ROAD EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS ARE ALL VERY WELL – but are they enough?
Our civilization goes back many Centuries BC where we built magnificent stone temples and a Hypogeum that are today the envy of the world, UNESCO listed World Heritage sites.
Since then we have been through wars and turbulent times but we managed to continue building palaces, grand buildings and creating a culture of heritage and education – right down to today.
HOWEVER, all this cultured civilization comes to an abrupt end when it comes to driving and using our roads. Here, we revert to jungle times where strength and might overpower reasoning, education and being civilized.
A new Road Safety campaign was launched yesterday by the Ministry for Transport in conjunction with Mapfre’. Now I am all in favour of such campaigns, any educational campaign in fact. BUT – on their own, are they enough?
We are a Semitic people with a Semitic mindset where power and strength rule the day. Any kind of compromise or gentility is perceived to be weakness, frailty and a vulnerability that may be exploited so that I continue doing exactly as I please.
Such campaigns are all very well for the nerds but not needed by me because I am an expert, I know everything and I know better than everybody else.
Transport Minister Dr Ian Borg yesterday said that the presence of officials does not prevent accidents and does not prevent road fatalities. I totally agree with him.
Having officials standing around, looking officious, strolling about with arms folded but doing exactly nothing certainly does not prevent either accidents or fatalities.
Why are they not equipped with hand-held speed metres pointed at passing traffic particularly in areas known for vast over-speeding? Why are they not equipped with hand-held video facilities?
A Penalty Points system is valid enough – in civilized countries - BUT this is the Malta road jungle we are talking about, a jungle of travesties, savageness, indifference and a “go-as-you-please” mindset.
It is said that the way to a man’s heart is his stomach. That does not apply in Malta’s case. The way to a man’s heart is through his pocket. Instead of today’s paltry and derisory fines – why not crippling fines? Instead of kindly licence suspensions why not a lengthy and hefty imposition?
That is the only way to sorting out this massive jungle, a Medusa with many heads.
Meanwhile, the travesties will continue, blatant over-speeding, unbelievable u-turns, an “I-do-it-my-way mentality” and “fu*k everybody else because I am first and foremost”.
The worst offenders - truck drivers (mostly construction) in hefty metal road tanks who normally escape injury because they sit high and mighty; delivery vans because “we are working” – well, so what? So is everybody else; “I’m in a hurry” merchants because they overslept; the “I can take my alcohol/drugs and still remain sane” merchants; and possibly the worst of all – the “I couldn’t care less” mob.
Yes, educate by all means, but in this case sparing the rod is merely spoiling the child.
The mentality of our administrators is unlikely to change because at the end of the day, votes come above all things, so it’s “Carry on Driving” as we have always carried on.
ALBERT JEROME FENECH
