To a recent question on a web forum as to why people break the laws and litter around, majority of the respondents reacted unequivocally saying, “it is due to utter carelessness and poor civic sense”. Some others said it is “like challenging a system in total defiance”.
Another anguished participant in the survey said, “I am baffled to notice that people simply do not obey the rules which are aimed at their good health and welfare’’.
This reminds me of a recent broil between a municipal cleaning staff and a resident over throwing of an open bag with glass pieces on the side of the pavement even though trash bins were kept nearby. On being questioned about the improper disposal of the waste, the resident, in total defiance and without any respect for the law, not only challenged the authority of the civic staff but also showered abuses on him.
This is not a solitary case where people tend to throw garbage all over the place dirtying the surroundings. Some people even leave their trash bags just outside their homes and in the passages.
Even worse, some residents just throw garbage wherever they wish causing bad odour and encourage breeding of cockroaches, flies and rodents.
Another problem is the piling of construction waste on the footpaths and roads instead of disposing it in designated areas. Littering in the public places is a huge offence. It can result in a fine of
RO 1,000 or even more if it involved littering at the public beaches.
Still, despite strict rules and awareness campaigns why do people drop litter in the first place? Is it poor civic sense or ‘I don’t care come whatever may’ attitude behind this defiance which span across all common laws?
Even though definite answers to these questions are not available and vary, they are still relevant. I often wonder this because I see people, even though they consider themselves law-abiding folks, break laws while they are in the public places. Compliance with law need not be how the conductor imposed on the passenger in A G Gardiner’s All About a Dog. According to Gardiner, there are different rules framed for public guidance. Meaning and purpose of rules should be borne in our mind.
Some rules don’t make any sense and can be broken in accordance with the situation as is the case in the short story. If it makes no sense, and no one can provide an explanation of why the rule exists. But people smoking in the open, littering in the public places, letting their pets poop in the street and ignoring traffic rules have no excuses. Same is the case with people who do not fasten the seat belts while flying! On occasions, airline crew have to force them
to put on the belts.
But two violations that bear out specific and continuous are littering and offences relating to traffic laws even though others too involve dangers.
Waste takes long time to degrade before reaching oceans. It can affect the quality of life of both humans and lesser animals on land, as well as aquatic life.
Cigarette butts, which are the most littered in the world, with trillions indiscriminately discarded annually, take up to five years to completely degrade. Same is the case with plastic waste.
Traffic violations can affect the smooth flow of traffic and can often result in accidents. Motorists committing dangerous traffic violations put their own lives and the lives of others at serious risk.
Breaking the law is something that few people ever intend to do, but sometimes you may not even be aware you’re doing something that’s considered illegal.
What we have to bear in mind is that by complying with laws, we can reduce chaos and ensure safety. Authorities from their part enforce laws, but the ultimate responsibility rests with us that we follow the laws. We should be able to discern between the right from wrong.
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