Firstly, thank you for visiting our Island for your staycation.

We know the odds have been stacked against your visit this year, what with the uncertainty surrounding Covid-19 and whether anything would be available to entertain you when you arrived, but you’ve made it. You are here!

For those of you that have visited before, you will be used to the “right royal fleecing” you received from the ferry company you used. It’s a duopoly so there won’t be much difference in the cost whatever route you travelled, but if you are a first time visitor, no, there’s no mistake.

No you’ve not just booked two weeks' all-inclusive in Barbados. That price you’ve been charged by the ferry company is just to cross to our Island. That little stretch of water. Nothing more. Nothing less and it’s certainly not all inclusive.

There are plenty of opportunities for additional plundering and pilfering of your hard earned cash, once on board.

Now, the purpose of my note to you all is this. The Island’s roads fall under the same category as those on the mainland and are governed by the same Highway Code.

The age old myth that circulates elsewhere simply isn’t true. You are allowed to drive above 27mph on the Island and you are not the only car on the road, so please don’t just stop dead without warning.

Indicators are not banned on the Island. In fact, they are encouraged. Please feel free to use them.

I am writing this friendly letter, as, having followed a steamed up Qashqai with three bikes on the back and two on the roof at 27mph from Newport to Calbourne yesterday (I was about 76th in the queue behind) my thoughts turned to the signs that used to be dotted around the Island years ago saying “Island Roads are Different” No they aren’t!

Have you got a view on this, or any other subject? Why not send a letter to the editor. Send it to editor@iwcp.co.uk by noon on Tuesday. Please try and keep it under 350 words.

Read more letters to the editor HERE.