Saluting cop in the middle of a traffic jam

At Bambalapitiya on the Galle Road near Dickman’s Road junction, invariably there are two traffic policemen watching like hawks to apprehend any motorist daring to jump a red traffic light. On the morning of July 18, they were there as usual and I noticed one of them, jumping to the centre of the road with his hand up to stop a motorist who blatantly passed a red light, suddenly to realize that the motorist was a senior policeman driving his own car.

What did the poor traffic cop do? He smartly changed the lifted arm to a salute, right in the centre of Galle Road with other vehicles swishing past him on both sides.

Whilst amused at the absurd sight, I thought to myself, that like in countries in the West where even Prime Ministers are booked for traffic violations, if ever a time comes when officials have the courage to take on their seniors, then pigs will fly.

By Ubaya De Silva Bambalapitiya