Traffic Police: It’s time you moved away from ‘white line’ fixation

HERE’S a note of caution to all fellow motorists driving on A6 towards Dambulla. There’s a permanent Police Post located between Melsiripura and Beligamuwa.

- By Dyan Seneviratne

Yours truly was driving from Kurunegala on A6 targeting Dambulla for breakfast on Friday 3 October when a long line of slow-moving traffic mostly consisting of heavy vehicles such as ‘container-trucks’ and buses were observed.

Using commonsensical safety techniques of 100% clear visibility both front and rear were deployed and the gradual overtaking manoeuvres adopted ensuring overtaking was done over ‘broken white lines’! The last of the road hogs crawling at centre of road was encountered: a fuel bowser at snail's pace!

Here too the Safety-First checks of clear visibility in front and rear for overtaking was done and completed only to be hailed by a couple of traffic cops strategically planted to see whether when overtaking the white line was crossed even fleetingly! They were obviously licking their lips at ‘good fortune’ of nabbing unsuspecting drivers that morning! Yes indeed, there were at least a dozen perplexed drivers nabbed during that brief period of a mere five minutes!

When online payments were selected as mode of settlement of fines those having Apple phones were told that the system does not ‘accept’ i-Phones! Only Android phones could! Fortuitously the Beligamuwa Sub Post Office was located close by for those who picked or rather compelled to choose the manual system!

Fines payment receipt in hand and given to the traffic cops, we were handed back our precious driving licence after being in custody of the Police, albeit briefly. And we were then on our way after sacrificing a good 30-minute delay!