By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Nov 25: Is it ignorance, lack of awareness or a deliberate attempt to trouble others? It remains a mystery. But it is a fact that driving in city roads at night is stressful and at times dangerous due to the menace of glaring high beam lights from vehicles.
The high beam (or full beam) and dipper are two settings for headlights of any vehicle. These have been provided for obviously right reasons. The high beam is for free highway driving at night, when there are no on-coming vehicles, while the dipper is used to drive in cities in the night where there are city lights fitted, besides narrow roads which are lit during night and on highways when on-coming vehicles also have their headlights on.
However, when it comes to city roads, save a few drivers, all sensibility goes for a toss. To top it all the modern-day LED lamps and the continuous flashing by two-wheelers for reasons known best to them only add to the misery of commuters.
The Shillong Times spoke to some road users about the problems faced by them on city roads.
Well-known educationist from the city, Rahul Chaterjee observed how opinions as well as suggestions from people published in newspapers through the ‘Letters to the Editor’ section have done little to change the scenes.
“There are at least three reasons for that — violators are usually that class of people who do not read newspapers and neither are they educated enough to be able to comprehend rules available on the internet; office of the DTO while granting driving licences does not test for the essentials; and traffic police personnel on duty also do not book offenders”.
He added, “If the last two points were taken care of, the menace could easily be handled.”
Chatterjee said, “Let us not forget that Shillong also has the dubious distinction of being the only city where a class of drivers uses ‘Right Signal’ to go left and vice versa. This is an extremely dangerous development and a complete violation of traffic discipline. Traffic police personnel see these wrong signals being used but do not take action against violators”.
“There is also a class of drivers who use the ‘Hazard’ signal to go straight! If ever, and God forbid, a real hazard ever happens in a car, like a fire or a brake failure, and a knowledgeable driver puts on the hazard lights, most drivers and traffic personnel will not understand the signal. These oversights on the part of the DTO and the traffic personnel reflect very poorly on their training and knowledge,” he added.
A local, Darikerlang Kharkongor, said, “High beam use compromises safety and increases accident risks. Bright lights can cause fatigue and strain driver’s eyes, affecting their ability to react quickly. Possible solutions can be education and awareness, stricter enforcement (of rules) and penalties besides improved lighting systems”.
Dr P Chyne, a doctor, said, “Technically, the government should introduce strict norms to attach light detecting sensors”.
Aldida Khyriem, who mostly drives her car in the city, said, “People should understand the meaning of high beams first. No need for high beams … where streetlights are working and there is light from shop or houses. It really affects the people (driving) on the opposite side”.
Another resident, Badonkupar Kharshiing, said, “From my point of view, I feel that there should be some kind of traffic awareness programme for all drivers”.
A local cabbie, Parkash Lyngdoh, said, “The real culprits are the big private cars with led lights. Forget about using dipper, they drive as if they own the roads”.
“We drive everyday and we know how much it affects vehicles coming from the opposite direction, especially a vehicle like mine (Maruti 800),” he added.
Mark Syiem said, “In BS6 (vehicles), the headlights are always on. I drive with my vehicle on low beam day and night. If everyone drives using the low beam, it will be easy for all. But if someone drives with high beam, then it compels others to switch to full beam too”.
“…if you can’t beat them, join them, and this is the trend in Shillong,” he added with a laugh.