WHERE ARE THE TRAFFIC WARDENS?

Aug 06, 2014 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

A few weeks ago, I was heading along a busy city street and had to stop at a junction where there are traffic lights. At the same time, a traffic cop was passing and he noticed that a hire car was comfortably parked on a no-parking section near that junction.
The traffic cop approached the driver. I expected the driver to be hauled down to the police station, because this was a blatant and bare-faced violation of our traffic laws and one that takes place every day at that particular junction.
There are some presumptuous car drivers who refuse to acknowledge the no-parking signs on our roads and who nonchalantly park their vehicles on those signs without fear of being arrested or charge. They must have reason to be confident that the police would not charge them.
On this particular day, the traffic cop on a motor cycle spoke to the driver. Whatever he was told must have satisfied him. He simply rode on. The driver did not remove his vehicle from the no-parking sign.
As the cop rode off, he noticed a car parked further ahead in the middle of the roadway. This car had stalled the flow of traffic.
The reason for the vehicle being parked in the middle of the roadway was because it had been in a collision with another vehicle.
The traffic cop rode up and spoke to the driver of the car who pointed to the other car which was involved in the collision. That other driver came over and spoke to the driver of the car which was parked in the middle of the road. Together they surveyed the damage. One driver exchanged a card with the other and both went their separate ways without the traffic cop venting any objection.
Now according to the laws of Guyana, all traffic accidents are required to be reported to the police station. This one was not. The drivers were allowed to circumvent this requirement by a very accommodating traffic cop.
A few days ago, I was passing by that same junction. Again I saw hire cars parked on the no-parking section of the roadway.
There is total disregard for the law. The police are clearly in need of assistance to bring an end to these and other violations of our country’s traffic laws.
One of the means of assisting the police was through the appointment of traffic wardens. Many years ago, legislation was passed that would have allowed for the appointment of traffic wardens. Then nothing was heard about this programme.
Lo and behold, one month ago, there was the launch of the traffic warden programme. Only seven traffic wardens were appointed, all of whom were female. The public were assured that these wardens would be stationed around the country.
Instead of seven traffic wardens, Guyana needs around seven hundred wardens to control traffic. Not only are there problems in many parts of the country with the flow of traffic, but there is an equally unceasing number of violations which takes place every day because of ineffective policing.
Take for example the situation outside of our Courts. Years ago, there was an Order issued by a High Court judge prohibiting parking on both the eastern and western carriageways of Avenue of the Republic, just opposite the High Court of Guyana. Well, for years now vehicles are being where they should not be parked. Obviously, something is amiss here. Has the Court Order been revoked? Or is it a case of the police not doing their work?
Then there is the constant abuse of filter lanes in our country. These are lanes designated for traffic that is turning left. If you are going straight ahead, you are not supposed to use the filter lane.
But every day, you can see motor vehicles flagrantly refusing to use the correct lanes and instead resorting to using the filter lanes to proceed straight ahead.
This practice presents a great deal of problems for effective traffic management. And what have the police done about it? Well, you know the answer better than I do.
It is hoped that whenever the next batch of traffic wardens are appointed that they would be assigned to police these filter lanes and the no-parking areas in the city. Some of them should also be designated to deal with a new and dangerous practice on our roads.
It is called running the red light. It now seems that some motorists believe that when they see a red light it means they can drive right through it.

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WHERE ARE THE TRAFFIC WARDENS?

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