Public Safety Issues
Iraq cracks down on seat belt scofflaws. NYT:
BAGHDAD — Iraqis often complain about the problems in their country and the government’s lack of obvious progress in solving them.
But as drivers in traffic-clogged Baghdad learned this week, Iraqi officials are taking action in one area: strict enforcement of a seat belt law.
Later this month, traffic police officers all over Iraq will start issuing tickets to anyone who drives without buckling up. Violators will be fined 15,000 dinars — about $12.50. “It is part of the healing process of this country and of Baghdad to enforce the law, law by law,” said Brig. Gen. Zuhair Abada Mraweh, traffic commander for the capital’s Rusafah district.
“The citizens are learning the laws step by step,” said General Mraweh, sitting in his office in the Karada neighborhood. “We have applied all the laws concerning traffic, so it’s time for the seat belt law to be practiced.”
Wags may jape …
Still, brigades of traffic officers trying valiantly to do their jobs have been a constant in an ever-changing landscape of war and chaos over the last five years. And as traffic police officers warned Baghdad drivers earlier this week that seat belt enforcement was about to begin, many drivers said it was probably a good thing.
“It is a symbol of civilization,” said a taxi driver, Ahmed Wahayid, whose 1993 Hyundai Elantra was stuck in a long line of cars waiting to clear a checkpoint. “Western people in Europe and America have it, so we are like them.” Mr. Wahayid said he could not find words to describe the traffic in Baghdad. “It’s a very, very bad feeling, and if I didn’t need to drive in order to eat and live I wouldn’t,” he said.
There are other ways to be like us. But he has a point. It’s a broken-windows, quality-of-life thing. Why the heck not. Here, by the way, is a Marine who was way ahead of that curve.
Posted by Jules Crittenden at 12:05 pm on Thursday, April 17, 2008
One Response to “Public Safety Issues”
Leave a Reply
Trackback URLYou must be logged in to post a comment.
April 17th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Civilization is a process of increments.