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Speed breakers
SPEED BREAKERS are a bane to Maduraiites. Too many speed breakers that too not erected as per the approved specification, clearly indicates that pedestrians will have jay walking at vantage points and only motorists have to put up with this menace. Whenever VVIPs visit Madurai, these are promptly removed. This ironically confirms that authorities are aware of the hardships experienced by the motorists.
Speed breakers are mainly meant for speeding lorries and buses; unfortunately they are so sturdy to withstand the jolt and they never bother to reduce the speed and hence it does not serve the purpose. Ultimately two wheeler riders will have disc prolapse in the long run.
Barnes Dhanaswami,
1, South Street,
Singarayar Colony,
Madurai-2.
SPEED BREAKERS in different localities reveal that there is no standard set for their size and elevation at the centre nor is there any common regulation in putting up more than one without adequate gaps in between them to avoid jerks. Neither are zebra white lines marked on them nor any street lights focussed on them to make them visible during day and night. The purpose of speed breakers is really not served. Also, speed breakers are provided where they are not really required. For example, those on the sides of the residence of the commissioner of the Corporation in Tamukkam where there is no high density of vehicular traffic nor schools are located except for Rajaji Children Park.
M.Ratnasabapathi,
29, Maruthapandiyar Street,
K.K.Nagar, Madurai-20.
SPEED BREAKERS are set to control speeding vehicles at busy junction and protect innocent pedestrian and school children in vulnerable areas. Unfortunately they hardly serve the purpose as two wheelers always try to by-pass them in some way, commercial heavy vehicles rarely bother about them and only a few self-driven four wheelers show some respect for them. These speed breakers also have no standard and are not marked visibly in many places. As a result instead of helping smooth flow of traffic it causes accidents, sometime deaths as in the case of speed breakers in front of Madurai District Fire Station. Due to the reckless driving of commercial vehicles over them old people sitting in the rear seats sustain fracture of the spine and some even spinal cord injury. Can any one guess why there are speed breakers in the middle of Tamukkam road, in front of Corporation Official quarters when there are two decent speed breakers near the Tamukkam arch and Union Club?
V.Mohan,
7, New Colony, Chinna Chokkikulam,
Madurai-625002.
SPEED BREAKERS are necessary to safeguard the lives of both the drivers of the vehicles as well as the pedestrians. On the highways, and on the main thoroughfares within the city, they certainly curb speeding vehicles, earning the sobriquet, `Saviour of (home) sapiens'. But it is ridiculous to see speed-breakers every ten feet in a small street. They cause accidents defeating the very purpose for which it was conceived originally. And there is the question of height. Some even rise to a height of one foot whereby the low chassis two/four wheelers have to circumvent the `obstacles'. And there are `swayambu' speed-breakers sprouting up overnight. Yes, they are the left-over mounds of gritty soil carelessly spread-over at the centre of the road by the departments of conservancy, drainage, EB, Telephone. These spell ominous danger than the real one as the drivers are unaware of these breakers in their daily route.
N.Naganathan,
3/270 Kavimani III St
Indian Bank Colony, Madurai-14.
SPEED BREAKERS put up in certain areas in Madurai city reminds me the term bone-breakers. Speed breakers are necessary near educational institutions and hospitals. But we find more speed breakers in our city. Though the rule does not permit putting a speed breaker on a highway, its requirement is felt in certain places. Many bus and lorry drivers do not care for these speed breakers, since they are not the owners of the vehicles. The height of speed breakers in certain places is too much that the present day cars with low chassis get hit on their bellies. Above all, there is no indication such as "Speed breaker ahead" to warn the drivers. At least they should be painted black and white so that they are visible in the night also.
K.Venkataraman,
A-T-2, Porkudam Apartments
Bypass Road, Madurai-10.
SPEED BREAKERS are meant to slow down traffic, minimize accidents and make travel safe and pleasant. But, judging from the `mushroom growth' of speed breakers of all sizes and shapes in Madurai, without following any rules and regulations and with no mandatory warning signals installed to caution the unwary riders and drivers of their presence ahead and with no white stripes painted on them, they have become more a source of danger than help.
Representations to the officials concerned, highlighting this problem have not evoked any positive response and so, more and more speed breakers crop up almost every day and it is no exaggeration to say that, in Madurai, hardly any road would be left without a speed breaker soon. Such speed breakers are put up according to the whims and fancies of the local residents without getting the necessary permission from the authorities concerned.
Such speed breakers could be found even in front of the Collector's office and in front of the Madurai Corporation Commissioner's residence. There are three or four speed breakers on the same road/Street within a short distance.
If the authorities could show some concern for the safety of the vehicle users and pedestrians by enforcing the rules regarding the laying of speed breakers, Madurai would become a safer place to travel.
D.Samuel Lawrence,
12, Immannuel Street,
Tilak Nagar, New Natham Road,
Tiruppalai, Madurai-625014.
NORMALLY, SPEED breakers are laid in front of the schools, Hospitals, playing areas, divertion of roads etc. But, nowadays, they are shifted from Hospitals to Bungalows. Moreover, they are not of standard width and height. It depends upon the contractor doing the road work. He doesn't bother about the two wheelers or three wheelers or the latest cars with low chassis. During VIP visits, these speedbreakers vanish.
So for whose safety are these actually meant?
The speed breakers must be painted in Black and white and also fixed with recently introduced sparkle lights.
There should be sign boards near the speed breakers and there ought to be a periodical maintenance of them.
K.Easun,
423, K.R.S. Complex, K.K.Nagar,
Madurai-625020.
SPEED BREAKERS are highly essential to regulate the speedy vehicles particularly near junctions, adjoining school areas where children are likely to intercept.
It may be inconvenient to inmates of the car or buses, when vehicles cross speed breaks of 1 inch height with a heavy jerk. Instead of providing 1inch height speed breakers, 3-4 rumbling strips crosswise with a height of 4 inch can be provided.
This will enable the driver to negotiate the vehicle without any high jerk.
Signboards should be provided before approaching any speed breakers so that new drivers in an area can be on the guard and drive slowly.
Speed breakers are self regulating mechanism paving the way for easy movement of speedy vehicles, particularly Half body lorries, without causing any accident.
S.N.Gurusamy,
23-A, Annai Nagar,
Anna Nagar,
Madurai-20.
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