Same as in Canada - it's recommended that you plop yourself on someone's insurance here as a 'secondary driver' so that you don't havce a lapse in coverage.

oh yes, forgot to mention the full face helmet! DEFINITELY get a full face helmet - not only is it good in rain, it WILL protect ou against road rash!

As I've already left the island, it seems I've sadly missed my chance...I did have the opportunity to go to Captain's Lounge with a bunch of guy friends and that was an experience I would care never to repeat!

no problem! that's what we're here for!

Oh, and if you're getting a bike and it is going to be your main source of transportation, get a proper lockbox and not the wire basket. This past winter was BRUTAL for rain (it literally rained at least a little bit every single day)...

You're really doing your research eh?

Rainsuits that people wear on island can be anything from Helly Hansen ($$$) to garbage bags/bin liners - I am serious! Anything that will keep you dry in the sideways rain (I'm serious again) works! I had one of those yellow foul weather gear getups which was bequeathed to me by another expat who left the island shortly after I arrived - it was 100% plastic and did the job nicely. I also used it for fishing out at sea.

What you want to look for in a rain suit is that it is water repellant and water proof - not water resistant - i.e. you want PLASTIC - as I have heard of people spending all kinds of money on fancy rain suits to have them leak at the seams because they didn't 'waterproof them' correctly. Don't worry about looking like a dumbass, when it rains/storms EVERYONE looks like a dumbass You'll look more like a dumbass when the seat of your pants are wet because you didn't get a proper rain suit.

You want the suit to be lightweight enough so that you don't die from heat stroke in the summer, and large enough so that it can accomodate a sweater/jacket/parka in winter - it's the winter rain that will KILL YOU with pneumonia if you let it. get wet once in the winter and have to work in FREEZING a/c ALL DAY in the middle of March and you'll know exactly what I am talking about.

As for footwear - you on de island man, wear flip flops (in summer) in winter, I ended up with wellies because the sideways rain gets so crazy sometimes it feels like it is raining at you upside down - not kidding. Boot covers or whatever are not gonna hack it I'm afraid...oh, and one little tip - roll up your pants under your rain gear because the hems will get wet and sometimes STAY WET all day.

The rain in Bermy can be crazy....like when dealing with everything else on the island, make sure you have a healthy sense of humour!

@ 1st Baron, sounds as if you've unlocked the secret to taxis in Bermuda already Good on you! (and good on you for taking a cab after a night out!)

@ Mike, I can attest that 'timewarps' are real on that island...the Triangle seems to be alive and well! Space aliens, never met one, but I;ve heard stories 

I don't know what the commute is like from the Eastern parishes as I've only lived on the western side- however, I know there is no ferry service to the eastern side, save for St. George's and that's usually only in the summer...

They are not very common, but the hype around them is very common....the explanation I got for all the panic is that when Emily hit, it took the island by surprise, well, not really by surprise, as they had been warned that it was coming, but no one really prepared all that much because 'hurricanes were never a direct hit on Bermuda'....well, it hit directly, and in the middle of the night too! Then Fabian came and slammed the island again a few years later (actually, when I had arrived in 2005, they were STILL fixing things from Fabian, which hit in 2003 I believe....Gibb's Hill Lighthouse didn't open again until 2006).

The structures in Bermuda are made of stone/concrete, those houses aren't going ANYWHERE...the roofs, however, do sometimes fly off in really bad storms, but, that's par for the course. All you have to do when a storm is coming (and trust, there is PLENTY of warning of it's arrival, it's like waiting to get run over by a steamroller) is just go out and buy water, food, booze , stuff to do if the power goes out...then tape up your windows (or board them up - your landlord will probably tell you what to do), bring everything inside or secure the stuff outside, and hang out (or have a hurricane party)...some companies will send their employees home early in the event of a storm, some don't. I have been through several "hurricane warnings" but they all amounted to nothing more than really really really bad storms. Once there was an indirect hit, and I didn't have power for 5 days, but, you just have to resign yourself to 'camping' measures (and thank the heavens that you not only have a generator at work, but SHOWERS too!).

And as you've probably seen by now, Colin had very little effect on Bermuda even though it was said to be a 'direct hit'....it rained a bit as I understand...and that's it. I don't even know if it ever moved up to a Hurricane 1 status or not.

And while we're on the topic of how things get sensationalized - SHARKS are NOT a problem in Bermuda at all. There has only ever been 1 recorded shark 'attack' (it was a bite) and that was back in the 50's or 60's and it's unclear if it was provoked or unprovoked...and the person survived intact. I am only mentioning this because there's a bit of a hoopla right now as they have caught a couple of massive tiger sharks offshore and the 'word on the street' is making it seem as if the sharks are coming in to the bays and harbours and sneaking into people's homes and snatching them right out of their beds - but they are NOT! Every couple of years, some fisherman manages to catch a huge tiger out in the open waters and people get freaked out because they think these 'mutant' sharks are descending upon the island....when in truth, these sharks are ALWAYS in the depths outside of the reefs...and when it gets colder, there are even Great Whites out there too....

