Our grandson was visiting North Cyprus last week and as we drove him around we were surprised to hear him making comments about driving habits here. The biggest cry of horror was when he saw a young child not wearing a crash helment balanced precariously on a motor cycle. All around him he experienced first hand the kind of driving behaviour which would result in drivers losing points and eventually their licenses in the UK, and not a policeman in sight.
At first reading, the fact that Trade Unions are threatening a strike after an appalling road traffic accident that killed two students, seems as if something is going to be done to enforce existing motoring laws. But, no, this is not what they were going to strike about.
“The labour minister must resign because the bus driver was driving without a work permit…the education minister must resign because the driver was driving the bus without insurance, and the transport minister because he is generally responsible for road safety.”
They also demanded the introduction of winter time, in line with the European Union.
Now come on, when are they going to wake up to the fact that someone is actually supposed to enforce existing laws passed to make roads safe? The trouble is that no government minister is in charge of the police, its the job of the Turkish military. But let’s go one stage further. Surely the responsibility to drive safely rests with individual citizens.
I wonder how many of these potentially striking union members drive unsafely. How many speed, how many use their mobiles while driving? I guess that it is the majority and yet somehow traffic safety has nothing to do with them. The ‘it’s not my fault’ attitude is to blame, in my opinion.
Your last para says it all Maggie.