I can't say that I always agree with ideas imported from our European Cousins but they do, in my opinion, get things right too. For example, if the farce surrounding the Road Transport Directive were taking place in France, we'd all be out blocking ports and burning sheep.

Now I'm not for one moment suggesting that we all rush out, grab the nearest ewe and head to Dover or wherever but isn't it about time that us Islanders did start to do some proper complaining?  Here we are with a week and a half to go before the Road Transport Directive becomes law and we still don't know what the law is going to be. This isn't small potato stuff either, it's not as if once we do receive the rules a quick call to drivers will sort it. If, like me, you've been reading everything you can about the Road Transport Directive, you'll know that the rules are complicated and explaining to staff what can and can't happen isn't something that can be done with a quick text message. Joan Aitken, Traffic Commissioner for the Scottish Traffic Area agrees with this. In the 2005 report from the UK Traffic Commissioners she says 'I record my concern that many drivers do not comprehend the details of the drivers hours provisions. Highly complex calculations can be required to determine rest periods and what is working time'. In fact she goes on to say 'There is a responsibility on employers to schedule work lawfully but I have sympathy with the honest driver who finds himself or herself bewildered in the face of such complexity'.

If you've been following my adventures in chaos over the past week or so, you'll know that my chums at VOSA and the Department for Transport, whilst being very nice and as helpful as they can be, aren't really able to resolve this for me. My last call to DfT on Tuesday had me told that the Road Transport Directive final details would be published this week. I've just put the phone down from them and, frankly, I'm staggered at what I've heard. My conversation went something like this:

- Hi, I'm just wondering if you can tell me when the final draft of the RTD will be available.

- It's not available yet but it will be as soon as possible.

- What do you mean by as soon as possible?

- Well, in the next couple of weeks.

- Hang on a minute it becomes law in less than that.

- Yes, I know, I'm very sorry. If you can give me a call during the middle of next week I should know more.

- When I phoned last week I was told it'd be ready by the end of the week and you told me the same this week. Now you're saying in a couple of weeks.

- Yes, I know, I'm sorry. It's been with the lawyers and we originally only had one person dealing with it.

At that point I'd heard enough and knowing I wasn't getting anywhere, I made my excuses and left. Dear readers, you're all intelligent people, you don't need me to tell you that this has gone beyond the point of ridiculous.

After a slurp of coffee or two and a quick cough and a drag I decided it was time to see what the main man, The Rt Hon Alistair Darling MP Secretary of State for Transport had to say about all of this. After all, according to the DfT's own website his Ministerial responsibilities include 'Overview of all policies, strategy and delivery' and 'Legislation' - sounds like the right man to speak to if you ask me. Knowing that the Minister wouldn't just speak to anyone, I called up the publisher of TNN - well he has been publishing my spiel of late - and asked if he could help. 'No problem' was the reply. In fact he's just called me back to say that he got through to the Press Office who will be calling him back and that we can all be sure that TNN will report what they learn.