My Accra: Indiscipline so blatant it looks normal

Anybody wearing a uniform and driving any kind of vehicle feels he/she should not be in traffic like the rest of us. The medians of roads and pavements become their roads. All they do is turn in their hazard or some horn.

Police vehicles seem to be above the law 24/7. They will jump red lights, turn sirens on so they drive in the middle of roads, drive on opposite sides of the road – even on the motorway. No, they don’t always do this to attend to emergencies or accidents. Sometimes just to go grab lunch, drop the Station Commander at home from the market, or simply go drop their car because his shift is over.

Ghana Revenue Authority has become a law unto themselves. From their Commissioner-General right through the ranks to the bus that conveys cleaners and National Service personnel to and from work, all disregard traffic rules all the time. The urgency of staff going home that makes them turn on their hazards to beat traffic amazes me.

Motorbike riders somehow feel even though they are road users, the rules of the road does not apply to them. Most of them never stop at red, never use helmets, will always overload and break all the rules that are available.

Folks going to bury their dead will blatantly break all traffic rules, scratch and damage the vehicles of other road users enroute to a cemetery. I am not sure what the rush is seeing as the dead is dead and is in no position to be in a rush to go anywhere.

The big man will ignore his time and be late for a meeting. He does not mind getting late because he has a siren that somehow makes him think he can break all the traffic rules.

We are in a city where every V8 has a special rule – V8s don’t stay in traffic.

In all this, the Police look on.
It seems normal to them.
Their body language says “it’s a way of life”.
Of course they are culprits themselves.
The big men to call the police to order are themselves culprits too.
So we are left to deal with it all like animals in the forest – the strongest have their way, the meek hide, the smart ones use their wisdom. Free for all. No referee, no law.

PS:
All these drivers and riders are mainly Christians and Muslims whose religions preach discipline. They are in church on Sunday or a mosque on Friday.

Makes you wonder if we are not a bunch of liars.

Columnist: Kwame Gyan