconds it takes from being stationary at the STOP line to moving forward on to the main road and building up speed to that of the traffic already moving on it. You will be surprised at the time it takes. Now if the main road you are entering has a few twists and turns in it do you believe you can get up to speed without causing the approaching traffic to brake, (Read the story on page 38). Now think of the young hot shots who are certain they are invincible and seem to care little for their own lives and nothing for yours.

Light poles and shrubs obscure vision - SO BE VIGILANT

T-JUNCTIONS T-junctions

Check your mirror and indicate the direction you wish to turn. Stop on the lines in the correct position. If you are turning right at the junction keep

close to the centre line on the approach road. Do not hug the left hand edge of the road and then turn hard right. This is very dangerous as cars behind you may be surprised at your action and hit you.

Look carefully to the right and left, and then to the right again. If you have been looking to one side while the traffic is coming towards you, it is imperative to look to the other side again. You are looking out for vehicles that maybe driving towards you, but also for pedestrians who may wander across your path. Move off when the road is clear. As you are driving across the junction, do not just look ahead. Keep your head moving by looking to the right and to the left as well as to the front! Cars come from nowhere and if you are not careful, one can be upon you before you know it.

Turning right at a T' iunction 1

DANGEROUS T-JUNCTIONS RIGHT AND LEFT-HAND TURNS Give way at the junction unless it is a Stop junction where you MUST stop. Use your indicators as appropriate for the direction you wish to travel. Having stopped at the junction you MUST check to the right and then to the left and then right again. Having ensured that it is clear you can proceed across it. You must keep glancing to the right and to the left as well as looking ahead while crossing the junction. Having reached to the traffic lane on the main road get up to the speed of the traffic flow as soon as possible. If you are behind a car at the stop sign and the driver in front pulls into the main road you can move up to the line but you MUST stop. You must not follow the other car through, or dribble through but make a full stop yourself. T-junctions where the road curves back on each side are very common in Cayman and should be given extra caution. There may be hot a shot driver, tearing along and could suddenly be in your path and hit your car, must likely in a head on crash.

DANGEROUS T-JUNCTIONS When you want to join a busy road and get into a stream of traffic moving quickly you must stop at the junction of the side road with the main road. If it has a giveway sign and broken lines instead of stop lines then slow down but make certain it is clear before proceeding. Realise that what you must do is to join the road and get into the raffic flow and trhen watch the speed of the main roa traffic as soon as possible.

YOU MUST NOT move into the main road very slowly. YOU MUST NOT cause the traffic on the main road to slow down because you have moved into a position in front of them.

Always use your indicators when turning at a junction. You will often find that you are held up at a junction unnecessarily when a car you were waiting for to come past suddenly turns off before it reaches you, but without using indicators. At many junctions, especially where the roads are dual carriageways, U-turns are forbidden. Traffic islands are frequently found where the intention is to keep opposing traffic flows safely apart.

DRIVING ON THETURNS MARL RIGHT AND LEFT-HAND Lines on the left side of the road

Take the occasions when you are driving along the road, and although it is not terribly narrow, the road cannot to be considered to be two-lanes in your direction. A car in front of you has to make a right turn across the oncoming traffic and stops until it is clear. What do ninety per cent of drivers here do? They swerve to the left over the edge of the road line and hit the marl and push past on the left. The amount of time that is saved is next to nothing and in a hundred yards or so you have caught up with the vehicles that were in front of you. It shows impatience and impatience is synonymous with immaturity.

Never drive over the edge

Just imagine you are driving in a mountainous country and the edge of the road is on the side with a drop of thousands of feet into the valley below. It is an exaggeration but it makes the point that you should not drive over the edge of the road lines. Especially if you are not concentrating If you did it on a driving test you would certainly fail. 45

TAILGATING What do we mean by tailgating? It is when another vehicle, driven by an absolute menace, sits on your tail or rear bumper. They get so close one cannot see their license plate number. It is particularly unpleasant at night. Impatient drivers who tailgate are in too much of a hurry to realise how foolish they are.

The blue car is too close

What should you do when this happens? Pull over to the left as much as you can and hope the impatient driver overtakes you.

You are required by law to leave one car’s length for every ten miles an hour of your speed if the conditions are good. If it is wet or the road surface is poor then double the distance.

View in your side mirror

TAILGATING RIGHT AND LEFT-HAND TURNS Two second Rule One way of checking the distance between your car and the car in front is to remember the two second rule. The minimum time between yourself and the car in front must be at least two seconds - that is on good dry road conditions. You can check the gap by observing the car I front passing a lamp pole or other marker on the road. Ensure you pass the same spot more than two seconds later. If someone cuts in the gap, then back off again. It will not affect your journey time and the object is to reach your destination in one piece. Consider this scenario. You are driving normally but are looking for a house you wish to visit. When you see it you indicate, slow down and turn into the house carefully ensuring it is safe to do so. The menace behind you has not kept his correct distance and slams into the rear of your car.

Do NOT lose your cool and be distracted from your own good driving standards as this is developing, take action if you can.

Four second Rule In bad weather, when the road is wet or slippery, to or if you are towing a trailer, you need to increase the time and distance. These should be doubled as it will take you longer to stop or take other actions if you need to. How do you check four seconds.Count 1001, 1002, 1003 and 1004.

ROUNDABOUTS Many drivers seem to have trouble with roundabouts so we should look at the basic ideas. Careful drivers have to deal with the bad driving of some other drivers. Every time you come to a roundabout you MUST give it your full attention. You cannot safely drive on to a roundabout having a conversation or arguing with kids in the back of the car, telling them to be quiet. The fundamental points to note are that you MUST: 1. Use your indicators to drive on to and to drive off a roundabout, 2. If you are intending to turn to the left then approach the roundabout in the left lane. If you intend to travel more than half way around then you MUST be in the right hand lane. If you are traveling straight on, then you may be in either lane. 3. You have to observe the movement of all others cars so you must look around. Glancing in the rearview mirror is not good enough. 4. Watch out for those in the right-hand lane indicating they intend to move to the left. If they are on your right and slightly ahead then they have the right of way. YOU MUST NOT OVERTAKE on a roundabout.

Remember, when entering a roundabout, the car on your right, in the lane you intend to get into, has the right of way. Having exits with only one lane coming off a multilane roundabout is a recipe for an accident. Drivers in Cayman do not merge lanes well. The road designers say it is a driving problem but drivers say otherwise.

The new three-lane roundabouts One should drive on to these in exactly the same way as any other multilane roundabout but you have to exercise much more care. If you know in advance where you intend to drive it is a great help but if you do not know which direction to take until you are on the roundabout then you could be in trouble. No doubt in the fullness of time when the construction is complete and the direction signs are all in place it will be better If you are a newly qualified driver it would help if you had a passenger to follow through with you. 48

ROUNDABOUTS RIGHT AND LEFT-HAND TURNS

How to indicate when approaching or are on a roundabout Ask yourself the question, "Am I turning to the left or to the right at the fork or split in the road ahead?"

Remember, every ;unction has a place where the road divides into two. If like the blue car, you are turning left, then indicate left. If like the red car, you are driving on to the next exit or the one beyond, then you are heading right at the fork, so indicate right. At the exit before the one you wish to use to leave the roundabout, always indicate left to show you are leaving the roundabout.

SINGLE-LANE (MINI}

If you are turning

ROUNDABOUTS

left at the roundabout

Signal left, well before you reach the white give-way lines. Ensure there are no other vehicles already on the roundabout coming from your right. If there are, then wait. When it is clear, make the left turn and exit the roundabout.

SLOW DOWN when you to give yourself time If you are going 'straight' Signal right, well before you reach the white give-way lines. Ensure there are no other vehicles already on the roundabout coming from your right. If there are, then wait. When it is clear enter the roundabout. Signal left as soon as you drive past the first exit. Leave on the exit that leads straight through.

through the roundabout

SINGLE-LANE {MINI)

ROUNDABOUTS

If you are turning right at the roundabout Signal right, well before you reach the white give-way lines entering the roundbout. Ensure there are no other vehicles already on the roundabout coming from your right. If there are, then wait. When clear enter the roundabout. Signal left as soon as you drive past the exit before the one you wish to leave on. Leave on the exit, leading to the road you intend to travel on.

are on a mini-roundabout to indicate correctly A specific case on the West Bay Road Here we have a single-lane roundabout. Car 'A' should indicate right as it tells those coming off the by-pass, led by Car 'B', that it is heading to town and will be moving across their path. They must give way, but a safe driver would doublecheck his indicators are operating correctly. Car 'C', from George Town, has to give way to any cars coming off the by-pass, such as Car 'D' approaching from the right and turning towards West Bay. 51

TWO-LANE ROUNDABOUTS

If you are turning left at the roundabout Indicate left, well before you reach the white give-way lines entering the roundabout. You MUST be in the left lane. If you have to move into the left hand lane, make sure you indicate in good time and look over your left shoulder. Ensure there are no other vehicles already on the roundabout, approaching from the right and are in the lane you want to use. If there are, wait for them to pass. When it is clear, move forward keeping in the outer left lane of the roundabout and turn into the road you wish to leave on.

Safety note If you were approaching the roundabout in the incorrect, right hand lane DO NOT attempt at a late stage to cut across to the left hand exit. You MUST go around the roundabout and exit correctly. 52

TWO-LANE ROUNDABOUTS

If you are going 'straight'

through the roundabout

You can be in either lane if you are going' straight' through a multilane roundabout although there are slight differences in the procedure dependant on whether you approach the roundabout in the left or right lane.

