Why the focus on the ABC highway, Bajans drive horribly where ever you go. Everyone wants to drive in an offensive nature and the bigger your vehicle the better your opportunity to bully your way across our roads. I agree there must be a systematic approach to the exceedingly dangerous and nuisance practices. Bobbing and weaving in and out of lanes, total disregard for traffic signals and the blatant incorrect use of lanes. Load muffler attachments, blinding blue-tinted headlights. Earth vibrating stereos. However, it all has been going on for years to the point where so many of us have the intrinsic ability to avoid major accidents. The bullies drive thinking that people will get out of the way anyway and the responsible drivers drive expecting someone somewhere to do crap so are always on the alert. Maybe that is a good thing who knows. But I do agree that something needs to be done. And it needs to start with proper signage and showing the appropriate lanes etc. In too many places the arrows are faded and there are no signs. Guessing is dangerous for those who do not know the roads. Too much emphasis is placed on knowing roads by heart rather than showing persons where they need to be and how they need to use certain intersections. It is hard to enforce a law when there is nothing telling anyone how they should be using the road.

I would love to know where
they get the paint they use to paint the road markings. I feel um is Chinese paint bo, cause like um doan’ last a-tall, a-tall.

Not too long ago they were repainting the road markings at the roundabout between Four Square Rum Distillery and Searles. The original marking was almost down to nothing, and had been that way for as long as I could remember. Well after they finished the repainting job, it looked pretty, pretty for about two weeks. After two weeks or so, you could see the marking were beginning to disappear again. After about another two weeks, they were half gone and about 2 weeks after that it was just like it was before they did the repainting. So within a month and a half, the road markings at the roundabout were almost completely gone again. What a waste of effort and money.

Thanks Ian!

I can clearly see that the clown 199 that wrote about `cawmere` proabably was a reject who couldnt get into a school here in Barbados, dont worry i will try to get u slotted in Alma Parris.

SPRINGS // April 12, 2009 at 8:33 pm

I can clearly see that the clown 199 that wrote about `cawmere` proabably was a reject who couldnt get into a school here in Barbados, dont worry i will try to get u slotted in Alma Parris.

*******************

SPRINGS, that’s an interesting point!! especially as I got the idea for spelling that way from another BARBADIAN, on here!! However, it still does n’t mean that you and your fellow Barbadians have the slightest, idea about responbilbe behaviour on the roads, whether you all went to Cawmere or Alma Parris, or, wherever!!

First you need to appreciate the importance of relevancy; I’m sure everybody knew where the original BARBADIAN poster was referring to, even you, and second you must all learn to grow-up!! Using the roadways, in any country, is a responsible undertaking so you need to grow-up before you should be allowed to use them! It’s 2009 now!! not 1959!!

****************

‘??’, “stay on the left and go around the roundabout”?!! ‘??’ LOL!! an u criticising me?!!

Lord a mercy, if that’s the way u drive, it’s no wonder I proclaim you have no sense!! I may be a ‘clown’ in your eyes but at least I have the intelligence required to drive responsibly, on the roads!! I would advise every pedestrian to walk on the back-alleyways and grass verges an leave d roads to the Bajan road-users, as that’s the way they behave!!

‘Green Monkey’, thanks for the one about the paint!! Seems to prove everything I say about Barbadians!! LOL!! I caan stop laughing, yet!!

Laaaaadddddddddddddddddd!!!!

Wunna should try living in a sensible country, as ‘SPRINGS’ describes it, like Engerlund!!

Laaaaaaaaddddddddddddddd!!!!

How about and emission test, and inspection, INCLUDING BREAK LIGHTS, for a start. Then we can deal with tail gating, weaving, speeding, and general disregard for anyone but themselves. I am tired of seeing minor fender benders blocking the road that are clearly a result of tail gating.

Doesn’t anyone realise “199” is really that twit Bimbro – who is yet to apologise for his disgusting comments to the late Terry Mayers’ widow? I thought he got banned?

But back to the issue – they need to embed road markings and not use that paint that fades so fast, on Bay St there were a good few near misses if you come from the City and try 2 make a right to enter Aquatic Gap for Grand Bay or Hilton.

