Friday, 18th July 2008

Stop when the lights turn red

Alfred Pace, Sliema

On the morning of July 14, I received a telephone call from a member of my family who had just been witness to a nasty and unfortunate traffic accident that happened in Rue D'Argens corner with Sliema Road, where the traffic lights are. A motorcyclist was hit by a car driven by a woman who came out of Sliema Road (Marshall Court side). The unfortunate motorcyclist had to be taken to hospital in an ambulance suffering from apparent serious injuries to his legs.

Only three days before, I myself happened to be coming up the other way in my car, that is, going up Rue D'Argens, and I almost had the same mishap. I was waiting for the lights to turn green and when they did so I started moving on slowly but, suddenly, a car driven by a woman sped out of Sliema Road (Marshall Court side) across D'Argens Road over to the other part of Sliema Road. I have no words to express the shock I got, which I vented out by blasting the horn of my car! It was a close miss! Had I been going a bit faster the lady would have hit me directly on my car's right flank!

Unfortunately, over the last years there seems to be creeping in this malpractice of drivers not observing strictly the traffic lights signals; instead of stopping when the light turns amber, some reckless and irresponsible drivers opt to continue driving even when the light will have already turned red! I believe it is not only me that has been observing this malpractice. Consequently, I urge the authorities to take some sort of action. Maybe, wardens could be located at these busy junctions and book whoever does not strictly abide by the traffic lights directions.

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Article © Allied Newspapers Ltd., printed on Sunday, November 8, 2009. This article is for personal use only, and should not be distributed.

Comments

Chris Mallia (on 19/7/08)

Cameras on traffic lights posts are the way to go, even fake ones would be a deterrent. They would make the driver more aware of being watched. Also, in Malta, the amber light seems to be a few seconds too long, creating doubt. Living in Brussels, most traffic lights switch from green to red in a split second and there is hardly ever any amber, but I also do not agree with this. A balanced number of seconds say 2, should be enough. Another issue is the timing of a group of traffic lights which must be synchronized to help the flow of traffic. If this synchronization is bad, then it actually hinders traffic and annoys drivers, making them more prone to break the law.

michael scott (on 18/7/08)

Mr Lethbridge is correct,install cameras at these lights before someone is killed,having to pay a hefty fine or imprisonment will deter drivers who flaut these rules .There should be no excuse for contravening traffic lights.

Jeffrey Tabone (on 18/7/08)

@ Mr. Holme

true, the drivers in malta are not perfect but the worst????? seems to me you've never driven in catania or palermo, worse than that there is the driving in libya, and worse than that eygpt.

GRAHAM HOLME (on 18/7/08)

After working as a proffesional driver for over 30years,working mainly on the continent I can say with my hand on my heart Malta must be the proud owner of some of the worst drivers I have ever seen.I have never read a copy of the Malta highway code but judging by the driving in Malta it must read something like this.Drive as close as you can to the vehicle in front the closer the better.You must try at all times to over take any traffic that is in front of you,if you overtake on a hairpin bend so much the better.Traffic lights,soon asyou see a colour you like then go.Dual carriageways, get into outside lane then drive as slowly as possible,forcing other vehicles to undertate you.Lane disciplineat roundabouts,non existent.When driving if you see friends or family on foot just pull up in the middle of the road and have a chat Can anybody tell me when traffic disembarks the Gozzo ferry it turns into afree for all it reminds me of Wacky races.The worst offenders seems to be the young girls in their sporty cars,middle aged men in Mercedes/BMWs

vincent a galea (on 18/7/08)

A very dangerous practice at these traffic lights is also the fact that many drivers coming from the direction of Savoiy Hill turn right in front of oncoming traffic to drive into Sliema Road towards Kappara. This should be made illegal and a NO RIGHT TURN sign should be put up. Persons needing to go towards Kappara can turn right before and not at these dangerous cross roads!
The driving culture has now well truly become established, DRIVE ON - THE OTHER ONE WILL STOP!! Unfortunately there are times when the 'other one' maintains one's right of way and does not STOP. AND BANG!!!!!
And with due respect, I am finding that drivers of the fairer sex (God bless them!) are becoming more reckless by the minute!

martin vella (on 18/7/08)

This has indeed became a very common practice with some irresponsable drivers. Authorities should invest in installing cameras connected to the traffic lights control system thus taking photos of drivers passing through red lights. That is what you find in Europe, why not in Malta to safeguard diligent drivers?????

Lino Pace Bonello (on 18/7/08)

You are perfectly right Alfred. It gives me the shivers negotiating these particular lights as you cannot see any approaching irresponsible drivers which might have overshot their stopping points whether these are on the Rue D'Argens or Sliema Roads. I would suggest that the crossing be monitored by a camera or occasionally by wardens.

Russell Lethbridge (on 18/7/08)

In the UK they have cameras on the lights that are hooked into the light's system themselves. They simply take a photo of any car passing when the light is on red and you receive a fine in the post. Funnily enough people don't "run" the red lights any more.

Fines are the only way - look at how well observed the speed cameras are. If people know they are going to be caught then they behave themselves.

C. Scerri (on 18/7/08)

With the amber light on one may go on only if the it lights after one have crossed the stop line or are so close to it that to pull up might cause an accident. There is no strict obligation to stop. Between the light turning red on one side, and turning green on the other, around 2 seconds elapse - giving an extra precaution against accidents - and in the case of the road mention it is even longer. The main problem is the some people keep ongoing even when it turns red - this is the real culprit of the mentioned accidents - again especially in the road mentioned where there are at least 30 metres between the light and the junction.

P. Attard (on 18/7/08)

The problem with the traffic lights in Rue D'Argens is that when the lights turn red, the lights on the other street turn green instantaneously without any delay and considering that the lights are positioned a few metres away from the corner there might still be a car or 2 driving before the road is clear, so someone eager to take off on green might not realise the danger. This can be solved by adding a delay just like the lights in Msida.

Stop when the lights turn red

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