Pootling through Wales

As someone who lives in Wales. Not as a Welshman but someone who made the move several years ago, I have to say it was one of the best things I ever did. To have the countryside on my doorstep, friendly villagers, dog walks. I know, what you are thinking come on mate does this bucolic version of the countryside truly exist? Well yes sorry it truly does and what’s more it has just got even better. Just when you think the Welsh had nailed it with free doctors prescriptions, free parking in hospitals and subsidised university prices. Now you can add to that list of innovative ideas the twenty mile an hour speed limits in villages

With the new speed limit of twenty miles an hour through built up area now being enforced in Wales, my view of Wales has gone up another notch.

I love it. Simply love it, what can be more enjoyable than slowing down, rolling down the window and just enjoy the views which let’s face it, living in Wales we are greatly spoilt with the views we have, the green green grass of home can’t be bettered!

The best part though of pootling at twenty miles an hour through the villages is to see the cars behind having to slow down, you will get the ones who will ride right on your back bumper, start swerving to see if they can over take. Ahhh the frisson of excitement that runs through me as I see them getting more frustrated. Obviously some will overtake and roar past. I just shrug knowing I’m happy in my zen moment, as they growl and get bent out of shape. 

The ones who pass you in the twenty mile areas are often those who go at forty every where through Wales so when I get through the twenty mile an hour speed limit I often catch them up, then I sit on their bumper. Watching them constantly glancing back at me getting more frustrated. When they hit another village I slow down to enjoy the pootle they rush on breaking the speed limit by even more. 

I will do this for three or four villages. The car driver getting more and more worried (think of the Stephen Spielberg film The Duel) then I think ok enough is enough time to put them out of their misery. I press a button on my dashboard turning on the hidden blue lights in the grill of my car. Catching up with the speeding car, flagging them over. Pulling out my badge I walk up to the car to give the driver the bad news I have been filming them for the last 10 miles and they have been caught. For those unfortunate enough not to live in Wales, I would beseech you to think about just driving around at twenty miles an hour in thirty miles an hour areas. Watch the consternation on the faces of the cars behind you it’s a thing of beauty.

Yes I truly love the new twenty mile an hour limit within Wales, it’s done wonders for my capture ratio!