The Early Death of M-TRAC Traffic Signs in City? Sheer Waste of Taxpayers Money
Mangaluru: If you are just wondering why is traffic in Mangaluru so bad? Because everybody wants to reach their workplace or their some kind of appointment on time. Nobody wants to start early. Because everybody wants to reach first. Nobody wants to follow the rules. And it will be chaos out there when lakhs of people try to overtake each other in a race to reach their destination on time with little or absolutely no regards to the traffic rules and violating absolutely every traffic rule that’s ever been made?.
And in order to ease out some of the traffic chaos, City Traffic police few months ago had installed quite a few brand new traffic signs at every nook and corner of the City, like ‘No Honking Horn’; ‘No Overtaking Zone’; ‘ No Parking’; No Left Turn/No Entry’; ‘One Way Traffic Only’; “Hump Ahead ‘ etc. But sadly if you look around the city out of the 100% M-TRAC traffic signs, ONLY 25-30% have remained still on the pole, while others have been knocked down by the motorists, or the PWD/MCC/Utility workers while digging the footpaths or the streets for their project. But even when few of these signs are still out there, my one hour survey showed that about 75%, or could be more don’t obey none of these traffic signs- and drive or ride as they like. And the traffic cops have done little in taking actions against all these violators. So what’s the use in having these signs put up by the City’s traffic cops, when motorists/commuters don’t follow them, and simultaneously the cops don’t even bother to take action.
I was surprised to see few of these M-TRAC signs lying in our home compound, which were brought in by my brother Joe D’souza, who is the the ‘Honorable Handyman’ for many of the police stations in the city, where he renders his service in fixing their electrical/plumbing or any other petty jobs FREE of cost, in the name of community service. But when it comes to fixing of a faulty electrical switch box at home, Joe takes his own time to fix it, but is always ready to do the cops job quick. Seems like he likes the COP more than his POP? I am happy for my brother that he is doing community service in his retired life as an NRE Engineer having worked in USA for 44 years. But sadly he says, “I feel very much hurt, when I fix these broken signs and erect them back at the spot where they belonged, but the laborers of MCC or other departments when they do their street development work, remove these signs or damage them, and many a times never replace them back. And even if I complain about this to the higher officials, no one bothers to take action. Too sad!”
Above Photos show the Newly Installed M-TRAC Traffic Signs
Does the problem Smart City-Mangaluru lie in the absence of enough traffic regulations or in our ignorance or disrespect of them? A look at the penalties under the Motor Vehicles Act (1988) indicates that the former is unlikely. When people take their cues from looking at each other rather than from an overload of traffic signs, traffic moves slowly and smoothly, accidents decline significantly and roads become safer. In this humanized, deregulated haven, motorists and pedestrians are encouraged to interact in a more humane manner. And when there are Traffic Signs and Traffic Rules, then ‘Why don’t motorists here follow them’? A need to get ahead of everybody else, all the time, I guess!. Motorists probably take few quotes literally. Time is precious! Urgh, why the hell are you making me wait? I have to get back to my classroom or office room to invent the next sensation even better than Facebook.
Just by installing traffic signs is not enough, they need to be monitored and strictly enforced by the Cops, which is totally lacking here. For a large population like Mangaluru, where traffic increases day by day, but there is absolutely no increase in full-fledged traffic cops-instead we have guards to control traffic, which the motorists give a damn respect to them. Why don’t we respect cops? Is it their notoriety as a corrupt, incompetent, insensitive lot or a sense that cops are rude blue collar workers? And then, the all-too-familiar refrain of the urban motorist, “When the government can’t even give us proper roads, why should I follow rules?” Poor infrastructure, even poorer rules! Neither carrot nor stick! No penalties for rash driving. No license suspension (No license necessary in many cases). No imprisonment (at least not for many years till the case gets to the courts). No mechanisms to identify traffic offenders (License plate recognition or CCTV’s). No standardized tests for obtaining a driving license. The ability to pay your way out of trouble or in some cases, the ability to silence the victims.
The reason most often cited for motorists’ callousness towards traffic norms is the absence of any strict, substantial, immediate and consistent penalties for traffic violations. Fines, if any are not of an amount high enough to serve as deterrents, police control is lax, infrequent and can often be worked around. Some offences like jumping signals, driving on the wrong side of the road and using phones while driving have become so commonplace, they are overlooked. As motorists, we leave home, confident in the knowledge that no matter what our offence, we will be let off the hook, that there is a way around the system.
