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00:57Beyond the tape, we'll be back after these messages.
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03:14Because of the wet ball and because of how...
03:16Because of the wet ball and because of how...
03:27Good evening Trinidad and Tobago and welcome to Beyond the Tape.
03:30My name is Whitney Husbands.
03:31Now I hope that all the school jitters are out of the way because today was officially
03:36the day where school opened for many of our brilliant minds throughout Trinidad and Tobago
03:42from the preschool level, primary, secondary and some of them even entering tertiary level.
03:47Now, I know many parents are saying, listen, this is the first day down.
03:52We have some more weeks to go.
03:55It is not days.
03:56Weeks to go because the routine needs to kick back in to make sure that everything is okay
04:01with our children.
04:02That being said, we have to discuss the traffic woes that we see every single day, especially
04:07when school reopens and what has transpired since school opening and what we have to do
04:13to make sure that we are safe on the nation's roads.
04:16And with that, we have none other than the gentleman who is always...
04:20I'm saying he's the ambassador many times.
04:22You're like the mayor of the road.
04:24I mean, you have many names.
04:25I've been called plenty names.
04:27No, but I'm giving you great names.
04:28I'm giving you great names.
04:29Well, I don't like these many names because when you say them...
04:32We don't want the bad names.
04:33We want the good names.
04:34And the name that was given to you, of course, Sergeant Brent Barton of Road Safety Coordinator
04:39with the TTPS.
04:40We'd like to welcome you and it's a pleasure to always have you back.
04:43Always happy to be able to share information with you guys and the public, of course.
04:48So let us talk a little bit about what is going on since you were here, where you gave
04:52us information with the road laws and tips.
04:56I know we will dive into that a little bit later.
04:58But where are we right now since school reopened today?
05:01I just want to segue straight into that issue.
05:06Those of you from San Fernando Central's environs, you'd have realized that the construction
05:13works, especially in the Chase Village and central areas on the Sir Solomon Ho Choi Highway,
05:19has not been completed as planned.
05:22We were hoping to finish it before school opened.
05:24It didn't happen.
05:27And as a result of that, it's creating a major bottleneck, especially in that area,
05:33compounded by with school reopening now and the additional volume of traffic.
05:37It requires persons to, who has that ability to get up earlier to beat that traffic, try
05:44your best to do it because it is painful.
05:47When you say earlier, like four?
05:49I'm talking about four.
05:51I know people that are coming, working into Port of Spain have to leave point fourteen,
05:55sometimes half past three.
05:56So when are they sleeping?
05:58Again, that's the balance.
05:59Even from a driver's stand, the level of fatigue and then to backlit on his cell phone going
06:04back.
06:05Yes, yes.
06:06It's a lot of pressure.
06:07It really is a lot of pressure.
06:08I want to mention that in particular because of the roadworks taking place on that said
06:13highway in particular.
06:14Now the lanes are now limited.
06:16Yeah, yeah.
06:17But where the shoulder is concerned, is that utilized now as a lane?
06:22Great question.
06:23So what you're seeing, especially this would be in the area of the Chagones overpass itself,
06:30are temporary traffic management signs, one of which says you shoulder.
06:36And that's because in that area, the extreme right lane actually now filters into what
06:43would be the left lane.
06:45So to continue road capacity, to allow two lanes to move, we're allowing the traffic
06:52to utilize that lane in that area.
06:55Once the sign goes down, then it reverts to normal only emergency vehicles, emergency
07:02then you use the shoulder.
07:03So once you don't see the sign.
07:04Once you see the sign, if you see the sign covered or if you don't see the sign at all,
07:08then it's reverted to normal traffic flow.
07:11And that's important.
07:12I'm sure the public has noticed the police are not.
07:15They're not there like before.
07:18And they're not interfering with the traffic utilizing that as part of a lane.
07:24Because we know of the choke situation occurring due to the roadworks.
07:29However, there are some people that are trying to push it a little further than beyond the
07:34construction lane.
07:35And that's where you're going to get yourself in trouble.
07:37So I really want to emphasize persons who are battling that traffic.
07:42It's really, really, I mean, you can imagine, you know, we talk about quality of life.
07:47There's some persons, they have to go home.
07:49They still have to cook food.
07:50They have to prepare the kids for the next day and then battle it out again.
07:54And where do they get the sleep?
07:55Yeah, the fatigue, you know.
07:56So we're asking people to be aware.
07:58And you'd be surprised.
07:59We've been on patrol where, you know, there's small accidents, you know, your person fell
08:03asleep, like you said, tap that car from behind.
08:06And then they have to go and report it.
08:08So it's a nightmare on top of a nightmare, you know.
08:11So try and manage it wherever you can.
08:13If you're feeling too tired, we always tell everybody stop and get some rest.
08:17If you want to stop an area where you see any patrol zones outside, you can pull onto
08:22the shoulder, you know, rest in there if you feel safer.
08:25But to continue the journey, we always say the tired driver or the sleepy driver is far
08:30more dangerous than the drunk driver.
08:33The drunk driver knows he's drunk.
08:35Might be a little bit.
08:36Might be.
08:37When a person falls asleep, it's a total loss of control of the vehicle.
08:41And so it's a very dangerous situation to be.
