The author describes a dangerous driving incident he witnessed in Madeira, in the Madeira Shopping area. As he was leaving the shopping center, he encountered a vehicle driving erratically, alternately invading both lanes of traffic, risking a collision with the central divider. The driver's behavior made the author suspect it was someone under the influence of alcohol.
The driver continued his dangerous trajectory along Rua dos Alecrins, where Funchal City Council workers were painting the ground near a gas station. The traffic cones seemed to further confuse the driver, who braked sharply. The vehicle continued to drift along Travessa do Tanque, passing by Maxmat, and the author kept following at a safe distance, trying to avoid a possible accident.
Throughout the journey, the car invaded the opposite lane several times, putting oncoming vehicles and parked cars at risk. Near Pingo Doce, at the warehouse entrance, the vehicle hit one of the protection pillars, losing the passenger-side mirror. The driver continued without knowing exactly where he was or where he wanted to go, driving again in the opposite lane.
The author followed the vehicle to Caminho do Pilar, passing a roundabout where, by coincidence, a police car was driving without any awareness of what had happened. The author concludes ironically that the driver was not drunk "like a bunch of grapes," but "like a barrel of Madeira Wine," and leaves a note informing that the car mirror can be found at the entrance of the Pingo Doce warehouse.
