The problem of nails being scattered on the road has recurred.
(Baonghean)After a period of calm, "nail bandits" on national highways are showing signs of resurgence. According to reports from the leadership and many workers of Haivina Kim Lien Co., Ltd., since the beginning of the year, when traveling on National Highway 46A through Nam Giang commune (Nam Dan district), the situation of motorbike tires going flat due to running over nails and sharp objects has been occurring frequently...
Around 11:00 AM on August 23rd, under the scorching sun, while traveling on National Highway 46A, in the Nam Giang commune area, Mr. Le Van Cong (from Nam Linh commune, Nam Dan district) had to stop his vehicle to remove a diamond-shaped nail firmly embedded in his rear tire. The nail was about 2cm long, with both ends sharpened and bent. "The car was running smoothly, then suddenly the steering wheel wobbled, and I looked down at the tire and saw it was completely flat. I only had to walk a few dozen meters before I saw someone coming from the opposite direction, carrying tire repair tools, offering to patch the tire. Even though the tire repairman 'shouted' 30,000 VND for one patch, I had to reluctantly accept. Luckily, I was driving slowly at the time, otherwise it would have been very dangerous to my life," Mr. Le Van Cong said angrily.
People had to push their vehicles because they got flat tires from nails while driving.
on National Highway 46.
Similarly, following the same route as Mr. Cong, Ms. Nguyen Thi Le (a worker at Haivina Kim Lien Co., Ltd.) expressed her frustration: "Earlier this week, on my way to work, my motorbike suddenly shook violently, wobbling and almost falling. When I stopped, I saw that the rear tire was flat. I went to a roadside repair shop, and when they opened it up, they found a diamond-shaped nail nearly 2cm long had cut through the inner tube, causing several holes. I had to replace the inner tube at a cost of 70,000 VND. About two weeks ago, my inner tube was also punctured by a nail, costing me 80,000 VND. In less than a month, I've had to replace the inner tube twice. Where will I get the money to do that? That's not as important as the lives and property of road users, which are always at risk and can be damaged at any time if they accidentally run over a nail in the front tire while traveling at high speed."
Recently, the Ministry of Transport drafted a new draft of administrative penalties in the field of road and rail transport to replace the previous Decrees 34 and 71. One provision that has attracted much attention is: Fines ranging from 5 to 8 million VND for acts such as scattering nails, throwing nails or other sharp objects, pouring lubricating oil or other slippery substances on roads; stringing wires or other obstacles across the road; leaving bricks, soil, stones, or other objects that directly endanger people and vehicles participating in traffic... This proposal aims to severely punish actions that affect the lives of road users. |
According to our observations, at a tire repair shop located about 400 meters from Haivina Kim Lien Company, in less than 3 hours, 6 vehicles of various types were brought in for tire repairs. Of these, only one had a flat tire due to a leaky patch, while the others all ran over the same type of nail, suspiciously. At 20,000 VND per repair, this mechanic pocketed over 100,000 VND. The Nam Giang Industrial Zone not only has a large number of workers leaving work, but also a constant stream of heavy trucks on this road. If a motorbike accidentally runs over a nail, an inexperienced driver could easily crash into a car or tractor-trailer, resulting in serious consequences. The problem of "nail bandits" needs to be addressed quickly, from the scattering of nails to the exorbitant prices charged by tire repair shops.
It's evident that the abundance of makeshift tire repair shops and the numerous instances of people suddenly running over nails or getting flat tires raise suspicions: Is there or isn't there deliberate scattering of nails and sharp objects on National Highway 46A? Relevant authorities, especially the local police, need to investigate this situation to ensure safety and minimize financial and vehicle losses for road users on this stretch of road.
Ngoc Anh
