Here are some photos from the Winter Storm Hercules, and how it affected the beach at Monte Clérigo yesterday, together with today’s clean up operation.
The photos have been kindly provided by Amovate Members Helen And Steve Rowell.
Yearly Archives: 2014
New Driving Laws in Portugal
From the Algarve Daily News:
More than 60 amendments to Portugal’s Road Traffic Act came into force on New Year’s Day, including the lowering of the alcohol limit for professional drivers and drivers who recently have passed their test, new rules for cyclists and new rules for the nation’s multitude of beautifully constructed roundabouts.
The Highway Code now provides for the creation of ‘residential areas of coexistence,’ ie where man and machine operate in perfect harmony with specific rules for traffic such as speed limits reduced to a gentle 20kmph.
There is an important paperwork change – Portuguese identification cards now are needed if the driver does not have the new citizen card. It is hoped that foreign drivers will be OK with a passport as non-Portuguese citizens are neither entitled to an ID card nor a citizen’s card. Many expats do not have fiscal cards but should carry the paper document, free from Finanças, with their fiscal number on it.
The law that fiscal numbers must be produced when asked is to enable authorities to check if a driver is in debt with the taxman. Failure to present the card will result in a fine of €30. Whether this is to be challenged by the over-burdened Constitutional Court or not remains to be seen but the increase in spying into citizens’ financial affairs by the traffic police will do nothing to improve the pact between state and citizen.
There is an important change at roundabouts. The only road users that can use the right-hand lane at a roundabout are those that are taking the first exit. Everyone else must use the inner lane i.e. if going straight ahead or turning left. The fine if you get this new maneuver wrong is between €60 and €300 and over the next few weeks the GNR are likely to be perched at their favourite roundabouts, waiting….
Annoyingly, different sources of information have different interpretations of this new rule with some suggesting that the right hand lane is for both the first and second exits. More clarification will be needed so in the meantime stick to the IMTT’s interpretation, right hand lane – first right only.
The new code reduces the alcohol level permitted to 0.2 grammes per litre of blood for drivers on probation i.e. those that have held a full license for less than 3 years, and for drivers of rescue service vehicles, taxi drivers and commercial drivers of vans and trucks.
In the event of an accident, in addition to the mandatory test for alcohol blood level, there now will be screening for drug use using rather accurate test kits.
Cyclists gain new rights with new rules giving them equal rights to vehicles in many cases.
The police are required to inform any driver fined more than €200 that he or she can pay the fine in installments of €50 or more, over a period not exceeding 12 months.
Mobile phone and i-Pod headphones with two earpieces are banned but those with a single earpiece are still allowable. No, you can’t say you were only using one of the earpieces as double earpieces are banned totally.
Defibrillator Target—Almost There!
(Just give us one more push to get us over the line)
What an incredibly warm-hearted and big-hearted Community we have here on Vale da Telha and the surrounding areas!
And the word “heart” is so appropriate in this context.
Less than a month has passed since we announced a partnership between the Bombeiros, Amovate, Dr David Quinton and you, the local community, to join forces and raise the funds to buy two state-of-the-art Defibrillators from the UK, specifically to benefit the residents up here on Vale da Telha and the rest of Aljezur.
The cost of these life-saving machines, plus a training kit, is in excess of £4,000, and we expected it would take quite a few months to get close to that figure.
But thanks to the generosity of so many people up here we are already within touching distance of that total; so close that we expect to hit the target any time soon, with the help of some more personal donations and subject, of course, to the Exchange Rate on the day of purchase.
So, if you feel you can take us over the finishing line, please contact us at the e-mail address below to make a donation however large or small. Every Euro helps!
As we have already explained, one defibrillator will be permanently based here on Vale da Telha, centrally located in the Hotel Vale da Telha and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The other will be used exclusively by the Bombeiros, who currently have just the one defibrillator at their disposal, for use on their four ambulances which operate from the Alentejo border south to Carrapateira.
As you will know by now there is to be a presentation by the Bombeiros next Thursday, 9th January 2014 at The Old School House, Vales, between 1 and 3pm to brief residents and to recruit anyone wishing to be trained in Basic Life support or, more accurately, “Hands only CPR”, a simple technique which is learnt in one session.
Once the volunteers have completed this straightforward and uncomplicated session they will be asked if anyone would like then to move on and to be trained in the use of the defibrillator; another method designed for previously untrained members of the public.
So, please come for the Presentation next Thursday (13:00 hrs – 15:00 hrs, don’t forget) to hear details of this very important venture.
Clearly, this is a project that has already struck a chord with everyone in the area since we announced that the fund-raising drive would be launched through the Amovate Christmas Party on December 22.
And, boy, how you all dug deep!
The Raffle, boosted by so many generous gifts to be used as prizes, raised €535 to add to the ticket sales which yielded a profit of €227.60 after all deductions for food, entertainment etc.
The Quiz group donated all their charity funds for a wonderful total of €1,583 whilst Amovate donated a further €1,200. There was also a donation of €50 from the Keep Fit group.
Then there were a number of personal cash donations led by Paulo from O Paulo Restaurant who gave us €100 in addition to a €100 meal-for-two voucher from his restaurant.
Other cash donations contributed to an overall total of €270 which, hopefully, is subject to further additions.
The Raffle, too, was such a success because of the generosity of those people who donated so many attractive prizes.
Some people wished to remain anonymous, but if we have inadvertently left off your name (so many people brought prizes on the night when our paperwork wasn’t up to speed!), please let us know and we will add your name alongside your donation.
The Donors included:
Voucher for Dinner for 2 up to €100 from O Paulo Restaurant, Arrifana.
Bottle of Champagne from Chris and Ken.
1 litre bottle of Smirnoff from Sue and Dave Bateman.
€20 voucher from Ponte Pe
€5 Euro Ponte Pe café.
1 bottle Rumbero white rum from Sue and Brian Parker.
Crepe maker from Rick.
Large Ferrero Rocher from Faith and Dave Quinton.
1 bottle Orange Liqueur (?)
1 bottle Irish Whiskey from David Ross
3 Small Aromatherapy bottles.
1 bottle of Port from Moire and John.
Micro cooker pot (?)
Large Candle in a jar (?)
6 Bottles of wine from Eileen and Peter Johnson.
3 Bottles wine from Sue & Ian Bedford
His and Hers Sparkling Wine from Susan and Brian Jutsum.
His and Hers Sparkling Wine from Pam and Matt D’Arcy.
Glass Cake Stand from Marion.
€20 Voucher from Pizza Bica.
I hour Massage or Beauty Treatment from the Day Spa.
6 bottles of homemade beer from Gene and Gina.
Electric crepe maker from John and Sandra Williams.
Bottle of Ginja plus Chocolate Cups (?).
How to contact us:
1. By e-mail : info@amovate.com
2. Address: Caixa Postal 205, Vale da Telha, 8670 – 156, Aljezur
