Couldn’t be bothered

Dear Editor – Lourens hit the nail on the head with his letter last week regarding the lawlessness of road users on today’s roads.

We clearly do not have traffic officers but speed cops, sitting in predictable spots making money out of people going 10km over the speed limit from the comfort of a camp chair under a tree while five other officers look on from the comfort of their cars parked against the wall on the Allen street road near the Newcastle Mall.

A recent request by me regarding taxis jumping a certain stop street in town, usually three at a time, to the traffic department was met with a hysterical answer that they can’t sit there all day and watch the traffic.

Getting past the switchboard operator is like trying to phone the president, they just couldn’t be bothered, their pay goes into their bank account whether they do their WHOLE job or just some of it.

Mind you if you see how some of the officers slouch behind their steering wheel with one arm out the window then one begins to wonder if they actually want to work and if they really take pride in their appearance and their uniform.

The photo I have sent pretty much sums up the scenario, not only for Newcastle drivers but for the country’s drivers as a whole. The laws of the road are just a guide line, it seems.

The arrow in picture is incorrectly placed and facing the wrong way. How many of our cops have seen that and if so, bothered to report it, because as officers they are responsible for ALL safety aspects of our roads.

If one was to follow the signage then we are to drive on the opposite side of the road. Please correct me if I am wrong. If those in positions of authority and those who sign off on work done in our town do not bother to make sure it is right, then why should the general public bother to follow the road rules?

Almost couldn’t be bothered either