Road Safety
New road will ease traffic – Letters to the editor – The National 15 September 2014
New road will ease traffic
I am sure commuters will be relieved when the road works are complete in the Al Wahda Mall area (Road works expected to ease access to Al Wahda Mall, September 14).
Apart from congestion, the bus stop dedicated to the shopping complex posed a visual obstruction for drivers exiting the mall. Another shortcoming was the lack of sunshades for bus passengers. These two issues, I hope, will be resolved.
Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi
Pedestrian bridge fails to lure capital jaywalkers
ABU DHABI // Residents and visitors darting through high-speed traffic to get to Abu Dhabi Mall is an all-too-common sight.
The “no pedestrian” signs, a footbridge across to the mall and another near Le Meridien Hotel are being routinely ignored by many and even a Dh200 fine for jaywalking has failed to deter hasty pedestrians.
At 4pm on Monday, in a 30-minute period The National counted 42 pedestrians crossing three lanes of traffic to and from Abu Dhabi Mall. Less than half that number took the stairs.
Many find it easier to take the risk and dash across the street. Among the jaywalkers were two couriers, a woman and her young daughter, a pregnant woman, two women wearing abayas, an Abu Dhabi Co-op staffer with a trolley filled with groceries, men in business suits, and groups of mall shop workers.
A 27-year-old banker, who did not wish to be named, said a jaywalking ticket would not deter him from crossing illegally.
“I got a fine about three years ago,” he said. “I’m so tired and I just want to get into my car now. I just don’t care if I get a fine right now.”
In March 2008, police raised the fines for jaywalking to Dh200 from Dh50, saying the lower penalty had failed to deter pedestrians.
The elevator installed near the pedestrian bridge had also done little to encourage pedestrians to use it, he said.
“It takes five minutes each to get up and down,” he said. “They need to do something about it.”
On Monday, the entrance to the elevator was cordoned off by police tape.
“This elevator is for the physically handicapped, visually impaired persons and senior citizens only,” a sign read.
A security guard said jaywalking tended to be a group activity.
“At 6pm, they all come in groups,” he said. “It’s illegal and dangerous, but they prefer to cross the road.”
Two Filipina service crew were apologetic when asked why they had crossed the road instead of using the footbridge.
“We’re really sorry,” one said. “We know it’s wrong but we’re late for work.”
Police are stationed near the mall to conduct random inspections and issue jaywalking fines.
“They’re usually here at 7pm,” the mall guard said.
Sajith Raj, 27, a fireman in Abu Dhabi for five years, said it did not make sense for people to dash across lanes of traffic and put themselves in harm’s way.
“I always use the bridge when I visit the mall,” said Mr Raj, who crossed over with four friends. “Apart from being dangerous and illegal, a lot of time is wasted waiting until the vehicles pass.”
Mani Alumuthu, 42, a marketing officer who has lived in Abu Dhabi for four years, agreed.
“The Government built this bridge with the pedestrians’ safety in mind, but unfortunately only a few are using it.”
In February, Abu Dhabi Municipality announced measures to improve the safety of pedestrians and road users. Pavements have since been widened and standardised, new fencing to prevent jaywalking has been erected and electronic directional signs have been installed.
The Abu Dhabi Police Traffic and Patrol Directorate reported in July that its campaign “Towards Reducing Serious Injuries and Death Rates Caused by Run-Over Accidents” resulted in a 59 per cent fall in deaths caused by run-over incidents in the past five years.
“But the majority of the residents lack a safe traffic culture,” said Ramesh Menon, a technical officer at an oil firm in Abu Dhabi and a resident for 25 years.
“It’s very sad to see women with their children who repeatedly cross the road in undesignated areas. They are supposed to educate them and spread road safety awareness and help save lives.”
All pedestrians and cyclists should remember they have a key responsibility for their own safety, said Dino Kalivas, chairman of the driver education and training committee at the International Road Federation.
“They should stop one step back from the kerb or shoulder of the road if there is no walkway and listen in all directions for approaching traffic,” he said.
“They should also think about whether it is safe to cross the road, when the road is clear or all traffic has stopped, and observe the traffic lights and signals.”
rruiz@thenational.ae
Safer roads require better monitoring – The National Dt 02 September 2014
Safer roads require better monitoring
In reference to your story, Heavy traffic but no major road issues as UAE goes back to school (September 1), it is indeed fortunate that no untoward incidents occurred on the first day of the school after summer break.
However, yesterday I witnessed examples of reckless driving.
One involved a bus carrying labourers on Sheikh Zayed Street along Abu Dhabi’s eastern corniche. It recklessly cut across lanes and sped off. It had no signs on it to indicate which company was providing the service.
This shows the importance of the police monitoring the roads from their control room so that when this kind of dangerous driving is detected, a patrol car can intervene before an accident follows.
I also believe this class of vehicles should be restricted to the slow lanes.
Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi
The National Dt. 02 September 2014
To read it in original, please visit The National online
Pledge: Make UAE Roads Safer
Are you a resident of UAE and holds a driving license? Then, it is time for you to visit:
Drivers and Passengers taking the pledge will commit themselves to the following 4 points;
√ YES – Seat belts – by EVERYBODY in your car!
√ YES – Indicators – every time you change lanes!
ø NO – Speeding!
ø NO – Mobile Phone: not without proper hands-free equipment!
The UAE has one of the highest per-capita road fatalities globally and we experience shortcomings of Road Safety on a daily basis. ‘Road injury’ is the number 1 cause of premature death in the UAE (according to a Global Burden of Disease study), and accidents are the number 2 killer in the UAE with traffic related accidents representing about 2/3 of all accidents. Clearly, this is avoidable!
RoadSafetyUAE.com want to ‘make a difference’ and this needs a strong voice. This is the reason, why we team up with media partners, corporate supporters, and governmental entities like RTA, to help us ‘spread the word’.
We need YOUR VOICE, and the voices of all road traffic participants of the UAE! We need your voice to clearly state: ‘I commit myself to MAKE UAE’s ROADS SAFER!’ – and to sign our pledge!
…and please: forward the pledge to your family, friends, colleagues – whoever you care about!
For 2014, we are aiming for 100,000 pledges by year end. Maybe we achieve even more! Together, we’ll celebrate and decide our game plan for the future. With 100,000 of us standing strong for the cause, we will for sure improve the safety on our roads.
There are definitely additional important points of road safety, but for our initial pledge we want motorists to commit to those 4. In future pledges, additional points of road safety will be included.
Will your pledge make a difference and what is the purpose of the pledge? Possessing a driving license proves, that we know the road rules and the proper road behavior. Taking the pledge is a concrete action of rationalizing and reminding ourselves of how to do it right. Reading and discussing is one thing, but actively taking the pledge is a much more a testimony of our commitment to increase road safety. Please also refer to our ‘Topics & Tips section’!
Certainly, in the initial phases of the pledge, traffic participants, who already have a high conduct of road safety will make the pledge. However, they are encouraged to forward to pledge to other traffic participants with improvement potentials, or with a low conduct of road safety! It is in the interest of those they forward the pledge to! The more traffic participants will go through this process of rationalization by signing the pledge, the more the level of road safety will improve.
By forming a group, we can accomplish difficult goals that we might have trouble achieving alone. Like-minded people can help support the cause of improved road safety and the group momentum can positively influence positive behavioral change and ensure that we follow through on our good intentions. We need to ensure a culture of looking after each other on the road – and taking the pledge is a good start!
Inviting all companies, educational institutions and organizations sign the pledge, and also to encourage their employees, customers, students and other stakeholders to sign, too. It will help organizations develop a systematic approach to managing the key risks arising from road transport, thereby contributing to successful road safety outcomes.
Appending below is the support and call by the Ambassador of India, H.E. T.P. Seetharam in support of this initiative.
Please share the link, spread the word around and let there be less accidents as possible.
Thank you and best wishes in advance,
Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi
Don’t get killed while driving – Gulf News – 3 August 2014
Don’t get killed while driving
Authorities need to step up to educate drivers on road safety and the importance of patience on the road.
• By Ramesh Menon
• Gulf News Published: 13:23 August 2, 2014
The other day, as I was dropping my son to the airport amidst the afternoon traffic, we witnessed a young man riding a sports bike at a furious pace, cutting across traffic lanes. Suddenly, the car ahead of him stopped, and the young man was left with no option than to hit the car. We watched as he toppled at least three times above and on top of the car ahead and fell down. There he lay motionless and we were speechless.
Turns out, there was an accident that happened further down the road and that was the reason for the traffic and a police patrol was already on their way to assist.
The accident that we witnessed will remain in my memory for a very long time, as it felt so unreal, like it was a movie.
Furthermore, for me as a person, bikes on UAE roads are always scary as they are not meant to be safe while driven on these roads.
Memories of two incidents that happened a few years ago keep on coming to my mind and is the reason for my aggressive campaigning for road safety.
First is the death of my brother-in-law in a bike accident in 2001 by a tractor driver in Bengaluru, India.
Second is more serious as it involved a whole family, including my mathematics teacher from school. They died as their car was hit by a speeding car and causing the entire family to burn to death as they travelled from Abu Dhabi to Dubai.
While the fate of the young man involved in the accident that happened the other day is not known to me, I definitely know that it was an incident that could easily have been avoided.
There is a strong need for patience and this needs to be educated to our young drivers by the authorities. Especially bike riders and those who have just got their driving license.
You don’t put a full stop to your life in thsi manner. Safety is of utmost importance, therefore we should be alert and cautious at all times.
To read it in original, please visit Gulf News online.
Strict rules and training needed – Letters to the editor – The National
Strict rules and training needed
It is very sad to read that an accident of the kind described in your article (38 workers injured in Sharjah bus crash, July 22) has happened on our roads once again.