If you are in the right lane as you approach the roundabout: Signal right to show your intention to move into the centre (right) lane of the roundabout. » Ensure there are no other vehicles already on the roundabout, approaching from your right. » When you are level with the first exit indicate left, check over your left shoulder and ensure it is clear and then move into the left outer lane to exit. So many drivers do not check properly and pay for their carelessness. » Leave on the exit leading straight through. If possible use the right-hand lane on the road you are entering. »

ACCIDENT PREVENTION

Remember it is not the vehicle you can see that is going to hit you, but the one that is behind the one you can see. Look for it. 53

TWO-LANE ROUNDABOUTS

If you are turning right at the roundabout Signal right, well before you reach the white give-way lines entering the roundabout. You MUST be in the right hand lane. Signal left as soon as you pass the exit before the one you wish to leave on. Look over your left shoulder for cars overtaking on the outer lane. Move left into the outer lane without slowing down. Leave on the exit leading to the road you intend to travel on. If possible use the right-hand lane on the road you are entering.

Never avoid using the centre circle {inner} lane on the roundabout by just driving all the way round on the outer {left) lane. Drivers who do this are a major contributor to accidents. They are dinosaurs.

TWO-LANE ROUNDABOUTS

This example is if you are driving all the way around the roundabout to return in the direction you have just come from. You MUST approach the roundabout in the right hand lane so indicate right, well before you reach the white give-way lines entering the roundabout. Continue in the right-hand inner lane. As you reach the exit before the one you wish to leave on signal left. Look over your left shoulder for cars overtaking on the outer lane. Adjust your speed to safely enter a gap in the left outer lane. Move over carefully. Beware of cars entering the roundabout from your left. Leave on the exit leading in the direction you wish to take. In the general case take the right-hand lane on the road you have just entered. The exception to this is if you need to take an immediate left turn to reach the License Office. If you mistakenly find you are in the wrong, right-hand lane, you may find a bunch of cars overtaking you on your left making it impossible to get into the License Office safely. The ONLY remedy is to travel to the next roundabout and come back. Do NOT brake and stop until you can change lanes. Cars coming up behind you are most likely to hit you in the rear. 55

THREE-LANE ROUNDABOUTS

IF YOU FIND YOU HAVE NOT DRIVEN IN THE CORRECT LANE APPROACHING THE ROUNDABOUT DO NOT MAKE A SUDDEN CHANGE TO CORRECT THE MISTAKE. THIS IS TOO DANGEROUS FOR YOU AND OTHERS. DRIVE ON TO WHERE YOU CAN TURN AROUND SAFELY. APPROACH THE ROUNDABOUT CORRECTLY.

TO TURN LEFT:

You must approach in the left lane and indicate left

NOTE

Use and obey the white signs indicating the way to flow around the roundabout.

THREE -LANE ROUNDABOUTS

TO DRIVE STRAIGHT AHEAD:

Look for signs and road markings indicating which lane to use. Approach the roundabout in a lane indicating straight ahead. Indicate left to exit roundabout.

TURNING TO THE RIGHT:

Use the right hand lane to approach the roundabout and indicate right. Indicate left on reaching the exit before the exit youwish to use 57

DANGER POINTS ON ROUNDABOUTS A POOR DRIVER OVERTAKES AND PULLS ACROSS THE PATH OFA VEHICLE EXITING CORRECTLY

Danger points on roundabouts

A common cause of accidents on roundabouts is aggressive driving. Assume you are approaching a roundabout in the blue car on a two-lane road, say the by-pass coming past the Humane Society. You intend to take the second exit to travel on the Harquail by-pass so you approach the roundabout in the right-hand lane (it would be equally correct to be in the left-hand lane if taking the first or second exit, but not the third. When you are level with the first exit to Eastern Avenue, indicate left, check over your left shoulder and see if it is clear and move into the left (outer) lane to exit. So many drivers do not check properly and pay for their carelessness. An aggressive driver, as shown in the sketch as the red car, is driving on the left (outer) lane, which is incorrect for where he intends to go. Even though your car is in front of his and you are on his right and you are indicating left, he persists in overtaking on the outer lane, as though he is in a hurry to get to the industrial area. If he maintains his course and you haven't spotted what he is doing, then you are likely to have a collision.

If this situation develops and you have seen the badly driven car, the correct action for you to take is to drive around the roundabout again and NOT turn off in front of the badly driven car. You might not make it if you do. The important lesson is to be observant of other vehicles at all times.

DANGER POINTS ON ROUNDABOUTS

CAR SEESTRUCK FROM THE RIGHT BUT THIS IS ON THE INSIDE LANE AND NOT INDICATING INTENTION TO EXIT, SO THE CAR CAN ENTER THE ROUNDABOUT

Danger points on roundabouts

TRUCK ENTERS RIGHT LANE ON ROUNDABOUT TO GO AROUND AT LEASTTO THE NEXT EXIT BUT DOES NOT INDICATE RIGHT

Suppose for example, you are leaving the industrial area and wish to drive to the Compass junction. Approach the Butterfield roundabout in the left lane and check to see if there is any traffic coming from the right in the lane you wish to enter. You observe traffic in the centre (inner) lane, traffic that is NOT indicating left that it intends to cross to the outer lane and exit also to the Compass. The outer lane you wish to use is clear.

As you are entering the roundabout and immediately exiting and a car or truck is NOT in your lane, you are allowed to come on to the roundabout. If you were wishing to travel on to Eastern Avenue, at the second exit, you have to be more cautious. If a car or truck is NOT in your lane and still a quarter circle away, you may drive on to the outer lane and continue around watching carefully to ensure the driver of the vehicle appears to be driving sensibly and not thinking he is on a race track. The danger arises when the traffic in the centre (inner) lane pulls across to the left (outer) lane without indicating or the driver not paying adequate attention. This danger can be applied to any two-lane roundabout, not just at the Butterfield roundabout but with 45 accidents in less than a year it is an accident black spot.

OVERTAKING Overtaking on a normal bi-directional road Overtaking is permitted on roads with two traffic lanes, one in each direction but certain conditions have to be met. There can be broken lines in the centre of the road. If the centre line is solid (continuous) then overtaking is NOT permitted under any circumstances. The procedure to overtake is:

1. 2.

5. 6.

7. 8.

Check your mirrors, Check the road in front of the vehicle to be overtaken, not only on your side of the road but also on the other side for approaching traffic. If you are certain you have sufficient space available then indicate right to show your intention to overtake, Double-check your mirrors and the road in front. Make sure there are no bends, junctions, road works, parked cars or other obstructions that the vehicle in front will move to the right to avoid, Confirm your decision to overtake and then act on it, Increase your own speed, closing up on the vehicle in front, still maintaining one car length for every ten mph of your own vehicle's speed, Check your right-hand blindspot, pull out, allowing about three feet sideways space between you and the other vehicle. Do not pull out dramatically nor at too wide a distance, Pass the other vehicle and continue on before indicating your intention to pull in to your normal position on the road. Do NOT cut in, Complete the manoeuvre and return to your normal speed.

Remember you must not break the speed limit in order to overtake. "I was overtaking, officer", is no excuse for speeding. It is quite permissible for cars in line to pull out, cross over a broken centre line and proceed into an opening to the right. Drivers MUST make sure that for the duration of this manoeucvre there is no on-coming traffic nor is there any possibility of any on-coming traffic suddenly materializing.

Drivers who are following behind a vehicle that is turning into a side road or a driveway on the left all to often pull over to he right on the wrong side of the road and overtake the vehicle in fornt, even before it has turned into the side road. If there is a solid centre line in the road this is not only foolish but unlawful.

DO NOT OVERTAKE UNLESS IT IS SAFE TO DO 501 60

OVERTAKING Stay a safe distance behind the car or truck you want to overtake. The closer you are to it the less you can see ahead and the further you have to swing into the opposite lane in order to do so. You must be able to see far enough ahead in order to be able to pass the vehicle, move on past it, and then return to your own lane. Get it into your head that the vehicle you are passing is also travelling at maybe twenty or thirty miles per hour. This increases the distance ahead you must see is totally clear of traffic. Pull out only when you are certain it is safe to overtake. That means there must be no bends in the road. Bring to mind that it is much more difficult to see past traffic in front of you when you are driving a left-hand drive vehicle.

Correct Overtaking

Procedures

Incorrect Overtaking

Procedures 61

THREE POINT TURNS From point' N, approach the kerb where you wish to carry out the three-point turn. Check your mirror and indicate left. Pull over to the left hand kerb and come to a stop at point 'B'. Cancel the indicators. Check the car is in Drive and hold it on the brake. Check the road ahead is clear and in the mirror for traffic from behind. Indicate right and turn the wheel hard right. Check your blindspot by looking over your shoulder. When you are sure it is clear, move across the road to point 'C'. Do not touch the kerb or grass. Put the car in Reverse, holding it with the brake. Change the steering lock from fully right to fully left. Do NOT use your indicators. Look for traffic from the left, such as dump trucks. Look for traffic from the right, such as taxis. Look behind very carefully for children. If you are sure it is clear allow the car to come back across the road to point 'D'. While reversing watch out for traffic approaching from all directions. Change the steering lock from fully left to fully right. Put the car in Drive, and hold it on the brake. Check your mirror. Do NOT use your indicators. Check very carefully to the left and to the right and bring the car to a stop on the side of the road at point 'E'

Three-point

Turn

NEVER make a three-point turn on a bend, on a hill or at a road junction. Make this manouevre briskly, in other words do not take all day to do it. When you are straddled across the road and a dump truck is coming around the corner at 90 miles an hour.

FOUR-WAY STOPS Four-way stop junctions are unknown in Europe. They are an excellent way of keeping a traffic flow moving through a cross-roads if drivers understand the rules and take their correct turn. Check your mirror and indicate unless you are driving straight ahead, Slow down and halt on the stop line in the correct position, Note the order of arrival of any other cars at the other stop lines, Move off when it is your turn to do so.

TRAVELLING STRAIGHT AHEAD After stopping at the line and having seen that car 'A' is traveling straight ahead, car 'B' can proceed without waiting for car 'A' to clear the junction. (Diagram to the left.)

TURNING ACROSS ONCOMING TRAFFIC After stopping at the line and having seen that car 'A' is traveling straight ahead, car 'B' must wait for car 'A' to clear the junction before it can make the right turn. (Diagram to the right.)

