GENERALLY, motorists here show scant regard for parking regulations.
It is not that they are ignorant of such rules but more likely, they are being disrespectful of the need to obey them. So they continue to park illegally – right under the nose of the traffic authorities, knowing they can get away with it most of the time.
Illegal parking is caused not so much by a shortage of parking wardens as by the lack of political will to enforce the law. This, in turn, breeds inertia, emboldening people even more to park illegally in the belief that they will not get caught. Lax enforcement has seen to that.
In Kuching, indiscriminate parking is a nightmare. There is a profuse supply of oafish parking attitude which is especially arrant along roads near schools in and around the city. Motorists waiting to pick their children from school park on both sides of the road, near traffic lights and at roundabouts – almost anywhere and with impunity at that.
Wanton parking is also glaring at public eateries and malls. While some people readily splurge at restaurants and departmental stores, they scrooge when it comes to displaying parking coupons, costing less than RM5 a book.
With the number of vehicles in the state reaching mind-boggling proportion, there is all the more reason for parking rules to be strictly enforced to keep parking hogs at bay. And as for motorists who illegal-park habitually, they should not think the city and its law-abiding vehilce owners owe them a living. Certainly not. Logically, why should there be any free lunch for culprits of illegal parking?
In some areas around the city, car parks are not fully utilised because parking fees are charged – even as little as 20 sen for half an hour. To avoid paying, what most people usually do for free parking is to double and even triple park, wreaking chaos in their wake. Some motorists apparently think switching on the distress signals overrides parking regulations and entitles them to park anywhere on the road.
Such misguided thinking has become so entrenched (due to lax enforcement) that parking wardens, trying to set things straight, often get threatened and cursed by errant motorists as happened recently in Miri where a new parking system has been introduced.
Revelation by the company responsible for implementing the system that its wardens had been marked and had “knives thrown at them” is no laughing matter. These parking attendants not only have to face aggressive” motorists while doing their rounds. What’s even worse are the notes they received containing threats like if you give saman ticket, you will face the consequences.
Some motorists saw red when issued a parking ticket not because the wardens had behaved badly but because the motorists believed they were above the law. The situtation is serious enough to warrant the deployment of enforcement officers by the Miri City Council to protect the wardens.
The Sibu Municipal Council is also stepping up action against indiscriminate parking, especially at the Central Market and Channel Road, after giving the public fair warning.
Channel Road is one of the busiest in town and to ensure smooth traffic flow, the local council has kicked into touch all forms of illegal parking in the area.
Errant motorists have been given ample time to make amends but apparently without any improvement to speak of. In fact, the situation has deteriorated so much that the council is contemplating increasing the compound fine from RM30 to RM50 for motorists and RM10 to RM20 for motorcyclists. The move is not only timely but also necessary to keep illegal parking in check.
In some countries, a wheel clamp is placed on a vehicle for a parking violation. The tire spikes and panel prevent the vehicle being driven or the wheel being removed. To crack down on illegal parking, in lieu of towing the offending vehicle, police or property owners who place the clamp may charge a high ‘release fee’ to remove the clamp.
We have, of course, not come to the stage where wheel-clamping is necessary as a deterrent. However, what has to be acknowledged is that illegal parking is becoming increasingly rampant and will continue to cause problems if left to its own device.
There is no longer any need for more education or awareness campaigns. If motorists do not know by now that illegal parking is a traffic offence – like violating speed limits and running traffic lights – then they have no business holding a driving licence – or owning a car, for that matter.