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Sunday, November 18, 2012

EVICTIONS IN SPAIN



In this week that took place a major general strike where many people expressed their anger for the unfair economic situation that they are living, have happened many outstanding things worthy to tell on this blog. 

Since 2008 there have been 400.000 evictions in Spain, which means that Spanish banks nowadays own 400.000 households that they got through cheating Spanish people. According to “Caritas” ( a Spanish charity ) more than 30.000 people live in the street. Others live in cars, caravans or shacks. Others have been lucky and any friend or relative let them live at their own house. And there are others who threw in the towel and killed themselves. 

Since 2008 there have been each year more than 8.500 people who committed suicide in Spain. Of course, not all of them committed suicide because of the economic crisis but, for certain, many of them did. 

Today, I want to talk about some of these Spaniards who threw in the towel.  I want to tell about a security guard whose company owed him 10.000 euros but it didn’t pay him. Because of his debts he killed himself leaving two sons without a father. Or a young man who lost his job, then his wife asked him divorce and then bank took him his house out. He also committed suicide. In Valencia a man was going to be kicked out from his house and before police entered his house, he jumped over the window before kissing his son for the last time. Another man in Granada hanged himself because he was going to be evicted the day after. 

The last case took place in Barakaldo in northern Spain. Amaia Engaña had guaranteed her brother. He mortgaged his house and time after lost his job. Both brother and sister were going to be evicted from their respective houses. Amaia had a job as a civil servant. Her husband had a job too. They had a twenty-one years old son. Amaia concealed that she had guaranteed her brother from both her husband and son. Last week Amaia knew when police would ring her door to ask her to leave definitively her house. When they rang, she threw herself through window. 

After this last suicide Spanish governmentnt gathered to deal with evictions in Spain. Law has been slightly modified and now some families, only those who live the most serious situations will avoid eviction at least for a while. It has been necessary many people commit suicide so that government makes such a decision. Our martyr has been Amaia and that is why I have decided to put up a picture and a video of her. I hope anyone else commit suicide in the future. Citizens are not responsible for this crisis. Only banks and Spanish politicians. In any case, if someone has decided to commit suicide shortly my advise is this one:  kill a Spanish politician or banker first.





Friday, November 2, 2012

SPANISH DRIVERS



I am going to talk about Spanish drivers. The stadistic is shocking: more than five hundred pedestrians are killed by drivers each year in Spain. Between 2005 and 2010 there were 68.000 pedestrians knocked down; 3.300 were killed and 13.500 were seriously injured. Most of them were children and old people. In ninety percent of cases it took place in crosswalks or red lights, which means it was the driver’s faul. There are several reasons why so many pedestrians are killed in zebra crossings. 
Most cases take place in cities and the main causes are distractions, traffic offences and excess speed. I would say there is another reason. Recently I wrote about Spanish manners. This thing has to do with the way of driving in Spain. Drivers are always in a hurry and that is the most important thing for them. They don’t think about killing someone for driving so fast. They just think of getting their place as soon as possible. And they know Spanish law protect killers so if they run over someone there is only one thing they must do to avoid get into trouble. Phoning ambulance, acting (maybe crying or pretending an anxiety attack) and to say I am sorry. These three things are enough to avoid jail. He could lose his driving license for a few months and in some cases maybe he would have to pay a compensation for pedestrian or his family. That is why they drive recklessly. They are selfish and only think of themselves. It is the upbrinking that they received from their parents. Which would be the measures to avoid such accidents? In countries such as Switzerland, Germany or England drivers are much more respectful with pedestrains because of law. Drivers are severely punished if they commit any kind of traffic offence. They have to pay high compensations and even could go to prison. That is what Spain should do to solve this problem. Every driver who kills someone should go to prison for ever because despite maybe he didn’t do it on purpose, he has killed someone. A person’s life always should be punished with jail. If you live in Spain you will have high chance of being knocked down so be careful with drivers. I am going to give some advises just in case you are ever knocked down. Don’t argue with driver. Try to be calm down although it will be difficult. Try to get any witness and his/her phone number to be in touch. He or she will be key to win a possible future trial. Don’t trust insurance companies. They will always offer you the minimum compensation. Get a lawyer because probably you will win the trial and driver will have to pay your lawyer costs. Pretend you have developed depression. You will be able to ask another compensation for damages. Inform everybody about your accident including police in order to avoid future accidents. What would you have to do to avoid being knocked down? Don’t trust any driver in any crosswalk or red light. Don’t cross until driver has completely stopped. Don’t listen to music while walking. It could distract you. Try to use crosswalks with lights. They are the safer way of crossing roads. And write a blog or send your comment on this one telling your mind about this major problem or tell your own experience if you have ever been knocked down. We can solve this problem. Bye !!!