TRAFFIC LIGHTS Traffic light controlled junctions are located where the traffic level is too high to allow drivers to interpret the rules as they understand them. The correct procedures at traffic lights are as follows: As you approach the junction check your rear-view mirror. Indicate the direction you intend to take unless you are driving straight ahead. Check the traffic lights as you approach. If they are green and have been that way for a time, be prepared for a change to amber (yellow). Amber means stop. As you are still approaching you MUST NOT race the lights to see if you can get through before they change to amber. What you should do is check your rear-view mirror to see what is happening behind you so that if the lights change you know whether you will be in trouble if you stop suddenly. If that would be the case then be cautious and slow down slightly so the vehicles behind do the same.

If lights are amber or red slow down and stop on the line in the correct lane. If there are vehicles in front of you, leave about four feet of space. If you are proceeding straight ahead, watch the traffic light sequence and move off when green. If you are turning left, and the junction is clear you should proceed to the left even though the light is red. You are following the rule that states you may turn left on a red light once you have come to a complete stop, and have confirmed the junction is clear of all traffic, including pedestrians. If you are turning right you have to wait until the lights change to green. Confirm that the junction is clear and you can turn right. If you are turning right and there is an additional green arrow lit pointing to the right, you can proceed even though there is on-coming traffic facing you. The on-coming traffic will be held on a red light whenever the green arrow is lit from your direction. If the green arrow goes out before you move over the white line you MUST wait for a gap in the traffic flow or for the next sequence. If you are turning right and there is no filter arrow at the lights, be very cautious. You MUST use good judgment and let the on-coming traffic through first. You may proceed when it has cleared the junction. If you get halfway across and the lights turn amber and then red you will cause yourself and other drivers difficulties. Be patient and wait BEHIND the white line until you are clear to drive all the way across the junction. You must stop when the lights turn to amber. In some countries, amber means 64

TRAFFIC LIGHTS you can proceed with caution to clear the junction. In the United States for example, traffic seems to carry on driving through a junction for a long time before coming to a halt. This bad habit is catching. Traffic from West Bay tends to do the same on the approach to George Town at the junction with Eastern Avenue. The following points must be remembered:

If you are driving along Harbour Drive and want to turn down Fort Street, then the green filter will help. Don’t go over the stop line until the green arrow is showing or there is a good gap in the traffic coming towards you. Ignore, if you can, any drivers behind you who may sound their horn with impatience.

If you are driving in North Church Street, in the West Bay direction, but want to turn right into Eastern Avenue, you have a green filter arrow in the lights. However, the road is too narrow for two lanes of traffic coming out of George Town. If the green arrow is not showing, you have a problem. To be correct, you should wait until all of the approaching vehicles have come through. However, this is not practical, as you would block all of the traffic heading towards West Bay. You should pull forward over the white stop line and well over towards the centre line to allow the West Bay traffic to proceed. When you move forward drive gently in order that you do not frighten traffic coming in the opposite direction.

Thisjunction needs a centre turning lane but there is not enough road width for this. The layout of thisjunctionis an appallingexample of poor planning. Thebest solutionwould be to a very large roundaboutwith the gas station in the middle! Whenever you drive through a road junction controlled by traffic lights, make sure the traffic coming in the crossing direction has actually stopped. It only takes a glance to the right but it could save your life. This is defensive driving. Make sure your view of the lights is not obscured by a tall vehicle in front of you if you are driving through a junction controlled by traffic lights. The answer is not to get too close. A similar difficulty can apply if you are driving when the sun is low and you may have the sun vizor down. You may miss a light change from green to amber and red! Traffic lights have to be obeyed by everyone, even pedestrians and believe it or not, bicycle riders. Do not be impatient when the lights change to green and the vehicle in front of you is slow to move off. It may be a learner driver or a car with a manual shift gearbox and these take a second longer to get moving. 65

PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS When you park your car at night and there are no parking spaces in a parking lot, you should find a well-lit street within 20 yards of a street light. If you are parking in George Town and cannot see a yellow line on the side of the road, make sure you are allowed to park there by looking for a NO PARKING sign. You must not park beside a yellow line or at a bus/taxi stop. You must NEVER park or stop at a pedestrian crossing. This is a very common error when cars are in a nose-to-tail, stop-go traffic in rush hour. It happens every morning on the approach to town. You must NEVER park between the red studs and the crossing. Parking here blocks the view of the crossing. If there were to be an accident, the driver of the car parking illegally would be in trouble.

Parking is illegal between the red studs and the crossing Note: What is written in this book is based upon the legal requirements. However, we must be honest. There is a desperate shortage of road signs and markings in Cayman. In the lifetime of this book it is possible that the situation will improve. In the same way that ignorance of the law is no defense, doing something illegal with your vehicle cannot be justified by saying there were no signs or road markings. You should know were you can park legally and where you cannot. 66

RIGHT AND TURNS CROSSINGS RIGHTPEDESTRIAN AND LEFT-HAND LEFT-HAND TURNS

·1··· ...

Parking is NOT allowed

near road junctions

You are not allowed to park, or leave your car with the engine running for just a minute or so, while you do a simple and quick thing like opening a gate. One day you might leave the engine running with a young child in the car who might just knock the gear lever ...

You must not park at the following places: • Beside a yellow line by a kerb • On a pavement (sidewalk) • On a bend or on the brow of a hill • In a No Parking area • Where there is a continuous white or yellow line in the centre of the road • Between the red studs and a pedestrian crossing •Within 15 feet of a road junction • At a bus stop or beside a taxi rank • At entrances to hospitals, fire stations etc.

PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS

An extremely long crossing with island in the middle

Take very great care at extremely long crossings, even it has a traffic island in the middle. Caymanian officialdom still classifies these as a single crossing even if it straddles two or more distinct traffic lanes flowing in opposite directions. Drivers often think the red studs on the approach to a crossing are the correct place to stop when there are pedestrians on the crossing. Not so, you must NOT park between the red studs of the crossing. The correct place to halt is about one car’s length from the crossing. Drivers MUST NOT park their cars in the 45 feet space on the approach to the crossing from the red studs. Parking in this area obstructs the view of other drivers as they are coming up to the crossing. A pedestrian could be hit, even if they are using the crossing correctly, just because a driver could not see them and they could not see a car approaching. Drivers often ask under what circumstances they must stop for pedestrians at a crossing? They wonder if this is only when the pedestrian has stepped on to a crossing that a driver MUST give way. However, be alert and be prepared to stop if the pedestrian steps on to it just as you are approaching. They could be busy messaging on their smartphone. It is best to be cautious. Some of these crossings are simple and plain, but there are others with push button controlling the warning signs.

CROSSINGS RIGHTPEDESTRIAN AND LEFT-HAND TURNS The simple thing like a pedestrian crossing, or as North Americans might call it a crosswalk, can cause all sorts of problems so be prepared NOW to think about what you are reading. The rules (laws) of the road in Cayman are mostly based upon what was laid down in the U.K. over one hundred years ago. Pedestrian crossings there have black and white road markings and black and white painted poles on each side of the road fitted with a round amber ball on top. Not so here. Cayman now has its own style of crossings.

The law in Cayman is that a pedestrian must wait until there are no vehicles approaching before he sets foot on a crossing. Drivers of vehicles must give way to pedestrians who are already on the crossing and to allow them to do so safely. The pedestrian must be clear of the crossing, every little toe included, before the vehicle can proceed. However, a pedestrian is obligated by common sense to check that there are no vehicles approaching before venturing on to the crossing. No one, absolutely no one takes any notice of this and prople just wander across the road peering at their smart phone! Beware and do your part in keeping these people alive! There are also pedestrian crossings placed within inches of a Stop line. Foolishness is a good Caymanian word as the Stop line is often not clearly seen. 69

REVERSING To reverse, put the car into reverse and hold it with the brake. Ensure there are no pedestrians, especially children, or any other obstructions behind you, as can be seen in the illustrations. Check your blindspots. Reverse carefully, being prepared to brake if necessary. Look directly back through the car, through the rear window and use the side (wing) mirrors as well. Do NOT just use the interior rear-view mirror. Do not look in just one direction. The examiner will expect you to turn your head frequently and also use every means possible to reverse safely. If you cannot see clearly behind your vehicle, ask someone to guide you.

Pull down left hand to move left, down right to move right If you are having to turn when reversing, either to your left or right, you will have to steer the car carefully. Always look in the direction you are turning. You may manage to steer with only the right hand on the wheel and with the left hand over to your left on the passenger seat if you are just going straight. But, and this is a big but, you will not be able to steer one-handed if you have to turn the wheel very much. If you let go of the wheel, even for a fraction of a second, you will have lost control of the car. You need to have both hands on the wheel. 70

REVERSING RIGHT AND LEFT-HAND TURNS Reversing into a side-road

on the left

Check the mirror and indicate left as you slow down at position 'A:. This is to enable you to make a safety check of the road you wish to reverse into. If it is safe, proceed to position 'B', making all of the necessary mirror, indicator and blindspot checks.

Check for approaching traffic, for pedestrians behind and· in the blindspots. Check again for traffic comA ing from position 'A: in a forward direction into 'your' road. Start to reverse, coming around the corner of the kerb at an even distance from it, about eighteen inches. As the right hand side of the car will swing out, remember to check for traffic in the main road. Keep a watch for pedestrians and other traffic and continue the reverse to position 'C'. If you need to, proceed in reverse to position 'D'. Do not reverse more than twenty yards at the very most. It would be better to drive in forwards and made a three-point turn if you need to get further down the road than this.

