What Happens when The Traffic Lights Don’t Work?

The traffic lights at Highway 509 and S. Taylor Way were not working, when I reached the intersection on Monday morning. I didn’t see the red lights, I didn’t sight the greenlights and I didn’t see the yellow lights.

I was supposed to make a turn on the left at the crossing. But there was an obstruction!

My first reaction was to make a quick move but I paused. Instinct told me to exercise caution.

All of a sudden I’d found myself in a state of confusion and a gridlock. The orderliness that one often sees at the joint had disappeared. It’d been sacrificed on the altar of negligence. The scene had become chaotic and there was stampede.

Motorists were honking everywhere--- honking at one another and honking at each other. Insults were flying in the air like missiles. And there was a brawl. 'Insanity’ was how a guy on a bike described the scene.

Indeed it was like a war zone. Many onlookers stood by to catch a glimpse of the melee. Nothing seemed to move. Everything appeared to have grounded to a halt. As the minutes ticked the insanity grew stronger and bigger. I'd been stuck in my lane. And I’d been gauging the tempo of the traffic in the hope that there would be a way out.

Closely behind me was a pick-up truck driven by a young man probably in his late twenties. From my rearview mirror I could tell the guy was losing his cool or he’d already lost it. Sure, there was no way for me to manoeuvre because apart from what gawked me in the face there was also a double engine freight train pulling more than one hundred coaches-- crawling like a tortoise on my far left near the intersection.

The guy had seen all that but that wouldn’t stop him from tooting his horn.

What was he up to or what was he thinking?

Did he want me to grow wings and fly or he thought I was the reason the lights weren’t working?

Indeed when traffic lights don’t work tempers flare and life goes bonkers. The young man was raging like wildfire—screaming his lungs out, revving his engine to emphasise his impatience. He was showing his true colours.

Do you think you know your partner well?

If you really want to test a man’s patience or character put him at a dysfunction intersection or in a traffic jam. Also if you’re dating a gal or guy and you are unsure of what you’re bargaining for put the suitor at a malfunction traffic light. His reaction will give you a fair idea of what you’ve been romanticising.

Character is veiled but like pregnancy, its obscurity cannot travel far—it has a time limit. You'd think everyone would be patient and take it slow and be careful when the lights are not working. But don’t be fooled. The language there is gibberish.

What to expect

Expect drama galore if someone in the traffic congestion is late especially for his first date.

He would blame any mishaps on the malfunctioning of the lights. Not his fault, it’s the traffic lights they're to blame.

Of course that seems to be where the problem begins.

The lights serve as triggers when they don’t work.

But they probably might not be the cause of one’s rage or nasty behaviour. In most cases it’s been found that individuals that indulge in such unruly conduct may be dealing with problems that are remote and may have no correlation with/to the immediate incident.

They could be related to marital or relationships, drugs, alcohol, occupational hazards, insecurity and many more. It’s like hitting a wrong button of some weird machine. The sound would freak you out and you wouldn’t even know where the switch off button is located.

Besides if one is running late for work, or an interview, a meeting, a party or catching a flight at the airport and gets caught up either in a jammed traffic or in an intersection the likelihood of witnessing a road rage or chaotic scene is fifty-fifty.

In such instances, it would take a person of a proven patience to endure the traffic drill. Fact is even a guy with little patience would wait, if he's running late for an interview or some important function.

On the contrary, those with volcanic tempers would erupt at the least provocation or no provocation at all.

The reason, they wear their anger on the sleeves and they’re the reason most accidents occur on our roads.

They might drink and drive or be under the influence of some substance but their sense of judgement, character and patience could help avoid many killings or accidents on our roads.

If one makes good judgement by choosing not to drink and drive a soul is saved as soon as that decision is made. Traffic police can help the situation too.

Having them at such vantage points with their lights flickering could deter recalcitrant motorists. I’ve even seen some individuals (as volunteers) directing traffic when the lights don’t work and where danger is deemed imminent. Former President Jerry John Rawlings once saved a situation like that(directing chaotic traffic) in Accra.

What to do

Caution must be given all the attention it deserves when the lights don’t work or when we’re caught up in a traffic jam. It should be seen as a watchword and not a bet card to be toyed with. If we are able to do this, be guaranteed many lives would be saved.

Keep in mind it’s better to be late at work when circumstances are dire than to be referred to as late so and so as a result of a rush or making a bad decision. Sad thing is when that precious life is wasted it can never be brought back. Therefore, save your soul if you can. Save your life if the accident is avoidable.

Remember if you rush you’ll crash and if you crash you’ll rust.

As I was saying, the guy behind me had an attitude.

He was fuming with anger, swearing and cussing. He'd put his gear into reverse, backed up a little bit. Back to the drive gear and drove passed me. But he wasn’t going anywhere farther than 20 metres. From left to right, north to south cars slammed and rammed at one another as though there had been a volcanic eruption.

Some of the cars had been crushed beyond recognition. Sirens of ambulances were heard from afar heading towards the direction of the chaotic scene. The paramedics were stunned by the degree of horror they witnessed. And the young man I saw in my rearview mirror moments ago-- the young man that honked incessantly at me-- the energetic young man who probably was racing to go to work had had his journey cut short.

He couldn’t make it at/to his destination.

He’d died young! Was his death inevitable?

Was he destined to walk that path?

Or was it negligence and impatience?

Keep in my mind, the in-dwelt-being (The Spirit) wails whenever the body that carries him makes a folly decision.

By Gordon Offin-Amaniampong