‘‘Never drive faster than your guardian angel can fly’’-Anoynomous
Marlen E. Pew, a famous author and
critic once said, ‘Recklessness is a species of crime and should be so regarded on our streets and highways’.
Forget highways, reckless driving in the city streets has become a common thing nowadays and this is witnessed by the number of accident cases both minor and major that occur almost everyday.
The Shillong traffic Police (STP) has from time to time enforced many rules to check rash and drunk driving in the city.
Recently, Additional Superintendent of Police (Traffic) Herbert Lyngdoh said, “We are enforcing the rule as far as speed limit and rash driving is concerned. Mobile courts are also being organized especially on the weekends.”
However, it was noticed that adherence to these rules are common only among elderly persons but the same is being by-passed by some drivers especially the young persons and bike riders.
There is a famous saying that the speedway ends at the cemetery and it is in itself a sort of a caution for those reckless drivers and riders who treat the city streets and highways as a speedway.
To cite a few, trucks, buses and lighter vehicles belonging to the armed forces or to the educational institutions and private individuals often get busted for over speeding in over-crowded areas and turning points.
Just recently, a bus belonging to NEHU plying via Mawlai Mawroh was stopped by local people of this locality here for rash driving and over-speeding in a turning point which almost hit some school going kids and one car.
“This is not the first time, and all this time we have been mere spectators but this time, we thought enough is enough, something needs to be done to slow down these buses with drivers who drive like Ghost-Riders”, a local youth said.
The NEHU bus drivers who are famous for their speed and ‘who-cares’ attitude need to change their attitude and get serious with the traffic rules thereby saving life and property and avoid getting beat up by an angry mob, the local youth added.
Besides the NEHU buses, the armed forces also hit the top list for reckless driving.
This careless driving by the armed forces especially the BSF has raised concern in many onlookers and drivers of the city.
Many accident cases in the city are related with the armed forces vehicles.
Talk about minor and major, in come cases, either the driver is drunk or over-speeding thereby creating a sense of fear among the people.
The ruthless trucks plying through the heart of the city are not left far behind.
It may be reminded that last month three people lost their precious lives due to reckless driving by a drunken truck driver.
Turning to lighter vehicles, people say that the blame can’t be put wholly on the drivers of heavy vehicles as the small vehicles are equally guilty.
“If they (drivers of lighter vehicles) can’t drive properly or in the right track, how do you expect a vehicle coming from the opposite direction foresee this”, an elderly person said.
Hence, drivers should know that aggressive Driving is similar to ‘Emotionally Impaired Driving’ and opt for supportive driving styles which can help us make peace on our highways, streets and parking lots.
(By Ibankyntiew Mawrie)