Reversing into a side-road on the right Check the mirror and indicate left for a preliminary stop at position 'A:. This is to enable you to make a safety check of the road you wish to reverse into. If it is safe, proceed to position 'B', making all of the necessary mirror, indicator and blindspot checks. (continued overleaf) 71

REVERSING Reversing into a side-road on the right (continued) Ensure the indicators have been cancelled as using them will only confuse other drivers. Select Reverse and with a final check for pedestrians behind the car, allow it to move backwards. As the left hand side of the car will swing out, remember to check for traffic in the main road and at the same time from behind you. Straighten up and stop at position 'C'. Select Drive and cross the road to position 'D', about 18 inches from the kerb. Reversing

into a main road

This discussion could be found under the heading Dangerous Driving, Foolish Things to Do or How to Have an Accident in Ten Easy Moves. Most driving books explain how you should perform all manner of manouevres. This book is different in that it also tells you, in no uncertain terms, how not to drive badly. If you drive in Cayman for just a very short time you will see drivers reversing into a main road without a care in the world. Drivers here have the impression that if they reverse into the road other drivers will see them and stop to let them continue their craziness. When you are reversing you cannot see into the road as well as you can if you were driving in a forward direction.

Do NOT reverse into a main road under any circumstances Always park in a position where you can drive straight out or perform a manouevre such as a three-point turn and then drive out. 72

REVERSING (PARALLEL) PARKING RIGHT AND LEFT-HAND TURNS Parallel parking or reverse parking as it is sometimes called, makes use of a vehicle's better manoeuvrability in reverse when one needs to park in a restricted space. Maximum observation is required when performing this manoeuvre as you could be obstructing other vehicles as they pass by. When you have chosen the place when you intend to parallel park, check your mirrors, indicate and come alongside the other vehicle. Stop about two feet from the side of the other car and about level with it. Select reverse gear, which will illuminate your reversing lights. This will alert other drivers of your intentions. Reverse slowly using some left lock, but watch the corner of the parked car. When the car has turned about thirty degrees straighten the wheel. Continue reversing quite slowly in a straight back direction. Now this is the tricky bit where you will have to build up your experience. Start to turn the wheel and apply some right lock. Keep a very careful eye on the position of your car and the parked car. These will be very close and it would spoil your day if they touched. When you are clear of the parked car apply sufficient right lock to straighten the car to bring it parallel to the kerb and about one foot from it. When settled, adjust the position of your car forwards and backwards, to get a reasonable gap with the car in front and behind. Keep a very good look out for pedestrians and other cars while you are parallel parking. With practice you will be able to position your car behind a parked car and eventually between two. The gap between two cars needs to be at least one and a half times the length of your own car in order to get between them. 73

TURNING LANES Using a centre turning lane, such as those on the West Bay Road, is very similar to merging into another lane (see page 80 ). Both of these procedures are becoming more common as Cayman's roads are improved. The centre turning lane should always be used correctly to avoid accidents. Let us take the situation where you need to enter a road, or property, located on the other side of the road. For example, travelling towards West Bay from George Town, and you wish to enter Galleria Plaza on the right. Look in the rear-view mirror to get a general check on the traffic on the road. Indicate right and without slowing down, look over your right shoulder to ensure there are no vehicles overtaking on the right. Looking in the side mirror is not good enough. Do not, under any circumstances, slow down in the main left-hand lane or you may have cars behind you into the rear end of your car. Ensure there are no oncoming cars wishing to make the same manoeuvre from the opposite direction, and are about to come into the centre lane towards you. (see posed photograph). If it is clear, move into the centre lane and then slow down to an appropriate speed.

TURNING TURNS LANES RIGHT AND LEFT-HAND If there are on-coming cars you will need to come to a complete stop to let them pass through. When it is clear, cross over into the road, or property, you wish to enter, in this case Galleria Plaza.

Two cars, facing head-on

in the turning lane

"Hey, you're in my lane!" "No, I am not. You're in mine!" When exiting such a property, or side road, it is obviously very straight forward to make a left turn. If you wish to turn right it is a different story. Indicate your intention to turn right. Look to the right and then left to get a general feel for the level of traffic on the road. Check very carefully to see if there is a good gap coming in any approaching traffic stream from the right. When you judge you are able to exit safely, re-check to the left to make sure that vehicles are not coming from the left in the centre lane. When you are certain it is safe to do so, exit and come into the centre lane. Indicate left and slow down or even come to a stop until it is safe to move into the main traffic lane on the left. Do NOT drive down the centre lane until the left lane is clear and you can cut in. You should not drive more than a cricket pitch length (66 feet) in the centre lane. If you do, you are setting yourself up for an accident with the traffic wishing to use the centre lane from the other direction. Be warned, never use the centre lane for overtaking slow moving vehicles. The courts in Cayman treat such an offence as dangerous driving with a mandatory disqualification. In other words, offenders will lose their license, even if they need it for the job; even bus and taxi drivers. 75

CELL PHONES Using a cell phone and texting while driving In Cayman you are not permitted to use a cell phone while driving along the road. If you have inadvertently not switched it off when getting in the car and you do get a call, then you MUST pull over to the side of the road before answering, even if you miss the call. When driving around the island one sees drivers with a cell phone glued to their ears. Can you drive around a corner having a conversation; pay attention to other road users; and steer a car safely with your ears, your brain and eyes switched off? It is a foolish question because it is obvious that you cannot do so. A hands-free arrangement only means your hands can still hold the steering wheel. Your concentration on driving will be impaired. If you are involved in an accident you would deserve to be prosecuted for driving without full control of your vehicle. In recent years an even worse problem is becoming all too prevalent. Sending a text message is much less expensive than making a voice call. Receiving or sending text messages while driving is absolutely crazy. The most powerful words that can be sent to those young people, and not so young in fact, who send text messages all day is to turn off your cell phone when you are behind the wheel of a car.

DON’T USE YOUR CELL PHONE WHILE DRIVING. WHATEVER ELSE YOU DO, DO NOT TEXT WHILE DRIVING.

CELL PHONES RIGHT AND LEFT-HAND TURNS Consequences of using a cell phone whilst driving People these days believe it is normal to be using a cell phone all of the time, they cannot seem to be able to wait to respond to a caller. When they get behind the wheel of a vehicle it makes no difference to them. Some say that with a hands free phone it is quite OK, they can control their vehicle as well as have an in-depth conversation. This is nonsense. If we look at one dramatic accident it might get through to at least one driver. Her last call was from her cell phone while driving …….Two young women were in a car and they came to a ‘T’ junction. The car driver was chatting away to a friend on the phone. She did not stop and pay proper attention to the traffic conditions so she did not observe a motor-bike approaching from the right at about 85 miles per hour. She pulled out in front of the motor-bike that slammed into her. At that speed the hotshot rider had no chance to avoid an accident. The impact was so great that the bike and rider came completely into the car killing the two women and the bike rider instantly. The car actually flipped over from the force of the impact and ended up twenty feet from where the collision took place.

HEADLIGHT DAZZLING When your headlights are on full beam they will be pointing directly ahead and there will be a blue light on the instrument panel. When they are dipped (dim) the blue light will be out. When you are driving at night and another vehicle is approaching, you should dip your lights and slow down if necessary, especially if the oncoming vehicle is dazzling you.If you are following another vehicle you should dip your lights to avoid dazzling the driver with glare in his rearview mirror.

At night, being able to stop within you can see is critical.

Always use low beams when approaching other vehicles so you will not dazzle the driver. Also use low beams when driving at night when there are street lights, when following another vehicle and whenever it is raining.

HEADLIGHT DAZZLING RIGHT AND LEFT-HAND TURNS

Headlights should illuminate the road, not dazzle other drivers.

Use high beams only when oncoming vehicles are more than 500 feet away

Typical problem on the road in Cayman at dusk.

South Church Street in George Town at dusk.

HEADLIGHT DAZZLING As dazzling will be such a hazard to everyone until the government and police crack down on it we should continue looking at other aspects.

Bright modern lights dazzle drivers Modern headlights on many cars are too bright and are distracting and the blame can be laid at the use of LED lamps. In a survey abroad one in six drivers claim to have only narrowly avoided an accident caused by the blinding glare of these new headlights. The same result is found in Cayman. LEDs – light emitting diodes – have a lifespan and electrical efficiency several times greater than that of incandescent lamps they are replacing although they are much more expensive to buy. One lighting expert, said the use of LEDs as headlamps is likely to be why people perceived them to be brighter when it is just that these are more directional. Rather than a spread of light from older style bulbs LED lamps are more focused. It is also blueish/white which is why it appears brighter in the dark. Government guidelines state headlamps must illuminate the road ahead while not affecting the vision of oncoming vehicles. Headlamp technology has advanced considerably, but it is presenting an unwanted new road safety hazard. Drivers also find it distracting when they have to contend with being dazzled by bright lights in their rear view mirror as well as in front of them. The situation in Cayman with drivers having their headlights on full (main) beam when driving at night on a road with streetlights becomes worse each day. When a vehicle is approaching you with headlights on high beam, you cannot see to the sides of the glare.

It is unlawful to use a vehicle in Cayman where the headlights dip to the right as cars manufactured in the United States are. These vehicles MUST be converted to dip to the left before being used in Cayman. 80

HEADLIGHT DAZZLING RIGHT AND LEFT-HAND TURNS

How can this be controlled? Education is the first step. Many drivers come to the Cayman Islands with a license from another country and do not know what the small blue light on the instrument panel indicates. Enforcement is the second step. When the police give a driver a ticket or putting innocent people’s lives at risk it should start to get through to rivers that it is not just a slap on the wrist. The vehicle is being driven dangerously and the driver should be punished accordingly. Statistically, it is just a matter of time before there will be a fatal accident, possibly involving pedestrians, who could be children. They could be family to you. Exactly the same problem occurs when a vehicle behind you has its lights on full and the glare comes in your rear mirror. Discuss the problem with your optician or ophthalmologist. These specialists can advise on having a coating on the lenses of your spectacles that will help.

