By Dr. Mrs. Mareena Thaha Reffai, Dehiwela.

The other day I tried to stop at the curb of Galle road in front of a book shop in Wellawathe. A traffic cop came up to me and said ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- You cannot stop hereƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ I was quite surprised since I could see many cars parked further up and there was no ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-No parkingƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ sign anywhere to be seen. When I asked him why, he said rather rudely, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- Do you see any parking sign here? There are no parking signs anywhere in Wellawathe up to BambalapitiyaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

This was news to me since we see vehicles parked right along the main road; when questioned about this he said, he has given tickets to all of them. I thought best is to avoid an argument and went into a side lane and parked. After finishing my business when I was driving further up I could see many vehicles parked along the curb within the sight of the said cop. I sighed at the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-justiceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.

But the story does not end there. The ext day, when I was driving along the same road, I saw many vehicles parked where I was refused parking the previous day, but further up a cop ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” I am not sure whether it is the same one or not ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” chasing the vehicles away from parking, but not at the previous dayƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s area, which was within his sight.

Now I would like someone to clarify one thing. Is it necessary to see a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚Parking signƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ to park or is it that we cannot park where there is ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-No parking signƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ and other places along the curb all assume dot be parking areas? And does the parking area differ from day to day? Or is something fishy going on here?

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The rules of the road must be permanent not shifting from day to day. If such parking is illegal let them maintain the laws daily ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” not at fits and starts. That will make the life easy for the people.