08:44I also want to mention with school reopening, it's also persons going to a lot of unfamiliar
08:50areas.
08:51So, for example, you may have kids who are not going to school in, let's just say, St.
08:55Augustine or Port of Spain, and you're not aware of time-restricted new entries.
09:00Oh, yes.
09:01Especially by, as you mentioned, St. Augustine.
09:04Every street, all those in the back of the car.
09:07So, please pay attention to traffic management signs that may turn roadways into one-ways
09:13and new entries.
09:15Speaking of that, I know, and that will be now heading east, because you mentioned St.
09:20Augustine, that school that's on the highway, and you see vehicles parked on the shoulder.
09:25How are you all treating with that?
09:26Is it that you are not that, for that period?
09:29It's a, for want of a better word, it's an area that we're trying to work with because
09:38of the capacity.
09:39Yes, correct.
09:40I mean, kids have to be picked up, there's no place for people to park, people are rushing
09:45in, and it's impossible for that volume of traffic to filter in.
09:49However, you know, there's some people that push it.
09:52So, instead of, you know, maybe with that allowance onto that extreme left part, then
09:56they create another lane.
09:58Yeah, you end up two lanes with one almost into the highway lane.
10:01That's dangerous.
10:02And that's where, it's dangerous and it creates a problem.
10:05And what is upsetting with us when we show up and then we try and explain to this parent
10:10and they're like, well, I have to pick up my child, and da-da-da.
10:13We understand all that.
10:14Everybody here has to pick up their child.
10:17But where you are right now, it's a major hazard to the other drivers and it's a hazard
10:22to yourself.
10:23You know, so, make the rounds if you have to, but these vehicles cannot stay here.
10:27You're into the lane of traffic.
10:29Do you think that maybe that school and other schools in particular where parents may have
10:33to park on the highways, that they have time allotted for maybe each form or that at least
10:40for parents to come and it will prevent the back up?
10:43I mean, we welcome that kind of staggered flow for pickups and so forth to just try
10:47and manage it.
10:48That would be great, even if it resides, it needs consultation, you know, with St. Joseph
10:54Police or the officers from Northern.
10:58We welcome, you know, that type of interaction to try and see what could work to reduce the
11:04risk.
11:05But again, the conversations have to happen, but in the interim, just, you know, follow
11:10some common sense.
11:11Be mindful.
11:12No, and follow some common sense at the same time, you know what I mean?
11:14We're not your enemy.
11:15They're trying to prevent you from picking up the kids, all right?
11:19Our job, injury and harm reduction, and you're creating a hazard at this point.
11:24Also, if I can, those of you who maybe have kids that may be traveling, maybe possibly
11:32with PH cars, you know, please encourage them to know the vehicles that they're getting
11:39into.
11:40Encourage them where they can, especially maybe even the teenage ones.
11:44Before you jump in, take a picture of the car.
11:47WhatsApp.
11:48Utilize technology as best as you can to track, you know, use a WhatsApp live location.
11:53So you know where they are, how far, you know, you expect them even to the pickup point.
11:58And, you know, have those conversations with the kids.
12:01Tell them what to do.
12:02You know, it's a different driver.
12:03Somebody's going off route.
12:04What to do at this point.
12:05Pay attention.
12:06Don't be on your phone.
12:07Yeah, don't be on your phone.
12:08Pay attention to what's happening around you.
12:12We encourage persons as well to have a little kind of emergency plan whereby what's a quick
12:19text.
12:20For example, if you text 999 to mom, you know, something's wrong.
12:24Something's up.
12:25Some little thing that kind of alerts everybody that has you in a distressful situation.
12:30Now that being the case, we're encouraging persons also to please utilize taxi services
12:38as much as possible.
12:40Remember, taxis, they go through a more rigorous type of background checks and so forth.
12:44So taxis, maxis, and taxis, you know, these are your legit public service vehicles, right?
12:49PH, they may form a community service, like I said.
12:53In certain communities.
12:54Yeah, but so therefore local knowledge becomes important.
12:57So have those conversations and we encourage persons to be aware.
13:00Yes.
13:01All right.
13:02At this time, let's take a look at what made the headlines over the weekend and in the
13:05last 24 hours.
13:49And we are back diving straight into today's headlines.
14:19It entered the missing man murder.
14:21Now, according to the Trinidad Express, the body of a 45-year-old Andrew Presidy was found
14:28bound and gagged near the St. Madeleine Pond, Princess Town yesterday afternoon.
14:35He was found there hours after his family issued a national plea for his safe return
14:40following the disappearance from the front of the Union Hall home.
14:44The driver's lifeless body was found tied in the vicinity of the pond, which is surrounded
14:49by abandoned land.
14:50The hunters search and rescue team, which had been searching the area, confirmed to
14:56the Sunday Express that Presidy was located after midday.
15:01Condolences to the family there.
15:04Also, Belmont seemed to have a lot of activities happening, starting first off, and this is
15:10according to the Trinidad Express, bullets outside Belmont School first day back driver
15:15critical.
15:16Hours before the Belmont RSC school was expected to open, police had to respond to a report
15:23of a shooting near the educational facility.
15:26The incident took place at about 9.30 p.m. on Sunday along the Belmont Road.
