God Bless the Drivers

Treasure Beach Forum: TB Runnin's: God Bless the Drivers
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Turtle on Friday, April 03, 2009 - 11:24 am: Edit Post

Worse than di plane ting - worse than the Sports Complex - worse than the Canal - is the reckless driving in such a small community as Treasure Beach. People are DYING from it. I think this is the problem that we ALL, tourists, residents and long term visitors need to address. There was a death in a car accident last night and this needs to be a wake-up call. People who drive through communities like maniacs - KILL PEOPLE and sometimes themselves. Full stop. If it doesn't get you today or next week it will, somewhere down the line. Or you will kill an innocent person, a pedestrian, a passenger or a member of your family. If you are alone in the world you can drive as you please but you are not alone. I think we all need to let our unhappiness with this situation be known - in a loving way. Stop drivers who are doing to fast, get out of taxis that are endangering your life, wave fast drivers down on the road and tell them you want to see them tomorrow - in one piece. This is for all of us - show them you care!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By TBNet on Friday, April 03, 2009 - 05:34 pm: Edit Post

Let us use this terrible accident to find positive solutions to the issues raised here.

-TBNet


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By a on Saturday, April 04, 2009 - 10:40 am: Edit Post

example: Speed limit in TB 30km/h,speed limit in front of schools!!!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Sally on Saturday, April 04, 2009 - 01:13 pm: Edit Post

Another suggestion would be to put in a few speed bumps... around the school, one at the end of Fisherman's Lane and another between Bobby's and the Coconut Cottage. This would slow the drivers as well as make the people walking feel safer.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By slow down on Saturday, April 04, 2009 - 02:21 pm: Edit Post

Can I suggest a speed limit for Treasure Beach .. starting at the Calabash Post Office (by a school) and ending in Billys Bay.
There is NO need to go faster than 30km/h.
Just this morning I had to flag down a young man who was speeding by Tiffany Restaurant.
We need to implement some limit, before anyone else gets hurt or killed by speed and recklessness.
Maybe "sleeping policemen" bumps in the roads????


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Afraid on Sunday, April 05, 2009 - 03:18 am: Edit Post

I am so sorry it took a tragedy for the community to realize how crazy these drivers are. I am afraid for my life everytime I visit Jamaica, simply because most drivers, especially the taxi drivers are known for racing and putting us all at risk. SLOW DOWN DRIVERS, LIVES ARE SPECIAL!!!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By FedUp on Saturday, April 04, 2009 - 05:03 pm: Edit Post

The roads are not good enough to accommodate "sleeping policemen". They have enough potholes already to discourage sane people from speeding. As for the others; well...


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Police Ourselves on Sunday, April 05, 2009 - 07:30 am: Edit Post

I am exceedingly saddened by the horrible accident. This has ruined more lives than we will ever know.

30km/h IS the speed limit. Our roads cannot handle even the legal limit.

Jamaica is known for having some of the most lax speed laws and some of the highest accident rates in the world. It is one of the few countries where a visitor's normal insurance coverage is not valid, and drivers have to purchase additional insurance.

We cannot change the laws in Jamaica. We CAN all slow down and put pressure on others to do so. If not, this type of carnage on our roads and in our community wil only increase.

The route taxis are among the worst offenders, but many more drivers take their lives and the lives of others in their hands trying to save a minute.

Driving without consideration for others has the potential to kill and maim. It is time we learned this, and it is time we INSIST people drive safely though TB.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Correction on Sunday, April 05, 2009 - 10:15 am: Edit Post

Note to "Police Ourselves": The lower speed limit in Jamaica is 30mph, which translates to 50kph. On most of the highways it is 50mph/80kph, but 110kph on the toll road.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Sally on Sunday, April 05, 2009 - 10:04 am: Edit Post

I just spent a couple of weeks in Mexico and in the area we were every community has it's set of strategically placed sleeping policemen. The roads are straight and the people drive very fast between towns but just before communities the sleeping police start. If you care about your car, you slow down. There is always one on both sides of schools. Hardly anyone ever obeys the speed limit but I promise you that we would all slow down for these kind of sleeping policemen. The best part is they inforce themselves and the police don't have to be there.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By mnken on Sunday, April 05, 2009 - 12:15 pm: Edit Post