Like the fine for breaking traffic codes is equal to a Masala Dosa and a Coffee at Taj Mahal Cafe, or the price of pint beer at a bar, one that he/she doesn’t mind giving up.The Punishment and fine are so less, that even a burger and a soft drink at McDonald’s at City Centre Mall, sometime cost higher than riding without a helmet or jumping a red light. Unless and until, the traffic fines are jacked up, there will be no end for traffic violations in the City, no matter how many traffic signs you install or how many CCTV’s you put up? It’s like “When in Rome, act like you’re in Rome”, as it describes the conflict faced by the responsible driver as he/she navigates the melee at the traffic light: Red or green? Both means go!
The Above Photos Show the Traffic Signs Ignored by Motorists
Tune your mind to observe traffic signs in the city, and you’d notice a few things. One, M-TRAC project has put up a lot of new ones. Two, perhaps they needn’t have spent taxpayer’s money on putting them up. Three, sorry Dear Top Cop and other other Traffic dept officials, M-TRAC may not be doing the best that it can. Standard and consistency matter the most. There is problem on two counts there. 1) A lot of existing signs convey the message in their own colors and styles. M-TRAC must remove or correct them, or else the point gets lost in the crowd 2) Nitpicking on new M-TRAC signs, perhaps the traffic police themselves are not being consistent. See these speed breaker signs: style 1, style 2, and both of them together as well at same place ! Elsewhere in the city as well, one can easily find road hump signs in either of styles bearing M-TRAC name.
Parking signs need standards – should that ‘distance’ arrow be vertical or horizontal? Do I really have to get close enough to read the distance covered by a no-parking sign? Or can we get standard no-parking boards to convey 100 ft, 300 ft, 500 ft no-parking zones. Another point is about the PPP angle. What are all those “sponsored” signs doing in the city? PPP or no PPP, many of these seem too blatant and bad. In many cases, the advertising is far more visible than the traffic message itself. In fact, some new ones even carry MCC or MTP (Mangaluru Traffic Police) logos to impress upon you that they are genuine! Are they!? I doubt. Does anyone else in the city think that “MLC Ivan D’souza” has spent more on police barricades or road signs than the Traffic Police themselves? I do. Either way, I am very disappointed. But just like branding products in commercial ads, there needs to be consistency of style and message. Someone needs to question and audit M-TRAC, at least the signs part of it. A project that got us so excited may be losing its way.
But you can’t blame a motorist all the time, because many a times the traffic cops are at fault too. You would think that the primary job of the Mangaluru Traffic Police is to ‘Regulate Traffic’. But, most of the times, you will not find a single traffic police manning some of the congested roads, during peak hours. I have seen many a times near Bunts Hostel Circle/Jyothi Circle/PVS Junction/Kankanady Circle-the routes that I often take- I see the cops either chatting on their mobiles or hiding behind a petty shop nearby, while we have to wade through the traffic ourselves. I wonder – shouldn’t these guys who are ganged up to collect fines, try to regulate traffic?
I have seen multiple times that, whenever there is a VIP visiting, scores of Traffic Police show up and efficiently enable the VIP to zip through while stopping regular commuters. Then they all disappear and let the traffic clog as it was before. Do these Traffic Police serve only these VIPs? Why can’t they show some of this zeal and efficiency while regulating traffic for the common citizens? Another common scene during morning/evening peak hours is that these traffic police at all prime locations waiting for their prey – basically someone not wearing a helmet on the pillion – while just 50 meters away, there is a traffic mess which could have been easily resolved by the intervention of a traffic cop. Traffic police using random rules and shady tactics to generate revenue has gone bad. The intent to actually regulate traffic by the Mangaluru Traffic Police has gone missing to a large extent as well.
M-TRAC Traffic Sign used as a barricade near Mluru Central Railway Station
The Above Photos Show M-TRAC Traffic Signs ‘Rest In Pieces?’
In conclusion, it’s okay to have as many Traffic Signs or Traffic Rules, maybe all we need is something that makes us more aware of how we behave in traffic, what triggers a train of abuses, what pushes us to jump that red light, or enter a one way zone or park in a no parking zone or honk our horns loud near a hospital or school, or why we leave home without a helmet. Maybe it will make us think the next time we are about to press down on the horn, inch forward to halt on the pedestrian crossing or switch lanes to save 2-3 minutes. Maybe we will slowly learn to become a caring people, comfortable with sharing spaces and resources. Perhaps our big urban egos could use on respecting our fellow commuters – other motorists, pedestrians, cyclists and animals. But on the last note, I would say that “PRESENCE OF TRAFFIC COPS WILL SERVE THE PURPOSE IN CONTROLLING TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS RATHER THAN INSTALLING ALL THESE M-TRAC SIGNS WHICH DON’T SERVE ANY PURPOSE, OTHER THAN WASTE OF TAX-PAYERS MONEY”. Bet I am right. What do you have to say about it?
Also Read Related Article:
Many Traffic Signs Installed by Cops, but NOT Many Motorists Follow Them?