15:33Police said the 44-year-old man was driving his Mazda 6 along the roadway when, upon reaching
15:39the vicinity of the school, he observed a group of men alight from a Nissan Tida.
15:45The suspects were all armed with firearms.
15:48They opened fire on the car without warning.
15:53And staying in Belmont, we also saw caught on camera in the Belmont area.
16:00This happened on Friday.
16:09And what is strange to me is that the girls seemed more terrified than the humans were
16:19just observing, like it's a movie.
16:21Nonchalant, and it's like, this is a Tuesday evening, you know, here, you know.
16:25And, you know, prisons, I always recommend once you hear gunfire, which is suspect, you
16:31hit the ground, you know.
16:32I mean, you also, you're not too sure if the bullets will ricochet.
16:37So that's not a best practice to those members of the public.
16:40That's for sure.
16:41Do you think we have become numb to this now because of seeing it on social media, the
16:47gruesome murders?
16:48Well, I think it's in certain, and also in certain communities, you know, where there
16:52are custom hands, gunshots, all hours of the day, unfortunately.
16:56Sometimes it's almost a celebratory thing, you know, independence.
17:02Under the cover of fireworks, they also, you know, discharge firearms into the air, knowing
17:08that it's going to be somewhat disguised, you know, by the sound.
17:13So, but again, as you correctly said, it is disappointing that that has almost become
17:19a norm in some communities, you know.
17:21But again, you know, you hear even Deputy Commissioner Benjamin was on the show, you
17:27know, saying, if you see something, say something.
17:29Well, clearly someone, well, I don't know if that's safe to say now because after he
17:33was on, we got the tape here.
17:35Yeah, yeah.
17:36I mean, and he bent to the left, or to the right, whatever the television, to see what
17:43really happened and persons passed, like, yeah, he was just dropping off some items.
17:49Again, this is why we're, and it's into almost a level of, what was the word I want
17:58to use?
17:59I'm going to use your word, numb, you know, and that can be the norm.
18:05That can be the norm.
18:07And that's what we have to aim to change.
18:09It's not overnight, but we really need the public support.
18:12You all know who these people are.
18:14I mean, yes, sometimes people say, well, we can't trust the police.
18:19People will know who we're talking to.
18:22All right, but you have so much other methods to get information to us now, right?
18:28Even if you, and this 555 is strictly anonymous.
18:33Crime Stoppers is anonymous, right?
18:36Guaranteed.
18:37All right, so help us.
18:39You know, help us help you, you know, be citizens.
18:42And then the information has to come in.
18:44Yeah, we have to take a break.
18:45We'll take that break.
18:46We'll be back.
18:47It's called integrity.
18:54Remove headphones and avoid using cellular phones while crossing the road.
19:02Pay attention when you're crossing the road, man.
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19:55This girl, online here with this weirdo named Larry.
19:58I'm getting rid of him now.
20:11Let's take a selfie.
20:14It looking good boy. I'm putting it online.
20:21Hey, I thought you said you went to the beach with your parents.
20:24Who's you?
20:26It's me, Larry, from online.
20:45What the hell is happening to all this?
21:03Hey Julia, come on in.
21:04Wow, first time in a truck.
21:06Are you aware of any challenges a truck driver faces when on the road?
21:12No, not really.
21:14Well, the same as any driver, I guess.
21:17Okay Sam, can you see anyone in your mirrors?
21:19No, I can't.
21:21No, I can't see anyone.
21:23Can you see anyone in front of the truck?
21:25No, I can't see anyone.
21:27So you're feeling confident you would be all clear for driving?
21:30I would hope so, yes.
21:31Yep, good to go.
21:32Okay, let's take a walk.
21:36Oh, no way.
21:39Oh.
21:40Alyssa, can you stand up and have a look in front of the truck please?
21:43Sure.
21:45Oh, wow.
21:54So Sam, this is Alex. He was on the motor cycle next to you the whole time.
21:58That is insane.
21:59I was 100% sure that there was no one there.
22:01I would not have seen them had I not stood up.
22:03I checked my mirrors and there was no one.
22:06They were there.
22:07They were in your blind spot, but they were definitely there.
22:09There's no way I saw that.
22:11Wow.
22:12What will you take away from this experience?
22:14I'm going to be much more aware of trucks on the road as I'm walking around.
22:18I'm going to be more careful around trucks, that's for sure.
22:20I mean, this whole experience has just been a real eye-opener.
22:28And we are back, Sergeant Watson.
22:31This is a video that became reality for someone right here in Trinidad.
22:36And to begin with, we send our condolences to the family.
22:39But in this case here, this is for persons to be aware of how serious this could be.
22:46Not just as a pedestrian, but also a driver.
22:49Driver, motorcyclist, cyclist.
22:51I am shocked because some of the drives I make with a truck.
22:55Yeah, well, again.
22:57So, the whole purpose.
23:03If you go to our Rivalized website, there's a ticketable road traffic educational booklet.
23:10And it's free.
23:11You download it.
23:12And one of the segments in that booklet is being truck-aware.
23:16Identifying the blind spots around the truck.
23:19I'm always amazed that people will go on the internet to find all the wrong things.
23:24But you won't visit a website that has some life-saving tips for you.
23:28You know what I mean?
