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CAPE TOWN - The attitude of South African drivers is the main cause of fatalities on the country’s roads, says roads and transport department deputy director general James Mlawu.
In reponse to the article published on Wheels24 in October 2012, reader John Johnston emailed us to share his thoughts on drivers in SA:
I really agree that attitude is a very large part of the problem. Overtaking on solid white lines, overtaking on the left side in the yellow line, driving way above the speed limit , not stopping at stop streets, stopping in intersections or on corners to pick up passengers and talking on cellphones while driving is all bad attitude towards rules, laws and other road users.
I see pedestrians walking in the streets where there are tarred sidewalks right next to them, and don’t think for a minute they will budge. Pedestrians run accross the N2 highway 50 meters from a pedestrian bridge etc.
SLAAPSTAD RULES
Yes, non road worthy vehicles etc play a large part, but most of the expensive cars seen violating the rules and laws are by no means unroadworthy. The problem is that if you are driving uphill and keeping left as you are supposed to to, you should be able to trust that cars coming up the other side of the hill will also keep left, but you cannot be sure of that any more.
Then of course, in the Cape Town area, I get the impression that people have never heard about “keep left, overtake right”. Sections of the N2 are the only places I have ever seen where the “fast lane” is actually slower than the “slow lane”.
They have electronic boards all the way on the side of the road. These should be used to convey messages like “keep left, overtake right” etc. This is also an attitude problem.
Someone once asked me what the difference is between a pig and a driver. I gave up and he told me a pig doesn’t become a driver as soon as you put it on a road.
Kind regards,
John Johnston
Reader: Try to obey the rules
Reader: Driver's disregard the rules
Share your thoughts in our reader comments below or email us and we'll publish your thoughts on Wheels24.
In reponse to the article published on Wheels24 in October 2012, reader John Johnston emailed us to share his thoughts on drivers in SA:
I really agree that attitude is a very large part of the problem. Overtaking on solid white lines, overtaking on the left side in the yellow line, driving way above the speed limit , not stopping at stop streets, stopping in intersections or on corners to pick up passengers and talking on cellphones while driving is all bad attitude towards rules, laws and other road users.
I see pedestrians walking in the streets where there are tarred sidewalks right next to them, and don’t think for a minute they will budge. Pedestrians run accross the N2 highway 50 meters from a pedestrian bridge etc.
SLAAPSTAD RULES
Yes, non road worthy vehicles etc play a large part, but most of the expensive cars seen violating the rules and laws are by no means unroadworthy. The problem is that if you are driving uphill and keeping left as you are supposed to to, you should be able to trust that cars coming up the other side of the hill will also keep left, but you cannot be sure of that any more.
Then of course, in the Cape Town area, I get the impression that people have never heard about “keep left, overtake right”. Sections of the N2 are the only places I have ever seen where the “fast lane” is actually slower than the “slow lane”.
They have electronic boards all the way on the side of the road. These should be used to convey messages like “keep left, overtake right” etc. This is also an attitude problem.
Someone once asked me what the difference is between a pig and a driver. I gave up and he told me a pig doesn’t become a driver as soon as you put it on a road.
Kind regards,
John Johnston
Reader: Try to obey the rules
Reader: Driver's disregard the rules
Share your thoughts in our reader comments below or email us and we'll publish your thoughts on Wheels24.