With the opening of schools in the first week of September the nature of traffic on Bahrain roads – like everywhere else in the Gulf – is going to change. People will have returned home from their family holidays and vacations in Europe, India, Pakistan and elsewhere. So it will be time for those who had stayed back to spend the summer in Bahrain and fall into the habit of taking it easy on the comparatively ‘empty’ roads to change their routine.
To begin with, speeds will have to be controlled by both the office-goers and those on way to drop their children at school. The next thing to remember is that those carrying children in the car will have to ensure the children are only made to sit in the back. Young ones must not be allowed to sit in the front seat. Also, do not forget the child-lock!
l Do not park your car, wrongly, blocking another car’s free movement, or on the roadside hindering the traffic flow in your hurry to drop off or pick up your children.
l Double-parking or parking in such a manner as to occupy slots meant for two cars is bad manners whatever your urgency. The person affected by your actions might be in an even more urgent need to drive away.
l Do not blow your car horn to draw attention of your children looking for your car on coming out of their school. If all parents did that, there will be so much noise pollution. Noise is also a big irritant and a distraction for other drivers.
It’s time to spruce up for a smooth transition into a regular routine.