Now, smaller sharks have been known to come in past the reefs because they follow the cruise ships in through the cuts...but they either get caught, or they follow the ships back out again without incident. They call these little guys 'duskies' and they are SO CUTE! I am sure that if you poked one with a stick, it might bite you, but, they're pretty harmless otherwise.

I just posted all about taking Ferries to and fro the western parishes http://www.bermudasucks.com/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,29/topic,5459.msg88219/#msg88219

It used to take me anywhere from 20-45 minutes to get to work in the morning from Warwick (at Lindos) on a bike...if it was raining or there was an accident, you'd be looking at an hour, at least!
From Sounthampton, like I said, I'd take the ferry almost everyday, the days that I would get a ride were days with yucky weather, and/or some extrenuating circumstance so those days, it would literally take FOREVER to get to town....but, as Kitty said, an hour sounds about right....and finding car parking seems to be an even bigger issue now.

@maagic123 - Ferries are a great way to commute to work everyday- especially from Southamptom (And Warwick!) I lived in both parishes and took the ferry in to work everyday. I met some of my best friends on the island on the Rockaway Ferry! You can also take your bike on the ferry (Fast ferries only from Southampton & Sandys, the Warwick Ferry uses the slow boats, and there's no room for bikes - although you can bring your pedal bike if you like).

I found that the ferries were dependable and reasonable...I mean, there were times, especially the Rockaway, where there were delays (or they'd skip an entire route for whatever reason, like the pilotcalled in sick or whatever) but for the most part, your employer will be understanding...and cances will be that a good percentage of your coworkers were also on that same ferry!

Southampton is a great parish to live in! I found everyone there so friendly and 'neighbourly'. Once you get into the swing of things there, you'll see what I mean! You'll be offered rides either to the ferry or to town (especially if it's raining, or if they have cancelled the route - which didn't happen often)

Warwick was an ok parish to live in because it was so close to town, and some people were friendly..I didn't live in the best of neighbourhoods there...

As for buses, well, when I lived in Southampton, as I said, I took the ferry to work in the morning and the express bus home at night (the express bus goes from town and doesn't stop until Barnes corner).

@ 1st Baron - Like I said, I looked for lessons for bike riders and there were none. Offiicially at least - I had a few friends who showed me the ropes, so it was good. There are driving lessons for car drivers a plenty tho'. TCD is the last place I would hang out 'after hours' - but, maybe what you've seen there is the 'Ride Safe' program for teens?

I also don't agree that you absolutely need wheels, (although it makes evening outings way easier) - I didn't get my bike until I had been on the island for 2 years, and that was only because I had tons of crazy volunteer 'jobs' at crazy hours and it wasn't always the easiest thing to get a ride...for the most part, people offer rides, or there's a bus...if you're staying in town to imbibe at happy hour on a Friday, you had better be finding an alternate method home in the first place (and not driving ANYWHERE while drunk!)

Personally, I found it way easier to get around Southampton when I lived there because in addition to all the buses available (the 7 and the 8, as I lived past Barnes corner) there were not only friendly neighbours who'd offer rides to town or to the shop if they saw you at the bus stop, but there was also the ever so awesome mini-bus service up there which would run you from Dockyard to Horseshoe/Heron's Bay for a few dollars. And you could flag them down if you saw them in the street and needed a ride, or you could call them and have them pick you up at your door (and they'd actually show up!). I only got my bike after moving to Warwick.

Note, I have not once mentioned the use of 'taxis' as bing a viable option for anything other than going FROM the airport...even grabbing one from a taxi stand in town has been a crap shoot as you'll have to hope they are going where you need them to go. And hope that they are sober. And as a girl, hope that they're not a disgusting pervert.

and a shooting on Elliot early this morning

http://bernews.com/2010/08/shooting-on-elliot-street-one-injured/

Oh, and I guess I should state the obvious - for the love of God - DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE!

2 weeks of bike rental is paid for--not sure if lessons are paid for. I can certailnly ask them. Thanks for all the info. 

"lessons"? There are no "lessons" for riding the bike (trust me, I looked! I even tried to get my friend's friend who teaches the teens on the "Ride Safe" program to teach me, but he said NO!)...I rode my bike "live and on the street" for at least two months before I felt 'good enough' to get my license!!!

Here's some bike riding advice:

#1 -GO SLOW- nobody ever died or got hurt by letting traffic pass them (and they will pass you!) - You'll be on a rental, so the other drivers will know to steer clear of 'the tourist'

#2- If you're realy not comfortable riding a bike, then DON'T DO IT - there ain't no shame in taking a bus or the beautiful ferry

#3 - If you are going to ride, GO SLOW (have I mentioned that already?)