Waiting for accident [Archives:2007/1069/Community]
By: Bilal Al-Wali
I am here speaking of a real incident that took place before my eyes and I think the incident repeats itself in many life aspects and on daily basis. Road intersections are without policemen to regulate the passage of cars especially at the rash hours. However, when an accident takes place, you will see many policemen gathering in the place of the accident and then you ask yourself from where they came and how.
Not just this, but some policemen will leave their duty as soon they hear of an accident, whether close to or far away from where they are. Instead of acting according to the law, the policeman will make a compromise between both drivers but not for the sake of their black eyes. He does such a step for the sake of getting money from either drivers or one of them.
Three policemen witnessed an accident in the place where they were standing. They interfered in the matter and ruled with third and two-thirds, third to be paid by the wrong-upon driver and the two thirds by the one who was responsible for the incident. As soon as the policemen received the money, they left their own duty and went to buy qat and sit for a qat session in a place decided earlier.
The intersection was later full of cars and it was so busy and none was there to regulate the traffic and this hindered many people from reaching their jobs in the due time.
Out of rashness, an accident between two cars happened. At this time, policemen haunted the accident's place. Their arrival was made in mediation between the owners of the two crashed cars and in an effort to get as much money from them as they could.
They reached an agreement that was convincing for both drivers; however, such solution is made at the risk of their dignity and honor as they received part of the sum paid for the one wronged against as policemen believed.
I know quite well that policemen,military, and security men in general are poorly paid; however, this should not be an excuse for exploiting and blackmailing drivers and naive citizens. May be, such attitude is attributed to the wrong education and customs which consider such act to be cleverness rather than bribe-taking.
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