Will they never learn?
Posted on October 5th, 2010

By Dr. Mrs. Mareena Thaha Reffai

We seem to have umpteen number of traffic cops on the roads these days practically one every few yards specially in the mornings and in the evening. They are being trained very well to wave the hands to quicken the traffic.

Watching them doing this duty perfectly gives a lot of insight into the mentality of these officers.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Some will keep waving them even when the vehicles are bumper to bumper and cannot even move an inch ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” wonder whether this waving motion actually speeds up the traffic at all. No one has done any study on this but someone at the top had decided this has to be done and ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” so be it ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” the practice goes on, whether fruitful or not!

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The other amusing action is the attitude of theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  traffic police at the traffic lights. They just stand at the middle of the road and direct traffic quite contrary to the traffic lights. At some places these traffic cops are not quite visible andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the motorist may not even realize that there is a traffic cop there. and may accelerate when a green light is on. only to find he has to brake suddenly. It is amazing we don’t have many accidents at these places!ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Either the traffic lights must be followed or the traffic cops ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” when both act contradicting each other it is quite confusing. A few cops just stand and watchƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  and come into the field only when necessary, the wise ones.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The traffic from Wellawathe towards Mountlavinia is very light in the mornings and very heavy in the evenings. The opposite lanes are hardly busy. Why not utilize one lane on the opposite lane to ease the congestion of traffic? In the mornings one lane on the land side can be cordoned off with traffic cones and used to allow the traffic towards wellawathe and in the evenings vice versa.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Similarly the action of the cops at the bollard at the Waidya road junction in Dehiwela ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ for motorists to take a U turn, to turnƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  into the side lanes, says a lot of about the intelligence of the officers. There are some officers who will THINKƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  and let the motorists take a U turn ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ if the oncoming traffic from Mountlavinia is light. There are some even if that ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ lane is empty will keep waving their hands ( their trade mark) asking the motorists to move on, to ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ turn onlyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  at the Dehiwela ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ junction ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” addingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  more to the snail pace moving of the vehicles,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  not realizing they are contributing unnecessarily to the traffic jam. No talking or reasoning is allowed. Only a bark to say move on!

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Many a time ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the actions of the cops are totally unwarranted. Simply because they donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t think ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…”it is as if they ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ just do what they do,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  as if, since they are there, they have to do something- anything! Or is it the feeling of being powerful to stop/direct ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ vehicles as they wishƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  for no reason at all?

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is good to have the traffic cops but they should act with a little wisdom and reasoning. They should be taught to think and act. Not just take their duty like a ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ robot without rhyme or reason.

2 Responses to “Will they never learn?”

  1. Raj Says:

    Police bashing again by Dr Mrs Mareena. Why don’t you write something more relevant Mareena?

  2. De Costa Says:

    Raj,
    She is living and driving in Sri lanka and making constructive critisism. This is not police bashing. Police should read this.

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