Accompanied by family members this evening, I went to Creve Coeur to have a look at the works currently being done for the Verdun-Terre Rouge motorway project. The ride in the 4×4 was so fun along the rocky roads and the view was simply unique. Once up there, you might remain speechless in front of the huge works being done. Enormous machines, trees cut down, part of the mountain sliced, natural water drains blocked or deviated from their normal flow path.

Some of the pictures I shot there, including the splendid view of the mountains.

It was nearly a safari-like experience, especially when you are in the 4×4′s back. Peaceful place, once the machines have their engines switched off. During working hours, it is advisable to stay away because of the noise, dust and danger of the heavy vehicles.

Before it is too late, try to go there (in a suitable vehicle) because the next time you will go through that area, it will only be road signs, tarmac and pollution.

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Try this if you haven’t till now :

Day 1 : Drive to your destination while respecting each and every speed limit.

Day 2 : Drive to the same destination, but now push the accelerator pedal harder, driving much above the authorised speed limit

I don’t know if you will agree with me, but in most cases, you will probably reach your destination only 5-15mins earlier as compared to driving within the speed limits. Different reasons can explain why the time difference is not a such big deal.

While the motorway network to and fro the central part and the southern part of the island will allow you to have a larger time difference, same cannot be said for the northern motorways.

Our road infrastructure has worsen even more ever since the installation of an exaggerated number of speed humps and roundabouts at very close distances. Very often, speed humps are found in areas where it does not really make any sense or contribute to the safety in that region. I have also noticed speed humps being installed a few days following an accident on that same spot. I have a doubt about their efficiency, especially if speeding was not really the cause of the accident.

Did you know that according to an article of l’express (February 2010), Mauritius detained the world record with over 3500 speed humps?

On top of that, we have the increasing number of vehicles (currently over 300,000 vehicles) on our roads, contributing to the growing traffic jams in several regions. Authorities have failed to understand why people prefer to travel by their own cars instead of using public transport systems. Instead of improving the bus service (mostly known to be very bad), they are still pondering over the possibility to introduce metro leger, the dedicated bus lanes and whether entrance to Port Louis should be paying or not.

Respect your speed limit and drive carefully, reach your destination safely. However, a small push of your adrenalin level from time to time won’t be deadly if you drive carefully and be responsible while you are handling your vehicle  ;)

What do you think? Do you really reach your destination quicker?

Btw, did you notice the new “Recommend” button found some pixels below this text? Please click it to share this blog post among your Facebook friends. Thanks a lot in advance!

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Ah, si seulement la circulation pouvait être aussi fluide tous les jours…

Ça donne à réfléchir… L’utilisation de notre réseau routier existant peut être exploitée convenablement. Et si les heures de classes étaient ajustées afin de réduire le nombre de véhicules sur nos routes?

Certes, le nombre réduit de bus n’est pas le seul facteur qui est responsable de cette fluidité sur nos routes. Il y a aussi beaucoup de parents qui sont en vacances ou même certains qui quittent la maison plus tard que d’habitude afin de s’occuper de leurs enfants. Peut être certains laissent aussi leur voiture au garage? Et faut pas oublier, certains fêtent encore la Pâques Joyeuse fête à eux!

Alors, vous en pensez quoi sur ce sujet?

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Trimming the grass, somewhere around Terre Rouge

Did you ever notice those men busy working along the motorway? Yes, the same ones who are paid to trim the grass or even pick up bottles or empty snack packets which some of you throw while driving.

Well, I have been coming across them since a few months now, nearly on a daily basis. Equipped with their string trimmers (aka “l’appareil taille gazon“), they usually work in groups and move along together when they have finished trimming the grass in that area. They also wear appropriate clothing to protect themselves from the stones or other objects flying around while they are working. But there is a big lack of equipment which informs road users about works in progress.

However, I have been wondering what would happen if one of those objects fly towards a vehicle. At such a high speed, a window or even the car’s windscreen can easily blow into pieces, putting everyone in danger : the driver and the passengers. The driver can easily lose control of his vehicle, which can hit the guy and any other vehicles passing by.

Fortunately, there haven’t been such incidents (and accidents) till now and let’s hope that they are provided with the proper equipment to inform drivers to slow down in those areas.

And can you imagine the danger they are exposed to? Unfortunately, they do not really have a choice.

Bon weekend to everyone!

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A partir de demain, le 22 Septembre 2009, les camions seront désormais interdits de circuler sur la nationale de 630 à 930hrs heures.
Cela ne fait pas que des heureux car les camionneurs et certains compagnies condamnent cette décision : cela les apportent beaucoup d’inconvénients.
Mais la question que beaucoup se posent : Est-ce que tous les camionneurs méritent cette interdiction?
Après tout, les accidents ne sont pas forcement causés que par les camions.
Cependant, je partage la même opinion que les autorités et beaucoup d’entre vous.

Pourquoi?

1. Il suffit de compter le nombre de camions qui respectent la limitation de vitesse de 40Km/h ou comme autorisée par la loi.
2. Les usagers de la route vous le confirmeront certes, ces camions sont aussi la cause de la plupart des embouteillages quant ils tombent en panne au milieu de l’autoroute, surtout pendant les heures de pointe.

A noter que l’interdiction de circuler pour les camions n’est pas nouvelle. Auparavant, il existait déjà  une interdiction/communique similaire mais je ne sais pas exactement pourquoi elle avait été appliqué et par la suite enlevée.

Et qu’en pensez-vous?

ps : bien sur, le marchand de glaces n’est pas si dangereux

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