Driving is Not About Going, Going, Going”: Mr. Niles’ Timeless Advice for Safer Guyanese Roads

Jul 29, 2025 Letters

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Dear Editor,

Kaieteur News – Back in the late 1990s, when I was a nervous teenager learning to navigate the streets of West Bank Demerara, my driving instructor, a patient and firm man, a retired Senior Superintendent (SSP) and ex-Traffic Chief of the Guyana Police Force, Mr. James Adolphus Niles, told me something that has stuck with me for decades. As I gripped the wheel, eager to hit the gas, he calmly said:

“Listen, driving is not about going, going, going. It is about slowing, slowing, slowing, stopping, stopping, stopping, waiting, waiting, waiting, and watching, watching, watching.”

In July 2025, with more cars on our roads than ever before, from the newly expanded highways to the bustling city centre, Mr. Niles’ wisdom has never been more critical. The daily news reports of tragic road accidents are a stark reminder that we’ve embraced the “going, going, going” part of driving, but have forgotten the far more important elements that actually keep us safe.

It’s time we all took a collective breath, eased our foot off the accelerator, and revisited the fundamental principles that instructors like Mr. Niles tried so hard to instil in us.

The Problem: The “Going, Going, Going” Mentality

We see it every day: the driver speeding up to beat an amber light, the car weaving through traffic on the East Coast Demerara highway, the minibus “undertaking” on the left because the lane ahead is too slow. This “going, going, going” culture is a mindset of impatience. It treats driving as a race, where every other road user is an obstacle. This aggressive approach is a direct contributor to the chaos and danger on our roads. It prioritises a few saved seconds over the safety of a life.

The Solution Part 1: “Slowing, Slowing, Slowing”

This is the first principle of defensive driving. Slowing down gives you the one thing you need most in any situation: time.

• Approaching Junctions & Roundabouts: Don’t accelerate into a roundabout or junction. Slow down to assess the flow of traffic. It’s better to wait for a clear opening than to force your way in.
• In Wet Weather: Our roads become incredibly slick after a downpour. Reducing your speed significantly is the only way to prevent skidding and maintain control.
• Near Pedestrian Crossings & Schools: These are non-negotiable slow zones. Children and pedestrians can be unpredictable. Your reduced speed could be the difference between a close call and a catastrophe.

The Solution Part 2: “Stopping, Stopping, Stopping”

Mr. Niles repeated “stopping” for a reason. A true stop is not a roll or a creep; it’s a complete cessation of movement.

• Respect the Stop Sign: A stop sign means your wheels must stop turning. Period. Too many drivers treat it as a “yield” sign, rolling through if they don’t see immediate traffic. This is how collisions happen at intersections.
• Give Pedestrians the Right of Way: When a pedestrian is at a marked crossing, you must stop and let them cross. They have the right of way. A car is a two-tonne metal box; show courtesy and care for the most vulnerable on our roads.
• Red Means Stop and Orange Means Slow (not speed up): It sounds simple, but drivers still gamble by running red lights. Stop behind the white line and wait for the green. It’s a simple rule that saves lives.

The Solution Part 3: “Waiting, Waiting, Waiting”

This is perhaps the hardest part for the modern driver: patience. Our need for speed often overrides our common sense.

• The Power of Waiting: Wait that extra two seconds for the pedestrian to be safely on the pavement before you drive off. Wait for a proper, safe gap to overtake that truck, instead of playing chicken with oncoming traffic. Wait for the traffic light to turn fully green, rather than jumping the gun. Waiting is not weakness; it is the ultimate form of defensive driving. It’s choosing safety over a few saved seconds that you will likely lose at the next traffic light anyway.

The Solution Part 4: “Watching, Watching, Watching”

This is perhaps the most crucial part of Mr. Niles’ advice. Driving is an act of constant observation and anticipation. You cannot be a safe driver if you are not paying attention.

What to Watch For: In Guyana, this list is long. You must watch for the car in front, the car behind, and the driver two vehicles ahead. Watch for:

• Cars pulling out of side streets without looking.
• Minibuses or taxis stopping abruptly.
• Pedestrians, especially schoolchildren, may misjudge your speed.
• The ever-present stray dogs, and in rural areas, cows, goats, or horses.
• Motorcyclists filtering through traffic.
• Scan Everything: Your focus shouldn’t just be on the car in front of you. You need to be watching for cyclists weaving through traffic, for stray dogs or livestock, for children running out from a yard, for a car door swinging open, and for the ever-present Guyanese pothole.
• Check Your Mirrors: Constant checks of your rear-view and side mirrors are essential. Know who is behind you and beside you at all times, especially before changing lanes or turning.
• Put the Phone Away: You cannot “watch, watch, watch” if your eyes are on a screen. Distracted driving is as dangerous as drunk driving. That phone call, text, or social media scroll can wait.

A Mindset Shift: From “Me First” to “All of Us”

Mr. Niles’s advice is more than a set of actions; it’s a mindset. It’s a shift from the aggressive, “me first” mentality of “going, going, going” to a defensive, community-oriented approach that understands our roads are a shared space.

Every time we get behind the wheel, we hold the lives of others in our hands. The father driving his kids to school, the market vendor heading home after a long day, the pensioner walking to the shop—they all depend on us to make the right choice.

Mr. Niles’ lesson wasn’t just about operating a vehicle; it was about adopting a mindset of responsibility. It was about understanding that when you get behind the wheel, you hold the safety of others—your passengers, other drivers, and pedestrians—in your hands.

Let’s honour the wisdom of instructors like Mr. Niles, who passed in 2011 (see here). Let’s trade the “going, going, going” mentality for one of slowing, stopping, waiting and watching. By doing so, we can reclaim our roads from the culture of haste and make them safer for every single Guyanese.

Regards

Girendra Persaud, Ph.D (ASU), MBA (AIB), B.Sc. (UG)

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• driving, Driving instructor, Mr. James Adolphus Niles, Safer Guyanese Roads

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