WATCH: Drivers travelling in oncoming lane along Hutchison Road
In times of heavy traffic on the N2 that's under construction, drivers try to avoid the highway by taking a back route and then travelling in the oncoming lane towards the Adams Road traffic light, putting many lives at risk.
A CONCERNED resident Rina de Goede warns the community to be aware of people driving in the oncoming lane along Hutchison Road, who are trying to avoid the backed-up traffic in the mornings.
Due to the heavy traffic on the N2, especially in the mornings, drivers try to avoid the highway by going down Ndongeni Drive, Reed Road and Riverside Road, causing a major backlog on Hutchinson Road.
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De Goede said, “Some people then take a shortcut through the parking area of the Civic Centre, to avoid the backed-up traffic in Hutchison Road, and over the bridge of the Amanzimtoti River. They then travel in the oncoming lane towards the Adams Road (Khotho Mkhunya Road) traffic light. Many times, these vehicles miss the oncoming traffic by inches. I feel this is really dangerous and puts a lot of innocent people’s lives in danger.”
She says she is concerned about safety and believes a head-on collision is bound to happen because drivers coming around the corner are not expecting a vehicle to be in the oncoming lane.
“In the mornings, I often see and hear people hooting because of near misses. There needs to be a police presence in the area, like there has been on the highway, or someone in a position of authority needs to have one of the entrances into the Civic Centre closed off, so that people cannot cut through,” said De Goede.
She warns community members to be on the lookout for cars coming out of the Civic Centre onto Hutchison Road and into the oncoming lane. She also urges those who drive in the oncoming lane to just be patient because everyone is in the same position.
“It’s not worth risking lives just to skip a few cars. Everyone is in the same position; we are all stuck in the traffic jam. We are all on our way to work, school or other,” said De Goede.
Ironically, as the SUN journalist indicated and began to turn into the Civic Centre to meet with De Goede, a taxi had moved into the oncoming lane, and she had to break to avoid colliding with the vehicle.
Ward 97 councillor and executive committee member André Beetge said, “We receive daily expressed concerns from people about the disregard for traffic legislation while construction continues on the N2. This does not only extend to taxi operators, albeit they appear a common problem, but indeed includes road users across the user spectrum, whether late for work, school or merely impatient. These complaints are certainly shared with Metro Police.”
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