Synchronization of Traffic Signals is more important than acquisition of Speed Guns

It seems Navi Mumbai cops are perturbed due to vehicles speeding (beyond permissible limits of 60KMPH) on Palm Beach Road.


There are five traffic signals installed (between Belapur and Vashi) on the Palm Beach Road. Another couple of traffic signals may be required to be installed in near future. No big deal, one has to deal with traffic signals.

The problem is that the signals do not appear to be synchronized. All these five signals need to be synchronized. Once these signals are synchronized, the fact that they work in synch needs to be forcefully advertised so that all the motorists using the Palm Beach road are made aware of it. Moreover, the information regarding the required road speed to ensure a clear passage through all the five signals will also be needed to be effectively disseminated so that all the drivers are made fully aware of the futility of unnecessary speeding.

Believe me; once the above mentioned suggestions are effected, almost immediately, reduction of cases of speeding as well as accidents (on Palm Beach Highway) will become evident.

Post script:

Will anyone enlighten me - whether the Town Planners had factored the development of plots adjacent to Palm Beach road while planning the Palm Beach Road as a high speed corridor?

In foreseeable future, when all the projects adjacent to Palm Beach Road are complete and occupied, there will be only one way to ensure that Palm Beach Road remains a high speed corridor and doesn’t get transformed into a crowded (and polluted) gully – provision of a service road running along the Palm Beach road from Moraj Residency to Sector 48.

Forget about the maximum speed limit, what is required is minimum speed limit.

Happened to read an article regarding vehicles speeding (over the permissible limits) on roads. The main thrust of the article was toward enhancement of fine / penalty to be levied on violators. The logic being that it may improve compliance (of speed limits) and act as an effective deterrent (against speeding).

Very true indeed; I fully agree with this line of thinking as far as compliance and deterrence are concerned, but the article betrays a complete lack of understanding of the basic issue, i.e, the logic behind limiting traffic speeds; and this is what got my goat.

Traffic speed needs to be limited and it must be limited not only on the higher side but also on the lower side. The basic reason for placing a maximum speed limit is for the sake of safety related issues and the basic need for placing a minimum speed limit is to ensure that the traffic flow remains smooth and also to maintain the vehicle carrying capacity of a particular road.

The problem with our countrymen in general and policymakers and law enforcement agencies in particular is that they do not seem to believe in the dictum of application of mind. Their actions (and lack of action) appear to make it fully evident that they are blissfully ignorant about the fact that in this world everything is in a state of flux. To ensure that the policy remains in consonance with the ever-changing situation, the policy has to perforce keep evolving.

Coming back to the point – I, for one do not believe that there is even an iota of logic behind the maximum speed of 40 KMPH for heavy vehicles and 50 or 60 KMPH for other vehicles that is mandated by the existing laws. These speed limits were put in place in the bygone era when the vehicle technology was severely limited, atleast as far as mass produced vehicles were concerned. People who have been driving for more than thirty years will be able to remember the handling limits and quirks of cars like Ambassador and will also be able to appreciate the difference between cars like those and the current generation cars. Similar is the case when one compares an old generation truck and the latest ones. The whole gamut of technologies has evolved – tyres are much better, braking is surer, suspension technology has improved resulting in much better road holding and vehicle handling; engines have become much more powerful as well as efficient and the shape of the automobile has evolved to such an extent that coefficient of drag has reduced by a significant quantum. All these developments have eroded the logic behind the speed limits of 40 – 60 KMPH.

In fact, the technological advancements have been so profound that they have rendered the existing speed limits as nothing but a big joke. There can be no doubt that the maximum speed limits as they exist in the statute are nothing but anachronism. These limits need to be revised and experts in the field of traffic management / road safety / automobile associations must be consulted before arriving at any decision.

Another pertinent point is traffic congestion related woes. In this context, it is imperative that a minimum speed limit regime is brought forth. What this will do is that it will reduce the road occupancy time per vehicle unit and will in turn ensure the maintenance of road capacity. It is simple, the higher the speed of traffic the greater the roads’ traffic carrying capacity. And it is nothing new or path-breaking, it has been in vogue for decades in the developed world.

Post script (in lighter vein)-

In case legal maximum speed are not raised, hundred percent compliance can definitely be ensured by making it mandatory for all the vehicles running on Indian roads to be fitted with a “speed governor” so that the maximum speed of vehicles is limited to 60KMPH. In this era of Electronic Controls, it will just require tweaking of the ECU programmes. Well bullock carts may not need the “speed governor” and plying bullock carts will reduce dependence on Crude Imports and will save valuable foreign exchange. Indian Oil, ONGC, RIL may get engaged in developing better and cheaper feeds for bullocks. Once bullock cart traffic takes primacy, there will be a case for reducing the maximum permissible speed to – say- 5 KMPH so that no one puts undue physical strain on bullocks by making them go faster and no one foolish enough to drive an automobile hits a bullock cart. Way to go!!!!