Lieber Leser

Beim Aufraumen ist mir folgender Artikel in die Haende gekommen. Da
ich die durchaus amuesante Darstellung der Verkehrsprobleme in
Vientiane, der Hauptstadt von Laos, dir nicht vorenthalten möchte
publizierte ich sie mit einem kleinem Kommentar am Ende.

Viel Spass mit der Ventiane Time

Beat


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Vientienne Times October 11 - 14, 2002 Page 5


Traffic accidents haunt rush hour

TRAFFIC and transport along roads in Vientiane municipality is very
complicated and prone to accidents due to driver carelesness.
The most dangerous times for drivers; are the morning and afternoon
rush hours, closely followed by the evening when many people go out
and consume alcohol. At the same time, thousands of students ride
motorbikes, cycles and cars along the roads and are blamed with
causing accidents due to lack of experience. Accidents on the roads in
Vientiane municipality occur almost everyday. Some days there are two
or three crashes and some weekends over 40 crashes. Many vehicles have
been damaged and thousands of drivers illed and injured. To solve the
problem the Goverment and the people will have to work together to
reduce the number of accidents.
What is the main cause of accidents? The main cause is the increasing
number of vehicles, road construction and expansion and increasing
population. There are many roads without traffic lights. Some roads
have lights but they don't work. Too many roads still have potholes.
Some roads are good standard but have poor management and vehicles
park along both sides of the road blocking the flow of traffic. Some
roads are wide enough but have mud and dust along the sides which
makes cars, motorists and cyclists drive in the middle ofthe road
causing head-on collisions.
There are traffic rules but nobody follows them and they are also hard
to enforce. Some drivers drive too fast and crossing road is not a
safe practice for pedesterians. Vehicles don't indicate when they want
to turn and many people absent-mindedly pull out into oncoming traffic
from the sides of the roads thinking that they have right of way.
Too many drivers still don't know about the traffic rules because they
don't need training before driving a vehicle and some have no driving
licenses, especially students. Lots of wealthy children take their
parent's cars and motorbikes to school. This has become the cause of
an increasing number of accidents on roads in Vientiane municipality.
Everybody can help reduce the number of accidents by warning children
to strictly follow the traffic rules when driving large automobiles.
This will assist the traffic police to solve the accident problem and
the number of accidents in Vientiane municipality will decline.

- Van Athjt. October 6

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Nun ja mit 3 Unfaellen pro Tag ist das Problem wohl kaum in den Griff
zu bekommen, besonders da diese Kinder wieder einmal an allem schuld
sind. Doch es besteht noch Hoffnung wenn alle die Kinder besser
erziehen, dann hilft das der Polizei und die Eltern trinken dann
keinen Alkohol mehr am Steuer. Oder sind es auch die Kinder die
trinken?
Bemerkenswert ist auch die Tatsache, dass es aufgrund der "expansion
and increasing population" zu mehr Unfällen kommt. Wohnen denn jetzt
mehr Leute auf der Strasse oder sind sie fetter geworden oder beides?
Und die Verkehrsampeln sind ja schon etwas wiederspenstig. Aber mit
etwas Zureden nehmen sie den Dienst vielleicht wieder freiwillig auf.
Aber reparieren, was bringt das den schon?
Aber ich bin guter Dinge, dass das Governement (Das einzige GROSS
geschriebene Wort im Artikel) dem klein geschriebenen Volk die
Verkehrsregeln einmal beibringen wird. Vielleicht indem die Ausgabe
von Ausweisen mit einer Fahrprüfung verbunden wuerde. Aber wie
koennten denn da die Schueler der Reichen mit Auto in die Schule
fahren?

Mit lieben Gruessen
Beat