Sunday Times 2
Traffic cops switch off traffic lights and create mayhem
View(s):Motorists breathed a sigh of relief when traffic light systems were installed at virtually all major ‘junctions’ or intersections both in and around Colombo and even in many major cities some years back. Most sane motorists were willing to trade-off slight delays at such intersections due to ‘traffic lights’ as it ensured some semblance of orderly traffic movement despite the inevitable incursion of ‘driver’s space’ by two-wheelers and ubiquitous ‘Trishaws’ drivers who have a habit of worming themselves up the queue of patient drivers and invariably tax their patience when they get to the top of the queue or in front when they knock off their engines! As only by the time the ‘Green’ emerges, do some of these two-wheeler and three-wheeler blokes decide to re-start engines amidst a cacophony of horns by enraged drivers at the back. [Sounds familiar?] More to follow!
A page from the Highway Code' issued by the Department of Motor Traffic in 1991
If the antics of motorcyclists and trishaw drivers are a familiar annoyance at traffic light junctions, the irrational practice by some traffic policemen to switch-off the traffic lights at important intersections such as Nugegoda-Highlevel Road Junction, Delkanda-Highlevel Road junction, Kirullapone-Baseline Road intersection, creating km long traffic jams, simply defies logic!
These junctions are high-volume traffic spots; one does not need ‘rocket-science’ to deduce that it is almost impossible for a human ‘traffic cop’ to monitor and control a mass of vehicles that pass these bustling junctions teeming with traffic for much of the day/night.
When the traffic lights bought and installed at much cost to the State functioned after careful study by experts re-timing at various stages of the day, traffic invariably moved, albeit slowly.
Yet ‘traffic signals’ offer the maximum degree of control at intersections. They relay messages of both what to do and what not to do. The primary function of any traffic signal is to assign right of way to conflicting movements of traffic at an intersection, and it does this by permitting conflicting streams of traffic to share the same junction by means of time separation.
By alternately assigning right-of-way to various traffic movements, signals provide for the orderly movement of conflicting flows. They may interrupt extremely heavy flows to permit the crossing of minor movements that could not otherwise move safely through the intersection.
When properly timed, traffic signals increase the traffic handling capacity of an intersection [junction] and when installed under conditions that justify its use, it is a valuable device for improving the safety and efficiency of both pedestrian and vehicular traffic. In particular, signals may reduce certain types of accidents, most notably the angle (broadside) collision.
In spite of all possible pluses in favour of ‘traffic lights’, our ‘traffic cops, of late, have inexplicably decided to ‘switch-off’ the traffic lights systems for reasons unknown. And the result: absolute traffic mayhem at these traffic-signal-less intersections manned by policemen who appear to be tyros themselves, judging by their awkward hand-signal movements.
If one checks out the Highway Code booklet of Britain, much of it is applied [or at least supposed to apply!] in Sri Lanka; the clause under ‘Traffic Lights’ vide UK Highway Code says:
- “You MUST obey all traffic light signals and traffic signs giving orders. Make sure you also know and act on all other traffic signs and road markings.
- At junctions controlled by traffic lights you MUST stop behind the white stop line across your side of the road unless the light is green. You MUST NOT move forward when the red and amber lights are showing.
- n Do not go forward when the traffic lights are green unless there is room for you to clear the junction safely or you are taking up a position to turn right.
The extract of internationally accepted Highway Code reproduced above is clear, isn’t it? Yet what do we see with sickening regularity? Local traffic policemen defying what the traffic lights say and give orders contrary to the ‘traffic lights’ or worse still switching off the traffic lights and taking over, pathetically via manual signals by themselves!
A scanned copy of page vide ‘The Highway Code’ issued by Sri Lanka’s Department of Motor Traffic in 1991 is reproduced wherein the hand signals of policemen are globally recognisable. Instead we now see hand-movements of local traffic cops that could confuse even a seasoned driver! These lazy, questionable ‘hand-traffic-signals are way too casual and certainly not in keeping with internationally accepted traffic manual signals! Some signal, as if beckoning a pooch!
The confusion that leads to major traffic gridlock during much of the day and night in urbanised areas, prompted me to phone up a much respected now retired DIG Traffic. What he disclosed was shocking, to say the least!
Apparently the traffic authorities of the Sri Lanka Police have mostly deployed STF personnel, untrained in traffic movement! The ex-DIG also bemoaned the irrational decision of switching off traffic signals from junctions associated with heavy traffic movement. He went on to say, “The reason we installed ‘traffic signals’ at high volume vehicular movement junctions is that it proved impossible for a traffic policeman to manage such a great density of vehicular movement at any one time; after the initial hiccups and after expert studies, we got the timings right and then the traffic began to move steadily across and through traffic junctions. Unless there is a power failure there is hardly any need for a traffic policeman to man a junction, certainly not to give signals contrary to the traffic light signals! Also I just cannot understand why the present Traffic DIG has apparently approved the switching off of traffic light signals,” the much respected ex-DIG Traffic said incredulously!
Oh! For the likes of former great Traffic DIGs like T. Perinpanayagam & Camilus Abey!
Mr. IGP you owe motorists an immediate explanation. In the meantime we implore you to take adequate commonsensical measures to train all policemen before they are deployed for traffic duties. And please restore traffic signals at junctions; let these electronically operated traffic signal lights do the work ‘they’ are assigned to [at much expenditure!] and detail your cops to more pressing issues like trishaws, motorcycles and private buses which ride and drive oblivious to the highway code. They contribute significantly to the carnage of eight persons being killed each day [and counting!] in traffic collisions.
Let sanity prevail, at least on our killer-roads!
(The writer is a Senior Columnist for MOTOR
magazine)