23:29I'm a best driver.
23:30You're a best driver, no problem.
23:31I hope you're a best walker.
23:33Because that seems to be the problem right now in Trinidad and Tobago.
23:35So, folks.
23:37We've had five road traffic deaths that have involved trucks.
23:43And we have never seen something like at this level where we've seen pedestrians interacting with heavy goods vehicles.
23:51Almost without wanton care for themselves or some sort of situational awareness.
24:00So much so that we're confused by if persons are distracted, whether it's mentally or on phones or something.
24:09Because the level of risk that people are taking around these large vehicles.
24:15Everybody's quick to blame the truck driver.
24:17So, we just tried to bring some perspective here with that.
24:19And Australia leads the world with some of the best road safety statistics.
24:25Big believers in education as well, of course, and state-of-the-art enforcement.
24:29A lot of the trucks come with cameras and multiple mirrors just to try and eliminate the blind spots for the truck drivers as much as possible.
24:36But you give them space.
24:38The most important thing I want you all to remember is line of sight.
24:41You should always try as a pedestrian to establish a line of sight with that person or vehicle, driver of that vehicle that you're trying to cross in front of.
24:51Because there's no way that truck driver would see below there.
24:54So, for sure, she was not in any line of sight at this point.
24:58Now, it's still an investigation.
25:00But we're being with the physical environment as it extended.
25:04So, when you look at the challenges that the truck drivers might have, we're hoping it brings a bit of situational awareness.
25:11Is it a dump truck?
25:13Is it a truck-to-trailer unit?
25:15Are they making a left turn or a right turn?
25:17How much space does that driver need to maneuver?
25:19Because sometimes these truck drivers are trying to make a left turn.
25:22Drivers try to squeeze in before the trailer, which will crush you on the side of the road.
25:27So, you have to be aware.
25:29The key premise here, even in the ad, was sharing the road.
25:32All of us have the same right to the road.
25:35The truck driver has to go and make his delivery.
25:38He has to go where he has to go to.
25:40It requires patience of everybody else around.
25:43But what they do have is a mass advantage.
25:46And that's why we tend to be a bit more serious when enforcing what we call commercial vehicle regulations.
25:53What is that?
25:54So, for example, like I said, for them to get their heavy T license, you must do medicals.
26:01You have to do further tests.
26:03In addition to that, you have to do, well, right now you have to do another set of regulations as well.
26:09And then there are some companies that require defensive driving even to go through that type of training.
26:15Because when persons get hit by trucks, it's genuinely unsurvivable for light motor vehicles, for motorcyclists, and for pedestrians.
26:24So, that's why, because you know you're on the losing side, you might want to go into any space where they're present with more care and caution.
26:33This is something that I think we should really pay attention to because it could happen to any one of us.
26:39And you're speaking, and I'm watching that video, and the drives I made with trucks, it's bringing me right back to that.
26:45And I'm thinking to myself, what if the angels were with you?
26:50Because sometimes when you hear a truck driver blowing the horn, may it be because he's assuming or she is not seeing, like they showed there, anyone is on the side of them.
27:02And by the time they go to overtake, you're already there.
27:05It's like you're popped up out of nowhere, but they won't see you.
27:08Yeah, and that's the word people come into the station and use.
27:11A man come from nowhere.
27:13Yeah.
27:14Star Trek.
27:15Yeah.
27:16Where did he come from?
27:17Let's be real now.
27:18That's impossible.
27:19So, we're asking people, we have to learn from other people's mistakes, you know.
27:25And when we are dealing with pedestrians, this is the first time in history we have close to 50% of our road traffic that's pedestrians.
27:36Never.
27:37We've seen the top of around 38%, but not this high.
27:40And it's interesting because that same weekend, then we had the pedestrian that was killed on the highway, attempting to cross the highway.
27:49And then the next day we had Tobago, you know, where the woman was struck dead as well.
27:54So, I'm appealing, you know, we're begging pedestrians.
28:00Remember, you cannot be certain that driver has seen you unless they brought that vehicle to a complete stop.
28:10That you know for sure they've somehow communicated to you that they're yielding to you on the road and allowing you to cross.
28:17Remember, the human body has no bumper to crumple.
28:20The impact for pedestrian or even a cyclist or motor is straight to muscle tissue and bone.
28:26And this is why at speeds of 100 kilometers an hour, these impacts are unsurvivable.
28:32That increase in pedestrian deaths for this year is a 94% increase.
28:39Yes, in some cases we're linking it to highways because a lot of people, like we're getting a lot of homeless deaths on highways, right?
28:46I'm being honest with you.
28:47Whenever we're trying to ID the victim, they're from some unplanned development.
28:51Nobody really too sure where the man is from.
28:54But there's also trauma to the drivers.
28:58Nobody goes in the intention to kill, you know what I mean?
29:02So, sometimes, like I said, recklessness could be inferred from a behavior.
29:07But there's only so much distance a vehicle could stop in once you run in front of them.
29:12When you add adverse conditions such as poor lighting or, God forbid, that distracted driving, it's a recipe for rain.
29:20And oil spills.
29:21God forbid.
29:22We need to take a break.
29:23We'll be back.
29:26Crossing a highway is a dangerous practice.
