A collage of pictures in The Daily Star on Thursday shows how vehicles continue to move on the wrong side of the road. That tells us something about our mindset that seems to tilt dangerously toward breaking rules. It seems we're respectful of the law only insofar as it ensures our rights and keeps other people from infringing on them, but it is disposable if it stands in the way of what our base instincts aspire to do.

Regrettably, unpunished offences, especially those committed by influential people and representatives of influential institutions, inspire the public to flout traffic rules. Vehicles belonging to public educational institutions, various agencies and VIPs, as well as motorcyclists, are particularly found to be in violation of the rules. Even the occasional traffic drives, penalties and awareness campaigns are not of much help.

The fact is, traffic management is a daily affair, and the rules need to be enforced on a daily basis if a megacity like Dhaka, with fewer roads than necessary, is to be kept under control. More importantly, the law should be applied even-handedly, meaning that equal attention should be given to all traffic offenders irrespective of their status.

That being said, no policy will work unless the citizens extend their wholehearted cooperation to the authorities. Obeying traffic rules is not a matter of choice; we have an obligation to follow them no matter how busy we are, or how urgent our individual needs are.