Commonly, traffic is the most
hated happenings on roads and also irritates not only the driver but also the
commuters and passengers. Typically, in a busy country like Philippines,
traffic usually occurs on public and national highways. Well, in some remote
places in the Philippines, you can’t see any signs of traffic because of its
road formations and traffic only happens in this area in times of landslide and flash floods or the road is not cemented.
Let’s go back to the main topic,
who likes traffic anyway? After a long work, a long hectic schedules, a very
busy day, unfortunately, you got stuck on a traffic jam. 20 minutes before the
car moves then you have to passed-by several traffic lights and then you got
home late. Stressful right??
Traffic anyway is taken form the
Arabic word taraffaqa which means to walk along slowly together.
Anyway, traffic on road usually
consist of pedestrian, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, street cars and
other conveyances and to include “karitons”, tricycle and kalesas, either
singly or together while using a public or private road for travel purposes.
Traffic is organized in many
jurisdictions, either marked by lanes, junctions, intersections, traffic
signals or simple signs. Traffic is classified by types: the Heavy Motor Vehicles (e.g. car, truck);
other vehicle (e.g. moped bicycles) and pedestrians.
Different types may share the
same speed limits or not or may segregate in any other way to make an easement
on the road but some rely on driver’s common sense for the safety of its
passenger and for the easement of the traffic flow.
Events which disrupt the flow and
cause the flow disorganized include collisions, road constructions which
commonly cause major disruption and debris in the roadway. Particularly in a
busy freeway or highway, a complete breakdown or disorganized traffic may cause
traffic jams and grid locks. Grid locks are events which different direction of
an intersection meets at the same time causes traffic thus queuing theory,
stochastic process and equation of mathematical physics are applied to solve
problems on grid locks and traffic flow.
In many countries, traffic
regulations are codified, setting out the legal requirements and proper
punishments are observed if and when the rule is not followed.
Highway Code which United Kingdom set out the rules includes
obligations and the advices on how to drive safely.
In Philippines we have we have
the
Land Transportation and
Traffic Code which defines each terms regarding on the word or phrase used
in this act. R.A. No. 8750 sets the Seat Belts Use Act and R.A. Act No. 2000 on
Limited Access Facilities Act.
Basically, the rules of the road
are the general practices and procedures which a driver and passenger should
follow. This rule usually applied by all road users including an individual who
are not riding on a vehicle but using the road for travel purposes. The rules
of these users differ on the rules of the heavy motor type vehicle since these
users are called pedestrians. One of the common rules for these
pedestrians is “NO JAY WALKING”. The
basic traffic rules are define by an international treaty under the Authority
of the United Nations, this rule is the 1968
Vienna Convention on Road Traffic. Not all countries use this
convention; there are unwritten local rules of road which are generally used by
local drivers.
As a major rule “drivers are
expected to avoid collision with another vehicle and pedestrian, regardless of
whether or not applicable rules of the road allow them to be where they happen
to be.”
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| Road Traffic Controllers |
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In addition, traffic light and
traffic signs must be obeyed and instruction may be given by a police officer
if there’s a busy crossing which traffic light can’t control the volume of
traffic. These police officers know also as road traffic controllers. They control around a construction zone,
accident area, or other road disruption that may affect the traffic flow.
“Vehicles often come into
conflict with another vehicle or pedestrian because their intended course of
travel intersect and thus interfere with each others route” resulting for the
disruption of the traffic.
“The general principle
establishes who has the right to go first is called ‘right-of-way’ or
‘priority’. It establishes who has the right to use the conflicting part of the
road and who has to wait until the other does so.” Signs, signals, marking and
other traffic signals or features are sometimes used to make the priority open
and clear. One of the universal signs is
the “stop sign”. In different places or locations which do not have any signs
or markings, different rules are observed.
Crosswalks or pedestrian
crossings are common in populated areas which indicate that pedestrians have
priority over the vehicular traffic.
Pedestrian
The appearance of the pedestrian
crossings varies greatly but the 2 most common appearance is the: (1) a series
of parallel white strips (2) or two long horizontal lines.
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| Horizontal Pedestrian | Lane |
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| White Strips Pedestrian Lane |
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| Pedestrian Sign |
Some pedestrian crossings in some
countries put traffic lights signals which will make the vehicle to halt so
that the pedestrians can cross without harm but some cities like New York which
I believe that their technology is highly upgraded and so with the other
countries uses a traffic signal which a pedestrian must push the button to
assert attention to the drivers to stop.
Commonly in some countries like
ours, the Philippines, has no traffic signals in pedestrian crossing like New
York City but in this case, the pedestrian has the priority to use the crossing
in order for him to cross the other side of the street and vehicle must stop
but in some state like Nevada, cars has the right of way when pedestrian
crossing forbids.
Authorities forbid crossing or
using the road anywhere other than the appropriate pedestrian crossing is
termed as jaywalking.
Speed Limits
The higher the speed of a
vehicle, the greater the possibility of collision and the lesser the avoidance
and the greater the damage if collision occurs and the other way around.
Expected that in some areas, signage are posted regarding on the appropriate
speed limit in an area, this is done to avoid accidents and vehicle are not
supposed to be driven at speed which are higher than the posted maximum speed
limit.
Overtaking
One of the major causes of
collision and traffic is due to overtaking. When a vehicle overtakes another
vehicle and inappropriate speed limit is not used in that particular area,
tendencies are that drivers can’t control anymore the car resulting to traffic.
Overtaking refers to the maneuver by which one more vehicle one more vehicle
traveling in the same direction is passed by another vehicle.
Rush Hour
In major cities around the globe,
a great intensity of traffic and a large number of vehicle uses the road at the
same time and at predictable times in a business days is called as rush hour or
peak hour.
Congested Traffic/Traffic Congestion
During period of time referred as
rush hour which in some places has traffic volume is consistently, extremely
large is called traffic congestion or congested traffic. “EXCEPTIONALLY, traffic
upstream of an accident of an obstruction such as construction may also be
constrained resulting in a traffic jam.”
** As these terms
used and defined one of the most common causes why traffic congestion happens
because of vehicles who parks along the road resulting for cars to stop and
traffic occurs. Another thing also is that sidewalk vendors establish their
product beside the road. They occupy a small part of the road but it gives a
big impact on the traffic flow. I’m not saying that these people should stop
selling their products because I know that that is the only thing they earn for
living, I just want them to occupy spaces which can’t cause traffic jam. For
instance, Carmen Market and Cogon Market which is situated in Cagayan de Oro
City here in the Philippines sets the best example foe me since I am a natural
born Kagay-anon and I am proud to be one J.
Their establishments cause a big breakdown of the traffic flow because they
occupy a small space on the road which is also small.
STRESS is one of the effects when
you got stuck on traffic. Your patience is also tested in this type of DISASTER
(HAHAHAHAHAHA). Actually, here in the Philippines, one thing that irritates me
and maybe you also is about the attitude of the “kondokturs” towards its passenger
o pasahero. I don’t like the way how they approach their passenger. I’m not
underestimating them but some of them don’t know how to deal with other people
:D
So, I do recommend the saying
“PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE” HAHAHAHAH, seriously, for a safety travel and for you to
avoid danger and to avoid being the CAUSE of traffic just follow the rule,
okay?
NOTE:
Have you observed that during
traffic, motorcycles can easily get through? HAHAHA Think of it :D