Dazzled by the sun? In a similar way if you are driving just after dawn or in the evening just before dusk there is another problem. That big ball in the sky that keeps us warm and is frequently the reason tourists visit the Cayman Islands, can be a severe traffic hazard. When it is low in the sky it dazzles and can almost blind you. Our roads have many twists and turns so good drivers have to lower their sun visors on a regular basis. Lazy drivers who do not bother are likely to end up in hospital or at a car body repair shop. Consider wearing sun glasses, shades, at these times. It is no good wishing you could appeal against nature, just accept it as a fact of life living in paradise.

CHANGING LANES AND MERGING Only do so after indicating your intention to change lanes in good time, after carefully checking your mirror and looking over your shoulder.

The best way to merge is ‘one on one’ – like a zip. As you merge, let one vehicle in then go. Remember in heavily congested traffic, looking over your shoulder is far better than just checking your mirror. Many reading this book will be on the early stages of their driving careers. What you have to get used to here in Cayman is to change lanes when the traffic is driving quite gently. At this time you may be preparing for a possible visit to the U.S. or Europe where the driving is much more robust, to say the least. You will not get away there with what you can get away with here! Use this period wisely as the training for the future.

Typical merging situation You should be familiar with George Town and know which lanes to enter as you drive around a corner. If you were driving past the Post Office and the Bodmer Building and intend to go to the Police Station, come over to the Flow side of the road straight away. Don’t come around the corner, tight to the railings, and end up on the right-hand side of the road and make a late decision to move over to the left 82

DRIVING IN THETURNS RAIN RIGHT AND LEFT-HAND When it starts to rain When black clouds turn to rain: » Slow down, » » » »

Switch on your wipers to clear the windscreen, Switch on your lights and set them on dipped so others will not be dazzled, Double the space between you and the car in front. Don't brake suddenly.

You may have to switch your air conditioning on to heat and put the blower to clear any condensation from the inside of the car windows. It sounds unusual in the tropics but it is the best way and will help you see clearly. You should not need it on hot for long. At all times minute particles of burnt oil, in the form of soot, floats out of car silencers (mufflers). It spreads like an invisible cloud over the road and drops on to the road surface. As soon as it rains the road surface becomes very slippery. It will take half an hour of busy traffic for the road to be cleaned. Until till then, take great care.

Driving in the rain When driving in rain remember what everyone has told you, "Double the distance between you and the car in front." If the gap starts to get a little large some aggressive driver may pull in front of you. The only remedy is to drop back again. As a reminder, on dry roads that are in good condition allow a space of one car length for every ten miles of your car speed. Increase this to two car lengths when the roads are wet. In bad weather conditions such as torrential rain, you should always make the decision to pull in. One often feels, "It will be O.K., it will clear soon and in a short time I will be home." Better to stop until the weather clears and then proceed with your journey. Many accidents are caused by driving when tired or in bad weather.

Driving with wet brakes Having been held up by driving through flood water, the inclination may be to increase your speed to make up the lost time. This is exactly what you should not do. After you have driven through deep water you will probably find the brakes are not as effective as they normally are. The brakes may pull to one side or may not hold at all. Don't wait until you come to a road junction and try unsuccessfully to stop to find out! You can dry the brakes by driving slowly and gently apply brake pressure. This will heat and dry the brake pads and shoes. They will soon return to their usual efficiency. 83

DRIVING PAST PARKED CARS Driving past parked

cars

If there is a parked car or other obstruction in your path, make sure you indicate your intention to pull out. This is most important if there are pedestrians or a cyclist in your traffic lane. You may have a clear view of the cyclist. But what if the car that is following behind you with the driver not paying proper attention? He hasn't seen the cyclist. You pull out without giving any indication. The cyclist is safe for a few seconds until the driver behind you hits him. It's your fault as much as the other driver's.

Driving past obstructions

in the road

If you are in a two-lane road and need to move to the right to pass parked cars or other obstructions, then you must give way to any car coming towards you before you pull out. When all is said and done, it is your side of the road that is blocked, and the other side of the road that is clear.

You MUST allow on-coming cars to come through first when passing an obstruction in your lane

Remember ICKY Impatience Can Kill You 84

DRIVING PARKEDTURNS CARS RIGHT AND PAST LEFT-HAND When driving past a line of parked cars: 1. Drive with caution. 2. Check for pedestrians walking between cars. 3. Check for cars doors opening. 4. Check for cars moving off. 5. Check for reversing lights being lit as someone is about to move. Keep about three or four feet from parked cars as you go past. Think of the row of cars in front of Scotia Bank and the Courthouse in Edward Street. The traffic coming towards you has the right of way in their carriageway. Just because you are keeping three feet from the side of the cars and buses and indicating you have come over the white line in the middle of the road, doesn't mean you can drive on regardless. Remember also, that in Cayman we have a large number of tourists who are not used to cars driving on the left hand side of the road. Whenever they want to cross the road or come from a space between cars, for example their natural reaction is to look in the direction they would at home. What is correct for them there, is wrong, or could even be deadly, here.

Driving

past a line of parked

cars 85

USING INDICATORS CORRECTLY Whenever a driver is approaching a junction of some sort where he intends to leave the road he is travelling on, he should use his indicators. This alerts other vehicles to what the one approaching is planning to do. Stand at any junction or mini-roundabout in Cayman and it can be seen that very few drivers show any consideration to other road users. They are just too lazy to indicate correctly. However, beware indicating too early. The red car in the example shown in the sketch should indicate left if he wishes to travel to Eastern Avenue but only after he has reached, or even passed, the road leading to the hardware store. The yellow car coming from the store could be forgiven if he thought the red car, already indicating left, was turning left to the store and therefore decides it is safe to exit himself. The result is an unnecessary accident. A good driver checks the indicators he has just used have cancelled automatically. A very good driver always checks his indicator stalk to see that it is in neutral and not causing the indicators to flash when they shouldn't. Especially if he is approaching a junction that he intends to drive straight through.

HAND SIGNALS RIGHT AND LEFT-HAND TURNS Hand signals are used : When you are driving in a slowly moving line and you wish to let a policeman, who is directing traffic, know which way you want to go, » When you are driving in a different direction from normal and you wish to emphasise to drivers of other vehicles where you want to go, » When your regular indicators have failed. »

The Problem Few people in the tropical islands drive with their windows down. They enjoy their car's air conditioning. This makes the use of hand signals more difficult.

Advice To get these hand signals firmly fixed in your mind when you are studying, put two chairs side-by-side and pretend you are the driver and go through the motions.

I want to turn right (in a right-handdrive car)

I want

to go straight

ahead

(in a right-handdrive car)

I want

to turn left

(in a left-hand drive car}

Dangerous

hand signals

Drivers should not make hand signals telling other drivers that they may come out in front of them. It is better to give way, and allow the other driver to come out. You should not beckon to drivers of other cars, they MUST make up their own minds. 87

RIDE YOUR MOTORCYCLE SAFELY It is a two-way street for those riding a motor-cycle and for car and truck drivers – they are both responsible for ensuring they do not have accidents.

Traffic law

Both motor-cycle riders and any pillion passenger MUST wear an approved and securely fastened crash helmet. Only those who have a full license may carry a passenger on an approved pillion seat. A new rider may only use a motor-cycle with an engine capacity up to 125cc. After twelve months he may be granted a license with a greater engine capacity after taking a further practical road test. These notes are equally applicable to scooters as well as motor-cycles

Starting out

Before you pull away, make sure it is safe to do so. Shoulder check by turning and looking. Wait for an opening in any traffic flow. Make sure other traffic sees you. Car drivers do not always think in terms of motor-cycles. Switch your lights on and wear bright clothing if you can. Use your indicators and proper hand signals. When on the road, check your balance. Watch the road ahead but do not stare but keep your eyes moving. You will see more and tire less.

Braking and stopping

Change down on the gears as you brake to give you power available if needed and to be able to use the engine’s compression as a brake. Know what is behind you as most vehicles cannot stop as quickly as you can. Use your mirrors. Compensate for this by braking earlier and gradually.

Two-Second Rule

This applies to motor-cyclists as well as any other driver. Read and understand what is written on page 37.

Riding in traffic

Do not take advantage of your bikes size by squeezing between two lines of traffic. It is illegal and will be considered by your insurance company in the event of an accident. Also realize the danger to you if someone in a stationary car opens a three foot wide door and you are passing as close as two feet.

RIDE YOUR MOTORCYCLE RIGHT AND LEFT-HAND SAFELY TURNS Hand signals for motor-cyclists

These are in addition to those on page 75 for cars and other vehicles

I am turning left

I am turning right

Make yourself visible

I am slowing down or stopping

When you are following another vehicle make sure the other driver can see you in his rear-view mirror. All vehicles have blind spots. Drop back a little to be seen and do not stay where you cannot be seen.

Being overtaken

If another vehicle is overtaking you then cooperate. Slow down if necessary to let them back in after they have passed you. If a large vehicle is passing you, in either direction, or there is a strong crosswind the turbulence could throw you out of control.

Group riding

This is to be avoided unless you are associated with a group of riders who emphasize their riding skills, such as Harley Davidson riders.

When taking the practical road test

When you come to the License Office for the test you must: • Have previously checked your motor-cycle carefully to ensure everything is in working order, • Know how to pick the motor-cycle up if it falls over at any time. • Attend the test examiners office just before the specified time, • Bring your appointment receipt, provisional license and Insurance, • Wear a crash helmet, jacket and gloves, and boots covering the ankles, • Have the correct size L plates front and rear on your motor-cycle.

Road Safety Campaign

A road safety campaign, possibly called THINK BIKE, would be good in Cayman. It has worked well in other countries to make regular vehicle drivers more aware of the issues with motor-cycles. 89

E-BIKES E-bikes have a small battery powered motor to help the rider under several different circumstances. If we look at some of the problems we may get a better understanding.

