Because we want to

IT is not uncommon to hear rants and complaints coming from road users, i.e., pedestrians and motorists on the traffic condition of the city. Even fence-sitters have their share of this.

But what is the problem? Is it a case of which came first, the chicken or the egg?

Admittedly, there are traffic enforcers who appear not to know what and how to enforce traffic rules and regulations. Either they lack the skill to enforce rules or they simply do not care. Don’t get me wrong but surely there are traffic enforcers who are also serious about their jobs.

On the other hand, there are also two kinds of road users. Motorists who observe traffic rules even when nobody is watching. They stop before the stopping line in signalized intersections. They slow down upon approaching pedestrian lanes to allow pedestrians to cross the road safely. As to pedestrians, they cross the streets not just anywhere but only on pedestrian lanes.

And there are motorists who, while they presumably know the rules, simply ignore them even when traffic enforcers are around. They probably are used to getting away with infractions and violations may have become a way of life for them. They are the kind of motorists who become law-abiding when they are in other places. But here in our city, they park their motor vehicles on sidewalks and even beside a No Parking sign!

Not to be outdone, pedestrians also have their share of the traffic mess. A big one at that. They cross streets just anywhere even when pedestrian lanes are just nearby. They embark and disembark motor vehicles outside of designated loading and unloading areas. They cross the highway at the foot of overpasses and even when there is an island in the middle.

What do all these tell us? Simple. Every one of us has a role in making our roads easily passable by all road users. We need not wait for traffic enforcers to be around before we observe traffic rules. As pedestrians, we cross streets on pedestrian lanes only and use the sidewalks properly. And when crossing pedestrian lanes, we cross in groups so we do not obstruct the otherwise smooth flow of vehicular traffic.

As motorists, we do not park our motorcycles on sidewalks and in no-parking areas such as loading and unloading boxes or where there are no-parking signs. We stop at pedestrian lanes when people are about to cross, instead of speeding up as if fearful the pedestrians could cross first. We slow down when the traffic signal turns yellow instead of speeding up to beat the light.

We observe traffic rules because we want to, not because we have to. By then, we will have been a part of making our city traffic rules compliant.