"Greed for the bowl and abandoned the tray"

(Baonghean) - For a long time, whenever people talk about people or things that are just for show, in the style of "nothing but real" without any power or specific effect, they often compare them to the image of "scarecrows guarding melons". Based on the phenomenon of farmers setting up human-like scarecrows in their fields to scare birds and animals. Just a scarecrow, but in reality, they do not cause any harm, even a little bit.

However, with the changing times, the new "scarecrow" also has practical effects that are sometimes even more effective than real people. For example, for over a week now, on National Highway 91 and National Highway 80 through Thot Not District, Can Tho City, people have set up many life-sized models of traffic police holding speedometers at intersections, crossroads and densely populated areas. Just like the "scarecrow holding melons", this cardboard policeman, although unable to move, still makes many drivers startled and slow down. While driving, they look at the speedometer to see if they are driving properly. Many drivers admit that they know they have not violated anything, but seeing the yellow shirt standing neatly on the side of the road makes them feel scared and drive more carefully. Even some drivers know that it is a model, but they still feel scared, automatically slow down, drive in the right lane and do not dare to speed or overtake recklessly anymore.

People and traffic police have noted that since those models were introduced, the cases of speeding, weaving, driving over the speed limit, not wearing helmets, parking in the wrong lane, running red lights, and especially traffic accidents have decreased significantly. And even in the awareness of the people on both sides of the road, compliance with the Road Traffic Law has become more serious than before. It is clear that "scarecrows" can sometimes have value.

Model of traffic police holding a speed camera in Can Tho. Photo: Internet

But from here the question arises: why can't the real traffic police, who can move, walk, blow the whistle to stop vehicles that violate the law to fine them and also have a speed gun like the model, meaning the "danger" is much higher, do a good job of reducing traffic violations like the paper police? As the Chief of Police of Thot Not District, Can Tho City admitted to the press, in the first quarter of 2015, the traffic safety violations in the area, especially on Highway 91 through the district, increased dramatically. After checking the reality, the Chairman of the District People's Committee himself suggested that the district police should experiment with building a model of traffic police at hot spots of traffic safety and order. Unexpectedly, the results were so positive. That means that paper police are more effective than real police. It is not difficult to explain this paradoxical phenomenon of fake being more real than real. Because the paper policeman holds a speed gun, stands solemnly, dignifiedly, and proudly in broad daylight right on the side of the road, everyone sees it, is startled, and is afraid, so they drive carefully. That's why violations of road traffic safety have decreased significantly. As for the real policemen, they often hold guns and "hide" somewhere in a coffee shop or bush on the side of the road, secretly shooting speed, so no one sees them, no one is afraid, so they just "gallop". Only when they are whistled to stop and pay a fine do they know they have been "shot" somewhere. But they are "shot" without knowing it, so they still speed and drive recklessly. As a result, despite paying a lot of fines, violations of road traffic laws that cause accidents have not decreased, but have tended to increase.

So, just a small change towards publicity and transparency in the results of preventing and combating road traffic safety violations and reducing traffic accidents has created positive changes. This is not something people have realized now, but have known for a long time. That is why there is a requirement for traffic police to "stand upright" in the right position and not work in hidden corners. Unfortunately, that requirement has not been strictly followed. For one reason, "the moon is long and the water is white, it is difficult to do business". Standing out there, people are afraid, if they do not violate, who will they punish? If there is no one to punish, there is no one to beg or bribe to let it go. If there is no one to punish, the assigned quota will not be met. If the quota is not met, the bonus will be missed. And if the bonus is missed, then... Therefore, even though they know this, few people want to do it. Therefore, completing the target of punishing violations is much more attractive than completing the target of reducing violations and traffic accidents. However, reducing traffic violations and accidents is the main goal. The goal is national.

This is clearly a case of people "forgetting the bowl and leaving the tray".

Buddha Mountain