THE PARROT
The Parrot is upset. Upset not because of a stomach upset, but because of the recent spate of accidents which has claimed the lives of people.

I am so upset that expletives, not puking, seem one form of relief. Actually my true feelings cannot be accurately described by the word “upset”. Words like….(bleep), #@&*, &*#$%!, come to mind. Why the #@&* can’t some people learn? For “donkey years” the mantras “don’t drink and drive” and “don’t speed” have been repeated, yet people do it despite the fatal consequences.

Why? Is it because some people ears hard and some others hard ears? Eh? I can’t understand it. Over the last weekend two children, Amisha Alli and Ricky Kumar, were slaughtered with one decapitated as a result of a driver who was allegedly speeding on the West Coast Public Road.

The same day a husband and wife, Albert Pearson and Marlyn Pearson, were killed on the spot in Garden of Eden, East Bank Demerara, by a vehicle whose driver was drunk.

This followed an accident a few weeks earlier on the East Bank public road in which three friends were killed. It is believed that speeding was the cause. An elderly woman died on Monday, August 17, 2009; three weeks after she was hit and dumped by a heartless driver. Again, (with more expletives), WHY?

There is a human tendency to do things which they are told not to. Children can be excused. After all, they are just that; children. However, one is supposed to be an adult to be a licensed driver.

Therefore, it is expected that they will not exhibit child-like tendencies. As a result they are expected to be responsible. Speeding occurs everyday and I would want to believe that it is not dissimilar to drinking and driving. The Police are challenged to curb all of the instances. They are trying despite criticisms and allegations of bribery when vehicles, whose drivers would have committed a traffic violation, are pulled over. Some are of the opinion that some traffic ranks have their priorities mixed up. Some would question, do they?

The point is, it is not the Police alone who have the responsibility of helping to stop the road carnage, but, by and large, drivers. Pedestrians also have a responsibility for their own safety. That said, how can some pedestrians, as in the case of Amisha and Ricky, be safe when a speeding driver who was allegedly overtaking at high speed, lost control and ploughed into them?

How were Albert and Marlyn, who took the precautions of wearing helmets and florescence vests while riding on their motorcycle at the time of the night when their lives were snuffed out by a drunk driver, to be safe?

These transgressions are mind boggling and the Police will have to sustain and even intensify their efforts to rid the society of such practices of speeding and drunk driving. The Police must implement more often the use of undercover patrols.

If this is done especially at peak hours, then the vast majority of mini-bus and taxi drivers will be arrested for speeding and dangerous driving at major intersections and roads.

A prime spot where this is evident is the Homestretch Avenue/Vlissengen Road intersection. Here law abiding drivers are literally forced off the road by the drivers of mini-buses and taxis who jostle to be the first to move when the light so indicates.

The lights are often breached and the turning lane is no longer that. Drivers who want to turn cannot since the buses heading straight bully their way into that lane. This is not confined to this intersection; all with a turning lane experience this problem. Speeding to “catch” the green light is an extremely dangerous practice. Often the other driver (s) will have the green whilst the other is speeding up. This is a calamity waiting to happen. Speeding is on all roadways. The Police have a presence on the East Coast and other areas in the mornings and evenings. This is commendable. Despite the challenges the force has in terms of manpower, they must not relent.

Get undercover. Join a bus. Take a taxi. Charge the offenders. If sustained, the operators will have a difficulty in identifying a cop from a passenger. The word will spread. I am sure with time incidents will not only decrease, but hopefully, the thinking of these inhumane drivers, will change.

Many foreigners have praised the state-of-the-art traffic lights. Maybe it’s time to go one step further; put cameras on them. The media would have to assist the Police in helping to put, not only the accidents on the front page, but the errant drivers.

Public sentiments would dictate that these callous drivers face the brunt of the law and, if found guilty, be made an example to others. While some, who are convinced that the drivers were indeed speeding or under the influence of alcohol, would advocate that the defaulters be locked away forever, the law has to take its course. The public is not divorced from this responsibility.

They have to ensure that whilst in public transportation, they demand safe driving. They should not be afraid to report defaulting drivers. Guyana is small, the said driver can, God forbids, cause an accident in which your relative or loved one may be involved.

The Police will have to ensure that there are mechanisms to encourage public calls and to expedite investigations.

The public must be able to have confidence in these mechanisms. Again, once drivers know that they can be reported, hopefully they will comply.

Drag racing happens. People know where and when. Call the Police. Somebody must. The Police must act. Horse-cart racing happens every Sunday on Homestretch Avenue.

This is dangerous and poses a threat to motorists and pedestrians. Aren’t the Police aware? If they aren’t, then they are now. Have a stake out, not only there, but at other places where traffic violations proliferate.

It will be worth the effort. When you get the defaulters, I am sure that your stomach will actually become upset and your vocabulary will reflect some #@&*, &*#$%! Squawk! Squawk!