Yapping on the mobile while driving : Rein in dangerous driving
- Sangai Express Editorial :: July 09 , 2013 -

Start the engine. Let it purr for a few minutes. Step on the clutch and put on the top gear.

Slowly release the clutch while simultaneously stepping on the accelerator and put the vehicle into motion.

The understanding of driving has obviously not moved beyond these basics, if the traffic movement in the heart of Imphal is any indication.

License ? Just grease the right palm.

Throw in an overworked, untrained personnel to man the traffic and top this off with those who come under the tag of the VIPs, the dhoti clad or suited and booted political masters, their hangers on, the white collared officials with the beacon lights and of course the uniformed personnel who are under the impression that the roads and streets of Imphal are their family heirloom and the result is there for all to see every day, every minute.

As things stand today, the traffic lights, meaning the red, the green and the yellow signals put up at important intersections of the roads in Imphal have added more confusion rather than help in easing the flow of vehicles.

Are they still working or does the green light or the red light come to life randomly, on their own, without taking into consideration the direction of the flow of vehicles or its volumes or have they been designed scientifically after minutely studying the flow of vehicular movements ?

A question which no one, not even those at the helm of the Traffic Control Police would be in a position to answer satisfactorily.

Overtaking from the left, three riders on a two wheeler, driving while yapping away on the mobile phone, parking one’s vehicle in a no parking zone non-chalantly, breaking one way norms.

Given the situation in Imphal, these do not come under dangerous driving, but are more a status statement.

A statement that the men braving the sun and rain on the road to regulate traffic are not empowered to penalise them.

An example of institutional breakdown and nothing can be more disturbing than this.

The Sangai Express does not have the official record of road mishaps in a year and how many lives road accidents claim annually or monthly.

But it is rare for the State dailies to carry the day’s news without a mention of a road accident. This should suffice in the absence of the official record. To be sure, Imphal or for that matter Manipur, has still no record of road rage leading to fatalities, but if the present trend continues, then this may well become a reality.

More frightening and a matter of more concern is the seeming reluctance of the Government to crack down on dangerous driving.

A small place, where everyone seems to know everyone and herein lies a complex web, a web which has given rise of the trend of ‘influence or acquaintance’ rubbishing the rule of law.

Come to think about it. Can Manipur or Imphal ever expect the traffic cop, regulating the flow of vehicular movement, pulling out a challan for violating traffic rules, if the law violator happens to be someone close to someone important ?

Random checking of motorists do happen, but at most times this effort is reduced to an exercise of extracting money (not fines) to line the pockets of the men in uniform who happen to pull up a motorist driving without the required documents. It is a merry go round.

With the traffic cops not empowered to crack down on all violators, with the understanding of driving not extending beyond putting the vehicle into motion and blowing the horns, the roads and streets of Imphal have been turned into some sort of a jamboree.

Crack the whip against dangerous driving and apart from making helmets compulsory for two wheeler riders, there is the urgent need to impose hefty penalties on motorists who yap away on their mobile phones while driving.

Given the shortage of man power, it may take time, but do not forget, the State Government is going full steam ahead with the recruitment process of 2000 police Constables.

Some of these new recruits should be utilised as traffic personnel.