I have for a long time wanted to write about two reasons for the traffic in Port-of-Spain and now that it extends to Wrightson Road, I am compelled to write. Pedestrians rule the roads in Port-of-Spain. Imagine the traffic light turns green and after waiting in a long line of traffic, drivers stop for pedestrians to cross–and they stroll across the road while talking on their cellphone. Imagine a policeman stopped me once at the corner of Park and Richmond Streets to let two women, who were standing patiently waiting on the pavement, to cross.
I have observed police vehicles actually stopping too for people to cross while you as a driver remain in traffic. My mother always taught me how to cross the road: You look right, you look left and right again and once no cars, you cross. This obviously no longer applies. With regard to Wrightson Road, the traffic heading east seems to be getting worse each day, particularly around 4 pm. On my way home heading west, I feel pity for those drivers heading east sitting in that never-ending line of traffic which extends all the way to the stadium. What causes it?
The many containers. One evening I actually counted 25 containers between French Street and the stadium and another 10 lined up at the exit of the port waiting to turn by the stadium. I remember some years ago, containers were not allowed on the main thoroughfares at peak hours, ie, before 8 am and after 4 pm. Can we not reintroduce this law so as to save our citizens the frustration and the resultant road rage they have to endure every day? Not to mention the time being wasted in traffic that can be put to better use.
J Mohammed
Woodbrook, PoS
