XHABIR DERALLA

An average working day (third week of January, 2022), between 8.30 and 9.00 am, on the stretch between Universal Hall and the Church of Saint Clement. For five days, I counted every day. On the right side of the boulevard, there were between 12 and 18 vehicles parked every day, almost all passenger cars, more than half worth over 30,000 euros. At the traffic lights next to Universal Hall, next to the Bunjakovec shopping center and green market, if there are no pedestrians, there is always at least one vehicle that goes through a red light. At the traffic lights at the intersection next to the Church of Saint Clement, there are always at least three vehicles that go through a red light. On January 21, I counted as many as five vehicles that passed through just one red light in the direction city center to Vodnjanska.

If we follow the lowest number (3) of vehicles that pass through a single red light, 24 vehicles pass at that intersection in 10 minutes. On a red light! The reduced fines for traffic violations (in 2020) are 250 euros for passing through a red light. So, in 10 minutes, 6,000 euros can be charged just at the intersection next to the Church of Saint Clement.

In 2006, with a colleague of mine from London, an international expert on security issues and fight against weapons, we were crossing a pedestrian crossing near the shopping mall Mavrovka. These are traffic lights with different levels of right-of-way, red is never just red, but gives the possibility for turning right. One has to be careful there, like at many other traffic lights throughout Skopje. When we got to the other end of the “overflowing river” of cars, my colleague, with irony, typically British, turned and said: “I have a feeling that traffic lights in your town have a rather conciliary role”. I often recall on this anecdote.

Often, when we stop at a pedestrian crossing, someone behind you honks at you. It has happened to me more than once, while stopping at a pedestrian crossing, for some “big shot driver” to rip along and endanger the lives of those crossing at that moment.

They park wherever they feel like it, usually on sidewalks and pedestrian crossings. Mothers with children in strollers spend most of their daily route on the lanes. An interesting phenomenon is that most of the vehicles, parked on sidewalks and pedestrian crossings, are beautiful cars, expensive, as far as I understand.

In front of cafes that work until the morning hours, with decibels from which for years residents of the surrounding buildings cannot sleep, fast cars are being parked, on the very street. They come and go, empty. I don’t want to get into details, you know what it looks like.

A few days ago, I was driving through a narrow street and was looking for a place to park legally, passing dozens of illegally parked cars. One big and beautiful vehicle stopped about 20 meters in front of me. I also stopped. At one moment, the vehicle started moving backwards. While I shifted into reverse, it hit me. A young man came out. “Bro, I didn’t see, I was on the phone” – he says to me kindly and friendly – “It’s my fault, not a word about it, but you’re fine. If you want, we will go to the service, we will find an understanding, we’re Macedonians”. We had a little neighborly talk and parted without any special procedures, since – “we had an understanding”. It was cold. The damage was really insignificant.

On a trip across the country, on a section of just 100 kilometers long, at least three vehicles overtake on a solid line. I don’t know what the fine is for that, but even reduced fines are not small; well, depends on who it concerns.

Across the city, in small and narrow streets, people are driving like in rally races. Not to mention on the street of Partizanksa. High beam headlights and fog lights are regularly turned on. Blinkers don’t exist. The quickest reaction of drivers is to hit the horn angrily. Every day I see someone driving in the opposite direction in a one-way street. Should we continue numbering?

The vehicle is for transporting passengers and goods? Hmm. Maybe. But it’s even more a way for showing prestige and wealth. The vehicle is also a weapon. In the fight between adult people in Kumanovo, little Almir lost his life. Killed by a vehicle.

Three years ago (2019), a high-school student was run over on a pedestrian crossing in front of a school in Stip. In Cair (2019), a taxi driver hit three girls, a boy was seriously injured on a pedestrian crossing in Kocani (2019), a pedestrian was killed on the road to Jazince – the driver fled the scene of the accident (2020) … How many more lives have been lost on the streets, at pedestrian crossings, on the road (together with the accidents with the faulty busses)? What was the justice for the perpetrators?

January 20, 2022. Another young life was lost on a pedestrian crossing. A girl was run over on a pedestrian crossing next to City Mall by a 22-year-old boy behind the wheel.

To send your child to school or shopping and to have it brought back dead, run over on a pedestrian crossing. Are there words to describe the tragedy and absurdity?

Translation: N. Cvetkovska