EDITOR – On May 5, at about 5.45pm, I was a passenger in a friend’s vehicle which was hit by a taxi.
The incident occurred when we stopped at an amber traffic light at the intersection of Modderfontein Road and Van Riebeeck Avenue in Greenstone, Edenvale.
The driver of the taxi thought he could squeeze in between our vehicle and another taxi to skip the traffic light.
In doing this, he hit and damaged our vehicle.
The driver then hesitated to give us his driver’s license.
I called the police in Edenvale and was told they do not come out unless someone is injured.
My problem is that we were two women in the car and faced possible danger in dealing with a taxi driver.
There was no help from the police.
We are tax payers and yet no help is available to us.
What should and can, be done about it?
The blatant disregard for the simple rules pertaining to the users of the road is becoming a constant problem in Edenvale, and I am sure all over.
I read a previous article in the Bedfordview and Edenvale NEWS regarding the violence shown to other road users by the taxi drivers in our area.
I have seen the metro police monitor this on occasion but it does not seem to help in solving the problem.
They should be out there on a daily basis to take control and try and establish a new road user culture for all.
Red traffic lights seem to be optional and amber lights means one needs to speed up and go, while the yellow emergency lane is the new fast lane.
What is going to be done about this?
We are paying higher insurance costs, toll fees, high petrol costs and still have to pay when an accident occurs.
ANONYMOUS
EDENVALE
EDITOR’S COMMENT – Acting spokesperson for the Edenvale SAPS, Lieutenant Colonel Robbie Roberts commented as follows:
It is the responsibility of police officers to assist at any accident.
The only way to deal with the officers who did not comply with their duties is for the driver to supply us with a statement.
Police officers must assist the community whenever they are in need of any help.
We will also ask members of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) to assist with visibility at problematic intersections.
