By Sheldon Bramble
Driving in SVG is now more challenging than ever. Here are a few reasons why:
Drain cleaning is appreciated. But the practice of heaping all the garbage on the side of the roads until whenever they are picked up is not working for a while now. It poses a real risk with the increase of vehicular traffic on our roads. It is a primitive practice which the intelligence of today’s authorities is yet to effectively address and remedy. There needs to be arrangements for the material to be picked up in a timely manner rather than sit there for hours affecting drivers. It can be and needs to be done.
The operating of vehicle repairs and mechanic services on public roads needs to be stamped out. One cannot expect to obstruct roadways with a line of vehicles they are servicing. This is a blatant sigh of lawlessness and disrespect for the public using roadways, urban or rural. Is this a legal practice? Is this practice as an illegal one being enforced?
The regular parking of vehicles interrupting traffic on our public roads just outside of bars and shops and other businesses is an annoyance. These interrupt traffic in areas near corners and force traffic to slow or stop for one lane flow momentarily. This is not normal in a progressive country. Again, with the increase in vehicles on our roads, there needs to be a clear message that this needs to cease. Places of business need to provide parking for their customers or suggest parking to them in places which does not affect the driving public.
Speeding and overtaking seems to be the norm with some drivers who think it is a sign of being a good driver. Overtaking near corners and acting like driving behind another vehicle is not a normal thing goes with this backward mentality. How is law enforcement being proactive about drivers especial in rural areas doing this with no regard for danger near blind corners and hills? More signs all over our roads displaying the speed limit will be a way in which there can be more awareness. Where can videos of this and other bad practices be sent to authorities?
Driver education needs to become a normal part of our school curriculum and workshops need to be held in this area for television and townhalls. Authorities need to shape a normalcy which is safe and adhered to.
Laziness and lawlessness go hand in hand. In SVG it has led to our current crime filled norm.
In a progressive and growing society such as ours, forward thinking is important. Assessing the needs of the present and forecasting the future based on current trends are hallmarks of good leadership and governance. No one is preventing this from happen in this democracy. It’s time to stop the excuses and do your jobs professionally and with integrity. Thank you, traffic department for leading by your example.
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A well-written article with road concerns that need addressing. While driving through the village called Troumaca one day recently and heading up to Rose Hall, a prominent mechanic has a number of vehicles needing repairs, parked on a stretch of road. That area has literally been transformed into a one-way street. How unfair to road users! That mechanic needs to find another area to host his clients’ vehicles.
This is and was always a perennially timely piece Mr Bramble, well done. The fix is quite easy to do in the sense of what to do to fix it—“good leadership and governance” as you said. The hard part is that they would not know how to get re-elected after they have done it. Hence, despite your noble effort, you are spinning top in mud.