29:35Your life is precious.
29:38Be road safe.
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30:50They say sheep don't make goat, but not all sheep make the same way.
30:54You've made your child yes, but the two of you are not the same.
31:01Don't expect your child to think and feel the same way you do about everything.
31:06They have their own unique personality and strengths and challenges.
31:11So be open-minded and learn to understand and appreciate the differences between you all.
31:18You see, understanding them will help you be a better parent to them and help them be the best version of themselves that they can be.
31:27You are one of a kind and so is your child.
31:31At the end of the day, keep trying your best. You and your child deserve it.
31:37Share if you found this useful. Like and follow our profile for more parenting tips.
31:43The letter of the day is you for understanding.
31:59Sergeant Barton here with us. We have a call on the line. Let's head to the phone lines. Hello, good evening.
32:03Good afternoon.
32:04Good evening.
32:05Good evening.
32:08You're live. Go ahead, sir.
32:10Yes. The question I'd like to ask, what is the speed limit on a nation road for trucks, especially on the highway, rice road and those places?
32:23What is the speed limit?
32:24Because today, a truck or trailer was behind me, coming up the social, into rice road.
32:33And I swear to all God, that man that just drive out of the night, come up the beat of time, on the road, driving that thing like it's a plane he's driving, not a vehicle.
32:48You understand me? And I also see that that is going on the nation road. And I'd like to know what is the speed limit for truck on the highway?
32:59All right. Thank you, Kola.
33:00Sure. But first of all, any commercial vehicle, T vehicle, goods vehicle, once that MGW exceeds 3200 kilograms, the speed limit changes from 100 kilometers to 65 kilometers an hour.
33:17So the speed limit for the class of that vehicle that you seem to be speaking about would be 65 kilometers an hour.
33:25Don't get me wrong, sir. You have to understand when we take off all this uniform, when we're not in the police vehicles, we see some of the recklessness that you're speaking about,
33:34where those who are supposed to be using a higher level of training and responsibility and operating these large vehicles are supposed to operate it with a higher level of awareness and safety.
33:47What we see on the highways are some persons that take those, drive it almost like a car.
33:53Right.
33:54And I always say when trucks, these heavy vehicles are in collisions, they win. They always win. The driver tends to walk out of the crash. Smaller vehicles is unsurvivable.
34:04We do at some, in some exercises, we have very specific, what we call heavy goods speed enforcement exercises, where all we do is target trucks right through.
34:15When the, there's some persons, it's interesting you're saying that because there's another quarter that is trying to lobby for raising the speed limits of trucks to 80.
34:25To the what?
34:26Yeah, to raise the speed limits of trucks to 80.
34:28For what?
34:29Well, they're saying that the braking systems are more advanced compared to back in the day when it was such low speed limits.
34:35No, no, no, no.
34:36So I'm just saying it's interesting you have one hand, then you have the other hand at the same time for safety.
34:40I think that would be terrible.
34:41Okay. So I hear you and we do see it, but we have some, we have some equipment coming on, coming in country real soon that's going to help us a lot.
34:51But I'll speak about that when, when, when we get it.
34:53When we get there.
34:54When we get there.
34:55All right.
34:56You can give us a call at 623-1711, extension 1992, 1993 and 1997.
35:03Yeah.
35:04Because this is something that is serious.
35:05Apart from persons not being aware of the vision of the driver, the truck driver, and as drivers and also pedestrians, because sometimes we play both roles.
35:16Yeah.
35:17We may not be aware of the way in which we drive around trucks.
35:21And then we also see now, like what the caller said, truck drivers who likes to play Speedy Gonzalez.
35:27Yes.
35:28And is fast and furious with other trucks, which I have witnessed many times.
35:32And I just want to mention one thing.
35:35We encourage drivers, if you're seeing any, and it doesn't have to be just a truck, the trailer or truck driver, any reckless drivers on the road.
35:45You call 999, you know, 999 will contact the highway patrol units to dispatch a patrol as expeditiously as we can.
35:55But once we get the call in, if we do bother to call in and you just shake your head and say, well, we can't respond.
36:02So we encourage persons to call in to try and intercept those type of driving.
36:07We've gotten numerous calls from command center sometimes.
36:11Unfortunately, sometimes when we're looking for the vehicle, it's exited already.
36:14Yeah.
36:15That's what makes it a bit more difficult.
36:16But it's why we're hoping through more camera technology, when those calls come in, we'll be able to track.
36:24You know, and then therefore, even if the person went all the way up Mousetown Highway, but the call came in from Salt, we can still intercept later on.
36:32Let's take that call and we'll continue with the tips.
36:34Hello. Good evening.
36:35Hi, good evening.
36:37Good evening.
36:38Hi, good evening.
36:39Can I ask a question?
36:42Yes, go ahead. Say it live.
36:44Hi, good afternoon.
36:47I'm calling with a concern with regards to pedestrians and people using the road as pedestrians with all the care and with this mindset of our monks, you know.
37:00Are there any legislation that would legislate the proper usage of pedestrians on the roadway of Trinidad and Tobago?
37:09Because I'm a driver.
37:11And this afternoon, I encountered some youths around this area.
37:17They like to change for the crooks.
37:19They cross in and they cross in like, you know, they may run away with a mobile or something.
