GEORGE NEWS - While most roads in George are considered relatively safe compared with the rest of the country, that perception starts to unravel once you hit Knysna Road during morning traffic.
Following an accident between a minibus taxi and another vehicle at the Knysna Road/4th Street traffic lights near Hope Church about a week ago, complaints about reckless taxi behaviour have poured into George Herald's newsroom.
Several motorists say some taxi drivers act as if they own the road, stopping wherever and whenever they please.
"I put my life in danger every morning, driving to work. We need more traffic officials on patrol," says a motorist who asked to remain anonymous.
"The afternoons are better, but the mornings are chaotic. You never know when a taxi's going to hit the hazards and stop in the middle of the road, or suddenly pull into your lane."
As someone who navigates the same stretch every morning, this journalist can attest that it's more than just a nuisance. She has had more than a few close calls involving taxis. It leaves one wondering, since when did this become the George way?
A lot of taxi drivers, though not all of them, indeed stop when they want and where they want, with little regard for the rules or the other motorists, and you have to slam the brakes and hope it's not your turn for a pile-up.
Limited staff a problem
George Municipality acknowledged the ongoing concerns, not only on Knysna Road, but at other traffic hotspots across town. However, the traffic department cites limited staff capacity as a barrier to consistent enforcement, especially during peak hours.
"While our traffic department works daily to enforce road rules across various key locations, our staff capacity means we can't be everywhere simultaneously.
"That said, we are continuously issuing fines for contraventions, including to taxi drivers, and we do conduct regular, targeted operations and roadblocks in problematic areas like Knysna Road, especially during peak hours, when resources allow," says municipal traffic chief Janine Wells.
She says in line with the Road Traffic Act, taxis are primarily required to pick up and drop off passengers at designated taxi ranks and official bus stops.
"While it's true that practical operations sometimes see taxis stopping at other points, this is only permissible if it doesn't obstruct traffic, create a dangerous situation, or violate any specific road traffic regulations or local ordinances, all of which are in place to ensure public safety and smooth traffic flow."
Readers are asked to report traffic violations by contacting the Traffic Law Administration and Driving Licensing Office on 044 878 2400 during office hours, or for after-hours and weekend incidents, call 044 801 6300.
An everyday occurrence - a taxi driver pulls over and stops in the left turn lane near CTM in Knysna Road to pick up and offload passengers.‘We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news’
