Lebanon's Traffic Problem

“300 horses, one jack ass!”

Thus goes the new public service advert designed to spotlight the dangerous road behavior of the Lebanese. The 300 horses of course refer to the horse power of the Lebanese road racer’s chariot. The jack ass is the smug bastard who sits behind the wheel. The image is as simple as it is compelling, a perfect description of a tragic reality.

It’s a tragedy that unfolds each day as the Lebanese crowd the roads on their way to work, mostly one to a car, churning out a dizzying, heady mix of toxic gases, not realizing they are slowly killing themselves. But the Lebanese are more concerned with the immediate and sudden causes of death, like that one and a half ton chunk of metal hurtling towards them, wondering if it will swerve or stop in time or not.

Where does the Lebanese road culture come from? The answer is, according to some self appointed philosophers, “it’s always been like this.” What they really mean is they never remember anything better. True Lebanese roads were a bit on the chaotic side even before the war, but there was a basic respect of road rules which today is missing. Over 30 years have passed, roads are wider now, cars are faster and more numerous, chaos is simply not an option.

But where is this dangerous road behavior learned? The war-time generation has matured in Lebanon, they are now disillusioned, cynical 40-something ass holes who have a stubborn belief that Lebanon cannot and will not change. Many are also fathers who pass on their extensive road racer wisdom to their children.

Well, it’s clear they will not change anything; but what about the young?

Many of the promising youth of this country sadly got their driving permits hand delivered and gift wrapped for their 18th birthday, a present from their 40-something dad. Of course, they are less experienced on the road than dad, they are more impetuous, they feel invincible, as many their age do, and exercise poor judgment. It follows then that more of them are likely to die on the roads, leaving their fathers to mourn their loss and wonder what went wrong. So it’s clear that the cycle will continue to repeat itself.

As long as people believe ‘it wont happen to me’ and ‘accidents happen only to careless people’ (what about hapless victims?), or my personal favorite ‘but I drive a 4x4, it’s so strong’, as long as people march on under these false assumptions, nothing will change. People will continue to die, even those who think they are bullet proof or those who think they do not need a helmet, after all their head is a match for the hard asphalt, right?

I have to confess I visited a website recently dubbed life sucks. It was a low moment for me and reading how unfair life has been to someone else made me feel a lot better. The website had an interesting section titled: “People are Stupid” or something to that effect. Its true, people are stupid, although individuals on their own are rather smart, especially those who employ their mental faculties fully when making a decision. But when acting in a group, people suspend their intelligence and seem to put the group dynamic in the drivers’ seat. That is when decisions begin to follow the pattern of the herd.

If you look at the rows of cars inching their way towards an intersection, they do kind of remind you of grunting beasts approaching a watering hole, jostling their way through to get a sip.

People in Lebanon like to blame everyone else for a problem but themselves. The truth is we are all responsible for perpetuating this chaotic state of affairs on or roads, we all join in, partake in the chaos, to get ahead by one or two car lengths, and we justify our behavior by saying “everyone does it, if I don’t I will never get through.” Of course waiting for your path to be clear to cross or enter a busy highway can at times seem an interminable wait, but a few minutes late is better than just late, as in dead.

People act as if there is no law that would protect them, maybe this is an artifact of war-time thinking, may be it is still true, but regardless, violating someone else’s rights on the road does not redress the injustice done to you. So follow the traffic laws, give way when you can, be courteous, but above all be safe. Do not insist on your right of way, stubbornness could result in a crash. Even a small crash would be an unwanted delay. So breath, relax, do not take other drivers’ actions personally, they do not know any better.

In short people, these are our roads, not the government’s, we are responsible for them, for keeping them safe. Drive safe.