ATTITUDE holds the key to CHANGE

In the December issue of FleetWatch the question was posed: "Is the Road Transport Industry Healthy?" and it was shown that there is every reason to acknowledge that in spite of achievements in providing a much needed nationwide transport service, the industry needs an injection if many "sicknesses" are to be cured! Unfortunately, over the past few months, the position has deteriorated to some extent and the need for a new approach is now a matter of urgency. 

Then, on a recent morning radio show, I heard the Minister of Transport Dullah Omar being interviewed and he announced that a team of MEC's for Transport and others were to visit Holland to investigate, among other things:

* The points penalty demerit system;
* Law enforcement - overloading, speeding, etc;
* The use of pedal cycles as a mode of transport and the provision of separate traffic lanes for pedal cycles;

While not disagreeing with the Minister that South Africa can, and should, learn from the experience of other countries, I contend that visiting overseas countries which do not have the same problems as exist in South Africa is a waste of time and money.

It is widely acknowledged that Holland, like Germany, is a country of self-disciplined people, particularly in the case of road users. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of South Africa and the reason all revolves around one word: "attitude". With all due respect, the Minister must be asked if his advisers have informed him of the following:

The Demerit Points System
The draft Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Bill was published in Government Gazette No. 18934 on 29 May 1998 and draft Regulations were published in Government Gazette No. 20252 on 28 June 1999, to which the industry responded. Now - two years later - advice is sought from Holland.

Furthermore, as far back as 1989, a form of administrative action was introduced. For operators who do not comply with the prescribed duties of an Operator as contained in Section 49 of the Road Traffic Act - which includes preventing overloading, controlling drivers and operating unroadworthy vehicles - Section 50 authorises the provincial MEC to take administrative action against these operators. Yet Section 49 is ignored by many Operators and Section 50 has never been applied or enforced - why?

Overloading of goods vehicles
Overloading of goods vehicles in respect of the mass of load - and buses and mini-buses in respect of the number of persons carried - has been a subject of concern and discussion for over 25 years. New policies have been devised, more weighing equipment and portable weigh-sites have been introduced but still overloading continues unabated - why?

Road safety messages such as Speed Kills, Don't Drink and Drive and others have been widely broadcast via radio, television and print media. Yet speeding and drunken driving continues unabated - why?

On this point, it must be noted that in Britain, driving under the influence of liquor has for many years carried a mandatory six months suspension of a driver's licence and upon a second conviction, a complete cancellation of a driver's licence. The same position prevails in Holland. The result: Drivers in Britain and Holland don't drink and drive. There's got to be a message in that!

Pedal cycles
And now we also hear of the Minister sending people across to investigate the use of traffic lanes for the exclusive use of pedal cycles which are popular in Holland. In fact, so popular are they that pedal cycles have to be licensed and the licence fee is subject to tax.

I wonder if, before he spent money on air tickets and hotel accommodation for the delegation, anyone told the Minister that Holland is a "flat" country and the streets in cities such as Amsterdam and Rotterdam are wide and can accommodate pedal cycle lanes without restricting traffic lanes for motorised vehicles?

Virtually every road in Holland includes lanes for pedal cycles in urban and rural areas while in cities, cycle lanes have special robots at intersections. Would someone please tell me which of the streets in Johannesburg could provide special lanes for pedal cycles?

There is also the point that residents in overseas cities live within the cities and therefore do not have far to cycle to their destinations - whether it be work, gym, the shops or wherever. In South Africa, crime has killed our inner cities making them inhabitable for residents. And in the suburbs, parents are loath to let their children cycle on the streets for fear of either being mugged or run over by some irresponsible motorist who is probably driving with a forged licence.

That aside, if the Minister is anxious to promote the use of pedal cycles as a mode of conveyance of people, he should direct that more attention be given to pedal cycles in the Road Traffic Regulations! For example, it is not a legal requirement for a pedal cycle to be fitted with any lamps. Regulation 178 states that a pedal cycle may be fitted with lamps emitting a white light to the front and a red light to the rear, but it is not compulsory.

Also, Regulation 207 requires that a person riding on a motorcycle has to wear a protective helmet but this is not a requirement for a person riding a pedal cycle. However, there is an imminent amendment about to be introduced requiring riders of pedal cycles to wear helmets.

