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Top Accommodation along Kläralsvsbanan

Stjärnsfors Herrgård, holiday homes, between Uddeholm and Hagfors
Stjärnsfors, Forshaga, Nordvik, 18-19 July 2008

horn

The Dutch think that stretching the rules is a wonderful game. The Swedes fail to see the why that should be fun. Swedes stick to rules. Because they proudly created all those rules themselves.

A Swede is a member of a group, not an individual. So every decision is the process of a group, with frequent and extensive meetings.

It can take years before a Swedish kommuun takes a decision. The newspapers will report a decision as a major event.

It is quite normal to discuss for a decade about a plan that can be executed in weeks. The Swedes happily execute the taken decision with full confidence. Every decision is a good decision and rules are just a special kind of decisions.

So, do not ever break a rule in Sweden. The Swedes will immediately think you have lost your senses.

The Swedes here are a bit lost as far as what to do with my recumbent bicycle. The Swedes are not used to the speed of a recumbent bicycle. I have to ring my bell way in advance to warn them in time.

First bell problem: My ringing has little effect. Swedes expect a slow cyclist when they hear a ring. So panic strikes when they see how fast a recumbent bike approaches them.

A second bell problem is the compass that is embedded in the bell. That compass gets confused because of all the metal in the steering gear.

As an experiment I install the bell way up front, near the pedals. And Yahoo!, the compass now works fine. Late night I test the compass and the sun nicely sets in the north, whichever way I turn the bike. Good.

The working compass leads to the third bell problem: unknown Swedish rules. To solve all bell problems I get a horn at the bike shop. The horn works great. The Swedes now hear my warning signals in time. So the horn is an asset for Swedish road safety.

It is only a few moments after installation of the horn when a Hagfors Swede approaches me. Is the horn legal? But sir, please listen to the bell way up front: tinggg! The Swede is speechless. Is or isn't this a legal vehicle?

I probably initiated another decade of conferences. So, in 2018, when you happen to read a story in a Hagfors newspaper about ringing with your toes and the legalisation of horns, you will remember who started this way back in 2008.

Till next nut,
Nut