37:27And they're looking at drivers with no sort of respect for the roadway and themselves.
37:32So I'm asking, are there any legislation that would...
37:36People walking on the streets would understand that the road is not a place to play with.
37:43Because, as you said, a car driver at 100 miles an hour definitely would not stop right there for you to duck over in.
37:52So I'll listen over there.
37:54Thank you so much.
37:55Sure.
37:56So the answer is no.
37:57We don't have any jaywalking legislation as is in the United States or Canada and some of these other territories.
38:03Right.
38:04What I mean, I always remind persons, you know, for one, let's spin it around quickly, though.
38:11Right.
38:12For drivers, good.
38:15You are in a protected metal cage.
38:20I cannot control what these pedestrians are going to do.
38:24But I do know if I impact them that the injury or the severity of the injury is going to be much more serious involving them
38:33than me in my vehicle here with my seatbelt on, well protected.
38:38Yes, there are behaviors of pedestrians that leave a lot to be desired.
38:45We can't control that right now.
38:47I have been in schools with Arrival Life.
38:50They're doing an amazing job partnering into the schools, trying to change culture of the youth and respecting the use of the roads,
38:57crossing only where there's crossing lights, where there's zebra crossings, using highway infrastructure.
39:04So that culture change is definitely something that we're working on.
39:08Culture change is not overnight.
39:10Right.
39:11And the message doesn't necessarily trickle to everybody so that it becomes part of them.
39:17And if you put laws in place, it won't reach because it was the same thing with the seatbelt.
39:21Well, exactly.
39:22I always see a car, you know, it's strange that we have to legislate almost persons' life preservation.
39:28And it's something we've asked persons.
39:31Persons have been asking us to liaise, you know, with the state to bring legislation to criminalize the crossing of the highways
39:38because it's endangering drivers going on 100 kilometers.
39:41And this man run across.
39:42And they're running across 100 feet from a overpass.
39:46And you're not even averaging.
39:47Or crosswalk.
39:48You think the vehicle is far, but you don't know the speed at which the vehicle is coming.
39:51So their perception, exactly.
39:52Their ability to perceive, most of them are not drivers.
39:55You know, so they don't even understand the physics involved of the situation.
39:58So I hear your concern.
40:00So to answer, there is no legislation that we can deal with from that side.
40:05However, I think a little bit more education.
40:09I know the Ministry of Street and National and Safety Council is putting together a more comprehensive program that they plan to roll out this year.
40:17They're hoping towards the end of this year.
40:19And we will continue to.
40:21But in the meantime, I'm begging you, sir, and all drivers, once you'll see pedestrians, ask yourself this one question.
40:28Can I control what he's going to do?
40:31He or she?
40:32The answer is no.
40:33The answer is no.
40:34So just try and control your vehicle.
40:36And what does that mean?
40:37If he does step out, I can stop the vehicle.
40:40And if he's going to bounce, I'm not just going to bounce.
40:42Well, yeah.
40:43Don't take the chain off.
40:44Of course.
40:45I'll be taking a break.
40:46We'll be back.
40:49Crossing a highway is a dangerous practice.
40:54Your life is precious.
40:57Be road safe.
41:03Be road safe.
41:04Be road safe.
41:34Call.
41:35Email.
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42:08I grew up in a country.
42:10Small, little town called Bougmanatras in Santa Cruz.
42:14Very special place to grow up in.
42:17And now as an adult, I think of those children in Trinidad to be who?
42:22Who do not have a safe place.
42:25Who are maybe not even lying in their own beds.
42:29Or a bed.
42:30And there's no roof to shade them from the sun.
42:33Nor to protect them from the rain.
42:36When I started looking at Habitat for Humanity Trinidad and Tobago.
42:41They answered a call I have deep inside of me.
42:45What they were saying to me was that we can make a difference.
42:50I'd like to ask you to consider coming on board.
42:53Consider helping Habitat for Humanity in whatever way you can.
42:58Habitat for Humanity
43:00The Habitat for Humanity
43:02Trinidad and Tobago
43:06Habitat for Humanity
43:18And we're back. Sergeant Batson here with us.
43:20We have another call on the line. Let's take that call.
43:22Hello, good evening.
43:24Good evening.
43:25Good evening, sir.
43:26Good evening.
43:27Good evening.
43:28Yes.
43:29I'd like to ask a question, please.
43:33Go ahead.
43:34Good afternoon, yes.
43:35I want to find out what is the speed limit for motorbikes on the initial level?
43:44Repeat that?
43:46What's the speed limit?
43:47What is the speed limit for motorbikes on the initial level?
43:55Okay, thank you.
43:58Yeah, we do have a separation of the motorcycle speed limits.
44:01I can understand why he didn't ask that.
44:03Because the speed at which they seem to pass traffic is sometimes in excess of 200 kilometers an hour.
44:11Yeah.
44:13It's a challenge for, and I'm not batting it off, but I'm letting you all know,
44:18that when you're using manual speed enforcement, so utilizing the speed guns,
44:26one of the challenges we have sometimes is the plate size.
44:29So the law requires us to have a clear shot of that number, plate of that vehicle,
44:35for us to successfully, I don't want to prosecute you, but deliver that fixed penalty notice.
