DEAR EDITOR – Out of a concern for safety and cleanliness, I express these thoughts due to the fact that individuals in the Solomon Islands may or may not have been properly exposed to the ideas noted below.
When we learn to drive a car, first we are educated about the basics and the rules.
Then we get practical training. Then we take a test and get a license.
But most good drivers will tell you that education and training in driving, even having a license, does not equal truly learning and knowing how to drive.
Problems requiring strict adherence to taking appropriate action:
- Individuals driving large passenger vehicles, such as a Hi-lux or other wide types, tend to force their way when it comes to who has the ride-of-way, especially when approaching a smaller car that actually has ride-of-way.
- Most drivers of all sizes of vehicles tend to ignore that there is an invisible, solid, do-not-cross over, white line designating where your car should be when approaching a blind curve; the current practice is to move towards the wider space, without knowing if a vehicle is approaching, and maybe, this would not happen if a real white line existed.
- Approaching an intersection and the driver engaging the turn signal two to three seconds away from the corner or not at all.
- Over-night parking of trucks on a road not designated for such an activity.
- The menace of pot-holes, when approached by two vehicles from opposite directions, sometimes, puts the driver that has the right-of-way, ill at ease, due to the illegal action of an approaching driver moving his vehicle into the wrong lane to avoid the pot-hole on his side of the road.
Recommendations:
- Taxi, bus and all commercial drivers (whether for businesses, high commissions or embassies) should be mandated to pass a written test and driver’s test, using the type of vehicle that will be assigned to the driver, with a yearly renewal.
- All for-hire vehicles; taxis, buses, and trucks, must remain in the lane closest to the curb and cease cutting in and out of traffic in the Central Business District. The flow of traffic through the Central Business District may become smoother for vehicles passing by the main market and bus stop areas. It will require a determined and strong policing activity inclusive of an on-the-spot fine for defiant drivers.
- Parking cars on sidewalks in the Central Business District should immediately receive a $100.00 Honiara City Council ticket and another fine of the same amount, thereafter, every 15 minutes a vehicle remains in that position.
- Commercial vehicles unloading/collecting goods are allowed to do so between 6:00 – 7:30am during the weekday and Saturday.
- Commercial vehicles with tinted windows, especially taxies – Forbidden.
- Throwing rubbish and spitting beetle-nut lime from any moving vehicle – Forbidden.
Perhaps you could take up any relevant aforementioned items in your City Council meeting without any further input from me but, if required, I would be glad to discuss or respond by email regarding any of the above comments at your convenience.
Don Boykin
Pacific Architects, Ltd
Honiara
