Two ways to measure EO 34 success

Executive Order 34 of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña will be taking effect today. The order intends to penalize drivers of all types of motor vehicles who cross into the wrong lane and run against the flow of oncoming traffic, posing danger not only to their own selves but to others as well. Violators will be fined and their vehicles impounded. An impounding area has already been set up for the purpose.

Prior to its implementation today, the announcement by Osmeña of such an impending order caused quite a stir in a city that has long been begging for something to be done against the dangerous practice of counter flowing. Such was the welcome relief that greeted the announcement that other political leaders hailed the measure and promised to support it. Even known political opponents of the mayor cannot risk being on the opposite side of such a popular measure.

Now all that remains is the result. Everyone who has dropped everything to cheer and egg the mayor on to promptly sign the measure, and cheered some more the moment he actually signed it, is expected to be on the lookout for some hard knocks on the road to be hailed, booked, fined, and have their motor vehicles towed away to be impounded.

Given the massive public expectation generated by the anti-counterflow executive order, it would be the disappointment of the century if nothing comes out of the measure, if it turns out to be a dud, if it lays a big fat egg. It would seem as if, for all the excitement it inspired, it's really no different from the mountain that labored mightily to bring forth a mouse.

A word of caution, though, for those inclined to nail their expectation to an actual spectacle of seeing hordes of violators accosted and scores of vehicles impounded. That is just one way of looking at it, even if, admittedly, that would be the real sight to behold. But there is another way of looking at the success of the measure, if it does succeed.

Even if EO 34 cannot come up with a single arrest and impounding, although that is rather unlikely, the measure would still be a howling success if Cebuanos no longer find counterflowing vehicles on the road. If all that EO 34 does is scare drivers enough to make them behave and follow traffic rules, then it shall have served its ultimate purpose.