Beware the blue light brigade
2008-11-17 11:02
Dear Editor,
It is now apparent that some officials presume they have reached such a level of importance that road traffic rules ? as well acceptable social behaviour - does not apply to them anymore.
This also seems to be the case for high-ranking political party officials.
A near tragic event occurred in KZN, with a policeman using a firearm to teach a motorist a lesson, for not making way immediately for the official vehicle with tinted glass and a flashing blue light.
With today's heavy traffic and high fuel prices, nobody is on the road for a joy ride. We're all trying to be at our various destinations for business appointments, deliveries etc. But now some ten-cent bureaucrat - who is late perhaps because of poor planning or poor management - can be chauffeured at reckless speeds and expect frustrated law-abiding motorists to make way.
I do not see the need for any person - barring the state president and emergency vehicles - needing any police escorts and/or being granted preferential treatment on our roads.
We need a ruling on this issue before some innocent person gets killed. This ruling must be national - or otherwise every local authority will make its own ruling, giving the assistant-to-the-assistant metre-reader a police escort, because he's late for a cocktail party.
It's obvious that motorists in general are now totally frustrated by the ever-growing appearances of the Blue-Light-Brigades.
In conclusion - if I remember correctly - the Road Ordinance Act clearly forbids the tinting of front door windows (unless that law has been changed), which applies to all vehicles (official or private).
Hans
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