MOVING TOO FAST TO NEVER MOVE AGAIN

WELCOME TO THE URBAN LIFE, WHERE FAST CARS COULD NEVER BE FAST ENOUGH

I am driving toward Chaguanas one night, keeping at a comfortable speed. I look in my side mirror and a car is coming up on my right, a good distance away. I indicate, and proceed to look in my rear-view mirror before changing lanes. And the car zooms past me. Now, I know 'objects in the mirror are closer than they appear' but that car was speeding. A moment after another zooms past me on the shoulder. I begin to count seconds before I lose them in the other vehicles...I reached 4. Four seconds. The amount of road games on the highways, especially at nights, are astounding. And many times, devastating.
On my way home to classes, on top of the Chase Village Flyover, I decide to take a picture as for once in a very long time, I see the highway traffic free at about 8 in the morning...and not on a weekend. Such a strange phenomenon! I see a truck some distance away and made that my target. I wanted that truck in my picture. I unsling my camera from my wrist, turn it on...and the truck is gone. I spin around, intending to get it from the other side heading away from me. By the time I zoom in twice, the truck is but a spot on my screen. I take a picture of the other vehicles, all speeding (and I would believe enjoying the lack of traffic), while being most concerned about the speed of that truck, carrying gravel.

(Enjoy the lack of vehicles on the 'slow' lane)

The speed of vehicle made me wonder, can getting from one place to the next be slow? Why do persons have to leave late to reach somewhere on time? Or why do we have to speed home from a night out for no reason? Why do drivers feel as if the roadways have no speed limits are were made for them to practice their video-game driving skills? This last question is no joke. I know a young man who 'drifts' around corners like in the car racing games in Galactica. And too many times this type of negligent road behaviors end in accident, many fatal.

Look at this video. Several things are apparent.
Firstly, the young man on the highway is breaking the law. There should be no bicycle riding on the highways.
Secondly, he is endangering his life and putting other drivers in an uncomfortable position by holding onto the back of the truck, where the driver most definitely cannot see him. (If you can't see my rear-view mirror, I can't see you!)
Finally, observe the cars speeding down the shoulders.

http://www.tv6tnt.com/u-report/183270791.html?vid=a

Urban life and the culture of T&T require breadwinners to head in P.O.S. on a daily basis to earn the best dollar. This means facing the traffic. This leaves two options if you do not intend on sitting stationary for an hour: leave early and drive quickly to beat the traffic and other early-birds or leave later than most commuters to come after the traffic and drive quickly to still reach to work on time.

Urban life and the culture of T&T require us to own things we don't need. We work too much and late shifts then finally to head home, tired and burnt out and falling asleep behind the wheels. 

Urban life and the culture of T&T subtly require young people to spend their Wednesday nights at 'the world-famous Zen', and their  Friday and Saturday nights on Ariapita Avenue or at Shade. Then, race home after two/three in the mornings, most times slightly intoxicated. 

Urban life and the culture of T&T encourage fast pace. Discourages slow. 

But, the fast life is a killer. 

Source: arrivealivett.com

According to the World Health Organization 1.3M people are killed on the world’s roads each year!   Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death and injury of our young people aged 4 through 34.   Not AIDS, not heart, not respiratory disorder, not malaria!  Young drivers in general are two to three times (2x-3x) more susceptible to experience a crash.  During the first six months of obtaining the privilege of a drivers’ licence, young drivers become eight times (8x) more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than more experienced drivers.

In Trinidad & Tobago (from 2007-2011) there were 173,000 reported road traffic collisions. This equates to 34,600 collisions per annum with as many as 200 fatalities.  Over 11,000 persons were reported injured.  Persons aged 15 yrs – 35 yrs accounted for 45% of the fatalities. 83% of which are young males!   And 43% pedestrians!  Every 16.8 minutes a collision occurs on our nation’s roads!  Every hour spent on our roads means there is a 25% chance of a collision and therefore a 25% chance of serious injury or fatality. For 2012 - 163 lives have been lost on our roadways – a 3% increase over last year (159 lives lost).  Young people you are most vulnerable!

-Sharon Inglefield, President of Arrive Alive

Urban life says that we must be up-to-date on everything, all the time. You have to tweet that joke your friend said from your blackberry. You have to instagram that picture that you took in the car from your ipad. You have to add that guy on facebook you met at the bar from your iphone. You have to call your boss to tell him you're running late. You have to call your wife to ask what's for dinner. While driving. Everybody knows that urban life says every moment is important and can't be wasted. 

http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/82498993/

"Urban life is not only about places. It's about quality of place." We are decreasing the safety and quality of our roads by abuse of the meanings of urban life. We have to strike balances and not lose common-sense on the roads and sensitivity toward other road users. 

Persons think being from 'rural' is embarrassing. The culture of Trinidad and Tobago says that if you are considered 'urban' you have 'reached in life'. 

After personally experiencing both urban and rural life, I conclude rural is safer. If 'reaching' the pinnacle of life means that you must now die...on our nation's roadways, then call me a farmer and send me to the rural.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (UK) had this to say on its travel advisory about T&T on its website : "The standard of driving in Trinidad and Tobago is mixed. High speed road accidents on the main highways in Trinidad often results in fatalities...Take care when driving. 

I personally find this slightly embarrassing. That should not be an advisory at all. 

Urban life is fun, exciting and offer many possibilities, especially to the young. Let's not abuse the privilege and mar the image of the urban. 

Let's not cause our highways to become cemeteries.

(Taken near the Caroni Bird Sanctuary) 

ROAD FATALITIES IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

Year	Fatal RTA	Dead	Adults	Minors	Driver	Passengers	Pedestrians	Motor Cyclist	Pedal Cyclist
2006	188	214	199	15	72	63	70	7	2
2007	188	214	193	21	74	59	69	4	8
2008	233	262	249	13	104	78	69	8	3
2009	192	222	208	14	96	66	46	10	4
2010	169	206	197	9	76	69	44	11	6
2011	150	181	171	10	71	51	45	10	4
2012	169	193	183	10	70	52	55	9	7

  

Sources:

http://www.arrivealivett.com/

http://www.arrivealivett.com/index.php?page=statistics

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/north-central-america/trinidad-tobago

http://www.prime-pco.com/scrws2010/pdf/02harata.pdf

Urban Geography, 4th Ed., Tim Hall and Heather Barrett.