大象传媒

MURPHY'S HIGHWAY CODE

At the start of World War II, Ron Nicholas from Cardiff, joined the Royal Corps of Signals as an army dispatch rider, because he was keen to get involved where the enemy action was.

His fate was to be sent to Northern Ireland, where the army considered there was a possible risk of spying and terrorist action from Southern Ireland. One day he was riding his motorcycle along a country road close to the verge, when a lorry driven by an Irishman came around a bend in the road aproaching him on the wrong side of the road and collided with him, knocking him off his bike.

His injuries were so bad, that he was rushed to the nearest hospital for emergency treatment, after which it took him a whole year to recover from his injuries.

Ron has never forgotten the arrival of the lorry driver at the hospital the following day, bearing a bottle of Jameson's whisky for him. He admitted liability for the accident and told Ron that he always came around that particular bend on the wrong side of the road, because it made it easier for him to turn the lorry, in order to enter through a gateway, without the necessity of reversing the lorry in.

Even after Ron had fully recovered from his injuries, It still took a long time before the army considered Ron to be fit enough to ride a motorcycle and return to active duty with his regiment.

So much for the risk of being killed in action, but what about the dangers of the local inhabitants driving on the wrong side of the road whilst you are still within the United Kingdom?

This story has been written on behalf of Mr. Ronald Nicholas, with his consent.

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