The
Train Crash: The judge has confirmed his view that the conductor
who called the driver just before the crash was in no way to blame
for the consequences of the call. Said the judge: "His call was
within the norms of the industry, though unfortunate in time and
place. It was within permitted limits and the conductor was entitled
to believe the driver would not ignore his overriding commitment to
the train. The call was part of what's normal on a train. . . The
sole cause of the accident was inappropriate and unforeseeable
driving." As for the conductor . . . He said he hadn't succumbed
to any feelings of blame, as the call had ended (just) before the
train came off the tracks.
The
other news yesterday was the allegation that the driver had ignored
not just one but three acoustic warnings to slow down within two
minutes. One can only guess as to why, other than involvement in the
phone conversation. Incidentally, it was reported yesterday that the
driver and the conductor were close friends, leaving me wondering
whether it was Spanish rules of friendship-above-all-else which
compelled the driver to take and continue the call.
Finally,
it's been announced that the limit on the accident bend will be
reduced to 30km, that more sensors will be installed on the rails and
that an automatic braking will be put into operation for all risky
stretches, though not the ERTMS system which has been installed but
is not yet operative.
One of the survivors of the crash was also on one of the trains blown up in 2004. An unenviable claim to fame.
Spain's
Guárdia Civil members no longer sport the glossy three-cornered hat
of old on normal service, though it's still worn on
ceremonial/official occasions, such as accompanying the President to
the scene of the train crash last week. Reflecting the Franco-era
excesses of the Guárdia Civil, the hat used to be a symbol of
terror. Which is now rather hard to take on board, given how silly it
looks. To me, at least.
I
went to the Movistar(Telefónica) office yesterday, to start the
annual calvario of changing my telecoms package. The lady
brought up my file on the computer and asked to see my ID and
evidence of my bank account number. She then used these to confirm my
details on the file. Then she took my documents into the back room to
photocopy them, just as she'd done last year. I can guarantee this
wouldn't happen in the UK and I can't for the life of me understand
why it was done here - other than the national obsessions both with
creating paperwork and with proving who you are.
Searching
on line last night for a way to complain to Correos about the
more-than-haphazard delivery of the last 7 issues of The
Economist, I came upon this post from Ben Curtis. Of course, this
was written in 2008 and things have probably improved since then. Amazon Spain
has been set up, for a start. Though I've no idea whether it's
dogged with delivery problems. I'm prepared to believe that - unlike
with small gifts sent to me from the UK - most, if not all, purchases do actually arrive. Anyway, I made my complaint to Correos by filling in a form which demanded not only my phone number but also my ID number. Why?, I
ask again. Because, like Everest, it's there?
Finally
. . . The bear necessities.
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