Taxing the horn
This is in reference to a letter appearing in your daily on the 22nd of February 2008 written by Mr. Gary F Collins. He has advised a credit system in vehicles in Dhaka which, when exhausted, would prevent the driver from using the horn any further.
This is a unique suggestion in fact, too unique in the context of Bangladesh, and Dhaka in particular. I believe it is a 'band-aid' solution to a problem far more serious than he would like to think.
Though innovative, Mr. Collins' suggestion would not work for two reasons:
(1) To begin with, the device users would need to resist their urge for 'device-tampering' something that has been witnessed far too often in the past. To supervise the prevention of this 'device-tampering' we would probably need a force of supervisors (at the tax-payer's expense). And what is there to say that these supervisors, in turn, would not need to be supervised themselves, so they do not succumb to greed? This list can go on and on, taking us deeper and deeper into the abyss of corruption.
(2) More importantly though, the traffic system in Dhaka would need to be properly re-organised and streamlined. Though monumental, it is not impossible (as has been achieved in Bangkok and Kolkata). This would preclude the need for blowing any horn at all.
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