The blue sea is not at fault

(Baonghean) - In recent days, people have been arguing about whether or not to abolish blue and red license plates so that public and private vehicles can have the same color license plates. It seems that the debate is still "unclear" and both sides have a point.

Actually, this story has been around for many years, but now it has had the opportunity to "explode" due to the opinion of a functional officer of Lao Cai province at the 2016 National Traffic Safety Conference. This person said: If all vehicles on the road had the same color license plate, the phenomenon of inequality in handling drivers who violate traffic safety would be eliminated.

Despite the no-entry sign, the driver of the blue-plate car still brazenly entered. Illustration photo: Internet

It is not that the above opinion is unfounded. The phenomenon of drivers of blue-plate and red-plate vehicles violating the law on the road is often ignored or punished more lightly by the authorities (traffic police, traffic inspectors) than white-plate vehicles with the same violation is true. A traffic police officer who worked for many years at the Traffic Police Department of Nghe An Police said that the mentality of traffic police is a bit... hesitant.

The reason is very simple, people sitting in blue-plate cars are officials, civil servants, have wide relationships so they often beg. Some even show an arrogant attitude towards the brothers performing official duties. Indeed, besides the number of drivers, people sitting in blue-plate cars, red-plate cars have the self-respect to strictly follow traffic safety regulations, many drivers consider blue-plate cars, red-plate cars as "order cards". On the road, they feel like they are the "biggest" in the world.

From the above reality, many opinions (including some traffic police) believe that it would be best if public and private vehicles had the same license plate color. Only then would equality be created when traveling on the road. Whenever a vehicle violates a traffic law, it will be "punished", regardless of who!

If so, it's still not true! The long-standing distinction between license plate colors for public vehicles, military vehicles, and private vehicles shows that the management of means of transport is more convenient. Especially the clear and easy aspect in monitoring civil servants when using state vehicles. For example, at temples, pagodas or some "sensitive" locations, would anyone dare to bring a car with a blue or red license plate there? That's not to mention, if the license plate color is removed, it will lead to other consequences. And furthermore, even if they have the same license plate color, many civil servants sitting in the car still have many "tricks" to avoid being handled by the authorities. If they want!

According to an expert in this field: “The purpose of regulating license plate colors is not to classify priority and non-priority vehicles. Except for vehicles with special missions on the road such as fire trucks, ambulances, dyke protection vehicles, military vehicles, police vehicles on emergency missions... which are given priority according to the law. All types of vehicles, regardless of license plate color, are equal and must comply with the provisions of the law.”

Obviously the problem is not the color of the license plate of the car; what is important is the awareness of traffic safety laws of the people in the car and the responsibility of the person handling violations on the road.

Viet Long