In Cayman a percentage of young people do not care for others and believe they are invincible. E-bike riders have probably progressed from riding a regular pedal bike as a kid. And if we drive around Cayman we can see how appalling is their lack of concern for others. They assume that cars and trucks will predict their direction as they dart across a busy road. E-bikes can provide too much acceleration when moving off from a standstill. Nothing much can be done about this. Has anyone ever either type of bike stop at a red traffic light? Never. E-bikes help those who are not as physical fit as they used to be to get around. A positive point in their favour. Several professional men in the finance sector ride an e-bike to their office as a form of exercise. Another good point.

E-BIKES RIGHT AND LEFT-HAND TURNS We can see that the road surface is generally being improved in Cayman. Many areas however, are still poor with potholes and sidewalks (pavemenys) a problem. Sidewalks should be contoured for the traffic flow. In George Town sidewalks jig jag in and out very badly. This leads to dangers especially for all types of bike. How is it that e-bikes do not have to have insurance? If there was a bad accident caused by an e-bike rider who is going to pay for the medical bills, the damage to other vehicles and legal matters?

SHARP BENDS AND SKIDDING Sharp bends in the road When approaching a sharp bend in the road, check your mirrors carefully. Reduce your speed whilst you still are driving in a straight line and you are on the approach to the bend. As you get halfway around the bend, accelerate very, very slightly to come all the way through to the straight road ahead. To repeat this. If you approach at 40 mph, then brake in the straight to 25 to 30 mph, you can accelerate back to 40 mph and continue normally. That short time you were accelerating actually helps you steer around the bend! It is all a matter of practice and as students develop experience, it becomes a sub-conscious reaction. Adjust the car speed so that it is never going too fast. It's too late to think of braking when you are three-quarters of the way round the bend with the car going too fast and you find the car difficult to steer. If you brake at that point, the car will probably skid and end up over the nearest hedge.

Skidding Apart from oil, wet roads and loose sand, the following also causes skidding: » Braking around a bend, » Swerving, » Smooth and under-inflated tyres, » Too much acceleration. You have lost all control of steering and braking as soon as your car starts to skid. To recover from skidding, first take your foot off the accelerator (gas) pedal. Although it may seem foolish, you must steer the car in the direction of the skid to straighten it out, even if it is in the direction of something you want to avoid hitting! When you have recovered steering control, turn the car gently in the direction you wish to go and brake or downshift smoothly to a stop. Do NOT brake whilst skidding or you will end up hitting a light pole, or go through a wall, or worse, go into pedestrians. Generally, you feel uncomfortable in your car seat when your rear end (bottom, bum, call it what you will) is lifting up off the car seat. At this time your tyres will also be lifting off the road. As these do not have any feelings, they will not be uncomfortable but will lose their grip of the road surface. Swerving around a bend, your tyres will be reacting the same way on the road surface. You will be in danger of skidding and losing control of the car. 92

ACCIDENTS, FIRST AID, INSURANCE, TESTS & LICENCES Accidents After being involved in an accident you must: 1. Stop and switch off your engine, 2. Call an ambulance if necessary, 3. Call the police if there is injury or if either party alleges the other has

4. 5.

committed an offence, Exchange names, addresses, insurance details and license plate numbers, Produce your driving license and insurance certificate to the police if they are present. If unable to do so at the scene, these must be presented at a police station within 24 hours, If the police are not required to attend, clear all vehicles from the scene.

You do not have to remain at the scene of an accident after exchanging names and addresses if there is no one hurt and neither driver is accusing the other of committing an offence. Your insurance policy tells you that you should NOT admit liability for causing an accident to any other driver or to the police. Report the accident to your insurance company as soon as possible and let them handle it for you. If the damage is limited to your vehicle and someone else's property, such as a wall or fence you obviously cannot exchange details with an inanimate object. Legally you should call the police but if you can find the actual owner of the property it would probably suffice.

The paragraphs above are what you would expect in a book that is telling how to drive well but it is so important to think on a little bit further.

Just imagine that on some terrible day that another vehicle 'did a number on you' and that you had died in the resultant crash. Just think and put into your mind the faces of your friends and acquaintances who would be dreadfully upset that you were no longer living. Then think of the smaller number whose lives would be seriously affected and who would think of your passing for months on end. Then think of those, especially your loved ones, who would be scarred for life, who would think of you every day with tears in their eyes. Turn the situation around now and think of other people whose lives would be affected if YOU were the cause of the accident that killed someone. You MUST get it in your head that most accidents are avoidable and that driving well is essential in this day and age.

FIRST AID If you come upon an accident, immediately check the condition of the drivers and passengers. If necessary, apply the three rules of action in first aid:

1. Start the Breathing,

2. Stop the Bleeding, 3. Treat for Shock. At the same time: » Send someone for help. » Impose a no-smoking rule. » Have someone set up accident warning signs and direct traffic.

1. Start the Breathing If the injured person has stopped breathing, start artificial respiration right away. Do not stop until a doctor tells you to stop, or until the victim is breathing normally.

Follow these steps to Start the Breathing: 1. 2. 3.

Use your fingers to clear the victim's mouth, Place the victim on his or her back, lift the neck, and tilt the head back, Hold the victim's nose tightly and blow vigorously through the mouth to make the chest expand once every five seconds.

When the injured person is a small child, do not pinch the nose. Cover the child's nose and mouth with your mouth and blow smaller more frequent breaths, (about 20 per minute).

2. Stop the Bleeding Most bleeding can be stopped by pressing down on the wound. If possible you should place a gauze pad over the wound and then press down. If you do not have a gauze pad, a clean cloth or even your fingers will have to be used. Bleeding from an artery should always be stopped first. The blood from an artery will be bright red and will come out of the wound in spurts. If the blood is darker in colour and flows evenly, it is from a vein. 94

FIRST AID

3. Treat for Shock People who have been injured may go into shock. When someone is in shock, all of the body functions slow down. Shock can be very serious and can cause death. Shock may develop right after an accident or later. Injured persons must be treated for shock regardless of whether or not they appear to be in shock. Follow these steps to Treat for Shock: »

» »

Reassure the injured person. Your calmness will help. Do not give anything to drink especially alcohol or other stimulants, Cover the person with blankets or coats to hold body heat. Have the person lie flat, Keep onlookers back so that the injured person has air, Keep the head as low as possible unless there is a head injury, Loosen tight collars to make breathing easier.

DO NOT move an injured person if thepersoncannotmove or complains of pain in the back or neck.

DO NOT attempt to remove the helmet of an injured motorcyclerider. First Aid Kits It is always a good practice to keep a First Aid kit in your car. It is often the case that if you carry one that you will not ever need it, but on the other hand, when you do not have one, you find there is a frequent need for a bandage or other form of dressing. The Cayman Islands branch of the Red Cross has excellent kits or you can obtain one from a local pharmacy. If you are unsure of the way to give artificial respiration call the Red Cross on 949-6785 and arrange to attend one of their courses. Their website is www. redcross.org.ky

Cayman Clinic is made up of a group of women GPs with extensive experience and excellent communication skills and outstanding empathy. All of the doctors, nurses and office staff are welcoming and friendly. The atmosphere is one of professionalism and competence. It is an outstanding clinic that I recommend most highly. Elizabeth Walker RN

MEDICAL DIRECTOR Dr Virginia Hobday MBE, MBBS, MRCGP Dr Denise Osterloh MB, ChB Dr Fiona Robertson MBBS, MRCGP Dr Heidi Fahy MBBS, MRCGP Dr Melissa Mascaro MD, CAQSM – Sports Medicine Nina Baxa RDMS – Ultrasound

Tel. 345 949 7400 www.caymanclinic.ky 96

Cayman Clinic Ltd, 439 Crewe Road George Town, Grand Cayman

CAR INSURANCE General ideas for you to understand Many drivers and car owners run into difficulties over car insurance so it is probably a good idea to highlight some points you may not have understood. All cars have to be insured. That's the Law. Why? Because most people would not be able to pay for the injuries to people or damage to property if the cost had to come out of their own pockets. We are not talking just about fenderbenders but the, fortunately less frequent, occasions when people are killed or, even worse financially, severely injured that they have to be looked after for the rest of their lives. These claims can run into millions of dollars. There is also the cost of repairing damaged vehicles or paying for a replacement if the car is a write-off. So we have to have insurance to protect the interests of everyone. Now let's take the case where you are involved in an accident and luckily for you the other driver was at fault and you were blameless. The other person has to put things right for you so that at the end of the day you are covered for all of your expenses, absolutely every cent, by the other person. So what if the other person's insurance company makes an offer of most of the cost, but not all. It is your decision but you could if you wish, pursue the matter. The other driver is the one who has to make up the difference. He has to make up all of the incidentals that the other insurance company will say are uninsurable losses. Now what happens if you are caught driving a car and do not have a full driving license or no insurance. Start gazing fondly at your driving license as you will be saying good-bye to it when you get to court, together with well over a thousand dollars. The registered owner of the vehicle that allowed you to be driving the car will also suffer the same penalties.

If you are driving a car that has an' open insurance' then check carefully. One insurance company on the island allows learner drivers to drive with open insurance with a qualified driver in the front seat but most do not. The registered owner, who is the policyholder, must go to the insurance company and obtain a revised Certificate of Insurance or Cover Note with the learner driver's name on it. Again be sensible. Don't drive around yourself or let someone learn to drive in your car without proper insurance with the feeling that since you will be careful you will not have to show the insurance papers to anyone. But then the day of the road test looms for the person you have been teaching to drive and you go and try and obtain a one-day cover note. 97

CAR INSURANCE Many companies do issue a one-day cover note to be helpful to their policyholders (it's good for business but they would probably wriggle if they had a major claim presented to them). The Insurance Law is specific and only recognizes a 15-day cover note. In the event of an accident your insurance company will look very closely at it's commitment and although they will cover what is legally binding on them, they will not give away their money just because you are a nice person. Times have changed in Cayman since Ivan in September 2004.

Inexperienced drivers

Insurance companies have no obligation to accept young people as an addon to a parent’s policy. The situation with the older person is difficult. If the mature person has taken a course of lessons and passed the practical road test, almost all insurance companies insist on the driver having a minimum of one year’s driving experience before insuring them on their own policy.