I have to disagree about taxi drivers. The drivers from Treasure Tours, and my driver Ranny are as safe as can be! So please, do not lump all drivers in that 'unsafe' catagory. That is so unfair!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bowl on Sunday, April 05, 2009 - 08:09 pm: Edit Post

With all the fuss about TB drivers, a no.of things
can cause an accident,we should know the facts before jumping to conclusion that it was speeding.
And the accident did not happen in TB.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By slow down on Monday, April 06, 2009 - 05:02 am: Edit Post

Sleeping policemen are an effective way to go.
How can we make a certain area here designated a 30kph zone?

Everyone knows who the speed offenders are in this town, and not even this recent accident seems to have been a lesson for them.

It looks as though we need to think about how else to slow them down so as to prevent another mishap or worse, death.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By concerned on Monday, April 06, 2009 - 07:12 am: Edit Post

With all due respect Bowl, there is no doubt we have a problem in Treasure Beach with drag racing cars day and night. Several people recently have had to jump off the road into a ditch to avoid being hit, including the mother of the young woman who lost her life. You are right, this is a different issue from the tragic accident at Newell and we do not know if speeding was the cause, but something has to be done right here in the village before another tragedy happens. Potholes do not stop these drivers. Sleeping police is an excellent idea, so is more sidewalks like the ones near Calabash Bay corner and down by Folichon. Does anyone know how to go about petitioning the highways department to start looking into this, or can we take it upon ourselves as a community to go out there and do it ourselves?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By turey on Monday, April 06, 2009 - 12:57 pm: Edit Post

The local roads dept put in 'traffic calmers' on our road here in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia.

They had to go through procedure. Then a road crew came and did an amazing surgery on the road with all sorts of experts, measurements and precision.

Nice bumps, they are perfect for the bikers and fast cars to jump. Police not around all the time.

Still, we don't feel as threatened by the usual speeding as before.

Anyone know the procedure in St Elizabeth? Hopefully it will not be the same crew that did the canal when time come.

Nothing to stop some nice signs being put up.

There is an efficient sign maker on the way to the Kingston airport.

Talk to the chronic speeders!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By roadscare on Monday, April 06, 2009 - 01:57 pm: Edit Post

My heart is saddened.I once was young,Ride, drive under the influence.Never saw or think about the danger.Drive home wake up not remembering how I got home,but I did infact drive home.Alcohol and driving is like water and oil,never mix.This might be a tragic accident,my heart and prayers to all involved.Please use this as an eye opening educate our young or inexperience lets see the fact and learn.God bless ya'll it's a dangerous world,do your little part to help keep it safe.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Take Action NOW on Monday, April 06, 2009 - 05:36 pm: Edit Post

Roadscare is being painfully honest. Many of us could tell the same story. By the grace of God many of us have escaped killing ourselves or someone else.

These horrible things are called ACCIDENTS because no one meant for them to happen. Even though an accident is not purposeful, there still can be considerable harm. We need to take responsibility for the consequences of our actions. I pray this is not something people talk about for a week or two and then go back to driving the same old way – not paying attention, driving when too tired, driving after too much alcohol, speeding – or a combination of these.

It would be good if people took some action while this tragedy is still fresh in people’s minds.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Road Madness on Tuesday, April 07, 2009 - 09:34 am: Edit Post

It is a fact that the majority of the motor vehicles accidents in Jamaica (possibly all over the world) are caused mainly by the young drivers i.e. below 30 years. The more experienced one is as a driver the more precautions that one will take. Younger drivers especially the 18 - 30 age group are more risk-takers and tend to be a bit 'show-off. It is not a problem for them to drink and drive which is illegal too and even makes matters worse. They believe that driving fast is macho. Yet when lives are lost they are in remorse i.e. if they are alive, and the families of the lost grieve.
It is time for the young to realise that speeding reduces the chance of saving lives if there is an accident. It only creates more problems. Wise up young people and try to be more safety conscious and do defensive driving instead of offensive driving.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By dj on Tuesday, April 07, 2009 - 02:31 pm: Edit Post

