Let the law run its course

For that matter even television andplaying of loud music are not allowed in cars. But does anyone listen? A lot of people favour the use of earphones to avoid playing music loudly. But that is even more dangerous. The attention of the driver is distracted and he cannot even hear if a vehicle is honking behind.

According to the law, seat belts are compulsory in cars but how many people can you find using them? The recent PUC drive initiated by the Transport Commissioner is another example. PUC certificates have been made compulsory for buying petrol from October 15 onwards. But are you aware that PUC checks were compulsory even earlier 8212; only no one bothered to pay attention. Now that there is a condition attached, people will rush to get the certificates, not to save the environment but to get on with the driving. And because the certificates are valid for two, four or six months, they will also rush to petrol pumps where they are available for the maximum period.

The biggest problem we face is that of lack of law enforcement. Take thecase of drunken driving. There are hardly any cases recorded and 90 per cent of people get away scot-free. We have a suggestion for the authorities 8211; that there should be stringent checks between 8 pm and 6 am 8211; the time when most accidents occur. The traffic police should check the reason behind every accident that takes place during this period, and they will find that most of them are caused by drunken drivers. If law is not enforced, why will anyone respect it?

According to the law, a liquor shop is not allowed within 7 kms of a highway. But the fact is that most dhabas near highways sell liquor. Pay a visit to Khopoli and you will find liquor freely available there. In Singapore, there are strict8217; laws because they are strictly enforced. If smoking is banned at railway stations or other public places, a man will first stub out his cigarette before venturing into that place 8211; he is that scared of the law. During one of my visits to London, I remember a friend who had a drink and then hired a taxiinstead of driving his own car. He was apprehensive of being caught by the police and of having his licence confiscated!

The three things that cause traffic hazards in our country are corruption, lack of awareness and lack of responsibility. The class of drivers we have are ignorant 8212; about rules and about their own safety. Instead of asking them about traffic signals while giving their licences, the RTO should check their level of awareness. There should be special classes held for would-be drivers so that there are lesser accidents when they go out on the roads.The government too needs to be more sensitive towards the needs of the people. Delhi has 20 compressed natural gas CNG stations. In Mumbai, there are hardly any. If the government is serious about checking pollution, why doesn8217;t it offer subsidies on CNG engines so that more and more buses and taxis can switch over to them? A few months ago, there was a suggestion for traffic policemen to wear gas masks while on duty. But the idea never tookshape. If not anything, it would have at least made people aware of the pollution surrounding them. But the government never takes such suggestions seriously.

The disease in the city today is not car pollution but car population. Even if the government makes rules that people with one car cannot buy another one until they can prove they have parking space, I don8217;t think that will work. It8217;s too simplistic a solution. The answer lies in making public transport more efficient and introducing more A/C buses and cool cabs so that people prefer using then instead of buying cars.

As told to Farida Shaikh