Third party insurance This is the minimum allowed by law. The car owner is covered in the event that he or any authorised driver has an accident and causes injury or damage to another person or the property, most likely another car. There may be conditions set by the insurance company who may say drivers under the age of 21 or maybe 23 years of age are not covered. Another common condition is that learner drivers may not be covered by the policy. One company will not insure drivers unless they can prove they have had a full license for at least a year.

Fully comprehensive

insurance

This type of insurance is much more expensive as you are also covered for damage to your own vehicle. Banks insist that any cars purchased through bank loans are covered by a fully comprehensive policy. This ensures they get their money in the event the car is written off (totaled) in an accident, or even a hurricane. It is difficult to obtain this cover on cars more than five years old.

Insurance policy renewal Insurance companies generally send out renewal notices a month before the policy reaches the end of cover and lapses. The car owner as the policyholder, is invited to renew the policy. It is not a case that the insurance company will renew the policy and at some time in the future the car owner will pay the premium. The responsibility is on the car owner to renew or replace the policy, pay for it and receive the new Certificate of Insurance before the last day on the old policy. Tt is vital that any insurance policy is renewed on time. Tt is a misconception that you are allowed a number of days grace. 98

CAR INSURANCE Insurance rate calculation If you purchase insurance coverage by taking out a policy, the Company agrees to honour the policy if you have the misfortune to have an accident. They calculate the likelihood of this happening and compute the age of the car, the age and experience of the drivers and other important factors. The policyholder agrees to let only qualified drivers use the car. In the event of an accident, the insurance company will look carefully at the accident report to see if the policyholder has broken any conditions on his side of the contract.

High risk cars Insurance companies want your business but keep records. These records tell them the type of vehicles that have more accidents that others. They will either charge a fortune or decline to take you on. Check before buying! Who can give you good advice on insurance? Advice can be obtained from an Insurance Broker, an Insurance Agent or a representative of an Insurance Company. The Agent, who represents one or more insurance companies will be able to offer cover from these sources. A Broker, as an independent body, will be able to offer cover from the whole of the insurance market.

What do you do when you have a claim? Contact your Broker, the Agent or Insurance Company representative as soon as possible to advise that you have had a loss. In cases of injury in a car accident or where there is a dispute as to what happened, the police must be called to the scene and their report will be available if necessary. Once your insurance company has been advised, a claim specialist, called an adjuster, will be assigned to look after your claim. The amount you receive for your claim depends on the type of coverage you bought and your deductible. This is the portion of cost you agree to pay on any loss before your insurance comes into effect. For example, your insurance policy may include a $500 deductible. That means you will pay the first $500 of any repair bill. Any damage that costs less than $500 would be your own responsibility.

Why does motor insurance cost so much? All premiums go into the Insurance Company's assets from which all claims are paid. The company calculates what it needs to charge for their books to balance. Given the rising cost of new cars and the high cost of parts for preused cars imported from Japan, coupled with a high accident rate, more and more premium income is necessary to settle claims. 99

TESTS & LICENSES Theory Test

The theory test must be taken by all wishing to obtain a CI drivers license, even those with a full license obtained overseas. It is a multiple-choice format. This means that you are given a question and four possible answers. You have to choose the correct one, ignoring the answer that is almost correct and the wrong answers. It includes questions taken from information in the various Traffic Laws and the Road Code. As the average person finds these documents difficult to understand, to say the least, the important points have been ‘translated’ into everyday language and are found in this book. Questions on the Driving Procedures as described in Part 3 of this book are also found on the test paper. Study the road signs in Part 5 as these are also included. Whenever you do, take the test, read the questions on the screen carefully

Driving Licenses for Residents

If you are Caymanian or otherwise legally resident on the islands do not try and circumvent the rules by obtaining a license in Jamaica or the U.S. You will NOT be allowed to exchange it for a full Caymanian license. Only those who obtained a license abroad prior to becoming a resident here are allowed to obtain a Cayman license without taking the full test and provided they can fullfil the other necessary requirements.

Driving Licenses for Adults Adults, who have never obtained a license anywhere in the world, must go through the full procedure. This is as follows: )) They should take their passport and the appropriate fee to the Driver’s License office and book a theory test appointment. Once they have passed the test (80% required) they may obtain a provisional license. This allows them to practice with an instructor or with friends, provided the friend has put their name on the Certificate of Insurance. )) When they believe they have the necessary driving skills they can book a full practical on-the-road test. Whereas young people can grasp the necessary skills very quickly it takes much longer for a mature adult (fifty years and upwards), possibly three or four times as long. A good driving instructor will be able to advise on these matters.

100

TESTS & LICENSES Practical Road Test The practical road test in not intended to be an unnerving experience. It as an opportunity for you to show the examiner that you are a good and safe driver. The driving examiners are pleasant, courteous and fair and will be observing how well you can carry out his instructions. Your examiner will check to see that you know how to use the main controls in the car and that these are working correctly. You will be given a full briefing on how he will carry out the test. The procedures he will expect you to carry out safely include: » General driving in town traffic showing your handling of the car at junc-

» » »

tions of all types - including the newer two-lane by-pass roads and both mini and large two and three-lane roundabouts. Making your own decisions as to whether or not it is safe to exit a junction. You are there to show the examiner that when you are on the road and on your own that you will be able to drive safely. DO NOT ask the examiner if it safe to go. Reversing in several forms: -in a straight line, - around a corner - into a car park space. Parallel parking. An emergency stop. At the end of the test you will be given a full debriefing and the examiner's decision.

In order for your driving test to be a good experience you should make sure of a few points: 1. Your car must be reasonably clean and tidy. A scruffy car shows a slop-

py attitude. Make sure that the lights are working correctly. Make sure you have your 'L' plates in good positions on your car. In front of the examiners face on the windscreen is NOT good. 4. Switch your cell phone off- the radio as well for that matter. 5. Bring the Certificate of Insurance for your car. Bring the receipt for you test fee. 6. Park your car when you arrive at the test centre in the car park such that the first move you make with the examiner is not in reverse. 2. 3.

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ALCHOHOL & DRUGS It is an offence for you as a driver or for a passenger in your car to be drinking alcohol. You will lose your license for a minimum of twelve months if you are convicted of drinking and driving either while actually driving on the road or when parked on the side of the road. A jail sentence could be added if you cause injury or death.

Road sign spotted in Nevada, U.S. – how true?

The maximum level of alcohol you can lawfully drive a car in Cayman is 100 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. To help remember these metric units, think that the units are milligrams (a weight) in millilitres (a volume) To get round the right way, G comes before Lin the alphabet. The legal limit for alcohol in the blood varies from country to country. At present in Cayman it is 100 milligrams in 100 millilitres, in Britain it is 80 milligarms and in France only 50 milligrams.

DO NOT DRIVE If you are in any way impaired

By drinking alcohol, either beer, wine or spirits By using ganja, weed, or anything with a different name By using cocaine in any form If you are a diabetic and your sugar is low If for any reason you are emotionally upset If you have to make a phone call or text a message Virtually everyone knows people who have been killed in road accidents. You owe it to your family and close friends to make sure you are not the one who dies or is the cause of others dying or being maimed for life. 102

PARENTS MUST READ THIS Who has the greatest responsibility for fatal accidents involving young drivers? A large part of this is our fault as parents, educators and society as a whole. We must not put the all blame on the shoulders of a dead young person or his victims. We have to ask ourselves some serious questions: 1. Are we as parents disciplining our young people in the way we are told to in the good book? 2. Are our churches telling their congregations of their responsibility of being a parent? 3. Are our schools coming down hard enough on badly behaved young people? 4. Are we, as members of society, prepared to take a stand to prevent the future deaths of our young people?

It is too late at a funeral Foreveryone to be wringing their hands, weeping and asking God, "Why?" God may answer, "But you let him do what ever he wanted without any restrictions". As a driving instructror I met many young drivers who have just reached their seventeenth birthday. They clutch their new provisional driving license and I then expect to teach them basic driving skills. Within a few minutes I can take them through several fairly advanced driving techniques. I find they can manage to drive a car quite well, providing everyone else is driving normally, of course. I then enquire, "How long have you been driving?" Four or five years is often the answer. "Mum and Dad have let me drive since I was fourteen”, A sixteen-year old recently said, “I have bee driving a car on my own to go to work for a year now." They can rarely get out of trouble when someone else does something stupid. I did not report them to the police as the young person is not committing an offence by the time I meet them. However, I do counsel them that they MUSThave a qualified driver with them until they pass the road test and they MUSThave their name on the Certificateof Insurance.An open insurance does not cover them. Parents do not seem to realise that in the event of even a fender bender they too will lose their license when they make their appearance in Court. These parents are totally and utterly irresponsible. 103

THE REALITIES OF FAST DRIVING With television, magazine articles and car salesmen extolling speed, people tend to forget that Cayman's roads are just not built for it.

HIGH SPEED DRIVING IN CAYMAN IS OUTI High speed driving also requires cars worthy of speed and that does not include a souped up version of a family car. The other limitations are the driver's self-discipline, the speed of his reactions and his road experience. If you live abroad, in North America or Europe for example, then you will develop good road experience in two or three years because of the denser traffic and exposure to a greater variety of driving situations. On Cayman's roads you must think again before putting your foot down.

To drive fast soon after you have learned to drive in Cayman and passed your test is foolishness. You are still a baby in know-how.

Many young men have died and more will surely follow because this simple truth cannot be accepted. We must put greater emphasis on this point. Very few student drivers take more than just a few lessons. It is a factthat the average U.K. learner driver takes forty lessons. Yes, forty lessons and that number is increasing. Proposals to change the law there will include the requirement to take two theory tests and two practical, on the road tests. Why? Because only by building up their experience, do young drivers obtain the skills necessary to be able to cope with the antics of the stupid reckless drivers one sees everyday. We also see these stupid reckless drivers in Cayman. By having an extended period of professional tuition young drivers are more likely to make it. Many parents do not think it necessary - and that Cayman traffic has not changed since they themselves learned to drive. This is not true - Cayman traffic in 1988 was very different from what it is like now.

