Traffic..again!!

by **Mille** » 04 Oct 2006, 13:21

I still think public transportation is the keyword on Symi.

by **Adriana** » 04 Oct 2006, 13:30

Public transport by water as well as by road.

That way there would be no need to destroy fragile eco-systems by running bulldozers through them... :cry:

by **Mille** » 04 Oct 2006, 13:36

Indeed, Adriana.
Allthough I wouldn't like to ride the waves to Pedi in a winter storm

by **Adriana** » 04 Oct 2006, 13:42

Mind you the handful of people who live down in Pedi in the winter generally have their own boats

by **Jan** » 05 Oct 2006, 11:01

Adriana said:
" Public transport by water as well as by road.

That way there would be no need to destroy fragile eco-systems by running bulldozers through them..."

I can't agree more. Surely one has to differentiate between roads and road traffic necessary for residents to go about their everyday lives in some comfort, and bulldozing driveable tracks to places like St Vassilis (I still can't work out how the Mayor thinks the car-borne visitor is going to get down to the beach from the carpark which will presumably be above the chapel).

by **Bina** » 06 Oct 2006, 21:14

In Old English literature, the sea was poetically described as "The Swan Road" (Swanrad) and "The Whale Road" (Hwaelweg). Today, it would be more apt to describe the sea as "The Boat Road". In short, traffic on the waves is detrimental, (just like traffic in the air, and on the roads).

At the end of the day, at the start of each new day, pollution is a global issue.

:!:

by **Olive** » 12 Oct 2006, 06:13

[quote="Mille"]

I still think public transportation is the keyword on Symi.

[/quote]Millie you are totally right, with two new busses, and six taxis things here have improved. Apology to the local boat owners but what we need now is a subsidised water bus to run cheaply between the beaches, all through the day. The privately run boat services are simply too expensive.

by **Adriana** » 12 Oct 2006, 07:19

Morning Olive! Tad moist this morning here on Symi but the Panormitis bus left on time. :cry:

Reliable, effective and affordable public transport is certainly necessary although even in countries where this is available this still doesn't keep cars off the roads and the new metro system in Athens did not significantly reduce the traffic on Athens' roads.

Two things that came up in the recent meetings held by the two mayoral candidates for the 'foreign' electorate are that: the number of taxis permitted for a community is designated by central government and Symi is not allowed more than six (as opposed to the thousand permitted for Rhodes); that there would be two buses running if a second driver could be found to fill the post.

by **Kon** » 12 Oct 2006, 08:35

If you need a second bus driver ,maybe ask my uncle Nickiforo that is if he ever leaves his drinking hole in Horio

I was also told that taxi licences are not cheap.

by **Ozzie Geoff** » 12 Oct 2006, 08:50

Yes, I noticed in the out and about photos that the old gren bus was still in service and wondered where the you beaut silver one was. Its a wonder Lakis is not driving the new one. 8-)

Can't get a driver..you must be kidding. What would happen if Lakis got sick or broke his leg? Would the whole public transport system grind to a halt?

by **Adriana** » 12 Oct 2006, 08:56

The new bus is still waiting for its license plates to arrive

Lakis is only allowed to be ill for the two weeks in the winter when the bus goes for its annual service

Actually, in an environment where there is no such thing as paid sick leave, and most people are on a 'no work, no pay' income, everyone is remarkably healthy!

by **Mille** » 12 Oct 2006, 09:10

Can't get a new driver for the second bus, eh??

Amazing

by **Oor Willie** » 12 Oct 2006, 13:20

No second driver well that does not surprise me.

I have been driving a small tanker, about the same size as the Symi bus, all over Scotland for the last 30 years and I would not drive a bus in Symi even if I was offered double my current wages, I take my hat off to Lakis he drives his bus into places I would think twice about taking a Mini!!

by **D and E** » 13 Oct 2006, 12:13

Lakis is not the only driver !!

We were amazed to be driven several times over the last few weeks by Lakis's "apprentice" (we were told he was his cousin).

He was taking the early afternoon and late night "shifts" and whilst he may have been a tad slower at the famous corner by the harbour where we are sure the bus defies the normal rules of physics it was nice to see Lakis being able to ease up a bit.

Perhaps the delay in commissioning the new bus is really down to the need to get the anti-gravitational mechanism installed for that said corner !!

As for traffic generally the increase in large 4x4 vehicles was noticeable - how impractical - if ever there was a place for the SMART car !! - we saw three and of course are biased as we own one back here in Wales where country roads are not even as tight as the roads of Symi.

by **Adriana** » 13 Oct 2006, 12:23

Smart cars are fine in the harbour when the weather is good but in yesterday's deluge it was only the 4-wheel drives that made any headway against the water barrelling down the mountain.

It is not for nothing that they issue flood warnings here - we've had Ford Escorts etc floating round the harbour before!

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