“I love it,” said the sign on the little truck that took us well sprayed from the beginning of the slope with its load of bananas on its back. Yes, there we were, reeking of a dense and fetid cloud of gases, totally resigned, because on a narrow street full of curves, passing it was like committing suicide.
The driver, arm out, seemed to be very plump, who knows whether he was resigned to the life he had to live or, perhaps, satisfied with it, while an impatient chorus of horns behind us protested loudly. As if it were of any use, or perhaps, tempting us to risk our lives, which we didn’t need.
Anyway, what a blessing that there is a technical review in our country! Would the little truck have passed that inspection or was he risking it without it? The doubts were dispelled when we were finally able to pass him and saw the approved inspection sticker shining on his windshield. On the upper right side, as it should be.
It is not an isolated case nor one that is reduced to rural vehicles. We live in a time in which free escape seems to prevail: vans and vans, buses, school service and illegal transport vans, taxis and even off-road vehicles. I do not see that the recent emergence of electric vehicles, important to the point of being very visible, has changed this general picture of the situation.
I think that, instead of seeing the technical review as a commitment and contribution to a less polluted environment, citizens have reduced it to a mere requirement. Zero consciousness. Added to this is the end of road controls, due to the progressive dismantling of the Traffic Police.
On the other hand, the quality of the review service does not improve over time, and we remain anchored to old approval indicators. Thus, between the lack of civic culture and public apathy, the country is wasting the opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its vehicle fleet.
Then what do we do? We can always sit and cry, but it’s not practical. The awarding of the next contract for the review is key, and cannot be decided by hand, as happened with the current company. And modernize (electrify) public transportation.
The author is a sociologist, director of the State of the Nation Program.