Poor young Johnny died today: he died maintaining his right of way. He was right, dead right, as he sped along, but he's just as dead as if he'd been wrong. 104

GENERAL DRIVING Late for your Appointment

If you have arranged to meet someone, say at 10am and it is already 9.55am and a fifteen minute drive at least. Do not drive like a person possessed. You may be late for your meeting but you did not kill anyone or even yourself. Perhaps switching your clock to an obviously incorrect time. And not looking at your watch when running late would be a good idea.

Parking at Supermarkets

Parking at supermarkets and similar places is made troublesome by the inconsideration of just a few. You may drive around a corner and find a line of cars in front of you and you wonder what is the problem. You see that one car is about to leave but not ready to move out. Another car is waiting to grab the car park space as soon as the car goes. The driver does not care that he is holding up several cars behind. He is the one who should be criticised.

Exiting from car parks, hotels, gas stations etc.

This is very similar to handling a ‘T’ junction. Every time you exit from a car park, an hotel, gas station or any other property on to road way, check to see if it’s a one-way exit or if traffic may at that point enter from the road. Cars frequently enter a gas station far too fast and often through the exit. If you are in their path there could be a nasty accident.

Narrow

Gaps

If you find yourself in a position where the road is almost too narrow for you and another car to pass safely, then STOP.Let the other driver squeeze past you if there is no other option, or if the other driver just wishes to barge his way through. If you are stationary it will lessen any damage to your car and may shift liability to the other driver. Consider the accident insurance claim form: "How fast were you going? " and then you fill in, "I was stationary; it was not my fault"

Traffic Congestion Traffic congestion has become a part of Cayman. You can contribute to solving this national problem in the following ways: » In peak traffic hours, the habit of stopping to allow others to come out from side roads should be avoided. In fact, a much more practical situation is to simply allow those cars to merge without stopping your own car. » Parking on bends and curves, and in other no-parking areas or doubleparking further congests the traffic flow. Find a proper parking space before leaving your car. 105

Driving THE REAL THING is driving safely

Mr. Scott has served in Cayman for almost forty years as a police inspector and then as the senior driving examiner. Upon retirement from these two positions he set up the Real Thing Driving School. He employs Francisco Baccay to teach practical driving and Cherry Scott to teach the theory of good safe driving in a classroom.

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SERVICES OFFERED: • Driving Lessons • Consultancy • Orientation and Lectures • (How to pass your written exams)

CALL NOW TO BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT

925-5094 / 928-8284

burmon.scott58@outlook.com

ROAD SIGNS MANDATORY ROAD SIGNS The following signs must be obeyedat all times

STOP

•

(may have 4-WAYbelow)

~ y

SPEED LIMIT

NO RIGHT TURN

GIVE WAY (same as yield in U.S.)

NO ENTRY

NO LEFT TURN

U·TURN

NO PARKING

l 4- ..

(directions in which parking is ._!•_•_•_•_•• ...... not allowed)

eOYER~NG

107

INFORMATIVE SIGNS

ACCIDENT AHEAD

II] REDUCE SPEED (hazardahead)

GI D HOSPITAL ZONE

ONE-WAY STREET AHEAD

n OIRECTION TO EMERGENCY SHELTER

TOURIST INFORMATION

WALK

WAIT& WALKLIGHTS

108

INFORMATIVE SIGNS

NO THROUGH ROAD FOR VEHICLES

(

~·

MINI ) ROUNDABOUT

TRAFFIC HAS PRIORITY OVER ON-COMING VEHICLES

Priority over oncoming vehicles

---

DIRECTION TO BE FOLLOWED I (MA y BE REVERSED)

•

HANDICAPPED PARKING ONL V

PASS EITHER SIDE

VERY SHARP BEND AHEAD

ALWAYS ANTICIPATE THE UNEXPECTED. IT HAPPENS OFTEN SO DO NOT GET CAUGHT UNAWARES.

109

ADVISORY SIGNS

PLEASE TAKE IT

110

CROSSROADS (width of bars indicates priority)

BEND (may. be reversed}

T-JUNCTION

SERIES OF BENDS

SIDE ROAD (may be reversed)

DOUBLE BEND (may be reversed)

STAGGERED JUNCTION

MEN AT WORK

ROUNDABOUT

LOW FLYING AIRCRAFT

ADVISORY SIGNS

PLEASE TAKE IT

TRAFFIC MERGES FROM LEFT

(MAY BE REVERSED)

SLIPPERY ROAD

TRAFFIC MERGES AT BENO

ROAD NARROWS

(MAY BE REVERSED)

2-WAY TRAFFIC ON THIS ROAD

2-WAY TRAFFIC IN ROAD CROSSING AHEAD

TRAFFIC SIGNALS

(ON ONE SIDE)

ROAD NARROWS (ON BOTH SIDES)

DUAL CARRIAGEWAY ENDS

TRAFFIC SIGNALS NOTIN USE

111

ADVISORY SIGNS

PLEASE TAKE IT

PEDESTRIAN CROSSING

SCHOOL ZONE

(School)

CATTLE

STEEP HILL UP

SCHOOL CROSSING PATROL

STEEP HILL DOWN

BLIND & DISABLED CROSSING

FALLING ROCKS

IPatrol I

PEDESTRIANS INTHE ROAD

No footway for ,..,.400yds '"','

112

DANGER AHEAD (Accident, hidden dip or other hazard)

ADVISORY SIGNS

PLEASE TAKE IT

STOP SIGN r- -T_O_P_ AHEAD

5 100 yds

GIVEWAY .SIGN AHEAD

'7V GIVE WAY 50yds

UNEVEN ROAD

~ l

HUMPS IN ROAD

Humps for

1:zmile.

HUMP BRIDGE

TRAFFIC QUEUES LIKELY

SIDEWINDSA

DEAD END

SOFTVERGES

Soft verges

for 2 miles

113

MARKINGS ON THE ROAD

STOP LINE AT A STOP SIGN

STOP LINE AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT·

GIVE WAY TO TRAFFIC ON JUNCTION WITH MAJOR ROAD

VJ:vJJ

GIVE WAY TO TRAFFIC AT A ROUNDABOUT

. ROAD HUMP often known as SPEED BUMP

GIVE WAY AHEAD

NO WAITING PERMITTED

PEDESTRIAN CROSSING

114

VEHICLE HAZARD WARNING PLATES

2VE 1089

Plain plate displayed by vehicles carrying certain dangerous goods In packages

Newtown-on-Moor (0123)45678

Typical warning plate with alternative diamond shaped symbols

OXIDIZING AGENT

RADIOACTICE MATERIAL

COMPRESSED GAS

,._ ,/'•,. ,,

SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL

CORROSIVE MATERIAL

> ...,..,'

115

FOSTERS

13M:ter becausewe care

...

*The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the USestimates that eating and driving increases the likelihood of crashes by 80%. Additionally, 65% of near-miss crashes are caused by distracted drivers who are eating or drinking while driving.

VAMPT MOTOR THE ONLY AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR FORD, LEXUS AND TOYOTA VEHICLES IN CAYMAN

TOYOTA

NEW CAR SALES - PREOWNED - GENUINE PARTS 24HRWRECK TOWING SERVICE927-3292 www.vamptmotors.com Visit our expanded Showroom and Service Centre.

We service all makes & models. 0 Full Diagnostic System 0 Tune-Up/Oil Change 0 Transmission Repair

0 Express Lube Service

0 Ziebart Rust Proofing 0 Wheel Balancing & Alignment 0 Paint &Auto Body 0 Complimentary Shuttle Service

Service Centre - 949-2245 Monday-Friday7:30am- 5:00pm Saturday8:00am- 12:00pm

Showroom - 949-8288 Monday-Friday8:30am- 5:00pm Saturday9:00am- 12:00pm Visit us on Walkers Rd, George Town in Grand Cayman.

know your limits... ...please read this book and be safe.

MUDB c RE Ar Iv E ---------

Branding, Print & Signage Contact Mike mike@mjdbcreative.com (345} 917-9180

ffi;5I brand ~ design.

Web & Digital Media Contact Darren

rT-1 digital l!:I design. riiil signage l!!!J design.

darren@mjdbcreative.com {345) 525-5000

~ print

l!.J design.

www.mjdbcreative.com _____

DRIVE SLOWER

LIVE LONGER

Asa newdriver, howlongdoI haveto bedrivingbeforemy rate comesdown? II is common to seea reduction in thepriceof yourpolicy afterthefirst yearof claims-free driving.

Navigatingcar insurancefor new drivers

Whatis a 'NoClaims'discount? II is a discountappliedto yourpolicyaftereveryyearof claims-free driving.Themaximum No-Claims Discount available willvarydepending onthe CanI transfermy NoClaimsDiscount fromanoverseas insurance company? Yes,aslongasyoucan providea NoClaimsLetteror Renewal Noticefromthe

between Comprehensive andThirdPartyinsurance? Comprehensive insurance covers yourownvehicle andanybodily injuries youincurinanaccident. as wellasyourliabilityto theother driver.Thirdpartyinsurance only covers yourliabilityto the otherdriver. Whatis a deductible andhow

is responsible for in theeventof a claim.Thecustomer receives a claimssettlement less theirdeductible.

Based upon his popular 'Good Driving is No Accident', trusted and proven by thousands. A must read for any road user.

Get in touch Visit www.caymanfirst.com Email askus@caymanfirst.com Cayman First Centre George Town (345)

949-7028

Savannah Countryside Shopping Village (345)

949-7028

Cayman Brae Kirkconnell Centre (345)

948-2266

Cayman Fl RST

What's first for you comes first for us .

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