The Pathology of Road Infrastructure - Stressful Highways

The Pathology of Road Infrastructure – Stressful Highways

Oct 17, 2022 Letters

Dear Editor,

Since 2020, Guyanese have experienced a splurge of expenditure on Infrastructure. Some unkind critics prefer the expression ‘Inferiorstructure’, others acclaim as ‘Superstructure’ – meaning too much.

There are, however, more apprehensive reflections about the newly ‘infrastructured’ highways – on which motorists have since learnt to mourn about – overcrowded traffic, slow movement, stressful delays, too much time lost in getting to their destinations – so critical if it is for medical attention, moreso resulting from an accident.

One complainant, speaking for others, bemoans the daily harassment of taking children to school requiring too early a start which does not necessarily achieve an early arrival. After a stressed out day at work, the return journey is more, if not equally unpredictable – so many in the same dilemma, children and adults.

Not to mention the road rage of minibus drivers, – competing with taxis – all of whom must seek relief for their stress from the fares they charge.

They both however have to compete for space with the oversized, overladen business transport vehicles, too many of which are driven by newly licensed inexperienced drivers – for employers who imperiously demand that they deliver on time regardless.

The ‘infrastructure’ of traffic lights by no means lightens the physical and mental burden of motorists, whether too young or too old (there is no age limit). For they cannot react to abnormal incidents to forewarn of possible dangers ahead.

In any case, the systems are based on the presumption of normal behaviour. They cannot hear nor register the various complaints of frustrated motorists. The situation therefore leaves room for more human intervention by the relevant authorities, who must by now forecast that the situation will worsen – particularly in identified locations – as the number of vehicles, and inexperienced drivers (including more disciplined foreign drivers) multiply.

So there is the fundamental conundrum wherein the provision of more ‘infrastructured’ roads results in ‘slowing down’ – with frustration, anger, even desperation – a dangerous point, that raises the question of the adequacy of appropriate Warning Notices at the required locations that hopefully would save the reckless driver from his/herself. In the milieu, allowance must be made for the reality of collapses of defective vehicles.

It has continually to be borne in mind the real possibility of the passenger being more affected than the driver, moreso where children are concerned.

So that it is arguable that both operative motorist and passenger share periods of stress – some longer and more frequently than the other – the promise of more accidents, more injuries, more deaths – family losses.

The cumulative impact goes way past the actual incident, when for example it comes to the family breadwinner, the maimed student’s shortened school career. There is also the issue of future economic viability of the adult, the consequential repercussions on poorer families in particular. Insurance, if any, is but a temporary palliative.

While the upper levels of the economic and societal ladders, private and public, are better able to ameliorate this constriction, they are still exposed to at least degrees of frustration.

In the end the preoccupation with ‘infrastructure’ to facilitate the transport of people, goods and services needs to be counterbalanced by the more fundamental attention to be paid not only to the physical impact on the individual, but critically the depletive effect of a psychological environment that encircles the human being caught in the daily concentration on traffic hazards.

Hopefully then, a case is made for a comprehensive review by policy-makers, civil organisations, health officials, specialist engineers/planners (local and foreign) of not only the infrastructured highways and byways, but the psychological effect on drivers and passengers, all of whom must observe the rules.

But since the traffic will get increasingly heavier, the more urgent consideration should be given to the provision of identifiable specific roads/lanes which could accommodate public transport, that is following discussion with bus (and taxi) drivers’ representatives as far as possible.

The discussion should also include critical consideration of de-licensing palpably errant motorists.

E.B. John

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The Pathology of Road Infrastructure – Stressful Highways

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