In the 1960s or 1970s a Yorkshire decorator and his mate were sent to the Isle of Man on work. They were both told the legend that on crossing Ballalona bridge they should greet the fairies, but neither could even begin to take this seriously and so they cruised over the bridge smiling at each other. Moments (or was it minutes?) later the van came to a halt: they had broken down. After much trouble the van was fixed and they then set off to the hotel where they were staying. The next morning they had, though, to drive again over the fairy bridge and this time sheepishly, though it was a cause of hilarity once home, they said hello to the fairies. Naturally nothing went wrong with the van (pers comm.).