Rigid no parking – Police must be reasonable

While we applaud the efforts of the Police to keep the roads in Colombo clear by not allowing unauthorised parking, there is the human factor which must not be ignored.

Colombo is not a planned city, and definitely there is inadequate provision for parking. We also have no acceptable public transport in the city like, tubes and underground trains. Taxis are expensive and not suitable when you have to do several stops and the weekly marketing.

This Sunday, the Dutch Burgher Union (DBU) held its Annual Sale at its head office in Thunmulla, Bullers Road. As this is a popular family event there were hundreds of people attending and of course several cars parked outside, along Bullers Road. Very few people have the privilege of having a driver.

At about 11 a.m., the Police turned up and began to issue parking tickets to the cars parked outside. There was no alternative parking available nearby, unless the shoppers were expected to park in faraway Galle Road or near Viharamahadevi Park and take a taxi to the venue. Both these places are about two miles away.

On Sunday there is very little traffic and by imposing this no parking rule undiscriminatingly, the Police inconvenienced thousands of people taking part in a traditional charity event.

The reasonableness and the fair mindedness of the British Police (on whom our Police are modelled) is very much lacking in a more crass culture it seems.

Roland Pieris