Enforcing the enforcers
This particular topic has been on my mind over the last few months but it only hit home last week when I found myself stuck in a traffic jam, turning in from EDSA into one of the tight feeder roads connecting to the metropolis’ busiest thoroughfare.
My source of irritation and annoyance was not the traffic jam per se, but what was causing it. You see, a mobile patrol unit was parked on the intersection of the feeder road and EDSA. Since the feeder road was a typical two-way, two-lane street, you can just imagine the traffic jam it was causing. Cars entering EDSA from the feeder road had to counter-flow to avoid the parked mobile patrol unit. But because it was a busy day, cars entering into the feeder road piled up quickly. The result? A really stupid traffic jam caused by a single mobile patrol unit. The traffic enforcers were right outside the vehicle looking at all the commotion with amusement or disdain, like it was not their problem. The worst part was that they were not even there to help traffic flow better. They were just standing still, hanging out, having a cigarette break whilst annoying possibly hundreds of motorists on the road rushing to work or school on the first week of the New Year.
I can understand if traffic enforcers are not always present at the scene of a major traffic hotspot. I can understand that while directing traffic, the traffic enforcers just add to the chaos and confusion on the street. At least they’re trying to do something to improve the situation, so you can’t exactly blame them for not even trying. But to be the actual cause of traffic simply because, being traffic enforcers, they feel that they can park their vehicle anywhere, causing traffic and be obtuse to that fact. Well, I think that shows how low our civil servants have possibly sunk to in terms of incompetence, ineptitude and, more importantly, their lack of care and concern for their work and for our country.
It’s not only this incident that annoys me about traffic enforcers. Oftentimes you’ll find them counter-flowing and doing other annoying things that impede traffic flow, inconveniencing motorists and even pedestrians alike.
The government, both national and local, should implement strict policies and guidelines on how traffic enforcers must comport themselves in public when doing their job: where to park their official vehicles, including motorcycles; how to position themselves accordingly in intersections, lanes and jeepney/bus stops; and how to spread out accordingly when manning their respective locations.
Perhaps the government should introduce a refresher course for these traffic enforcers, while at the same time equip them with the proper gear: high-visibility reflective vests to keep them safe when lighting is poor as well as reflective gloves and other simple equipment that will keep them safe and allow them to work more effectively. Oftentimes it is confusing when traffic enforcers signal you to move forward or stop with their bare hands because, due to lack of proper training on positioning, stance and hand movements, you think you’re being signaled to stop/go when it is the other lane being signaled to stop/go. You move forward, realizing that it wasn’t you the traffic enforcer was actually signaling to stop smack in the middle of the intersection, causing a complete blockade of the traffic flow. Ok, so MAYBE it only had happened to me, but it could have been avoided if the traffic enforcer was better equipped and better trained. I hope the government can sort this out soon to improve traffic and make the lives of traffic enforcers safer, earning them less ire and anger from motorists while making our lives easier as well.
