Quiet … Please Quiet ! [Archives:2000/04/Focus]

archive
January 24 2000

Mohammed Hatem Al-Qadhi,
Managing Editor
People who visit Yemen and live in it confirm that it is beautiful with friendly people. But there are some things which do not make them enjoy their stay or visit like rubbish, exhausted fumes coming out from exhausted pipes, noise..etc.
Among the worst and most annoying is noise. Yes, noise in the streets which is completely unnecessary and which can easily cease to exist. Bus and car drivers are the main cause of this noise. They continuously keep blowing their cars’ horns without stop. What a terrible noise they create! Our streets become crazy with the noise. The horn was made in the car to be used when necessary and to avoid accidents. For our drivers it is meant for other purposes. Bus drivers use it to attract the attention of the people in the streets. That is very silly. They do not realize that if some wants a dabab they will signal for it to stop.
Car and bus drivers also use it at the traffic lights. Why it is necessary to use the horn while the light changes to green. It does not speed things up. It is just a bad habit which they should stop. They do it even when there are traffic jams. What is worse is that they use it most of the time only for fun.
Some time back a foreigner dropped into my office in the Yemen Times premises. I could notice that something has disturbed him. He started telling me with pain ” it is unnecessary. It is bad and horrible. I like hudu” quiet”.” I started laughing. But he was very serious. He told me that he was very much annoyed by the noise in the Yemeni streets. He also added that he would like all the mass media , mainly the radio and TV stations to address this nagging problem very quickly. Moreover, he wants to meet all the people concerned to explain the problem to them. ” I will leave Yemen if noise does not stop, though I like Yemen and I want to stay in it” he observed painfully.
I believe everybody is irritated by the noise of the buses and cars’ horns as well as sound of the motorbikes. Actually I wanted write about this problem earlier. But now this foreigner, who has become a friend, pushed me to address the issue. He further appealed to me saying “Mohammed, please try to do something about it now, not tomorrow”.
When talking with him about this problem, the annoyed Westerner told me that the noise is brought out because of bad driving. That is, people stop the car suddenly, blocking the road and causing those behind them to start blowing their horns in anger. Or they drive in the middle of the road so that if any one wants to overtake them, they have to use their horns. It is also used at the round corners. This is really an indicator of bad driving and lack of common sense.
A part of the noise producers is the cassettes recording studios. They start blowing their tape recorders with huge amplifiers where the noise can reach you even if far off from the studio.
Even in restaurants we lack quietness and hudu. Once the waiter asks you for your order, he starts shouting loudly. The cracking of plates never stop too.
Finally, I think the problem is not that difficult. The solution is very easy and at hand. Discipline has to be enforced by the Traffic Authority. It has to inform the drivers that it is a bad habit. Bus and car drivers have to stop it. Otherwise, they would be fined. Motorbikes drivers should not take off the silencers. Then everything will be fine and people will enjoy walking on streets. Being quiet is a sign of being civilized and cultured. So, will the traffic authority contend with this tedious problem seriously. I hope so and remember “hudu”… please some “hudu”!

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