Kuban traffic policemen organized a sacred procession along one of the most dangerous roads in Russia- the Timruk-Krasnodar highway. Nearly 100 people took part in the procession, timed with International Road Accident Victim day.
The procession was accompanied by a car with church bells and led by the local senior priest and the head of the traffic police.
Vologda is going to fight road accidents in the same way. In order to commemorate the Victim Day, police cars and the emergency route were blessed. Both events received ironic, if not sarcastic, feedback. Many comments said: "Stay calm, God is watching over the roads instead of the police. Now there's no need to patrol the crossroads and install the road signs. It's all in God's hands now." Alexey Konopkov is with us now.
Host: Greetings, Alexey.
Alexey: Good evening.
Host: How did the traffic police explain the idea behind the procession?
Alexey: They didn't. They refused to comment. But to do them justice, they didn't propose to replace patrols with processions. Badges, insignias, crosses, and icons. The footage seems univocal. People in police uniform are carrying holy banners. But the Kuban Metropolitanate insists that they weren't fighting road accidents. They simply organized a sacred procession with the primate's blessing.
Host: What about the police officers?
Alexey: Well, nobody said that they couldn't come.
Vyacheslav Klimenko, priest: "The sacred procession is timed with International Road Accident Victim Day. Everyone was welcome. Our goal was to raise awareness. The traffic police did take part in the procession. Why not? It's up to them".
The Krasnodar traffic police department denied to offer any comment. Seemingly, up to 100 policemen were marching with the procession on their own initiative, without any orders to do so, but in uniform. As of October, 5208 road accidents have been registered in the region over the past 10 months. Two weeks ago, the same road witnessed a head-on collision of a school bus with an off-roader.
Igor Kolomiytsev, Krasnodar City Duma MP: "Our roads remain pretty dangerous. Most of the accidents happen not because the roads are jinxed or cursed but due to ordinary causes. The main problem of that section of the highway is the drivers that speed up driving onto the highway. Some of them brake instantly".
The region has been actively fighting the non-material causes of the accidents. This Friday the dangerous roads of the Novopokrovsky district were blessed. And in 2007 one of the local churches came up with Orthodox-approved driving regulations. The priests together with the police officers began distributing them to the drivers.
Denis Batarchuk, theologian: "There's nothing wrong with it. It just looks a bit ostentatious. I don't think traffic police officers should march in a procession waving holy banners. That's ridiculous. It's just another reason to get trolled, as if the Moscow Patriarchy is trying to score some points".
The church itself won't laugh anyway. In the end, a sacred procession is just a prayer on the go. It's not like priests are going to repair the roads.
Sergey Barishnikov, Russian Council of Driver Etiquette: "In order to defeat the evil spirits, to drive them out we need a sacred procession, it's a drastic remedy. It’s nothing to make fun of. And he laughs best who laughs last. There's no way we manage the situation without God's blessing".
The preaching priests are one thing. They are supposed to do that. But why were there so many police officers? According to the photos, the procession created a big traffic jam on a dual regional highway. And counting the badges one comes to a conclusion that a couple of crossroads were missing their officers that day.
Igor Sirin, automobile journalist: It's both funny and sad. If accidents happen there frequently, there must be some issue with road services or road signs, or maybe it's just dark out there. Their approach is unprofessional. But I'd like to see it work. If it helps, it would be a miracle".
Let's hope the police officers and drivers don't put too much trust in miracles. Because some people trust in dashboard icons more than in seat-belts. Alexey Konopkov reporting on unconventional methods of accident prevention.
