City drivers remain out of control

This week may be devoted to traffic safety, but you’d never know it by watching drivers in Belize City. In the old capital, where bad driving has been elevated to fine art, it was strictly business as usual.

Stewart Krohn, Reporting

It’s a busy intersection where every driver knows that left turns up the bridge are prohibited and driving straight on North Front Street is a no, no. Yeah right… (drivers making illegal turn.)

Trying to get to the other side of town is so important to some city drivers that they don’t mind risking a traffic ticket. But is there really much of a risk? The few traffic officers on the scene today were either on their way somewhere else or otherwise occupied with the joys of the season. (Officer hugging a friend)

Not surprisingly, the biggest violators are taxi drivers. This luxury ride not only made an illegal left, but didn’t even bother to sport a license plate.

But plenty of private drivers, were also involved in the fun, not to mention a number of vehicles owned by government

Trucks seem to have a special affinity for the bridge foot. Many, in addition to driving through the intersection, did so without so much as touching their brakes.

The problem with traffic violations goes behind a simple lack of discipline. When no one is sure if the rules will be followed, the result can be dangerous for all concerned. (Bicycle rider narrowly escapes being hit)

Some drivers seem to make a career out of traffic violations. Not content to run the intersection directly in front of a traffic officer, this same taxi was back five minutes later…and it looks like he just couldn’t resist the shortcut across the bridge.

While the law was visibly absent, some drivers were determined to enforce their rights by a sort of vigilante action…the blocking of illegal left turns.

But for most drivers who try to obey the law, it was a losing battle…not only were authorities failing to enforce traffic regulations, they themselves were among the most flagrant violators. Stewart Krohn for News 5.

All the traffic violations shown in that story occurred during a one hour period around noon today.