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G Ramanarayanan
Chennai, Sept 24:
 

RARING TO GO: Motorists are restless, revving up engines impatiently,  wrecking the nerves of those before them. Photo: A R Jayakumar

        Jumping traffic signals has of late become common all over Chennai. Especially at Thiruvanmiyur RTO signal and the signals thereafter. But at Thiruvanmiyur, the signal has to be obeyed as the junction is always posted with traffic policemen.

        Care a damn even if red glows, almost all vehicles unmindful of the signal zoom past. As they care little for the signal, either two-wheeler or four-wheeler going in front has to speed up in order to avoid being hit by heavy vehicles coming behind.

        Signals in the absence of police personnel do a great job in traffic regulation. It has become a wont of drivers that only when a policeman is in sight traffic rules are followed, little realising other’s safety, let alone theirs.

        The other day at the signal near IIT, a two-wheeler rider was roughed up by a four-wheeler driver for having stopped for the signal. It was the four-wheeler driver’s mistake, he should have thanked God for having just missed hitting the two-wheeler man. Instead the latter was taken to task by the former, as if he was in the wrong.

        The present day traffic rules put us in a fix as to whether to obey the traffic signal or not. If followed also there is risk and if not followed there is more risk involvement. Stringent action on the part of the traffic police would make some sense.

        There was a strict rule years ago as those vehicles crossing the stopline were pulled up. But as of now even the vehicles stop well ahead of stopline at the signals, inconveniencing the pedestrians crossing. Traffic police have been indifferent of late.

        Helmet rule alone is not suffice and even that rule is flouted by many. Line-crossing and jumping signals are the worst offences.

        As crimes have increased, traffic violations have also manifold increased. Why this?