Venting my spleen, might as well get it out the system.

0530 hrs, been up for over an hour as I could not sleep and having just stuck in one blog after nearly a month , how about a second.

Hate to say it, but the long light summer nights are fading and we are back to darkness in the morning and same again in the evening.  But what ever happened to the old posters begging folks to "See and be Seen".   As I either drive or ride to work in the mornings or head out in the evenings, there they are , "the lets save electricity and batteries brigade"  in their cars on their bikes and pedal cycles.  Put on your "bloody lights", get them fixed if they do not work, wear a high viz vest, and do not blame the other driver, rider who could not see you !!!    
I saw a sign at the entrance to a building site, it said " No Hard Hat, No safety boots, No High viz vest.  NO JOB" , if it applies for that site why not on the road where there are many more fatalities and serious accidents.
I made the silly mistake of venturing into Edinburgh in the car on Wednesday night, what a nightmare, an understatement, the City is getting worse by the week with bad roads, congestion and ever increasing numbers of restrictions due to building works and road works. AND the so called City Fathers are praising the success of the new 20 MPH speed limits !!   Ho Ho, what a hoot when it is quicker to jog or use a pedal cycle.  Again, brilliant to see the colour blind cyclists who ignore red traffic lights, or just scoot up onto the pavements and cross with the green man before joining the carriageway again.
Mobile phones -  may well be the best thing since sliced bread, but when pedestrians are not looking as they cross the road, motorists and cyclist are using them as they drive and cycle, I think not.  Last night the "One Show" presenter went on the road on a motor bike and filmed a number of drivers using their phones at the wheel.    Me,  for £6 I bought a plug in earpiece with a microphone and can receive calls safely when driving, I do not read texts, or make calls while driving.  Long gone are the days when you came in from work and checked to see if you had any mail in the letter box.

In my previous blog I commented on the European Bill of Human Rights and the problems it has caused.  I am just reflecting on how the Social Work Scotland Act and the attitude of this "nanny state" we now live in has impacted our lives.   yes, it may well be the case that many young people have a better life and more protection, however, what about the victims of these "ferrell sh**bags" who are running riot in stolen vehicles, committing crimes against property and individuals with no remorse and no penalty?   Parental responsibility appears to have gone right out the window these days.   We had a nurse killed in Edinburgh by a stolen car as she walked home from work, and this week a stolen Mercedes out of control crashed into a parked caravan.  In both cases the drivers were juveniles, and either they or their friends have taunted the Police on Face Book - so much for social responsibility -  time to bring back the birch perhaps.    0600 hrs and blood pressure increasing, time to chill out ( as Sparky Mark would recommend).

Will head out shortly to work for a couple of hours, and later depending on how things are, might make it to the K.T's,  monthly meeting of King David of Ballentraddoch.