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Sunday, 8 April 2012

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Road rules observed more in the breach

During our school days we were taken by the Police Officials of the Department in Colombo to the Victoria Park (now Viharamahadevi Park). That was also the time when the present 'Kelani bridge' was known as Victoria bridge, and taught road rules pertaining to the use of vehicles and we were also made to act as traffic wardens directing vehicles at junctions.

We were also taught that pedestrians should walk on the right side of the road, so that they could see on-coming vehicles thereby avoiding accidents when compared to travelling on the left-hand side of the road.

Nowadays you see some motorists pay scant with regard to road rules.

They do not toot the horn either before overtaking another vehicle or at a bend. In the past it was a common practice to toot the horn at a bend, so that the unseen oncoming vehicle knows of an approaching vehicle and is careful when negotiating the bend. Nowadays even if we toot the horn, unlike formally, there is no reciprocation.

Even the signal lights of vehicles are not being used. The younger motor-cyclists dispose their reflecting mirrors to give the motorcycle a better look. The silencers are either modified or replaced to give a blaring sound. This aspect is very common with the private buses plying between Mannar/Vavunia and Colombo.

It is heartening to hear that the Police are arranging to crackdown on motorists using silencers with blaring sounds and if this legislation is enacted to motorists using blaring horns, it will be a great blessing not only to pedestrians but also to people living close to the roads.

Even at pedestrian crossings seldom do we find a courteous driver stopping to let a pedestrian cross-over. More often than not, the pedestrian has to wait until an oncoming vehicle is far away to hurriedly cross the road.

Here again it would be advisable (if feasible) to install colour lights, so that pedestrians do not have to languish at pedestrian crossings, due to some motorists giving scant regard and moving regardless, eventhough there is a large gathering of pedestrians waiting to cross-over. In foreign countries, when a heavy vehicle is moving around 40 kmph they are bound to move towards the kerb of the road and give way to the vehicles following, so that they can overtake and move at a higher speed.

Sad to say this courtesy is hard to be experienced on our highways, especially the motorcyclists are made to inhale the dust aroused by the said vehicle in front. I had this experience recently and managed to overtake when the heavy vehicle in front had to give way to an approaching vehicle.

This is beautiful Sri Lanka and sad to say correcting these shortcomings is going to be a herculean task, because those committing these faults are the incorrigible type, and therefore the intervention of the Police is of paramount importance if we are to solve these shortcomings to a great extent.

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