Stoep Talk

Are we training for the Grand Prix?
Speed Kills – A special plea to all

One of the joys of living in Prince Albert is that we don’t have to spend endless hours behind a wheel, when doing our daily shopping, visiting, business affairs or going out to eat. Most of our destinations can be reached within 5 minutes by car or a little longer on foot or bicycle.

Why then does it seem as if we are practising for the next Grand Prix, ignoring 4 way stops, speed limits and traffic rules?

Another joy we have is to be able to walk and cycle on the outskirts of the town and experience the amazing countryside we have.

When motoring along sand roads, we are requested by fruit farmers to slow down and keep the dust-levels down. Could we appeal to motor vehicles, particularly trucks and bakkies, to reduce their speed when sighting cyclists and walkers. We, like the fruit trees, don’t enjoy gravel and dust in our faces.

As we sit on the stoep of the local café in the main road, we often watch with trepidation the enormous trucks as they hurtle along. Are they too practising for the Grand Prix? Don’t they know there is a speed limit?

Where is our very own traffic policeman? Rumour has it that he prefers sitting on the N1 at Prince Albert Road or Leeu-Gamka? Why not put “silent policemen” (speed restriction bumps) at the entrances of the Prince Albert to remind drivers that they are entering the town?

Let’s reduce our speed, arrive a minute later and not reduce the lives of our people, pets and wildlife!