Culture of driving in yellow lane grows

Afew weeks ago we dedicated this space to a statement from the Automobile Association (AA) pleading with the Metro Police to assign its resources accordingly during loadshedding.

While I fully agree that traffic officers will be of much better use assisting the flow of rush hour traffic at intersections instead of being positioned at road blocks elsewhere checking the validity of licence discs, one thing sadly not even them will be able to fix is the constant flow of vehicles in the emergency lane during these times.

Much like minibus taxis overtaking on the left hand side in the emergency lane at intersections and driving in the wrong lane all the time, expecting Metro cops to be in every place at the same time is simply not realistic. A society whose motorists oblige to the law don’t need traffic cops on every street corner, but like many other things the South African everyday culture dictates lawlessness at the drop of a penny.

And come to think of it, if a Metro Cop were to be in the right place at the right time and fine a minibus taxi for one of their infamous stunts, is that really going to stop that driver from doing it in future? Hell no.

With every Tom, Dick and Harry already following the minibus taxis down the emergency lane during slow moving traffic at times of loadshedding, the same principle applies. Is the odd little fine really going to deter them?

I’ve seen these fools in the emergency lanes merely force their way back into a legit lane when they are sensing actual emergency vehicles approaching, which if not spotted and dealt with make them get away with it anyway.

The problem is we are all in this together. Just because the majority of the cars don’t take the emergency lane during congested times, doesn’t mean those drivers are not going to be late for work, an appointment or dropping their children at school too. Mostly they’ll be just as stuffed as the idiots trying to jump the queue, but they respect and uphold the law.

The irony is that if all motorists on our roads start losing their cool and do as they please, total anarchy will break out and then nobody will get anywhere on time. Traffic in India is a good example of this.

A few weeks ago I got so gatvol for these cars darting down the emergency lane and drifted wider into the lane to try and discourage them. One minibus taxi was so desperate to pass me that he ventured off the tar and over some nasty rocks on the side of the road just to gain that two seconds. The driver turned to me and asked me whether I was crazy.

I wonder what for? Trying to uphold the law or trying to block lawlessness? Scary thought.