But only when the Hilton was fully established did they reinstitute the centre lane for diverging!

Barbados has too many cul-de-sacs and too few main artery roads in the highly populated and commercial areas. The last dead end to be created is behind KFC at warrens.

The new ABC roundabouts have sufficient space leading in and out of them (with the fly over no longer needed to facilitate a dedicated speed merge lane from the feeder roads but this will only now happen at the Auto-Drome-First Caribbean Junction. At the opposite end coming from Cave Hill there are yellow lines to facilitate the setting up of Coconut vendor stalls…!

Its not all the Drivers fault, the bulk of it is planning.

199 we got some assholes ‘roun’ hey fah trut’.

@RE

Agree with you but are we not reading about changing attitudes to vehicle types being purchased by consumers in the North America? Are we not reading of Detroit (Motor City), GM et al going into bankruptcy because of lowering/changing consumer demand?

So why are Barbadians the most literate of Caribbean countries not making the adjustment?

@David

You are confusing literacy with ability to reason. Barbadians can read and write well compared to general world standards but the ability to reason and discern things for themselves is still clearly lacking as it is clearly lacking in North America. As the saying goes, ‘men and nations only act wisely when they have exhausted all other options’. This is a clear indication of what occurred in North America. The only reason why they are in the predicament they are in now is because they ran straight into it head on and now it is impossible to turn back, and that is what is going to have to happen for there to be any change here on this island. The demise of the American dealers is just a sad lack of foresight and playing along with the desires of the general population. However as they revamp and regroup we in Barbados will have no choice but to do the same. Google the documentaries “Who Killed the Electric Car” and “Who Ignored the Facts about the Electric Car” and you will see why it had to come to this. The car is still the most inefficient piece of modern equipment on the planet! And it has been long overdue the needed overhaul by many of the current manufacturers. In subsequent years you will see smaller more efficient vehicles on the market and it will eventually trickle down to us. That is as much as we can hope for.

British is best!! 🙂

The general driving courtesy on our roads in Barbados has deteriorated badly. Not only are motorists driving badly but they are very selfish. It is now a habit to come to a major stop and push the front of the vehicle across the path of the oncoming traffic in an effort to get the traffic to stop sothat they can come out. the irony of it is that if you refused to stop, the offending driver will curse you back up into places that you never saw before. I was driving a few nights ago around 10 P.M. and a heavy duty truck with a long carriage and a massive piece of eqipment on it, passed me around a corner just pass Groves plantation in St.Philip. I was driving at approx 50kph when the guy attempted to pass, I slowed because I was scared and the truck took an agonisingly long time to get pass me. The thing is, had I stop, the tail of the truck would have hooked the car and God knows what would have happened.

Paradox
That’s part of the indiscipline on the highway . Plus those drivers who have installed those crystal extra bright headlights then refuse to dim them on the approach of oncoming traffic. Then there is those drivers who part on the road at night away from a street light and refuse to put on park lights. Barbados has join the WILD WILD WEST and the lawless has inherited this little country.

Having raised the matter of the ABC Highway, these are the real issues to be discussed.

I tend to agree that neither Motorists nor pedestrians are to blamed (pure distraction tactics) for the DLP incompetence:

1. The area by BET/Shell is the John Boyce/DLP Death Trap.

2. Having fired 3S, work is being done on the higway on a rolling basis. Imagine that!!!!

Firing 3S was a plot to give Clico bailout money.

3. The government changed and there is more confusion and grid lock on our roads

4. As pay back, one idividual/company operates the diesel pump at Weymouth.

5. What is Abdul Pandor’s post and how much is he being paid.

6. Was there a tender for the work on the highway? If yes, then on what dates was it advertised and in which journals?

7. When will work on the ABC highway be completed. Remember, in January 2008 – John Boyce said by the start of the September 2008 school year.

8. Having been elected, John Boyce said at his first branch meeting that he had no solution to grid lock on our roads but that he will try a thing.

9. When the BLP was in office, fixing roads had to do with making life more comfortable for Barbadians and visitors.

Today, fixing roads has to do with putting money in Clico by stealth, especially since Rayside is the cash cow of CLICO Holdings.

