ETolls Go Slow

'Drive slow' protest swells

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Drive-slow-protest-swells-20121206

Johannesburg - Protesters stuck their heads and bodies out of their car windows and sunroofs on the M1 highway on Thursday during a "drive-slow" Cosatu protest against e-tolling in Gauteng.
By midday, the convoy had considerably swelled and was almost at a standstill.
Some protesters began walking in front of the motorcade, but the police tried to persuade them to get back into their cars.
Some protesters sang from their cars, while others shouted "Down with e-tolls".
"I don't think the e-tolls is right for me because it's costing more money to me," said one truck driver, who was interviewed in his vehicle in the motorcade.
"I already have to support my children. I can't support my children together with e-tolls."
Solidarity
Another motorist said e-tolls would make citizens poorer.
"The salaries are not going up. If we have to pay extra for toll money... what's going to happen at the end of the day? People are going to get poorer."
Another truck driver believed demolishing the toll gantries was the way to go.
"They should demolish those stupid things. We are already paying for these roads... and now they want to charge us double."
On the N3, the protesters were supported by truck drivers, who slowed down to hoot, wave and shake their fists in solidarity.
The N3 motorcade stopped at some toll gantries and caused traffic congestion.
Court application
Earlier, Johannesburg metro police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar said no bicycles were allowed to be part of the "drive-slow" protest.
He said vehicles which were not part of the protest and which blocked traffic would be towed away.
Protesters want the e-toll system dropped. Last week, the Congress of SA Trade Unions threatened to occupy Gauteng streets, and to block freeways during the protest.
The Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance has brought a court application to have the e-toll project scrapped, but a ruling has yet to be made.
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Ol' Mean Bastid said:
unfortunately the sheeple will eventually buckle, the fact that only 600 people showed up at the e-toll sessions reflects that although there are some loud voices of general anger and rage, a lot of people have just adopted a wait and see attitude rather than taking part in direct action
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You are not helping, the sheeple will buy the etags if you keep on saying this.
 
Ol' Mean Bastid said:
so what's your plan then?

oh wait, are you one of those that agree's with e-tolls...
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Well, beginning of the month there is some money moving and services needing to be done. This is just hurting the guys who are actually trying to get a job done on time (and costing money, and idle driver is pure loss and late deliveries make unhappy customers).

My suggestion is to just not buy e-tags.
 
so, what about everyone using the roads but not obtaining etags.

over a week a massive amount of fines will be issued.
then all those with fines refuse to pay & notify intent to defend the matter in court.
the continual issue of fines for thousands of cars each week & notice to defend would be sure to bring the sytem to its knees - i am sure the admin procedures were not designed to issue over a thousand fines per day every day.

or am i being too simplistic
 
BBSA said:
You are not helping, the sheeple will buy the etags if you keep on saying this.
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who said I'm going to keep on saying what I said?

I was merely stating my observation of the general South African apathy towards issues in general
 
I still don't understand why they're using a flat fee system. It makes no sense in a modern socialist society. :confused:
 
I am also very disappointed in people's apathy here in South Africa.

But I am also very confident in their extreme laziness, belligerence and reluctance to willingly sign up for something that they know is gonna cost them money and bring more red tape to their lives. :D
 
Irony, when i drove home from Sandton back to PTA today at 4:30, the traffic flowed for the first time in 2 weeks! The N1 is permanently slow, so protesting a go slow on it , is well pointless. I suppose blocking the M1 resulted in a "go fast" .
 
I also got home about 10 or 15 minutes faster, but I suspect it is because people were avoiding the highways due to the protests.
 
Yup, I gunned it for home a bit after lunch and traffic was already picking up - I suspect due to people wanting to avoid traffic, ironically.
 
Went home on my usual route at 16h00 down the M1 towards the N12 and up on N1 north. Flowed okay, but the motorcade coming down the N1 south was going slow. I think most expected to go slow, so no visible frustration.
 
Ol' Mean Bastid said:
unfortunately the sheeple will eventually buckle, the fact that only 600 people showed up at the e-toll sessions reflects that although there are some loud voices of general anger and rage, a lot of people have just adopted a wait and see attitude rather than taking part in direct action
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But they only catered for 130 at each event. I'd say it was oversubscribed. But I guess you have a point.
 
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