I have Jamaican friends who don`t read or write, when I asked them how they could get a drivers license, they said they know "some-one" who they can get one from for "a fee", without any kind of a test,written or road!
I have been in road blocks in Jamaica, where all the police were looking for was bribes, we had to pay cash for a small infraction.Some one with no license had to pay more!!
I was in a taxi once going to kingston, the driver went 180kms on the toll road,right past police . In Town ,he got pulled over for not wearing a seat belt, he got out ,payed the cop, got back in , and drove away without putting the seat belt on!! This type of corruption is what allows the reckless drivers to keep endangering others .

Speed bumps have been mentioned. They can be very effective. If they are the long, easy ones, a person doesn`t have to slow down when doing the speed limit.[They can actually be fun!} if a person is speeding, the back end of the car "bottoms out".so they are only an inconvenience to the speeding driver!

A prayer for any one on the roads in JA!!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Regina on Wednesday, April 08, 2009 - 04:16 pm: Edit Post

We ALL know someone in TB who has BOUGHT a drivers license.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Trelica on Thursday, April 09, 2009 - 12:05 am: Edit Post

Out of curiosity Regina, are you living in South Florida?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By terrible on Thursday, April 09, 2009 - 11:22 am: Edit Post

After reading what (dj) posted and it sounds to be true. I think the police should start arresting the police. Where is the law?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By head gawn on Friday, April 10, 2009 - 07:20 am: Edit Post

thank you bredda ough.i saw something on the web yesturday about people who bought license in treasure beach and it sent me mad what that have to do with anything an accident is an accident


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Regina on Friday, April 10, 2009 - 09:05 am: Edit Post

I am not living anywhere in Florida. I thought buying a license was for people who could not pass their test, so I do think it pertains.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bowl on Friday, April 10, 2009 - 11:29 am: Edit Post

Here is a bit of humor,
A Traffic Examiner that was in Black River some time
ago gave a gentleman his license. The gentleman had an accident and went to court. The Judge found out
that he could not read so the Examiner was taken to court.The Judge ask the Examiner "why you give this
man a license and the man cannot read". The Examiner reply to the Judge "Your Honor when I gave him his license he could read, I don't know what happen to him now". And this is how Ja. run.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Take Action NOW on Thursday, April 16, 2009 - 02:37 pm: Edit Post

I am now aware of three separate fatal vehicle accidents that have taken place near Treasure Beach in the past nine weeks.

It is clear these tragedies have ripped the hearts out of families and friends, not to mention Treasure Beach itself.

It is time for people to stop going back and forth about if younger people drive less safely than they should or if our roads are as good as they should be or if the route taxi drivers are safe. Young people take a lot of chances because they lack experience and cannot imagine dying. We were all young once, and if we are honest we can identify with this feeling of immortality. Our roads are not good, but they are what they are. Some older drivers, including the route taxis, are excellent; others take chances when they drive.

We cannot wait for our young people to gain the maturity they need to be safer drivers. We certainly cannot wait for our roads to be improved. We cannot trust that someone will not take a chance “just this once” when they are driving.

The community as a whole must insist that unsafe driving is not permitted in Treasure Beach. If someone sees someone else driving too quickly or not paying attention or driving after drinking, they need to have the strength to tell that person – or even scream at them when they go by. It doesn’t matter if that person is your best friend or your mother or your son. Because that person is putting lives in danger.

If not, how long will it be before yet another death is announced here?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By turey on Thursday, April 16, 2009 - 08:23 pm: Edit Post

I wish the RCMP here would give us some of the roadside signs that show drivers their speed.

The faster you go, the more kinetic energy (look it up) you are responsible for. Even at 30 mph a vehicle can be lethal.

Still, there has been no report of speeding in any of the three accidents that I have heard of. I assume it like everyone when something like this happens. Other factors beyond any ones control can also be at play.

Proper vehicle maintainance is also crucial.