44:41With the size of the plates on these motorcycles sometimes, it's so small that when the speed printout comes out,
44:49we can't see.
44:50It's blurred.
44:51Yeah, it's blurred, and therefore it cannot be utilized.
44:55And sometimes the speed, by the time we get the camera focused, you know?
45:00So, from what you said the last time you were here, a while ago,
45:04that the bikes that the TTPS has issued is only for a certain time, that it will be used during daylight?
45:11Well, okay, so the motorcyclists, for safety purposes, tend to do what we call 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. type of patrols,
45:19daylight patrols, for their own safety.
45:22And usually that's a generally international best practice for high visibility policing,
45:28and then for the officer's safety is why they take them off afterwards.
45:32Okay.
45:33So I hear your point, Cola, and trust me, I'm aware of the challenges.
45:37Again, we're hoping what is coming, and I'm sure when the transport commissioner comes on the program,
45:43he'll tell the public more about the spot speed camera enforcement.
45:46So that will solve a lot of these issues.
45:50And please don't tell the public where these cameras are.
45:52We are saying, please don't.
45:54We have a call on the line.
45:55Hello?
45:57Hello?
45:58Good evening.
45:59Good evening.
46:00Good evening, sir.
46:01Good evening.
46:02I just want to make a point about the situation at Keurig Junction, on the main road,
46:10where there was, at one point, a low right turn sign that came down because of some accident,
46:19a boat and all that.
46:20Until then, it has not been replaced.
46:22And you continuously keep making U-turns and right turns and that kind of thing,
46:27and it was a great hazard on the junction there.
46:30Okay.
46:31In addition to that, there are times when you'll see the traffic on the left,
46:37like down the southern main road, down in the area of the bottom of the highlands,
46:44and none of them on the junction.
46:47You don't ever see one on the junction.
46:49There's at least a third of the traffic.
46:51You know?
46:52And I think we need some help on the junction,
46:54because very soon there's going to be a serious accident with people making that U-turn.
46:59Okay.
47:01Thank you, Kola.
47:02Yeah, thanks, Kola.
47:03I promise I will leave, actually, as soon as I come off the program,
47:06with the Ministerial Works Traffic Management Branch.
47:09Let's get the sign back up.
47:11Let's get the enforcement levels back up to match the risks that you have identified.
47:16So, again, great feedback, and really we'll help put that into place.
47:22Yeah, you're getting the eyes from the public.
47:23Yeah, definitely.
47:24In a way that, from what I'm told, won't be available.
47:26Or we have access to see all of it.
47:29Yeah, yeah, yeah.
47:30So they're assisting, and signs are very important.
47:33Well, I'm glad you mentioned that, because I was going to jump across that.
47:35Signs are important.
47:36But you know what's more important than that?
47:38Reading the signs, Ms. Husband, right?
47:40Well, I mean, that's one of the signs.
47:41Those of you who frequent Irapeta Avenue and that source doubles area,
47:48that's going to be a very expensive ticket for you, okay?
47:53I should say it's expensive doubles run.
47:56This is a traffic management sign that says 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.
48:01You cannot park on that eastbound lane.
48:05Please, we are begging you.
48:07It is a traffic management issue.
48:09There's some business owners that are still parking lower down, creating some bottlenecks.
48:13But those of you who are parking, and they're doing it underneath the sign.
48:17Is it that you want to make it easy?
48:19Fine.
48:20Because we take pictures of you parking underneath the sign.
48:22So if you try to contest it, it's pretty clear.
48:25So, please, don't just read the sign.
48:27Obey the sign.
48:28We're begging.
48:29I don't give over your money.
48:30We have another call.
48:31Hello, good evening.
48:34Yes, he's live.
48:35Go ahead.
49:00that the public will know what is right and what is wrong,
49:03what they can do and what they can't do when crossing the road is confirmed.
49:08And two, accidents on the highway.
49:12I cannot understand why in this day and age,
49:14you would have two cars get in an accident,
49:16and over an hour, traffic has to pile up,
49:20causing commuters to be two and three hours on the highway,
49:25without getting a wrecking system in place,
49:28that whenever the accident happens,
49:30once the vehicle can move,
49:31any police officer that is parked in the accident should immediately
49:36forward these vehicles to the closest police station,
49:39and if the vehicles have to be wrecked,
49:41the only police should have numbers where they can call the wrecker
49:44within the area to remove the vehicles,
49:46and on coming to collect the vehicles,
49:49the owner will take the wrecking trees as the case would be.
49:54All right, so we'll have to deal with that first,
49:55when it comes to the pedestrians, right?
49:57Very similar to the earlier caller, right?
50:00So I understand, caller, like I mentioned,
50:06I've seen situations where pedestrians crossing the highway
50:11in such a risky manner cause accidents.
50:14Drivers have to swive away at the last minute,
50:16lose control, vehicle going in the median,
50:18and the pedestrian is going away.
50:20He hit nobody, that kind of thing.
50:22And also to make them account for the risk that they add to the network.
50:25You know, maybe it's some sort of reckless endangerment that they cause
50:29because they put the driver's lives at risk as well, you know,
50:33when they have these unsafe practices.
50:35So I hear you on that.
