What the government could do to try and help the road situation; 1 problem at a time sorted, slowly everything done.
Having read Maxim Behar’s comments about Bulgaria being a European country, I agree with all he says. But many think changes inBulgariawill only come when the young grow up and take over. I disagree, us older ones can also do our part and help make the changes start happening. Some say the government can not do anything, only time will make the changes. I feel the government can do a lot to makeBulgariaa European country. Ok, it will take much time to shake off the communist way of life, no one will dispute that. Democracy will not come over night, nor will making a country a better place. Everything takes time.
But for an army to win any war, it needs the officers at the top to make sure everyone below does the same things and keep a straight battle line. No Officer worth his weight will allow captains to decide on what happens and when, that way the enemy can dive in between different captains and their ideals. The army will loose their war, Stand together and win, dived fail.
Same with a government, lead from the top, not from the mayors in the towns. Some will, some won’t, nothing gets done. All work to the same rules and everything gets done almost the same, at the same time, well nearly.
For the Accident problem to be sorted, it can be halved by orders from central government to municipalities. If all blind bends are cleared of undergrowth on both sides of the roads, on coming traffic can see what is coming in the other direction. If roads are cleared of undergrowth on both sides for 2 metres in from road side edge, there is room to go if an accident is imminent. This is a normal practice through out Europe and in theUK.
If the government has a “national road agency” to sort road problems out, instead of leaving the problems to municipalities who can’t be bothered to sort the problems.Bulgaria’s road infrastructure will get better much quicker.
Municipalities should just handle the side roads and village roads, the main interconnecting roads should be maintained by the national road agency, 1 boss and controlled actions. Cut out the contract work that needs to be done twice to get the work completed.
Some one at the top, like a minister and assistants can then make decrees on work to be done, like clearing all the brush and woodland close to edges of roads, giving more seeing distance to drivers. This could half the accident rate, because it will give on coming drivers the chance to see what is coming towards them.
Simple answer to cut the rate of death on the roads inBulgaria. Being able to drive at the side of a road instead of 1 metre out, by cutting down the dangerous tree braches that stick out will also help. Clear the sides of all roads from obstructions will certainly make driving and accidents easier and less of a problem.
Next central government should control driving test examiners, not leave it to locals to do. It needs the same controls and orders for every one passing drivers competent to drive. At the moment, it is easy to pay a tester some cash to get a pass, even if the driver is no good. He then goes to Kat and gets a driving licence, even if he can’t drive properly. Anyone with half a brain can see most Bulgarian drivers have no idea what they should do and what they shouldn’t do. If it was only a few, you could blame the individual drivers, but as so many are doing the same things wrong, it has to be the training and testing that is at fault.
Government can order a driver to be banned from driving for so many years, if the driver is caught driving dangerously, just by changing driving laws. This is how the rest of the EU countries get rid of dangerous drivers. Then make them do a re test, with a police driver trained tester.
The driving test manual is the same almost, as the rest of Europe, so why are drivers inBulgariaso bad????? Answer no one knows how to drive safely, because they don’t read the manual and get tested on their knowledge.
Why do so many Bulgarian drivers drive in the middle of the road, for no reason and when coming around a blind bend with no other cars in sight??? I have no answers to this as I find it unbelievable when I see it, but I guess someone will know the answers.
So many Bulgarian drivers just don’t know how to drive safely or what safe driving is, just look at them in the videos. They have as little clues on how to drive properly.
Many government drivers are just as bad as well, we see them all the time, where we live, doing the Varna run from Sofia, and back again the other way, with their blue and red lights on. Lead by example and get it right, do as I say and not as I do and get it wrong. 1 rule for all drivers, who ever they are.
My son is a police trained driver in theUKand drives rapid response police cars, he has to take a test for every different vehicle he drives, not one driving test for every vehicle.
I will happily show by example how a good driver should drive and how to drive safely, not how it is done here. All you hear is drivers losing control of the car they are driving. How in gods name can they, if they are a qualified driver. I can drive fast and still stay in control of the car, easy. I am very proud of my driving ability, and my safe driving, but I want to stay alive to do it.
My reason why I am writing all this, simple, I didn’t come to Bulgaria to die on a Bulgarian road, I came here for a better life and an easy retirement. But if I have to prove everything I say, I’ll do it, just to know I can live out the rest of my life safely.
I’ll happily show anyone how to drive safely and how not to drive, if you want to live a long life. I’ll drive in any country, quite happily, but inBulgaria, I am too scared of dieing early.
I drove in SamaraRussia, was crazy, but not like in BG. I drive throughRomaniaoften, yes it is crazy there as well, but still not like it has got here. Some one at the top must start to make things happen, before there is no one inBulgariato drive, or live.
If someone at the top needs advice on how and what to do, I’ll give it, no problem. Just please stop this crazy driving, before it kills me, my partner and our daughter. I know I’m nearly 65, but I’m not old enough to die yet, I want at least another 20 years or so to grow old gracefully.
Just to remind you the reader of this, my partner and I have nearly died 3 times in 2 accidents, less than 10 minutes from our home, after doing local shopping trips.
Best wishes to all reading this,
Tony Rees
Kesarevo village.
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- Road Test Tuesday: Test your driving know-how (timesunion.com)