Traffic management problems

We wish all of you a very happy and prosperous New Year!

Several hours before the New Year came, we received a call from a very frustrated reader, who was stuck in traffic in the town of Consolacion.

He said that the reason was the long queue of vehicles trying to get into a grocery and the traffic authorities seemed incapable of addressing the situation.

The reader said that there was a big volume of vehicles wanting to get into the parking area of the grocery and due to this the flow of traffic on the highway was affected severely.

Well, the reader hopes that the town finds a new mayor who will have a better idea about traffic management come May 2010 elections. The incumbent cannot anymore run for the post, which the reader said, shall be good for the town so that it gets a chance to improve in terms of traffic management.

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It seems that the policemen (yes those from the PNP) need to do a refresher course in traffic management for its people.

We came across two incidents the past two days that somehow showed how incompetent if not lazy some policemen are.

Late afternoon last Sunday, we were on our way to Lapu-Lapu City and there was heavy traffic heading to the old bridge from Mandaue City.

It turned out that there was a fender bender in front of the University of Cebu campus in that area and there were two policemen (PO1s), who stood near the two vehicles involved but did nothing to really help ease the flow of traffic.

They were either leaning on the railings that served as lane divider or one was waving a limp arm as if trying to tell drivers that he was doing something to warn them of the problem.

The second was an accident yesterday morning in Lawaan, Talisay City specifically at the corner of Seaview Heights.

Traffic flow was heavy from both north and south-bound lanes. We saw at least two policemen there, one was obviously working on getting the sketch of the accident while the other one, seemed lost as to what he was supposed to do.

A reader, who just came back to the Philippines from the United States, said that when there are car accidents there, the flow of traffic doesn't ground to a halt if it wasn't a major incident as several policemen would be there to make sure the other vehicles are moving.

You can't help but take a look when there is a car wreck, but if the policemen in the area properly manage the flow of traffic, it will not cause congestion.

The Talisay police can also include those men trying to direct the flow of traffic in front of the Saint Thomas Aquinas School also in Lawaan, Talisay City, in their refresher course.

These guys are not exactly making it easy for the other motorists with the way they are directing traffic flow.

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For your comments, complaints and suggestions please feel free to contact us at 2531276 or 2538613 local 237.

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