Looking at the efforts by the authorities to prevent such accidents and the results achieved thus far, it is promising to note that they have become less frequent.
However, in order to get even better results, there is one option that ought to be implemented. The law should be amended to give no leeway above the stated speed limit for drivers of commercial or public transport vehicles. This would include 15-seater vans and minibuses, as well as full-size buses and trucks.
If enforced correctly and with strict punishment for drivers who breach it, this law ought to result in fewer accidents due to speeding and negligence.
In conjunction with this, all transport companies should be required to give their drivers training and to update their road-safety awareness skills.
Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi
To read it in original please visit The National online
Safe-driving signs on lorries are not what they seem – Letters to the editor – Dt. The National 21 July 2014
Safe-driving signs on lorries are not what they seem
Letters to the Editor
July 20, 2014 Updated: July 20, 2014 03:36 PM
I refer to “Am I driving safely?” No, but there is no point in calling the number on the lorries (July 19), about the phone numbers displayed on heavy vehicles.
Many lorry and bus operators have found ways to get around this initiative. I cannot remember how many times I have been unable to reach the displayed number when I have witnessed a road-rage incident and tried to report it immediately.
There are three different scenarios. One is where one or two digits are deliberately erased from the contact number; another is to provide a landline number that is never answered. A third is to display the number of a mobile phone that the offending driver himself is carrying.
When I do get through to the truck or bus operators, I never frame it as a complaint. Instead, I word it as a precaution, suggesting they keep their eye on a particular driver. Some companies have acknowledged my efforts and conveyed their thanks.
I feel that there is a need for a simple, easy-to-dial number to report all cases of bad driving. Companies operating lorries and buses should be required to register a contact number with the authorities, who would act on the complaint.
Road safety should be considered an integral part of our daily lives. Let us not ignore its importance, even for a minute.
Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi
Highway code is necessary – Letters to the editor – The National Dt. 1 July 2014
Highway code is necessary
I refer to the article Safety expert advocates UAE federal highway code (June 30). The code is particularly necessary to keep heavy vehicles under control. They should never be given the extra 10 or 20kph speed allowance.
The moment you give that opportunity to these drivers, they tend to break the rules. In other words, if the maximum speed limit is 100kph for heavy vehicles, they should stay below it.
Many times, I have been in situations where buses and lorries came flashing their headlights from behind. The RTA buses are no exception. They should also be made to stay within the last two lanes, so as to keep the rest of the lanes free for lighter vehicles.
There is a rule that public and commercial vehicles should display specific phone numbers on which complaints can be made in case of dangerous driving. But proper monitoring is needed to make this system effective. A dedicated centralised contact number will be more helpful. I am sure consistent efforts will help make our roads safer and better. Let us all work together towards this objective.
Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi
To read it in original, please visit The National online.
Safe driving – Gulf Today – Short Take Dt 28 June 2014
Safe driving
It is the Holy Month of Ramadan and a blessed season when people tend to be more religious and show kindness to the poor and needy. This year, due to the long duration of daytime, the fasting hours will be more.
Summer is at its peak making life outside during noon hours difficult. Luckily, the school holidays have started. The roads may be less crowded as many people will be on vacation.
However, one factor that is a cause of worry is the driving habit of some people before Iftar timing. Whatever the reasons, the tendency to drive fast and furious is extremely dangerous.
The energy and alertness level during this time will be less for many due to fasting. It is extremely important to drive cautiously and carefully during this particular period.
Safety at all times should be kept in mind and practised as one of the core values in our lives.
Ramesh Menon
Gulf Today, Short Take Dt. 28 June 2014
To read it in original, please visit Gulf Today online.
Crossing the line – Short Take – Gulf Today – 24 May 2014
Crossing the line
In Abu Dhabi and Dubai, I have seen pedestrians display scant respect for rules while crossing the roads in a hurry. At times, it is so scary making me wonder whether they really care for their self and family when they cross at undesignated sections of the road, even while talking on the phone.
Here is an incident I can quote, which is as recent as two days. I was driving on a two- way inside road behind Hamdan streeet of Abu Dhabi. A well-dressed man was crossing the road at his own pace talking on the phone, not at all bothered about vehicles coming from both directions.
I stopped and also saw another vehicle coming from the opposite direction. Luckily, although the driver was also on the phone, he saw the pedestrian and he too stopped and the person crossed, without any care or consideration for both of us.
Witnessing his careless attitude, I tried to talk to him and he started arguing that it was his right to cross wherever he wanted and whatever he does was his own problem. I wished him good luck and continued.
Always drive carefully. Pedestrians in the UAE are still uneducated as far as their own safety and the drivers risk getting involved in an accident due to careless crossing.
So, be safe rather than regret later, even if the mistake is not yours. Never use a mobile while driving.
Ramesh Menon
Short Take – Gulf Today – 24 May 2014
To read it in original, please visit GULF TODAY online
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