Traffic, Congestion and School Kids
I was just thinking on my way back from work this afternoon....
During the Easter holidays wasn't it great to see empty roads for a couple of weeks?
Those over-protective parents weren't there in their four wheel-drives, hogging the streets or driving like maniacs as they escorted their little darlings for school registration.
Their parents can't be bothered to encourage their children to walk, let alone get them involved in any form of physical exercise. I mean, it's no wonder ours is a nation of teenage obesity.
But the apparent lack of vehicles on the roads was particularly pleasing, it's what traffic should be, free-flowing and safe - not dangerous and frustrating.
This is especially the case outside primary schools such as the one close to my own house. Once again I'm astonished how parents endanger the safety of their own children as well as other pupils by ignoring the school's prohibition on parking. Over the years traffic has become a nightmare around the surrounding residential vicinity in the mornings and the late afternoons as parents park freely - on the pavements, on the lawn or in the middle of the street.
It is quite a farce and has left me flabbergasted especially as it's a secondary school.
Back when I was a teenager it would have been embarrassing to have your mother drop you off outside the school gates. Your school peers wouldn't have let you live down the utter humiliation that you'd be subjected to.
Ok, I know that people are concerned about the safety of their children but, perhaps this concern is over-exaggerated. It could be argued, that child abduction, which parents fear most, could be reduced if more people were using walk-ways and pavements.
But moreover, startling as it might sound, it's a fact that more children are killed by motorists than through child abduction.
So aren't those parents taking pampering just a bit too far? They're at least partly to blame for congesting our streets, endangering the safety of our children and for encouraging unhealthy, overweight children of their own.
And if that's not enough, eager parents driving their off-springs to school lead to an increasing hazardous, polluted atmosphere. Today so many reports have indicated a relationship between pollution and asthma that the two are virtually linked.
As a parent of an asthmatic I know that pollution doesn't help him with his breathing. It really is an aggravating feature as he tends to feel worse when we're in a built up, congested area.
Essentially less traffic equals, less pollution; less congestion leads to a safer environment; and regular exercise such as walking to school creates healthier children. At the moment, many parents are making life difficult for school staff, pupils and, not to mention, the honest, hard-working commuters on their way to work.
Alas, after a couple of weeks of beautiful flow on the roads, it's business as usual - snail-pace traffic, frustration, and danger. Thank heaven's it's the weekend!
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Roshan, Did you see the following replies to your recent piece?
http://www.birminghampost.net/comment/letters-to-the-editor/2008/04/04/in-defence-of-islamic-ritual-slaughter-65233-20720184/
Yes, thank you. Interesting responses... though obviously I don' agree. I particularly take exceptions to your assertion that I hate Islam - I don't. Or at least, no more than I hate all religions. I write on all sorts of strange cultural anomalies. For intance, you might recall that in the same article I also attacked Hinduism - by making a provocative statement that Sita had been raped by Raman and that the practice of Suttee was abhorant - and previously I referred to Christ's cruxifiction as a ' trial of senseless suffering and sacrifice' whilst another piece illustrated the strange oddity of Christmas which I feel does nothing but combine paganism and modern commercialism and hedonism. Yet I haven't had a single Christian or Hindu accusing me of hatred towards them or their religion. But whenever I write anything remotely critical of Islam, I invariably get accused of Islamaphobia....
AnywayW, watch out for an article (which I'm currently writing)on honour and why I believe forced/arranged marriages should be criminalised! I'm sure that'll give you plenty more to criticise me about.
Roshan, Thanks for the reply. Of course you're entitled to disagree with the points raised in the letters refuting your piece, but I thought the purpose of writing these articles was to initiate a debate or dialogue with the objective of engaging with readers, learning from each other and reaching an understanding. Therefore if you disagreed with the rational and scientific explanations regarding halal and kosher methods, why don't you specify which points you cannot accept? Similarly your defence of Rushdie when the abuse of freedom of expression has done so much to damage relations on both an individual and international level, and rather than advancing us towards a peaceful civilsation, has only created a hostile global climate. Yes, extremism in religion is an ugly evil that the majority of believers of all persuasions condemn, but how is the atheists' own major onslaught on God helping to create the "compassionate society" you yourself advocate?
I am already aware of your opinion regarding religions other than Islam, and you have opted to criticise many traditions and beliefs which you regard as backward and illogical. However what about the numerous positive aspects that religion stands for, the values each faith has promoted and inculcated in the lives of billions of people? Adherence to truth, respect for parents, importance of charity, etc. have all come from religion.
I look forward to your forthcoming piece on forced/arranged marriages, but again you seem to suggest this is something rooted in religion (Islam?) rather than certain cultures that have no connection with the teachings of any scripture or sayings of a Prophet... wouldn't you agree?
