Traffic Guernsey Style

I always smile to myself when Guerns speak of traffic jams. It is true that in the morning, from about 8.45am, the traffic is banked up until 9.00am and the trip into town which normally would take 10 minutes takes 20 minutes. Most people start work at 9.00am, they leave home at the last possible minute so it seems that every person who works in St Peter Port is trying to park during a 15 minute mad panic each day; at least that is a outsider's perspective anyway.

This man lives not far from us. The most cars I have seen banked up behind him is six; they all wait patiently as the horse clip-clops along. He does not frequent the main roads usually and if you find him on one he is only making his way to a side road so you need not wait long for him to turn.

Horses are a common sight. Due to the size of Guernsey I always imagined that keeping a horse would be a rather expensive hobby; a limited number of paddocks you see.

This tractor is a medium to small one so driving behind or past one of these does not pose much of a problem, however when you encounter one of the large variety that is a different story all together. Their wheels are taller than our car and they do not slow down or move over so a fair bit of footpath stunt driving is required to get out of their way usually.

Please take note of the granite wall. When we first moved here and I refused to drive on the tiny roads (the one in this photo would rate as a medium sized road) for the first three weeks I lived in fear of those granite walls. It was not until the children started school and I saw how many cars in the car park had 'granite rash' that I felt a little less daunted. It is obviously not uncommon to have an altercation with one and sport the scars of the conflict. I have avoided any granite rash thus far although now I have said/typed that out loud I should be expecting some in the next week or so I expect!