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| Thursday, 28 October 2004 |
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Please forward your letters to [email protected] in plain text format within the e-mail message, since as a policy we do not open any attachments. Uniflow traffic system I observed the trial run of the new traffic system on the 10th and 11th and wish to make the following observations. 1. During the trial run, traffic along Galle Road and Duplication Road certainly moved much faster than usual. 2. However some serious new problems emerged at the same time. Just some examples are: a) If one started near Holy Family Convent and wanted to get to 'upper' Lauries Road, one had to drive to Bambalapitiya Junction, up Bullers Road, turn right to Duplication Road, go up Vajira Road and back along Havelock Road to finally turn into Lauries Road. Anyone who wishes to go across the system will face similar problems. b) Duplication Road becomes very hazardous when vehicles, including buses, enter the road from one side and try to filter across four lanes of traffic to a far-side exit in a short distance. c) Pedestrians trying to cross Duplication Road through four lanes of traffic do so at great risk. So it seems that the new system solves some problems while creating a host of new ones. It is also pertinent to remember that the successes during the trial were achieved by fielding the entire traffic police force along the two roads and by clearing out all the vehicles that normally park on Duplication Road. If the latter steps are taken without changing the traffic pattern, comparable results might have been achieved. It is my opinion that changing the traffic system, at enormous trouble and expense, will only achieve superficial benefits because we are not attacking the main problem. Everyone knows that it indiscipline on our roads is the root cause. I am afraid also that our traffic police, sometimes inadvertently, contribute to this indiscipline. Let me give some examples; 1. Policemen stand at traffic lights that are working perfectly well and override the lights with hand signals. They are merely teaching our motorists to ignore red lights. Isn't it better if simply prosecute every motorist who runs through a red light? Should they not also prosecute motorists who enter junctions when the exits are blocked? We all know of the awful disruption such motorists create. 2. Policemen come to a roundabout that works perfectly well and override the normal convention of allowing traffic from the right to proceed. When policemen stop those with right-of-way and allow others to proceed, they are teaching motorists to ignore the normal roundabout convention. Instead, why not just prosecute everyone who violates the convention? 3. I earnestly request the police authorities to seriously consider implementing the following before making drastic changes in the traffic system. 3.1. Ensure the traffic police refrain from using hand signals to control traffic when lights are working. When they wish to use hand signals, they must switch off the lights. 3.2. Ensure that traffic police refrain from disrupting the convention of roundabouts. They should strictly implement the convention. 3.3. Traffic police should consistently prosecute motorists who break traffic rules and create congestion. Some glaring examples are: a) Motorists who emerge from side roads and cut directly across Duplication Road. b) Motorists who make illegal U turns. c) Buses that stop in the middle of the road to drop or pick up passengers. d) Buses that pull onto the main road from bus stops, in order to overtake the bus in front. e) Motorists who keep going even after the lights turn red. f) Motorists who enter a junction when the exit is blocked. g) Motorists who edge their way into roundabout traffic, when they do not have right-of-way. h) Motorists who park illegally. I am not suggesting that the 'Uniflow' system be abandoned; just that steps are taken to improve discipline and the results evaluated before these exotic experiments are tried. I am sure that, if only the police approach this with consistency and common sense, extraordinary results can be achieved. I hope this letter will catch they eye of the SSP Traffic and also that he will read it with an open mind. NIHAL DE SILVA, Colombo 4 Ramazan and the night prayers Abu Hurairah relates that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) said: The best month for fasting next after Ramadhan is Muharram, and the best prayer next after the prescribed prayers is prayer at night. (Muslim). The Prophet also observed the fast during the greater part of Sha'ban (Muslim). Ibn Umar relates that Holy prophet (PBUH) said: Night prayer is a succession of two raka'as at a time, and when you perceive the approach of dawn add a single raka'as to make an odd number. (Bukhari and Muslim). Jabir relates that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) was asked: Which prayer is best? He answered: The one in which the worshipper makes a long stand. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) once said: Every night there is a brief space of time during which whatever of good pertaining to this life or the next a Muslim supplicates for, it is granted him. (Muslim). Ayesha relates that the Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, never offered more than eleven raka'as at night during Ramadhan or at any other time. A raka'a constitutes a standing position, bowing position and two prostrations of the prayer. He would offer four raka'as long and perfect, and then four of the same type and then three (vitr). I asked him: Messenger of Allah, do you sleep before offering vitr? He answered: Ayesha, my eyes sleep but my heart does not. (Bukhari and Muslim). The Tahajjud prayers described above is a voluntary prayer comprising of two to eight raka'as, offered, in succession of twos or fours, from midnight till dawn manifests itself. It is concluded by three raka'as of vitr. It may be offered individually or in congregation. A true Muslim attaches great importance to this prayer. The Taraveeh prayer is actually an extension of the Tahajjud prayers offered by the Holy Prophet (PBUH). It was introduced by Hazarat Umar as a congregational or individual prayer for the month of Ramadhan. The Taraveeh prayer is offered after two voluntary raka'as of the Isha prayers (the last of the five compulsory prayers). It comprises eight raka'as again offered in succession of twos or fours and concluded with the vitr prayers in congregation. The Taraveeh prayers were essentially introduced to prevent the habit, still prevalent among some Muslims, to retire to bed immediately after a hearty meal (Iftar) and the offering of the Maghrib and Isha prayers. An opportunity is frequently taken of completing the entire Quran, from beginning to end, in phased stages, during Ramadhan through Taraveeh prayers led by a Hafizul-ul-Quran (an individual who has committed the Quran to memory). It goes without saying that the Tahajjud prayers are preferred to the Taraveeh prayers. A Muslim is required to carry out all his normal function during the month of Ramadhan e.g. if he is a businessman, he may still carry out his business duties while fasting during the daytime. However, in some Muslim countries, Ramadhan is an official month of holy days. Muslims in such countries, engage themselves in heavy meals in the evening in an attempt to make up for what they have lost. They then sleep the night through and miss out the pre-dawn meal. These practices are not what sIslam recommends but what some Muslims have devised for themselves. the emphasis is on prayers; not on sleep. A. ABDUL AZIZ, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at, Sri Lanka Droughts, floods and epidemics We can blame it all on the Nature. And it is the Nature indeed, which is reminding us again that as mighty and all-governing as she is, even she cannot continue to bear the incessant torture, without retorting back. She has repeatedly shown us, her own creation, with a remarkable chronological consistency of her own, which we cannot yet understand, that careless interference in her ways and disrespect to her existential uniqueness, have always ended in disaster. We now have unpredictable rain, drought and epidemics. This year, it is severe drought and next year it could be torrential rain that could last for weeks, bringing heavy flood and in its wake, disease and destruction. Or we would have everything in right amount at the right time, rain and sun, wind and breeze. The uncreasing deforestation, pollution of our pristine rivers and lakes with domestic and industrial waste, contamination of our air with toxic emissions from our factories, petrol and diesel fumes, indiscriminate use and disposal of rubber, polythene and chemicals; this is how we have been treating what the Nature has given us. Adequate measures must be taken to catch the people, down to the last man, who are in the illicit timber trade and they must be punished swiftly and severely. And we could tell those foreign investor-friends who bring new technology to us to be friends to our environment too, not just on paper, but in actual design, management and operation of their production concerns. And our own engineers and scientists (without any disrespect to their capabilities and knowledge) should think not twice, but even longer, before decisions are taken. Let us at least now start showing our affection to what the Mother Nature has so generously given us, before it is too late. Before She explodes in disgust and anger and strikes us down with a mighty blow, once and for all. Laksiri Warnakula, via Email |
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