Your driving peacefully on the road, everyone’s driving in their usual Sri Lankan style, that we are all used to, you come up to a traffic light, you wait patiently like everyone else but what next ?

This was the scene of my incident, when suddenly one of our beloved Ministers speeds past in one of their overly large convoys. Peaceful street traffic is turned upside down, as they push their way through. Their guards, their escorts rudely MAKE everyone move out of the way. They horn, they flash their lights and when some lanes are so small, where to move to ?

Then you see their big shot guards who just like their bosses with their large ego’s bash on some vehicles to get out of the way. I only saw this done to a three wheeler. The guy couldn’t move so one of the guys got down and gave a good slap to the trishaw drivers vehicle and started shouting at him to get out of the way.

What is the big hurry ? Why didn’t they leave a half an hour earlier ? Are they worried about their security ? If they are when they take such large convoys they are just asking for more attention. Do they really need such large convoys ? I guess it seems they have authority to boss traffic around.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not all convoys that behave in this manner, I have seen some, who patiently wait in traffic, those types you don’t mind even giving way for, but those who try to boss people around, I don’t think so.

Of all the ministers in the country, do they really need such large convoys ? So it’s sometimes a police vehicle in front, mainly for very important ones, then you got a BMW, of course there always has to be a Mitsubishi Montero/Pejero, a few land rover jeeps with over ten army or security personal and I think that would classify a small convoy.

This morning on the way to work, as usual a big shot was going so police stopped traffic from one side of the junction for their royal selves to pass at high speeds. There must have been 200 or more of us who were inconvenienced for more than twenty minutes, but who cares as long as they get to their destination on time.

As I have seen this a lot, so as most of you would have I like to make those unaware, AWARE. There was this one time I remember, it was maybe about a year ago, this car was coming out of a lane. The driver was at no fault he began turning on to the main road, and out of no where a convoy speeds by on the wrong side of the road knocking the front of his car. They couldn’t pass, so they got down, blasted the guy to get out of the way, as soon as he didn’t they jumped back into their vehicles and drove off. I didn’t see them giving him any contact details or nothing, he just stood on the road in shock wondering what just happened. I know this doesn’t happen too often but I didn’t get the chance to ask him what happened after that, did he get paid for the damage which was not his fault or was it just a forgotten incident.

It’s quite stupid also, I remember once in a traffic block a convoy was stuck in the middle, they were horning and flashing their lights. Lets say there were 50 vehicles around them, the amount of attention they drew was enormous. As their guards were walking all over the place to clear traffic. Most of the guards were dispersed. In the middle was the minister. What was the aim of all this, to get from one place to another securely. What was the case now ? Everyone knew they were there, there guards were all over the place, and if one wanted to make a hit it was very simple. If they had just blended in the crowd, waited patiently, not had hundreds of guards around, they would have had no attention. So it’s quite stupid, but I guess attention is what they seek.

Why not just get a vehicle with tinted glass, and another vehicle not a land rover with so many guards with guns, but a regular vehicle with no uniforms, in civilian clothes ? They will move smoothly amongst the public, they don’t create attention, and if problems arise their guards are behind.

I’m sure I’m wrong about most things, as there are greater forces deciding these, but these would be a view from one of the public.

These days we have a hotline to alert the police about crazy bus drivers, maybe we need one to alert about crazy convoys.

This may not be an issue to most, but I don’t like to pushed around on the road by big shots who have no respect for those around them. I commend those who don’t show off in their large convoys, who don’t disrespect those around them on the road, and those who follow simple road rules.

I guess a minister who can follow simple road rules and laws, could be one who might follow other rules and laws as well and maybe one we could learn to respect.

Anyway this is my view, what do you say ?

Malaka R.

NOTE - If you would like your story published mail it to us at lankabuzz@gmail.com

(c) 2005 LankaBuzz