Roshan, I find the term 'arranged marriage' such a misnomer. Aren't all marriages 'arranged'?
The correct term, i'm sure you'll agree, is 'forced' marriage. Something not advocated by religion, but found in certain cultures. I hope you remember to make this distinction when you write your article!
As a Muslim, I am certainly against 'forced' marriages. They go against the basic tenets of Islam, as well as other faiths.
Thank you gentlemen. I take your points. My stance against musch of what we migh term, Asian culture, is deliberate because I think that, generally, it oppresses through its religious/superstitious ideas, caste system, rejection of homesexuality, gays, hypocritical attitudes about heterosexual relationships, sex outside marriage, single parents, inter-racial, inter-religious marriages, its over-riding sense of racism, etc, etc... For some Asian youngsters especially girls -and, as documented by some BBC programmes and Asian women's shelter groups - there isn't much of a diference between these two, seemingly, separate entities. In fact there are some people - Muslims and non-Muslims - who disagree with the idea of arranged marriages because the dividing line is so faint. Much of what happens in arranged marriages happens for the sake of the parents not the couple. It's all to do with honour - another concept whch I think is highy dubious. Honour in the community gets in the way of real love and compassion for their children to the point where the parents would rather get rid of their own off-srings than to allow them the blessings and freedom to choose and live freely. That is close to tragic.
Roshan, Thanks for the exclusive peek into your next piece. I don't think many Muslims would disagree with some of your observations, and I appreciate the feeling that certain religious positions (e.g. on homosexuality) do conflict with particular (though not exclusively modern) ways of thinking today. And as you will agree, just because some peoples' preferred lifestyles and inclinations may be classified as 'modern', doesn't make them acceptable either (e.g. paedophilia seems to be on the rise, however this does not justify it as a trend). What is equally important is keeping in view the distinction between a simple condemnation of certain acts in many faiths (sex before marriage, gay relationships, etc) and the militant and aggressive behaviour of some families towards those guilty of such acts. Yes, religion condemns the above as immoral, but doesn't discriminate against them. There is much that is taught and stated in the Qur'an and indeed other holy books that are quite at odds with the ways they have been interpreted and implemented in certain societies and nations - the most guilty in this case being so-called shari'ah states. As an example, there is no punishment in Islam for either blasphemy or apostacy, but they are punishable by death in many Arab countries. Following the Rushdie controversy my own father wrote a book examining this issue in great depth - I would be delighted to send you a free signed copy with our compliments.
In terms of marriages, Islam is full of instances throughout history of inter-racial and indeed inter-religious unions - since the Qur'an and Prophet emphatically denounced racism, and also recognised Jews and Christians among the People of the Book with whom Muslims could enter into wedlock. It is important these points are not forgotten even though it is quite common for Pakistanis, Bengladeshis, etc, to marry 'within' their respective nationalities simply because it is a cultural convenience. This reflects not on the religion, but the people who happen to claim to follow it. Do let me know if you wish to receive my father's book - if so I presume I should send it to the Post address?
Roshan, please don't mention Chelsea Tractors in the same breath as matters to do with safety. It is well documented that they may be safer for the occupants, but endanger the lives of other road users, particularly children.
And have you noticed how people invariably drive to the tune of the vehicles they are driving? Sporty car drivers have to beat other road uses, Golf drivers drive like maniacs (due perhaps to the types that Golfs appeal to, young, flash, statement-making individuals?), and then we come to 4x4 drivers. Research has shown that drivers who feel that they are ‘safe’ and command the road (4x4 owners usually claim to drive them for safety reasons) tend to drive recklessly with little regard for other ‘lesser’ mortals on the road because they feel safe. What does this tell you about 4x4 owners?
Chris (Keep 4 Wheel Drive Vehicles out of Built-Up Area Society)
Look forward to hearing your interpretation of the (so called) honour killing / arranged and forced marriage issues. Whether it be religion or culture which dictate, what kind of parents would willingly cause their children such destructive grief? Wicked I call it.
My point exactly, Dorothy! Wicked beyond comprehension. Until we all recognise the stupidity of this, I will carry on criticising Asian communities - and their religious factions - which provide justifications for such filial criminality.
Don't worry - I'm not Jeremy Clarkson! I'll stay clear of Chelsea tractors...
Traffic is 20% lower during school holidays not just because some kids are not being driven to school but a lot of parents take time off to be at home during the holidays. The same reduction in traffic could be achieved if every driver left the car at home one day a week and used public transport / car shared / cycled etc.
I have 2 children with asthma. When I asked our GP what we could do his response was "move out of Birmingham".
It's exactly what my GP said when my son was an infant - get out of the city! But it's almost impossible, isn't it, because of work etc.