10. Each time you see a road being fix today, know that it is the DLP’s way of returning a favor for campaign contributions.

11. It would be very interesting to hear what the bajan engineers (who had views on the so-called bermuda trainagle) now have to say about their handy work – the John Boyce/DLP Death Trap at BET Hill.

Cat got yah tongue!!!!!

Try Googling “merging traffic”. I did and immediately found this:

“The Australian road rules state that when a lane ends and the traffic must merge, that the traffic in the continuing lane must yield for the merging traffic.”

Say no more!

My phrase “Say no more!” was self-defeating. Continuing to read some of the websites just on the first page of Google gave me a few chuckles.

No-one in their right mind would attempt to maintain a speed of 80kph whilst travelling south (or north)through the Wildey Junction. That was the whole point of both of my posts above.

Also I thought we were talking about training Barbadians to improve their driving skills, not their politics. When I am driving I do not think about decision makers, anymore than I would blame the person who left the bar of soap on my kitchen floor.

T he junction at BET is cause for concern while travelling south bond a elderly motorist came from behind courtesy and drove across the four lanes into LIME i was in shock. On an other matter while people are looking for solutions to many problems in this country and i go on the many BU topics i keep seeing a writer calling himself DARK KNIGHT keep blaming the DLP FOR EVERY PROBLEM THE BLP CREATE . THE STEALING IS OVER GET A LIFE.

& Foolbert

Good post,

I hope the so-called government of Freedom of Information; transparency and accountability – answers you.

permres
I have been driving in Barbados for over forty years and watch as the driving attitude of bajans deteriorate steadily, how can it change automatically because a death trap is set at the BET junction?Accidents are caused, mainly by reckless driving and this country is known for such. I see vehicles come off the incline from the SJPP at some excessive speeds that is why I’ve instructed my family to go up to the SJPP round-about and come back down the hill. Flyovers are ubly but if there is a stong support for one there.

The point is that with a shortage of police officers, there are little time for them to concentrate on monitoring the traffic and drivers are taking full advantage of the situation. No matter how much advertising about the correct way to use the roads and the ABC h’way in particular unless there is the physical appearance of police officers on the roads of Barbados nothing will change. I even see drivers blatantly and in view to everyone just going through no-entry road just to get away from traffic. I also see PSV conductors stopping traffic just to allow their bus to come through, sometimes on the pavement of the road. If the police force can’t prevent this from happening everyday on the streets of Barbados, tell me how they can get the drivers to negotiate the BET “death-trap” properly. GET REAL

permes
What will we do with the vehicles on the road now? who will limit the amount of vehicles on the road? Who will be given permission to own special vehicles for special purposes. There are some “big boys” in this country who have a fleet of vehicles at their homes and they can flip a coin to decide which one to use and when. A benz for official business, an enclosed SUV for out cruising and a open back SUV (truck ) for going down Cattlewash. Most of the vehicles on the road are owned by the average bajan who has that vehicle to get to and from work and not for just pleasure.

Chris

I am very sorry about the assault on your person.

You say 2 of the witnesses were black,what race were the other 3 witnesses?

Did they do anything to help you and are they willing to give evidence?

Please contact the nearest police station to where the incident occurred.

@Coward: “please keep your hand away from cars(?) moving according to you “at many tens of km/s”

Just to take the piss, (and to enjoy the laugh), km/s is a valid claim.

(Grabbing someone by the throat, or slapping them about, might not be…)

(I wonder if “MB 2449” are laughing as loudly…)

(Or, for that matter, if those answering the 911 call I made (and recorded) would be either…)

Please stand by… The pathetic response to my 911 call is soon to be made public.

Please stand by….

You did not answer my question as to the race of the other 3 witnesses chris halsall,now why is that huh?

You specifically mentioned 2 black witnesses who assaulted you,are you trying to stir up something or is this for real?

@Chris

Sry to read of your mishap. As suggested you SHOULD report the matter to the men in blue.

@199

We have highway laws but a highway code which addresses how to use the new highway? Don’t think so.