‘A league of our own’

Arrive Alive has written to the Prime Minister requesting the formation of a lead council to focus on road safety management in TT.

President of the road safety NGO, Sharon Inglefield, said the council would include members of the TTPS, the Judiciary, Ministry of Works, WASA, TTEC and other stakeholders to create standards for them all and form a transportation policy.

Inglefield made the announcement yesterday at a road safety awareness presentation hosted by Arrive Alive and the Madonna Wheelers Cycle Club at Arima Velodrome.

For example, she said, TTEC poles should not be too close to the roads, law enforcement could be discussed with the TTPS, and sentencing with the Judiciary. She said that the proposed amendments to the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act with regard to the demerit point system did not include stopping on pedestrian crossings or drivers who injured pedestrians and cyclists.

“When we arrest a driver for drunk driving that has killed a cyclist... Why is he still allowed to drive on the nation’s roads? Why has his driver’s permit not been revoked? We need to get that driver’s permit revoked when the TTPS arrests us for criminal offences of serious injury and death on our nation’s roads... because they need to learn a lesson.” She said the council should be responsible for a transportation policy that would include a cycling lane along the highways, and enhanced pedestrian crossing, especially near schools and around neighbourhoods.

“Instead of building more and more highways, let’s really improve our existing road network with cycling lanes.

“The whole world is moving towards non-motorised transportation.

“That means bikes, that means legs, ... encouraging healthy lifestyles, reducing carbon footprint.

“Those are the kinds of things they are discussing in the world today that we need to start discussing in our small, rich island.”

Former national cyclist Michael Phillips added that cyclists should attempt to win over the driving population and educate them on the sport instead of getting angry over misconceptions.

Phillips said he noticed many negative comments on social media after the recent deaths of cyclists Chef Joe Brown, Joanna Banks, and Aaron Thomas due to road accidents.

He stressed that cyclists were legal road users and so it was illegal for them to ride on the shoulders or on the sidewalks as some people suggested.

He said instead of arguing with others, cyclists should calmly correct their misconceptions, educate them, and try to get them to understand and empathise. He also suggested cyclists interact positively with the general public more while cycling, including using common courtesy by saying good day when eye contact was made, thanking a driver who stopped for them, or pulling aside and allowing vehicles to pass if they notice traffic was building up behind them.

He said many cyclists were passionate about riding but had to consider how much risk they are willing to take when they get on their bikes.

Therefore he said they had to make other road users aware of cyclists rights in the hopes that others would not infringe upon them.

“Those are the things each one of us are going to have to make up our minds about. If you want to be able to have those types of freedoms, it is going to require massive efforts on everyone’s part.”