ROADSAFETY ?

With the concerted effort by our Roadsafety Council, and various other instances wanting to hoodwink us into believing that they are going to lead us into an environment were we can actually be safe on the road- I don’t think so! Advertisements harping on speeding are downright misleading. If speed kills, every racing driver would be dead. Please I am not advocating "No Speed Limit", what I am trying to force down our Collective throats is "Safe Driving". Most collisions are caused by poor and inept driving, followed by pedestrians without any road sense. Vast amounts of money are being expended to make our roads safe against those causing the least collisions.

What inspired this Article was a TV report on the Suzuki Hayabusa, which claim to fame is 300 km/h. How politically Incorrect can you be? Even in countries like Germany where you have no speedlimits, it seems mad to do that speed on a Highway were people are having problems coping with their fellow traffic doing 120. In all seriousness, what do you think about klein Janneman going to his local Bikeshop fresh out of his Learners License, swinging his feeble leg over this iron steed and thrashing down Brakwater Highway in Christmas traffic at over 300 km/h while overtaking on the Left yellow line? After having traveled at 350 Kp/h on the Rosenheim Autobahn in a Testarossa at 5 in the Morning, I know what Tunelvision and speedblur effects have on your driving.

It might seem like a Joke, except when you consider that I have seen a car parked in the middle of a Blind turn on the Okahandja Windhoek Road on a Busy Sunday evening. The Occupants were busy changing their Tyre with the women Toi Toing in the road. Why was the vehicle not pushed out of the road with red triangles displayed prominently? Lack of Driver training that’s why! The second reason being that they know no cop is going to do something because they are busy 10 minutes down the road with a roadblock involved in the important task of finding out where I came from and where am I going to- Freud should rather ask that. Please don’t get me wrong- I am definitely not rapping the cop’s, they are busy following your orders. Yep that’s right or who do you think pays their salaries in the end.

As a professional Driver and past instructor in racing schools I believe that if we introduce compulsory Driver training as well as forcing Roadworthiness on our road going vehicles, the objectives of our Road safety councils would be surpassed. To gain a driverslicense in this country, you have to study the rules of the road- pass a driver test in theory and practice then pay a nominal fee. Thereafter you are allowed to go out in your weapon and kill somebody, because you "did not see him or her in front of the Car until they were bouncing on the roof". This is at least better than our present way of issuing a Gun license. Again the Authorities try to implement their latest Brainstorm, whereafter the poor cop has to carry out this ludicrous mission- therefore whoever blames the police, needs to have his Brains tested.

Before you think I am anti Gun (or car for that matter), I firmly believe in the right of a law abiding Citizen to bear arms for his self-protection and to protect themselves against tyranny. I just believe that people should be trained in the use of a Gun or Car before being allowed to use same.

I am not brave enough to suggest on how to implement a system of Driver training and what it should compromise- but I would like to throw a few ideas around.

The pilot of a John Deere in Leonardville is definitely not under the same duress as the Mercedes Driver who proceeds in a hurry down Stuebel Street at 10 in the morning.

After putting over a Million miles behind me in Heat, Dust, Rain, Sleet, Snow and Ice I reckon I have the experience to handle the Road Better than Windgat Janneman does.

But he might be able to react better to the sudden danger situation that comes up due to his youth and physical condition.

Would it not be better if we understood the basic mechanicals of our vehicles- that this should be a necessity for us to pass our Drivers test (such as is in Germany).

Countries having some roads with no speed limit (Germany, USA, and Australia) actually have a drop in accidents in these areas?

Now to the second part of my Tirade- Roadworthiness, I have seen Brake discs worn thinner than Rotary cutters. A few more ideas rather than constructive insults:

Said Trekker driver hardly needs Indicators to show the chicken where he is about to turn of, while the Daimler driver will need excellent brakes to stop him from driving over the drunk Meme falling out of the taxi.

Compulsory roadworthiness test with non-corrupt officials every few years will bring in State revenue as well as keep me away from a psychiatrist.

If the drivers understand the mechanicals of his vehicle better, he will in all likelihood also keep it more intact to keep his wallet more intact.

Do you really believe that the good officer manning a roadblock understands the mechanicals of a vehicle enough, to determine if it is fit to terrorize our roads?

In the civilized world, a Police officer is allowed to take a Vehicle of the road if he deems it (or for that matter the Driver) unfit.

France has had a System for over 30 years, of National Inspectors, as uniformed police officers even in overalls.

So, if you agree in principle with me- how should we proceed? Maybe by letting the Government instances know we will not tolerate their Blundering efforts in controlling the chaos on our Blacktop’s. Maybe one should join forces with the taxi operators (in the form of Nabta or whatever); to make all of us aware that collectively we can only benefit from learning on how to drive with the flow and regulate ourselves to keep our vehicles fit.

If we force any Legislation on these taxi operators; mayhem will perhaps lead to Anarchy (although by the governments past bowing to this mob, we could be there already). But what will definitely not help is our apathetic attitude in complaining in the Bars and from our Lazyboy, without constructively DOING something! Taxi drivers can go on Strike and make our government weak kneed, but you- the Taxpayer is to weak kneed to climb out of your easy chair to do something.

Yes it is going to cost time to train our Drivers to handle the road better- and it is going to cost money to make sure only technically fit vehicles should be allowed to populate our roads. But surely it costs more time and money to patch those up that Survived the Carnage on our roads?