EDITOR – I MUST say the horrific images of an accident I saw recently of a commuter omnibus from Chitungwiza to Machipisa, Highfield, left me wondering.
If I heard correctly, it is said the driver was trying to overtake four vehicles; yes four good vehicles!
After realising he could not achieve this ‘feat’, he tried to avoid a head-on collision, but failed to control his speeding bus and ‘bang!’, bodies were scattered everywhere.
Many suffered serious injuries and a young man died at Parirenyatwa hospital.
And as in most cases he (the driver) escaped with minor injuries.
In retrospect, what bothers me is that every time after accidents involving commuter omnibuses, you hear passengers who would have survived saying the driver was speeding and was so reckless on the road.
Funny enough the same passengers would have been so quiet prior to the accident.
Why then do we, as passengers, remain quiet even when we realise the driver is speeding?
Why do we even allow these commuter omnibus drivers to play Russian roulette with our lives in the first place?
In some instances, some of these drivers will be high on drugs and alcohol and we still entrust them with our lives.
I think it’s time we deal with these reckless drivers as passengers.
Sometimes it is actually better to kindly ask to disembark from a speeding commuter omnibus, even before reaching your destination because life is just too precious.
Surely one’s life can’t be worth 50 US cents.
K. Mambo
Harare