Rules of road disregarded

SHOULD anyone believe disregard for road rules is restricted to the open road, taxi routes and “death mile” hot-spots, etc, and you are safe driving in the leafy suburbs of Port Elizabeth, you can think again. My latest experience has left me stone cold. I was travelling west along Wares Road, the road bordering the Grey schools, and was about to learn that we are not free from those who may even be our neighbours, who seem nice and normal until they board the driving seat of a vehicle.

I was about to rise over the second hump before the Mill Park Road four-way stop and could not believe my eyes when a female driver was doing the same on my right, overtaking me.

My natural reaction was to apply my hooter as loudly as it could sound for reasons which will be made clear below, only to receive wild arm gesticulation from the driver and her passenger, probably inquiring as to what on earth was wrong with what she had just done. Well, if that was the case, here are your answers: ý Wares Road has a speed limit of 40km/h. There are schools there.

To overtake, it is virtually impossible to maintain the speed limit of 40km/h.

In any case, you must have been exceeding that to have reached me in your hurry;

ý There are solid white lines on both sides and you broke a fundamental road rule which, incidentally, has claimed many lives on open roads;

ý I have checked with the traffic department. It is against the law of the road to overtake on a hump (let alone just plain stupid) – that’s why they are preceded by a solid white line.

Now, you have my name and I am easily traced via the phone book if would like to explain your hand signals. I’m not putting any bets on that happening.

Mel Smethurst, Linkside, Port Elizabeth