Between chaos and confusion!
Failure of the traffic light based automated system of traffic management was reported in the front page of most dailies on November 23. This is nothing but the natural result of most drivers' normal response to usual traffic management system, where hand signals by traffic policemen supersedes traffic lights! Drivers are used to manual traffic control, so even with the red light they will go on driving! They naturally wait for the whistle and hand signal before stopping! This is what they have been used to at all times.
It will take time, for the drivers to come to terms with the automated version of controlling traffic by signal lights only. This habit has been created by our traffic policemen on duty at road crossings! Blaming drivers for not stopping when the red light is on will not do; as they are used to police signals before stopping! This is the result of our manned traffic management by hand signals, because more often than not, traffic policemen give signals contrary to what the lights indicate, allowing cars to pass when the signal is red, and stopping when it is green! That is, the fact of life, of our traffic management, whether we like it or not!
Another important aspect is that what will happen when there is no policeman for traffic control, and traffic lights are not operating because there is no power? In effect, given our poor power situation, we have to go along with the present management-- policemen plus traffic lights. Before going for automatic light based traffic management; we must ensure that traffic lights have power, on a 24X7 hour basis. This is the first priority. Unfortunately, as usual, we have put the cart before the horse!
Now we are between the devil and the deep blue sea. In our case between the hand traffic signal and the signal light! Which one to follow, is anyone's guess. I believe that the uniform will overrule all signals- red, yellow or green! Traffic confusion will now be compounded! May be we will need a digital solution for it, with traffic lights controlling vehicle brakes! But where is the electric power which is the root of all things digital? Hopefully, the Hon. PM is aware of this, another bitter fact of life in Bangladesh!
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