When I returned to my hometown during the Spring Festival, two things impressed the author deeply. The first is the congestion of rural roads, and the second is the traffic problem of old-fashioned scooters (commonly known as "old man music"). Both of these issues have affected the travel experience during the Spring Festival to a certain extent.
First of all, on the issue of congestion on rural roads. During the Spring Festival, a large number of vehicles from other places gathered in counties, towns and rural areas, exceeding the limit of the carrying capacity of local roads, resulting in long-term traffic jams on rural roads. Originally, driving home was for the convenience of travel, but the road congestion during the Spring Festival greatly reduced the travel experience.
Secondly, the traffic problem of the old scooter. At the county and township level, a large number of old-age scooters drive on national and provincial highways. These vehicles do not obey traffic rules, frequently run red lights, drive in the wrong direction, change lanes on motorized and non-motorized lanes, drive at low speeds, and do not turn on their lights at night. These behaviors caused a lot of trouble for other motor vehicle drivers, and they had to give way to old scooters. Moreover, the driving behavior of these old-fashioned scooters is often unexpected, posing a serious threat to road safety.
The reasons behind these two issues are different. Rural road congestion is mainly caused by the mismatch between economic development and infrastructure, although it will reduce the sense of experience, but the danger index is not high. The traffic problem of the old scooters is due to the non-standard driving behavior of these vehicles and the lack of unified manufacturing standards, which causes safety hazards.
In response to the traffic problem of old scooters, Beijing will prohibit illegal three-wheeled and four-wheeled vehicles from on the road and park in public places from January 1, 2024. This is to solve the traffic safety problems and city appearance problems brought by the old scooters. Beijing has taken the lead in taking this move, and it is believed that other cities will follow suit. After the complete ban on the old man, the driving environment and the cityscape will be improved, but for the elderly who rely on the old man to travel, travel will be affected.
The reason why old man music is popular in major cities across the country is mainly because of the demand for elderly travel. When the elderly go out to buy groceries, take their babies, and walk the streets, they need a cheap and convenient means of transportation. The old man's ** is cheap and can shelter from the wind and rain, and can also tow goods and people if necessary. Moreover, there is no need for study and time costs such as a driver's license to drive an old man. Therefore, it is only natural that the old man will be favored by the elderly group and play an important role outside of urban and rural public transportation.
However, the problem of old man's music cannot be ignored. On the one hand, Lao Toule's driving behavior is not standardized, and there is no unified manufacturing standard, which is a potential safety hazard. On the other hand, prohibiting the old man from being on the road does not solve the fundamental problem, and it is necessary to start with the manufacturer to solve the safety problem of the product. At the same time, there is also a need to strengthen the safety awareness and driving skills training of the elderly.
To sum up, the congestion of rural roads and the traffic problems of old-age scooters during the Spring Festival have affected the travel experience and road safety. In response to the problem of old-age scooters, Beijing took the lead in completely banning the old man from the road and prohibiting parking in public places. This initiative aims to solve the traffic safety problems and city appearance problems caused by the old man's music. While the ban may have an impact on the elderly who rely on it for travel, it will prompt other cities to follow suit, ultimately improving overall traffic and road safety. However, banning the road does not solve the fundamental problem, and it is also necessary to start with the manufacturer to solve the safety problem of the elderly, and strengthen the safety awareness and driving skills training of the elderly. For the impact of the whole incident, it needs to be objective and further discussed. What are your thoughts on this?