No News, Some Mews and a Police Car Bed-Time Story

Whenever I go to the gym during lunch time, from some reason one of the TVs will always show the mid-day British Parliament broadcast (The house of Commons). It always looks like a big bunch of arguing teenagers. Politely arguing, though. There is a Speaker of the House, and s/he grants the permission to speak to whoever is on the list. Each one speaks for few minutes. While speaking, the rest of the parliament members in the house support or oppose the each speaker. How do they vote? Members shout out "Aye" and "No". Their votes are recorded, by the way.
That specific moment that the first one starts shouting, and everybody else join, is quite an hilarious moment, which reminds of the above mentioned high-school kids.

That's the only type of news I consume nowadays. For example, only today I discovered that the Israeli high-school teachers are on strike for 1.5 months. The Universities are on strike for a month, by the way. But what am I talking about, you probably know it already.

And as promised, a short story:
It was early in the morning, the sun was still somewhere else, only the newspaper people are at the streets, even the Cafes were still closed. Only one car was slowly driving the streets. And when we came across each other, I had to give way to that police car before crossing the street.

That moment changed everything. I just gave up and admitted defeat in my own private war against Irish car drivers. And I became one of them, the passive, frightened, miserable, running from the cars like a rat that is being chased by a cat, Irish pedestrians.

You Should be More Careful!

That's what the nice Irish policeman said to someone I know, after crossing the street. Why did he say that? Because a car driver saw a pedestrian crossing the street, and that was a good-enough reason to speed up. Why not making the poor pedestrian sweat a bit and feel like this could be his/her last moment in life?

That's how it is here in Dublin. The streets of Dublin (or any other place in Ireland) are not a safe place! The unwritten law is that cars and drivers have the priority to drive (and maybe run over people as well???...), the pedestrians must be more careful and more responsible, and wish they had a car. That way we'll feel much safer.

After being here for almost a month, I can understand where it comes from. The streets of Dublin are very narrow and crowded. There are more traffic lights for cars than pedestrians. We have to cross the street whenever it seems safe enough. But there's always a car with a mad driver behind the wheel, just around the corner. Pedestrians always have to press a button if they want to cross the street, even at the city busiest junction. Otherwise the light will never change to green on most pedestrians' traffic lights.

The police' approach is to reproach and preach. At least they don't give pedestrians reports for crossing the street on red light and/or carelessness . Like in Israel. But at least in Israel pedestrians are more taken care of. the police do a lot in those cases, and give away many reports to rogue drivers. I read and saw on the news!

I know some might disagree. I know it sounds absurd, but wait till you are here, and then understand what I'm talking about. Yes, I do mean that Israeli drivers are more careful than Irish. Despite the fact that they can stab you when you argue with them. Well, I'm exaggerating, as almost always, but it does happen, sometimes. That, too, was written and on the news. From time to time.

I have one last tip. If you're in Dublin, try not to accidentally hit the mirror of the car next to you with our elbow, or the driver will start beeping like crazy and shout at you like crazy. Based on a true story. Not mine. Yet.