Strict action needed against wrong-side driving

Representation pic

Still simmering and still evoking an avalanche of response. That sums up the reaction to this paper's front page report on wrong side driving and riding.

This is an extremely grave problem, which should be addressed with an urgency and in fact, action is long overdue. While some motorists too, do drive on the wrong side, it is the bikes that sidle past traffic, that are especially dangerous.

They catch pedestrians completely unawares as the man and woman on the street is looking the other way, and there is a very real possibility of them being hit by a two wheeler, suffering serious injuries and sometimes even a fatality can occur.

There is also the very real prospect of car passengers opening doors and actually colliding or crashing on to wrong side bikers. This is a heinous breaking of rules on roads and has definitely been the cause of many accidents.

Wrong side moving does not even entail speed. The very fact that a vehicle is moving on the wrong side makes it a dangerous.

While sporadic action has been taken, what this needs is a consistent policing campaign focused on wrong side riding/driving. Just like the do not drink 'n' drive campaign that needed strong, sustained punitive action, wrong side driving needs awareness, (signboards and announcements everywhere) and action.

There is also the riding on pavements and no obeying any traffic signal which are the perilous habits of two-wheelers though cars too at times speed through red lights. Wrong side riding/driving abolishment efforts must start now.