Target the adult road users who are uncouth and ignorant of the rules of the road

Dear Editor,

Hats off to the Commissioner of Police and the Traffic Officer for their multi-pronged campaign on road use. For immediate results the target cohort should be the adult road users who are uncouth, inconsiderate, unreasonable and ignorant of the rules of the road – many of them having “purchased” their licences and therefore being totally unaware of basic things like the difference between broken lines and solid lines painted on the roadway. Visiting schools will hopefully bring results in the longer term, but the campaign’s maximum effect would be best achieved by addressing those who are already committing atrocities on the road on a daily basis.

So as GT’s finest set off to wage war against errant road use – and a war it is – I pose the following questions:

Instead of a sign in Lilliendaal that says “Don’t Text and Drive”, which is aimed at a relatively small group, why not erect signs at strategic intervals (like in Trinidad and Tobago) along the East Coast and East Bank Highways which would state “Keep Left except when Overtaking”. I believe the law of the land as set out in s.46 of the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Offences Act, Cap. 51:02, entitled “Rule of the Road”, which in a much more wordy form prescribes what I propose the signage to say, is still in effect and has not been amended. Yet, the invasion of big trucks, as well as container trucks, rice trucks, timber trucks and canters appear to be driven in the main by persons who are unaware that the law requires you to keep to the left or slow lane. Private and hire cars are not exempt from this obligation. And how can we forget the minibuses which, even though their passengers are invariably waiting on the left side parapets of our thoroughfares, insist on racing along in the fast lane and then careening straight across the right lane into the left lane and them stopping abruptly, all in the zealous quest for a $120.00 fare, oblivious to the infinitely more serious destruction or death that such a “fast and furious” manoeuvre could cause.

The traffic ranks have a commendable on-going campaign to target drunk driving. Again, while s. 39 of Cap. 51:02 refers to punishment for driving under the influence of drink or drugs, the operative sections 39 A-C and F only refer to testing for alcohol and are silent as regards drugs. So then is it better for an irresponsible driver on a night (or day!) out to use the “molly” or God knows whatever, rather than the Black label or Henny, safe in the knowledge that his “dawg” who consumed the bottled and labelled stuff might be arrested, but he not, because at present the police have no medical and scientific test that can withstand legal scrutiny in court as regards driving under the influence of an illegal substance? This is a gaping hole in the law enforcement arsenal that needs to be plugged expeditiously, and which may even be discriminatory.

Again, section 103 gives the Minister the power to make regulations. These include regulations under subsection (xii) for the ‘…kind of lights…carried on…vehicles’. Whereas the norm was always white head lamps and parking lights in front, orange indicator lamps and red rear and brake lamps, we now have a free-for-all with drivers routinely using the fog lights at the bottom of their cars, which are intended to pierce through thick fog during winter (or the occasional low fog by Timehri or along the Linden Highway), but not to blind uncoming traffic along our regular road system. Some idiot discovered the hunting light bars that are used in interior locations to point the way and to ferret out prey and these are now affixed on vehicles in regular use on our roads, with blinding effect. Cars now have flashing brakes lights, and trucks have flashing strobe lights, sometimes both front and back, that dazzle and confuse you. In fact, I am convinced some drivers, mini buses in particular, don’t know where the dip switch is located! Can’t the Traffic Department, Ministry of Home Affairs, GRA and the Ministry of Trade get together to restrict the import and sale of these hunting lights to registered miners, loggers, hunters and the like, to be affixed only on industrial or off-road vehicles, with use prohibited on asphalted roads? Perhaps a “tint campaign” against illegal light fixtures? Can’t fitness be refused if these devices are affixed on unauthorized vehicles?

Under section 103 (iv), the Minister can make regulations ‘for the use of motor vehicles under a general dealer’s licence…’. While these “dealer plates” or “trade plates” were intended to allow a dealer to move an imported vehicle off the wharf for the limited purpose of obtaining registration, fitness and insurance certification, another free-for-all has evolved whereby affixing a name – Tom, Dick or Harry, even Mary or Jane – along with a number painted or scribbled on to a white background, apparently affords the driver the freedom to use the fast food drive-thru, go to horse races, the mall and market, nite clubs and conduct all manner of activities outside of normal working hours, as if the car was registered and certified for normal road use. The average police rank can’t retain in memory a list of all the car dealers, new and reconditioned, to verify these trade plates. Wonder if I scribble “Nev 1” on a paper and set off driving I would get away with that too…

Perhaps one of the biggest ironies here is that the certifying officers who collect money in return for a licence are often the very same officers who have to come out to investigate serious and fatal accidents caused by them allowing unqualified persons in the first place to get behind the wheel.

As the GPF presses ahead with its current campaign – the patrol pickups and motorcycle ranks are now all traffic police – the Traffic Officer and his traffic ranks need to get out on the road and observe the traffic conditions and be visible and make their presence felt, including by night patrols. It is their responsibility to enforce the law and set the example: it will not do much good to insist that drivers keep to the left lane on highways if the police undertake other drivers while themselves driving, or otherwise hold slavishly to the right lane as well.

Yours faithfully,

Neville J. Bissember