50:37I don't know if representations will have to be made to the state,
50:39but I always try to say, you know,
50:42we have to move away from trying to criminalize everything
50:45and arrest everybody for everything, right?
50:47It's sad.
50:48But he finds help.
50:51Yeah, but for me to, ma'am,
50:53for me to get the information to drop the fine on you,
50:56to drop the charge, I have to arrest you to get information.
50:59You have to have some ID, I have to get some information for you.
51:02So still to interact with you,
51:04there must be some sort of way that I have to now bring you in, not so?
51:08Well, it shows that we are a lawless society.
51:10That is what is given.
51:11Well, it's risk-taking, ma'am.
51:13You know, it's not just lawless.
51:14And I want to be clear on everybody.
51:16If there's no law to be broken, it's not lawlessness.
51:18It's a strange culture of risk-taking
51:21and unnecessary preventable accidents.
51:23That's what hurts, especially us in traffic,
51:26because we see the preventable nature.
51:28We're seeing today, like I said before we showed up here,
51:31four accidents on the air with just a little bit of rain
51:34because people are driving too close.
51:36So when the traffic suddenly stops, we have three car smash-ups.
51:39You're too close.
51:41The road is wet.
51:42You have to increase your following distance.
51:44This is your basic training, and we all know this.
51:46Yeah.
51:47Well, we'll take a break, and when we come back,
51:49we will touch some of the stats and some tips that you could follow
51:52before we wrap things up.
51:53We'll be back.
51:59Crossing a highway is a dangerous practice.
52:07Your life is precious.
52:11Be road safe.
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53:17Thank you, members of the media.
53:19This concludes our weekly press briefing.
53:23As the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service continues to protect
53:27and serve with pride,
53:29we are calling on all citizens of Trinidad and Tobago
53:33to get on board with us
53:35to ensure that everyone is able to live
53:38in a crime-free society.
53:41Are you on board?
53:44This is my country, and I am on board.
53:48I am on board with the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service.
53:52Let us save the youth of the nation.
53:54Get on board.
53:55Crime affects all of us.
53:57Children, communities, and the country as a whole.
54:00Supporting crime victims and working with the police service,
54:04I am on board.
54:06This is my country, and I am on board.
54:10My name is Nikolai Blackmon, and I'm on board with the TTPS.
54:14Vision On Mission is proud to partner with the TTPS
54:19because crime prevention is everybody's business.
54:22We are the National Congress of Incorporated Spiritual Baptist Organizations
54:27of Trinidad and Tobago,
54:28and we are on board with the TTPS in its fight against crime.
54:32I'm a farmer. This is my country, and I'm on board.
54:36I'm Charles Jason Gordon, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Port-au-Prince, Spain.
54:41I am on board in the TTPS fight against crime.
54:44We are all on board.
55:00And we are back.
55:01Sergeant Batson, the opportunity to speak with the public,
55:03especially with the stats that we mentioned before.
55:05Yeah, sure.
55:06I just want to jump on quickly if I can.
55:09First of all, as we have these stats up,
55:13what you're seeing there with regards to that pie chart
55:16is what we're here really to try and hone that message in.
55:19Pedestrians, you see that big slice of red?
55:22Accounting for 46% of all road traffic deaths.
55:25That is absolutely unacceptable.
55:29In fact, it's historic.
55:31So I'm asking, and the TTPS is appealing and begging road users,
55:39let's stop this carnage.
55:42Let's be more responsible.
55:44Let's be more alert when we're using the roads.
55:47Pedestrians, please do not step into that roadway unless that vehicle has stopped,
55:52unless you have a positive indication that that driver has seen you.
55:56The risk is unnecessary.
55:57And I always tell people, if you die in the accident,
56:00hey, you're dead.
56:01It's when you do die and you have disabling injury
56:05and somebody has to feed you through a straw for the rest of your life.
56:08Those are the other parts of the story people don't seem to understand.
56:12Also interesting, we have actually drivers also accounting for 30%,
56:17followed by the second largest category of passengers, right?
56:21So when you put that together, this is our main risk.
56:26And I'm appealing to persons, especially as school has reopened,
56:32have the conversations with your kids, the importance of crossing the road safely,
56:37the importance of not stepping out behind a maxi just so,
56:40without looking and making sure.
56:42We know maxis sometimes try to stop the traffic in front of other persons.
56:46I'm appealing to persons who use the bus route.
56:48Whether you have a PBR pass, if you're a maxi taxi,
56:52if you're a member of national security using,
56:55the priority bus route is a transit route.
57:00Buses are offloading.
57:03They're offloading pedestrians that sometimes have to cross that PBR
57:07to get to where they're going.
57:09So you can't be pelting on that PBR as if you own it and there's nobody else.
57:14It's 65 kilometers an hour.
57:16Well, again, persons seem to just think it's just a priority route,
57:22which means high speed.
57:24You know what I mean?
57:25High speed.
57:26So again, everybody, please be safe out there.
57:30Support us.
57:31Remember, school is back in session,
57:33so be aware of more pedestrians and kids crossing the road, please.
57:36And tenth, this is your last week.
57:38Organize yourself.
57:39Organize yourself.
57:40Coming up next, remember, be pure and just,
57:43and have God in your life no matter what.
57:54♪♪
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