Gathering Places
Gathering Places
We can all do our part
to make our roads saferIn its brief lifetime, one accomplishment of the otherwise unlamented van-cam experiment was that it actually induced many Oahu drivers to obey the posted speed limits on major highways, such as the Pali or Kalanianaole. The major downside of the van cams was that they threatened basically law-abiding drivers with being ticketed for driving at traffic speed, and therefore were unacceptable to most of the public. Fair enough.
However, with the departure of the van cams, I am sure that I am not the only Oahu resident who has noticed a resurgence of truly reckless driving on our highways. I frequently see cars -- often with youthful drivers -- traveling 10 to 20 miles per hour faster than traffic speed and weaving in and out to pass other vehicles. These are the most serious dangers on our roads, as attested by the many news reports of drivers who have killed themselves, their passengers or other innocent people who just happened to be in the way.
Even if the police had the manpower (which unfortunately they don't), they simply can't patrol our roads sufficiently to deter such unthinking, irresponsible drivers and lower the tragic toll they are wreaking. However, we as a community have at our disposal the most omnipresent traffic-monitoring force we could possibly ask for -- ourselves, the other motorists. Armed with our now-ubiquitous cell phones (plus one of those mini message recorders they sell in drug stores if you happen to have one), ordinary motorists can be a potent deterrent to reckless drivers of all varieties.
The process could not be more simple. When one of these joyriding yahoos zips past you, just note the license number and the color and general make of the car (this is where a message recorder comes in handy). Also helpful are the approximate time and location of the sighting (e.g., H-1, heading Ewa near the Kapiolani offramp, 9:10 a.m.). If you get a look at the driver (which you almost never do in these circumstances), that is an added bonus. Then call 911 (311 if the new non-emergency number is approved), and give the information to the police.
An additional feature of this approach is that you don't have to identify yourself or file a formal complaint, both of which take a lot of time and, some fear, could make them targets for retribution by the really bad characters. Anonymous reports cannot trigger arrests (and the police themselves can only bring charges if they actually witness the violation), but citizen reports do allow the police to track down the offending vehicles and personally warn the owners/drivers of the likely legal or physical consequences of their conduct.
Further, if the police receive multiple reports on the same vehicle, this record may be helpful when the police ultimately do stop that vehicle for a violation.
No system is perfect, but clearly we cannot just expect technology or an understaffed police force to keep our highways safe. Our own safety is at stake, so let's help protect it.
Richard W. Baker is a retired U.S. Foreign Service officer and a political analyst who lives in Honolulu.