You Got A Fast Car

Need a hire car? You might be out of luck. Reports such as that in "The Diario" yesterday refer to the fact that car-hire fleets have been cut, in some instances by a half. It's all down to the economic situation, not necessarily demand, because there is plenty of that, especially when the weather is as poor as it has been over Easter, but because the car-hire companies have not been able to obtain the credit to get new vehicles. Typically, these companies look to sell on their vehicles, and that's been a problem as well, so fleets comprise at least some older cars.

The consequences of this can cause problems for those businesses that are linked with car hire, such as villa-rental agencies that include car hire as part of the arrangement. I understand that there has been some rather frantic calling around to try and get cars, many of which are already hired out direct thanks to the growing popularity of pre-booking through the internet. For customers coming off the street and looking to hire, it may be problematic when the season really gets under way. This all goes to emphasise the degree to which all aspects of the tourism "offer" are in some way linked to funding from the banks, or not, as the case may be.


If you have a hire car or any other car and you happen to be enjoying the local roads, then do watch out for the obstacles in your way - like tourists. The side roads are one thing, but the main roads, such as the carretera, are another. The new islands and crossing-points that have burst out like blooms in spring in Playa de Muro may as well not be there, like the ones that blossomed last year in Alcúdia. Why is that people find it so difficult when with buggies and all the other paraphernalia to make the walk ten metres to the right or left and cross where there is an island or a crossing-point? Moreover, what actually goes through people's minds when they stand in the middle of the road on the bridge in Playa de Muro. This now has pavements on both sides, with a concrete barrier conveniently tight to the road that will doubtless be glanced or hammered into at various stages by vehicles through the summer. It has therefore been narrowed, not widened, which might have been an idea. But as a result, if you are a pedestrian and you are in the middle, you are under distinct threat from getting winged. Or you have to make the traffic stop. Which thankfully is what has so far happened.


QUIZ
Yesterday's title - Fleetwood Mac, "Green Manalishi". Today's title - well, you might not even have a slow one. Who was this?

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