Then there is the question of authority to "drive" a pedal cycle on a public road. The driver of even the smallest motor cycle - or a vehicle having pedals and a small engine or motor - has to have at least a Code A1 licence, be over 16-years-old and have an acceptable standard of eyesight as prescribed. But a child of 10 with defective eyesight can ride a pedal cycle on a public road, except on a freeway. 

Without suggesting that a person riding a pedal cycle on a public road should have a driving licence, if the Minister wants to open up the use of pedal cycles on a scale as in Holland, he will have to introduce some form of regulatory control. At the least there will have to be a minimum age at which a person may ride a pedal cycle on a public road.

Root of problem
But let's put the bicycles aside and go back to the Minister's overseas search for answers to South Africa's road traffic and road transport problems. The first move in this direction will not be found overseas. It will be found here in our own "backyard" for the root of the country's road traffic and road transport problems can be summed up in one word - "ATTITUDE".

In Germany drivers are disciplined - in SA not! The gap between the cars on this highway would easily be filled with taxis.

Unless the ATTITUDE of all who are involved in the movement of people and goods by road - whether for reasons of pleasure or business - is changed dramatically, we can forget about new policies, programmes and the introduction of more legislation. And this change in attitude must start at the top and end at the lowest level of road user.

    1. The first attitude change must be directed at the authorities responsible - both National and Provincial and to some extent local authorities.

For several decades there have been repeated and consistent complaints about lack of enforcement of legislation and inconsistent interpretation. The attitude of blaming shortage of staff and finance is totally unacceptable.

The attitude of some authorities regarding legislation which has been in place for years but not applied or enforced causes a lack of respect of the responsible authorities. Typical examples are the illegal operation of tractors on public roads of which the authorities have confirmed evidence which they choose to ignore. Apart from organising meeting after meeting with no positive decisions or action, the illegal operation continues!

The attitude of the authorities towards overloading, speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol and unroadworthy vehicles must also be criticised. They are monitored, prosecutions are issued, convictions secured and fines paid but offenders continue to transgress unabated. No vehicles are impounded or confiscated. No licences are cancelled or jail sentences imposed.

We don't have to go overseas to find out what other countries do. We know what they do but we continue without a change of attitude!

    2. Employers/Operators must change their attitude and stop encouraging drivers to speed, overload and drive for long periods to achieve what they believe is more productivity, revenue and profit.

There are many operators who threaten drivers with disciplinary action - and even dismissal - if they don't do as they are told which often includes overloading and speeding. There are also operators who instruct drivers to operate vehicles they know to be unroadworthy but do not spend money on maintenance. This attitude of employers/operators must change.

Consignors
    3. Then there is the attitude of "consignors" who are responsible for arranging to deliver their goods by road transport. Many of them negotiate with operators who are prepared to overload to obtain a cheaper rate per ton. Again, attitude is the problem.

Drivers
    4. Finally, there is the driver - and it makes little difference whether it is a driver of a private motor car or motor cycle or a professional driver who drives a bus, mini-bus or a truck. While the ability of many of these drivers is just fine, it is the attitude that causes major problems.

For example, it is common experience to find coaches on our modern freeways cruising along at 140 km/h plus, or a laden artic or Interlink doing the same. Then there are the private car drivers who claim that they can "do Johannesburg - Durban in 41/2 hours" and proudly boast that they did not get caught.

At holiday times when the Arrive Alive campaign is in full swing and law enforcement officers are like ants around a pot of jam, drivers are well behaved but after the holiday period, it is back to the normal chaos. Drivers involved in accidents, even without being subjected to blood or breathalyser tests, are obviously heavily intoxicated but are allowed to go free and even allowed to drive home!

While the courts are empowered to impose terms of imprisonment on offending drivers, they seldom ever do which results in the attitude of drivers having little or no respect for the law.

Get back to legal basics and keep safe on the road!

Changing attitudes
When one considers the extent of the negative attitude of so many in South Africa, it becomes apparent what the country needs, and needs urgently, is an all out campaign directed towards changing attitudes.

Amending legislation, imposing jail sentences, increasing fines, engaging more law enforcement officers, more weighbridges, more vehicle testing stations and driving schools and testing centres, will not solve our traffic and road transport problems. We must have a change of attitude and we must not despair.

Since 1994, many previously conceived attitudes have changed dramatically for the better and unless there is a major and meaningful change in the attitudes towards Road Traffic and Road Transport, enforcement of statutory Legislation by policing will become more costly and ineffective to the detriment of the whole country.