Zero tolerance to violence

Road age is just a symptom of the stress levels most societies are experiencing right now. Locally, a certain element that refuses to abide by the law, the absolute absence of road diversions and other warning signs, lukewarm, unbalanced or no enforcement, and some drivers' thuggish attitude all add up to a scary scenario.

As I read about a man who was seriously injured after he got into a car 'head to head' situation, when the other driver drove up a one-way street, it reminded me of several incidents I had experienced recently, which could have turned nasty.

Less than a month ago, I had stopped outside my door to unload some heavy shopping, which takes less than a minute. I usually put my stuff just inside the front door and drive off to find a parking space, and normally if a car drives up, the driver realises it will not take long and waits patiently.

But on this particular day the street, where traffic normally drives down before getting to 'my' junction (that should be an "access only" part of the street, because it is U-shaped), was clogged up with a truck or crane, I can't remember which.

Whatever, as I was walking back to my car, the driver waiting got out of his car, started shouting and was about to hit me. But since he was even smaller than I am, I stared him out and his hand stopped in mid-air. However, it was an unpleasant experience and unnerving since men about to hit me is not something I normally encounter.

I wanted to report the incident, for fear that the next time the man experienced a similar situation he might actually hurt someone. But the two people in the street at the time, happened to be looking the other way so it would have been pointless to go to the police and ask them to 'warn' him and tell him that his behaviour could get out of hand.

Some drivers take a bullish attitude of not giving way, stop in the middle of the road for a chat when they feel like it, but then jump out of their car ready for a fight when somebody else stops for a valid reason. This needs to be addressed.

Another incident a few months back involved a coach driving in between two lanes. Because I dared to flash my lights, the driver moved in and then abruptly out again just as I was overtaking in the outside lane. He could have caused a nasty accident and his actions must have really 'impressed' the tourists on board.

I memorised the number and tried to report the driver at the Msida police station. But my mission proved futile. I have already written about this in my column on October 1, so I will not repeat what happened there.

However, at least a judgment last Wednesday should go some way to changing this kind of attitude, especially when it leads to violence.

Judge Galea Debono sent down a man for 15 years for badly injuring another driver in a road rage situation, mentioned at the start of this column. It is a shame that the courts are not being as effective with pornographers and child abusers.

Men need to understand that when intransigence leads to violence they will not get away with it. However, reading the report of the case on Thursday, some things surprised me.

One was the argument by the prosecution that since the accused was driving down the wrong way he "provoked the incident and hence cannot claim self-defence". That kind of argument would set a worrying precedent.

Now, it would be right to argue that the victim had not in fact attacked the assailant, therefore the assailant had no need to defend himself. But had the roles been different and the driver who had driven up the wrong way was the one assaulted with a baton and had reacted, he would then have had the right to claim self-defence.

No one deserves to be hurt, not even by the self-righteous. The other quote that I did not expect came from the defence: "this was clearly a case of road rage due to both parties and one cannot say this was a case of a victim and aggressor".

Do lawyers really present these kinds of argument in court? Anyone with more than two brain cells can tell that one can have a victim and an aggressor in a road rage situation. The victim is the person who suffers an injury and the aggressor is the person who inflicts it.

But to get back to the point that stress levels are soaring, especially while driving. How often have you come across diversion signs? They are non-existent here. If at least people were warned that there is no access (whether through road or building works) before they get to a point where it is difficult to reverse, it would not drive people to distraction.

Take the new roundabout at Gzira, in Rue D'Argens, which was sorely needed because buses used to cut the corner at dangerous angles and some cars used to shoot straight across.

Road works there have been in progress for ages, but the roundabout bit is now finished and the barriers stopping progress up Rue D'Argens have been removed.

But you proceed further at your peril, because the work is still unfinished and by the time you notice that there is still no access it is very dangerous to reverse out.

One could go and on about such situations. Enforcement of traffic regulations is also sadly lacking or unbalanced. Traffic wardens pounce on some drivers who park badly, while others get away with it. An unfair system breeds resentment and frustration leading to stress, which in turn affects people's ability to control their emotions.

And traffic is certainly out of control and acts as a trigger.

A letter in The Times on Monday suggested that a "Traffic Jam Association" be formed. It was a very good (tongue in cheek) depiction of all the frustrations drivers endure, due to other drivers' inability to follow basic road rules.

How many drivers park on zebra crossings? How many don't stop at pedestrian crossings or shoot off while the pedestrian is still halfway there? How many speed out of side roads on to a roundabout? The one near the University is a prime example. The car on the outside lane would have stopped and suddenly a car shoots out from behind it.

How many heavy vehicles, buses and coaches hog the outside lane?

I know that the traffic police have their work cut out, but just as they stand at Castille waiting for drivers who do not have the licence to enter Valletta and book them for that and other contraventions too, they could pick another 'popular' contravention spot every so often and enforce the law. Even seeing a couple of traffic police standing by their motorcycles is usually enough to get drivers to behave.

Plane rage

Well, not quite rage yet, but very irritating. I am talking about the new security regulations. I had forgotten what happened to me last week at MIA until I saw a photo of the transparent bag I was obliged to buy in the Letters pages of The Times on Thursday.

I had duly followed all the new regulations and left my make-up in its clear plastic bag. There was not much in it and everything was perfectly visible.

But on arriving at the security check I was told that I had to go back and buy a clear, plastic bag. I explained that that was rather silly since my makeup was already in a clear plastic bag and everything was visible.

"Those are the regulations," I was told. So I had to go back out, find a machine and luckily I had a 10 cent coin.

I thought I might have to empty the contents into the 'regulation' bag, but since my own bag fitted perfectly, I could not be bothered. The security people did not bat an eyelid at the clear plastic bag within a clear plastic bag! How is that for the absolutely ridiculous?

phansen@timesofmalta.com