SPEED demons and Sunday drivers don’t mix very well, but that’s exactly what you face virtually every time you get behind the wheel in Bahrain. Bahrain’s speed limit on highways, at 100 kilometers per hour, is set ridiculously low and I’m not saying that just because I want to drive faster. Since hardly anyone respects it anyway, the limit should be raised a little, at least to 120 km/h, to reduce the huge variance in speed among road users. And maybe 100 km/h should be the minimum speed limit on certain roads. Statistically speaking, it’s safer when everyone is driving at around the same pace. If you stay below the limit and everyone else is zooming past you from both sides, you may technically be legal, but you are putting yourself and others in a certain amount of danger.

If, however, you bring your speed closer to theirs, it’s gives both you and other drivers more time to maneuver around each other. Think about it, Mr. Magoo; someone rocketing toward you from behind at 180 km/h will have more time to avoid you if you are doing 120 or 140 than if you are put-put-putting along at 80. You will also have a better chance of spotting the vehicle approaching. I think this is preferable to a situation in which almost everybody breaks the law and anyone who tries not to is harassed by other road users. Bahrain has several long highways now and some are about to get longer with the new flyovers and underpasses being planned, so legislation should reflect this.

If there are still technical limitations, such as too few lanes maybe, the authorities fix them. Besides, speeding is so ingrained in the public psyche that no number of awareness campaigns will make a huge difference. I doubt that even a mass hypnosis campaign would bring results. How else could you explain people in beat up 1985 Datsuns driving like they’re trying out for the next F1 race? At those speeds, vehicles like these just won’t be able to stop in time to avoid a collision. Forget about control; moderately heavy winds can force these things off the road.

Now I’m going to teach you road hogs out there something you should have learned at driving school:  By law, the fast lane is for overtaking and turning left only! When you are done overtaking and you can’t see any more cars you need to pass, you leave it. What’s so difficult to understand? It’s not for creeping ahead at a snail’s pace like you own the road. It’s not even meant for people who consider themselves fast drivers because there will almost always be some suicidal maniac who will drive more aggressively than you.

If a 100km/h minimum limit is too fast, then let it be 80km/h. Of course, not everyone will conform, but at least you will have legislation in place to bring drivers’ speeds to within the same range. Right now you could theoretically be ticketed for driving at 101 km/hour but it’s perfectly legal for someone to inch forwards at 30km/h on a busy highway and that just doesn’t make sense.

tariqk1976@hotmail.com 

tkhonji@yahoo.com

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