Left hand drive or Right hand drive ?

Editor, A two hour walkabout town will show that many of the cars on our roads are actually right hand drives, meaning that they are meant to left hand side drives on the roads.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Editor,

A two hour walkabout town will show that many of the cars on our roads are actually right hand drives, meaning that they are meant to left hand side drives on the roads.

And that would vindicate the MINIFRA survey that showed 52 per cent of Rwandans (drivers I presume?) prefer right hand vehicles instead of left hand ones.

Inferring therefore that it will cost much in investment to change from the current system to another is not very true. That it would cause accidents on the road is equally preposterous. 

If East Africans from neighboring countries come to our country and don’t cause accidents, why should Rwandan’s see an increase in accident rates simply because of a switch from one side of the road to another?

That’s like saying that the mind is dead and therefore cannot adapt to a change in norms.  We all know how quickly this ‘super computer’ in our heads is able to make computations and adapt accordingly.

Suffice to point out, as members of the East African Community (EAC), in which all except Burundi have a left hand side drive policy, it would be prudent for Rwanda to adapt to the prevailing norm.

I am sure that it will only be a matter of months before Burundi also opts for the same change. Rwanda should not be seen to be hanging about waiting, but lead the way.

Kaburu Wetangula
Kigali, Rwanda

Josh963@hotmail.com