JMPD = Why are they manning working traffic lights?

[Creag]

This both an immense pain in the butt and joke all at the same time. Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) are manning working traffic lights; not the ones that are out of sync and impede smooth flowing traffic, but the ones that are efficiently working.

I come into the Joburg CBD from the Braamfontein side (northern side). I travel down Bertha into Queen Elizabeth and then into Simmonds.

For the second morning in a row now the lights are not working at Simmonds and Jepee. There is nobody directing traffic at this intersection. HOWEVER, the intersection before this - Simmonds and Bree - there are two JPMD officers there. It is an absolute joke to see them directing traffic at lights that are working. They can see and do watch the mayhem at the next intersection, but I think they are too scared to anything about it.

And it is the same thing in the afternoon on my way south out of the city. Traffic usually flows smoothly when the lights are working. But JMPD thinks it can do better and they stuff up the flow of traffic, and ruin what horrendous synchronisation might exist. I would rather see them pulling off and fining the vehicles who block up the intersections.

Anyway, thank you JMPD for providing the unnecessary entertainment with your inept ability to control traffic.

 

[smallearth]

Lol, I spotted the same thing yesterday.... and it's not just JMPD who stuff up traffic flow. Outsurance pointsmen are pretty good at it as well. Eg. giving the light traffic crossing Main Reef the same amount of time as the much heavier traffic going along Main Reef. I don't travel Main Reef anymore since I experienced this last week, caused a 20minute delay at a normally free flowing robot (free flowing even when the robots were out).

 

[OMB]

actually they do it to control the taxis. I've sat at some of those intersections unable to move when the lights are green because the taxis during peak hour just ignore the lights

 

[grok]

Something needs to be done about the way these taxi's behave on the road .. but somehow I don't think the Metro is it.

 

[genetic]

People seem to obey pointsmen more than traffic lights...

 

[b_crazy]

actually they do it to control the taxis. I've sat at some of those intersections unable to move when the lights are green because the taxis during peak hour just ignore the lights

Absolutely this. The JMPD sometimes mans the Jan Smuts/Empire Road intersection and I think its really great. Buses and taxis and a f****k tonne of stupid motorists will drive into the intersection when clearly the f***king traffic in front of them is not moving and they end up sitting in the middle of the intersection and nobody else can move.
I've sat at that f***king intersection (first or second in line or whatever) and gone through 4-5 light changes because some stupid f***k nuts drive into the thing even though they know they'll block everybody else. M*********g twats!

It's not just taxis but a bunch of inconsiderate, idiotic rotten c***t numb skulls!!!

/rant

 

[smallearth]

Something needs to be done about the way these taxi's behave on the road .. but somehow I don't think the Metro is it.

I was thinking of mental powers the otherday in traffic... a taxi getting stopped (being nice to passengers) and having tires ripped off by telekinesis... that might do it... JMPD will not...

 

[Creag]

I have been considering going inot blogging about traffic annoyances, the antics of JMPD and taxis in and around Joburg. My biggest headache is that I would have far too much juicy material and cutting it down to relevant or interesting be nigh impossible.

 

[Creag]

Absolutely this. The JMPD sometimes mans the Jan Smuts/Empire Road intersection and I think its really great. Buses and taxis and a f****k tonne of stupid motorists will drive into the intersection when clearly the f***king traffic in front of them is not moving and they end up sitting in the middle of the intersection and nobody else can move.
I've sat at that f***king intersection (first or second in line or whatever) and gone through 4-5 light changes because some stupid f***k nuts drive into the thing even though they know they'll block everybody else. M*********g twats!

It's not just taxis but a bunch of inconsiderate, idiotic rotten c***t numb skulls!!!

/rant

I know a good therapist when you're looking

 

[b_crazy]

I know a good therapist when you're looking

Haha! If I don't come up with an alternative route soon I might just need that phone number.

 

[icyrus]

Although it is a hotly contested title, the JMPD is a front runner for most incompetent and useless government department.

 

[rsifan]

Actually, I think in the case of the JHB cbd, JMPD actually does help! I was once stuck at the intersection of Sauer and Jeppe streets for 40 minutes, 2nd car from the intersection, because of the traffic going down Jeppe don't care about waiting for traffic to ease up on the opposite side of the intersection!!!

This also causes major traffic jams on the other side streets like Pritchard. I once sat at the exit of our parkade for 30 minutes cos there was no way of getting into traffic.