Dear Editor,
I cannot say with certainty what is the real reason, but I have noticed that it is becoming more and more difficult for emergency vehicles with emergency lights and siren blaring to get through traffic as described in the traffic ordinance. On paying more attention to how drivers really behave when I hear a siren, I have noticed the following. Drivers with ear phones, in their ears while driving their vehicles are seemingly surprised when they hear the siren at the last moment, and are sometimes frozen and then do not know how to react.
They sometimes do not or cannot pull off the road or to the extreme right of the road. They even stop dead in their tracks. Other drivers look in their rear-view mirror and continue their merry way.
I believe that this is because of so many different kinds of vehicles using all kinds of what is considered to be emergency lights that many people just disregard them. That is also a concern of mine. Others make use of the opportunity to speed up and pass those drivers who have pulled off the road, instead of they themselves pulling off the road. And then there are those who intentionally speed behind the emergency vehicle (piggy back), not caring what the consequences could be if that vehicle had to stop suddenly for whatever reason.
Another phenomenon is with drivers not adhering to the instructions given by the person directing traffic. I have seen oftentimes that the police are sending the traffic in one direction and drivers instead of following the orders given by the police; pull up close to the police officer, impeding the flow of traffic to tell the police officer where he/she is going or to ask why is the traffic being detoured.
This kind of behaviour is irresponsible and also forbidden according to article 21 of the traffic ordinance. This is one of the situations where I have always insisted on drivers following my instructions first and asking questions after, because it would be defeating the purpose for me being there if I had to listen to every driver, who had to explain me what their intention was.
While I'm talking traffic, permit me to make this observation. I believe that a motor vehicle (car) is one of the premier possessions of the people on Sint Maarten. This because of the infrastructure of the roads, and the very poorly-regulated public transportation, mainly because of the routes and the times. Because of this, I believe that those car owners should always have the documents of their vehicles in order, to avoid the risk of the vehicle being impounded with all ensuing consequences.
It is the third year now that I have noticed that the vehicle inspection office is overrun by owners of cars having to get their cars inspected, because when they pay their road tax, if the documents of the vehicle are expired, they do not receive their plates. It is not the responsibility of the receiver to control the documents of one vehicle, but the receiver should not facilitate anyone in using the road with a vehicle of which the documents are not in order. So the receiver will not issue you a plate.
What I have gathered by being inquisitive is that not everyone’s name, who is on the documents, is the actual owner of the vehicle. Meaning that there are a whole lot of people who live and own a car on Sint Maarten, who are not documented as residents here. If the Inspectorate of Taxes decides to look into this and introduce a law to also levy taxes based on the number of motor vehicles one possesses, here again, innocent Sint Maarteners would fall victim because of practices introduced by undocumented residents.
I will repeat again. To walk a mile one has to begin with the first step.
Russell A. Simmons
