We want the DRUNK PEDESTRIAN warnings back!

You might remember the 10 bright red attention drunks road signs, which showed a person crawling on their knees while clutching a bottle in one hand, that had been erected in popular nightspot areas close to the Pecica's bars and restaurants. Sadly, because of the “extensive media coverage” that followed, the local council decided to change them, with motorists now seeing signs warning of “other dangers” in the village.

"We had consultations with representatives of Arad County Traffic Police and we decided together that this indicator be changed to those with the meaning ‘other dangers’, which are… in the official road code.”

Mr Peter Antal, Pecica’s mayor, whose “goodwill” had been considered by council officials, said all he wanted to do is to protect drivers and help them avoid road accidents caused by “intoxicated persons”, as most of the accidents in the town were caused by drunken pedestrians, with some even resulting in fatalities.The mayorclaimed, and we totally agree with him, that the signs were a “positive contribution” and they would not send out the wrong message.

Independent thinking used to be dangerous in Communist Romania, and I genuinely thought we overcame this, but it seems that most people are more than comfortable following the mainstream, or orders, rather than using their initiative to solve problems. If they do, their goodwill is to be reconsidered.

Worried by road safety, a small town’s mayor, had the initiative to erect 10 bright red road signs, to help drivers avoid accidents. All good, but media started talking about it, so the signs were scrapped! We are still reluctant to depart from established ways of doing things; our decisions are based on what others may think. I grew up hearing the “what our neighbours may think” line and I am very aware of how many Romanian actions are performed 'by shame towards the others' (de ruşinea lumii) or by fear towards what they might say (de gura lumii).

I’d say there was a real need for those road signs, I’d say the drivers need to know there are no deer, no cattle crossing, no “other dangers”, but drunk pedestrians causing accidents! Let’s stop worrying about what others think, see what independent thinking feels like and say:
We want the DRUNK PEDESTRIAN warnings back!

the neighbour's goat:

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