Road Traffic Control

Traffic control

I am reminded of that fat Russian lady, who was walking just in the middle of the road, as she considered that people were free, after a long slavery of the Czars, and could, therefore, move about as they liked. She was explained that if pedestrians were free to occupy the middle portions of the roads, so were the motorists, to drive the way they pleased. Then one could imagine the confusion, that would be created, and the chaos and accidents that would follow. The fat lady could then understand that the right to walk freely presupposes the duty to let others use the road marked for cars, trucks and motor vans.

Our class boys were given such an exposure to the traffic rules by being posted on the Traffic Control duties, every week on Sunday when the rush in the market and cinema halls used to be the maximum. This was done under SUPW.

Twelve of us formed a group, every Sunday, in the evening hours, from seven to nine-the hours when the maximum number of shoppers used to visit the local Super Bazar Market. We used to line the roads, leading to the Bazar from the four directions and the senior most amongst use kept himself at the main entrance, where the rush used to be at its peak.

We used to place ourselves at important points, and stood on the tyre-pltforms. The First-aid Kits were also available with us, from which we could apply aid to the passers-by, in case of any mishaps. The Police Sergeants at times visited our platforms turn by turn.

This type of training is very important in big cities as every third person involved in an injury or accident is a victim of negligence of traffic rules. Right from the start, students learn the rules of traffic as they are supposed to implement them every Sunday while on Traffic Control duties.

Our basic rule of traffic is that we should go on one side of the road. We should slow down at the turnings and main crossings. We should always give indicators from the vehicles we are driving. This means that have to be attentive to similar signals from other vehicles also.

We should park our vehicles only at the parking areas, and not where we like. Parking at any other place causes traffic dislocations and big traffic-jams. Competing with others, racing and crossing speed limits are also dangerous. In case of accidents running away from the scene is also a crime.

Thus, we should allow others to use the road in a befitting manner and similarly follow the same rules ourselves also. This will reduce the number of casualties and the deaths on the roads. The students who learn traffic rules in their school days are later to prove themselves useful in their use of the roads.