Dear Editor,
Let me start by stating that no effort made to have any situation improved is a waste of time. I am responding to an observation from someone who commented on what Rene Lammerse wrote concerning the behaviour of the drivers on Sint Maarten. That person asked: “Why is that man (Rene Lammerse) wasting his time writing about these drivers on Sint Maarten?” My response to that person was: “At last someone in the community is starting to accept that it is our behaviour in traffic that is causing traffic congestion and traffic accidents.”
More of you should follow his example, but we have to press on government (VROMI) to maintain the markings and signage on the roads. Leading by example helps to alleviate a lot of negativities. If the drivers notice that government is nonchalant, and being irresponsible with that which is necessary to promote safe traffic, especially those irresponsible drivers (and they are increasing daily) will show their real colours. Laws are there to be implemented, but also when because of structural changes it is no longer feasible to maintain those laws, they have to be amended to accommodate the present situation.
For example, if because of congestion, it will no longer be able to park on Front and Back streets of Philipsburg, then we will have to see about parking on the pond. Or like I maintain, we will have to limit the import of motor vehicles and regulate our public transportation, otherwise we will have to fill the whole Salt Pond and suffer the consequences of flooding after every heavy rain.
A lot of these traffic perils could be alleviated by having the Control Unit out there doing what they were originally appointed to do. Deal with the traffic. I know, I was the supervisor at that department. There are a lot of little things that I avoid commenting on, but I am not comfortable when I hear comments from the public that when the Control Unit used to be on the road things were better. I was told who participates in making those changes, but government seems to like it so. Unless we have people directing the traffic by the bottle-necks, and during rush hours by the Kruythoff roundabout, it will not change.
The other big problem is the irresponsible drivers at the roundabouts. Every day without exception, someone looks at me as if I am crazy or something of the sort, because of how I drive by or around the roundabout. To begin with it will never be remedied as long as nothing is done to drivers with dark-tinted glass. That is more dangerous than driving without fastening a seatbelt around you. Because more and more drivers do not adhere to the traffic rules and are constantly swerving and squeezing in and out of the row of cars, trying to get ahead of the slow-moving traffic; other drivers cannot see the driver with dark glasses and are not aware of those drivers’ intentions. Again, because they cannot see them in the car with the ensuing consequences.
You are aware of this because of the increasing articles of admonishment from the police to drivers and their behaviour in traffic. The parking and driving off of the motor vehicles at those businesses on A.T. Illidge road between The Cottage roundabout and the entrance to Arch Road is one of the main causes for the holdup of the traffic by the traffic lights by the Bernhard Bridge.(Longwall Road, Nisbeth Road, A.T. Illidge Road).
Rightfully so Mr. Lammerse commented in what he calls an interesting way of making use of the roundabouts. I say “the irresponsible way.”
By the Cottage roundabout, drivers coming from Zagersgut Road get on the roundabout and stop next to waiting to be able to continue over A.T.Illdge Road, blocking all the other traffic on the roundabout and coming from the other roads wishing to make use of the roundabout. I do not believe it is that urgent that the congestion to obtain a driver’s licence on Sint Maarten is such that the exams be done with computers. And even if the theoretical part is done with computers,
I believe that the practical part of the exams should exact no mistakes to be able to pass the exams. Even though it is said that people learn to drive after they pass their exams, I would never put a car in someone’s hands who is mediocre. Accidents cause material damage, as well as personal damage. I will never feel comfortable questioning myself “I wonder if”. By now I hope that those motorbike riders are gradually realizing that there is a correct way and then that other way to overtake a row of other motor vehicles. I also hope that they will realize the pain they cause their families. Ladies, “You’d see me coming” is not a right-of-way rule. Right of way is accepted, not taken.
“Yield” and “you have to give right of way” is what is written in your traffic instruction books. And it is the traffic on the roundabout that has the right of way, not traffic from the right.
There is also the correct way, as well as the not correct way of entering and driving around the roundabout.
Russell A. Simmons
