Concerning traffic and traffic lights - Purpose or Pretence?

Concerning traffic and traffic lights – Purpose or Pretence?

May 18, 2008 News

By Rustom Seegopaul

In the times leading up to the ICC Cricket World Cup in Guyana, the country was all abuzz about the traffic lights that were being given to the Government of Guyana by the Government of India. Most of the Guyanese population felt that this would improve our already bad traffic situation in and around Georgetown.
Unfortunately, many Guyanese drivers are being met with frustration, annoyance and dismay, as they race to make it past the lights, or as other drivers fail to depart from the lights at the designated time.

According to many drivers, the traffic lights seem to be strategically placed and calibrated to congest traffic, rather than make it more systematic and more orderly. They say that these lights really make driving around town a miserable experience, and that they miss the days when the traffic lights did not work.

The traffic lights seem to be causing drivers two major grievances: the lights do not seem to be calibrated properly the lights change too fast or too slow; or a series of lights do not change at the same time and there are some areas where there are simply too many traffic lights.

“In some areas the way the roads are structured does not make sense for traffic lights. Did anyone study the influx of traffic in the area before erecting the traffic lights? Not every junction needs a traffic light? Does it make sense to have these lights in all of the areas that they are placed? Why are they there?” a Project Coordinator working with an International Non-Governmental Organization asks.

A taxi driver proposes an answer: “I wan believe dem people put dese things (traffic lights) in jus’ fuh look big at de Cricket (ICC Cricket World Cup)”. He continues, making his point, that he believes that the lights were only erected for their face value.
Traffic lights are necessary in a city as large as Georgetown, especially with the growing number of vehicles on our roadways. However, some degree of education and common sense needs to be put into their calibration, depending on the time of day and the location of the traffic light, says a prominent lumber dealer in Georgetown.
It is noted that the calibration of the lights does not seem to bear in mind that at certain times of the day, the flow of traffic is not the same as it is at other times of the day.
Quite a few drivers note the congestion near the Stabroek Market in the mornings. While this area was always congested, they say that the area, especially during the morning and afternoon rush hours, has become significantly more congested since the installation of the lights.

More complaints have been spoken about the lights on Sheriff Street. Drivers note how they move off from one light and then have to stop again, only a block away, for an extended period of time. According to them, this makes driving on Sheriff Street a disheartening experience.

The Ministry of Public Works, when posed with the question of the traffic lights, said that their positioning and calibration have been engineered by international experts.

Pedestrians altogether, seem to be much happier, now that the traffic lights have been installed. According to them, it makes them feel a lot safer while crossing the street.

While most drivers obey the lights, there are a few drivers who say that the lights simply take too long to change and that they cannot be bothered to wait.

“Yuh gat both side ah de road empty, but de light still sayin’ red. An’ I mus’ wait suh long pun it? People gah money fuh mek,” says another taxi driver who carries on that with the rising cost of living, his time is even more valuable now.

While the traffic lights do help to bring some degree of order to the roadways, the drivers constantly using areas which have traffic lights still seem to be trying to adapt to them. Some feel that they are ill placed and not calibrated properly, yet others, especially pedestrians, are happy for the security they bring.

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Concerning traffic and traffic lights – Purpose or Pretence?

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