Traffic lights

I think non-functioning traffic lights are one of my real pet peeves about life in Accra. I know they run on electricity, and seem to be particular prone to short out or whatever anytime the electricity goes off, but I am continuously amazed at the cost in terms of property, and possibly lives by their not working.

I know some trotro and taxi drivers believe that traffic lights hold up traffic, but at major intersections, or when there is a lot of traffic trying to turn, I continue to think that they do have a positive contribution. How many times have I seen an accident which is often because someone misjudges a turning which would have been much clearer had the lights been working.

I know what it is like. It is really, really tempting to see if one can go quicker than someone else. But the consequences are not always pleasant! And let's face it you don't really save that much time when the lights are not working.

And what about all the police who have to be on traffic duty - or the National Youth Employment people (who used to be called Kufuor police)? Couldn't they be better occupied? Or maybe the feeling is that labour is cheap and if it is not there, the fittest will survive?

Fuel situation back to normal?

I should have written about getting fuel. In the end it wasn't that painful, even though I had armed myself with newspapers and two books - just in case I had to spend a really long time in a queue. Amazing what the distribution of 200 tankers can do to bring chaos back to the usual "situation normal". I wonder whether the impending arrival of Obama had anything to do with the rapid reaction?

Maybe I shouldn't be counting my chickens though, and should get my act together and make sure that I have a full tank for the next week or so of driving.

Will I get to work tomorrow?

I am not sure I will get to work tomorrow because of the fuel shortage. Yesterday there were queues (in some cases), agglomeration of vehicles (mostly) in the few stations that had fuel. Today there are the same, all in anticipation of getting fuel.

I filled my tank last Friday, and as usual I need to fill up... mainly because I put on a few more kilometres this week than usual.

Grrr... it just makes me so mad

NB photo is credited from the Myjoyonline website

Long queues in petrol stations - AGAIN!

It irritates me no end when I see long queues in petrol/gas stations - and know that these are almost always artificially created. Have we not got over this panic buying in anticipation of fuel price increases? Well, I guess we haven't...

But don't those responsible for setting the prices - the National Petroleum Authority (or whatever it is called now - I seem to lose track of all the incarnations) - know that in this environment you cannot let speculation take hold, or the rumour factories will immediate start operating, and then we the motorists and the users of any form of transport are once again "up the creek, without a paddle" or more appropriate with no fuel in our vehicles.

And will those who set policy and prices suffer, or spend time in queues? Not on your life. Those are the very people who have drivers who will go through the back door to make sure that "their" vehicles have fuel. After all, that is part of their job. Or rather it was in the bad old 1970s and 1980s.

Is it so difficult to monitor the world price of fuel on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, and just act accordingly? Or is it such a political risk?