Is might right?

Is might right?

I was walking on the right hand side of Austin Place, Borella, around 6:40 p.m. on Poya Day, Wednesday, 14 August, after work, to catch a bus home. 

Closer to Western Province Governor A.J.M. Muzzammil’s private residence also located down Austin Place and also on the same side where I was walking, a car passed me, going in the same direction as I. Meanwhile, by the side of Muzzamil’s residence, a white Defender vehicle bearing registration number 32-4717 and facing me was parked on the same side of the road on which side I was walking.

It then reversed, allowing the car which overtook me and which turned towards the direction of the Defender vehicle to move directly behind it. Subsequently, the roller gates in Muzzamil’s residence rolled up, allowing the car to reverse into the residence. At that time I was walking parallel to Muzzamil’s residence, on the same side where it was located. I beckoned with my hands for the reversing vehicle to stop as otherwise it would have had knocked me down.

Then the driver of the Defender vehicle, a young burly man got down from the Defender vehicle and walked aggressively towards me saying, ‘What is the matter?’ That I believe was an absurd question for him to ask, as he, like watching a movie would have seen what was happening as he was seated in the Defender vehicle right in front of me, having a bird’s eye view of the ‘unfolding drama’.

Under the circumstances I felt that no rational explanation would serve its purpose. I therefore said that I’m from the press and that there is an election round the corner. That statement probably made him to stop doing anything physically aggressive to me.

The question is this,  does a pedestrian, walking on the right hand side of the road, have to stop for a reversing vehicle, especially when at first sight it gave the impression it was going to park behind the Defender,  to allow a reversing vehicle, reversing into a residence, also on the same side room, or should not the driver of that vehicle first have allowed such a pedestrian to pass through before reversing into the compound, especially when the driver of that vehicle may well have seen that pedestrian as he first passed him by in his car before reversing?

Indian law says that ‘No driver of a motor vehicle shall drive the vehicle backwards (in the reverse direction) on a road or in a parking or any other public place, unless for provisions made in the regulations.’ 

Sri Lanka law however is somewhat grey on that matter, where it merely says, ‘The driver of a motor vehicle shall not reverse the vehicle or permit it to travel backwards on a highway for a longer distance than may be necessary for the purpose of turning that vehicle or for any other reasonable purpose.’

And the other question, ‘Is might right?’ 

I may have escaped battery from the driver of the Defender because I was a reporter. But what about the plight of ‘Citizen Silva’ if he was caught up in a similar situation?

P. Ameresekere

Mt. Lavinia

Why are credit cards posted and debit cards collected?

When I went to collect the debit card of my wife (from a leading Shariah compliant Islamic bank) with the authorisation of my wife to collect same, the bank refused to give it and requested that my wife call over at the bank to collect same. Then I requested that it be posted, the bank officer’s reply was negative.

When I told him that my better half being very conservative is not willing to visit the bank just to collect the card, his response was that it shouldn’t be so with the prevailing situation in our country. I was very much disappointed and left the bank. An officer from the bank later on called me to inform that it will be personally hand delivered to my wife on Monday. I would like to know, if the banks can post the credit cards, why can’t they do the same with debit cards? Shouldn’t the banks be customer friendly and either post/deliver – be it debit or credit card – without making a fuss?

Over to the banks for their rationale for the above procedure.

Mohamed Zahran

Colombo 14