Hi I´m Chris. Greatings from Germany Bottrop !!

Mustapha, I am in camp 2 from 6am to 10pm, then for the midnight hour I become a camp 1 member, at least in Beirut. Sad to say, I do not have the gumption to jump lights here in the States, the downside is too high. In all seriousness, the traffic lights thing is a symptom of broader issues, and clamping down there would be a good start, a good start that is, if wasta did not creep into the imposition or lack thereof of fines.

Second camp. Hope to see this in Tripoli as well.

One question though? Can the government fine a driver from zgharta,dahie,or south??? Can it reinforce this law???

i’m in camp two– driving in lebanon is insane, and WAY too dangerous.

however: abruptly instituting traffic regulations can make the roads less safe. you’re absolutely right, mustapha– word needs to be spread to all drivers about the new system and what it means; otherwise we should expect a major surge in accidents at stoplights, as some people stop and others don’t.

I hope they install the cameras soon so I can get me one and offer it to my nephew for Xmas.

“: “It is in our blood as Lebanese to trick the law. This is what makes us what we are and this is the reason why we’re so successful all over the world. We’re too free to be constrained”.

This naturally infuriates the other camp. They see the attitude of the first camp as an embodiment of all that is wrong in Lebanon.”

Yes but this issue transcend sectarian lines.

I am with the first camp by the way :)

I’m with the second camp. The last time I was in Lebanon, I was buying a bus ticket from Tripoli. I was standing in a line (sort of a line) and then a guy comes and coldly approaches the clerk to buy tickets, cutting me off. I don’t know where I got the gutts, but I told him, “Excuse me, I came first!” He backed off, but interestingly, he was not apologetic whatsoever. Lashoo?!

second camp. we need more properly working traffic lights coupled with effective enforcement

I think they should start with warnings first (maybe three stikes and then you’re fined). They also can collect the fine when doing the vehicle inspection instead of tracking down a person to zgharta or baalbak. And the money raised should go back to fixing the roads not to the salaries of government employees. I think they should also have something similar for speeding in excess of 200 kmh (wihout grace period). I think this is more dangerous than crossing the red light. I’ve heard a while back that the government started cracking down on speeding. Is this effort still on ?
-FAZ

I love driving in Lebanon, by the way; it’s true zen driving - you just do whatever you feel like or whatever makes sense to you, and as long as you assume that behind every blind corner is a car that is about to careen uncontrollably in front of you, then everything remains peachy. You can blare your horn as much as you want, and you can even vent all your anger and frustration on the road and no one will care. I suppose the exception to all this is the Damascus Road (which is truly dangerous in every possible way), but can everything be perfect? Of course not.

The rights of the commonwealth will always trump personal rights especially in the case of “mutual coercion mutually agreed upon”.
Laws ,however, are meaningless if they cannot be executed fairly. I doubt whether the goverment in Beirut has uptodate records about the vehicle registrations and if they do whether there is a capability to send out summonses and then prosecuteequally and fairly all the violators. A law that cannot be implemented is a mockery of justice.

The installation of traffic lights in Lebanon is good news, provided of course that they function properly and are programed professionally (rotation of lights etc.).

Better traffic laws should make Lebanon’s roads safer and save lifes.
Civilized traffic is good for business in general and for tourism in particular. Many tourists are shocked by the appearance of Lebanon’s roads and traffic and don’t dare to rent cars and travel the country on their own.

I do believe like those in camp one that individuality and freedom of mind are traits we can be proud of. However, these traits do not belong on the road.

I was impressed when I visited Lebanon recently and witnessed the positice changes in road infrastructure. Not only have Hamra and Monot been fixed, but many other roads close to the AUB, in Sanayeh, in Gemmayzeh (The Nahr Road between EDL and Burj Hammoud) etc have been fixed (centre dividers, designated parking spaces etc) and given an amazing facelift. Not to speak of many positive changes taking place outside Beirut, such as the new Harissa highway and the improved Jounieh-Jbeil (Byblos) highway.

What still shocks me is the Damascus highway, where no respect whatsoever is being paid to lines and traffic rules. Tey should install traffic dividers asap!

Ralf