There were a rough few days for inhabitants of Kingston. Late Monday night, on Washington Boulevard, an argument between a Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) bus driver and a taximan escalated into a lethal fight. The taximan lost his life.

The following morning a JUTC driver was shot dead in New Kingston. Word went out that it was a reprisal killing and JUTC workers went on strike.

Stuck in the middle of all of this was the commuting public. Stranded by the withdrawal of the State-run bus drivers they were left to fend for themselves. Rogue transport operators seized the opportunity and fares were hiked up, three-fold in some cases, as commuters were left with little choice in their options to get to and from work. There were still people out there who had their neighbours’ interest at heart, and not just their pockets.

Reports came in of police buses being used to help get commuters moving and the Transport Authority held back on their usual activities, which allowed private motorists the opportunity to assist where necessary.

With all the dislocation taking place, the weather didn’t make it any easier. The rain poured down, lightning flashed and the thunder rolled. Roads were flooded and traffic slowed to a crawl. All the while, the rumours were flying faster than a fighter jet. Social media ‘sources’ were sharing misinformation of more deaths, buses set on fire, and mayhem in the streets. Speaking on the matter in Parliament on Tuesday afternoon, Transport Minister Robert “Bobby” Montague made an appeal to the ‘social media suss sector’ to hold back on circulating messages that were turning up the tension and fear.

The misery on the roads continued into Wednesday morning. The JUTC workers, still concerned for their safety, stayed away from their buses. JUTC’s management team reported that only about a third of the drivers turned out to work that day. Discussions between the authorities and the workers were on in earnest and the police were called in to increase security on various routes to give a greater sense of comfort to the bus drivers in an effort to get them back on the job.

By Wednesday afternoon it seemed as if there would be some improvement to the transportation situation, but then the rain grew more ferocious. Roads, not only in Kingston, but other areas of the island were affected by the downpour. The Hope River woke up after months of drought and made its presence felt. The terrible news broke that a young boy from Hope Valley Experimental School in August Town was on his way home when he fell into a gully and was carried away by the raging waters. Up to the time of writing, he had not been found, despite the efforts of citizens to locate the youngster. Our prayers and thoughts are with the family and the community.

Much of the focus of this week was turned on how hundreds of commuters were left vulnerable as they tried to go about their daily business. Not much was said about the altercation between the two men that grew into a problem for all of Kingston, St Andrew, and areas of St Catherine. The investigation into the initial incident is still going on, and very little has been said about the circumstances of the shooting which followed after. It appears, however, that it all stemmed from a case of road rage and revenge.

The pressures that people are under every day make it hard for some to remain calm and not lose their cool when they feel disrespected. A friend told me recently of a ‘shotta’ driver who mounted the sidewalk at Heroes’ Circle and claimed the space between the park walls and the benches as his own personal roadway. She said he showed no concern as he sped along in sight of the various government ministries, without a glance to the left or right for the citizens who walk through the park on a regular basis. That is the kind of action that makes people lose control and want to do dem someting! No good comes from road rage. The reaction to the action can lead to serious repercussions.

Perhaps things are changing. This week the media also reported on three drivers who the law finally caught up with. One bus operator had racked up 1,028 tickets and was fined $84,000 and his licence suspended for two years. Maybe now that the Public Safety and Traffic Enforcement Branch of the police is stepping up their operations, some sense of law and order will return to our roads. Goodness knows it is needed. We can’t continue to take these chances with each other’s lives and please, let’s take it easy on the roads.

Barbara Gloudon is a journalist, playwright and commentator. Send comments to the Observer or gloudonb@gmail.com.