Third World ‘get out of ma way – ahm da boss’ power driving
Daniel sent in the comment below this morning. He’s quite right. I live overlooking the Burmarrad road, and have encountered similar scenes while leaving or returning home, even on Saturdays and Sundays.
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Yesterday at around 19:15 on my way home towards Bugibba, in Burmarrad just before the speed camera, there was the usual gentleman driving along at 40kph (just in case the camera is wrongly calibrated, I suppose).
Obviously because of this gentleman some traffic accumulated behind him – nothing exceptional, just normal traffic perception I suppose.
But then all of a sudden we were overtaken by His Royal Highness King Joseph in his chauffeur-driven Cuore Sportivo followed in hot pursuit by his Kevin Costners in a white saloon with flashing BLUE lights.
Needless to say, they overtook the traffic by driving on the wrong side of the road in violation of the law, and they triggered the speed camera, too.
So I ask, what was the pressing need to get home that forced the prime minister’s driver to do that? Dinner getting cold? In a civilized country that kind of behaviour would have triggered public apologies even if with just cause for that kind of driving, but here in Malta under Taghna Lkoll it is now routine.
Traffic up ahead, Minister/Prime Minister? Never mind, we’ll just flick the switch on the flashing blue lights, raise the siren if night hasn’t fallen yet, and violate several traffic laws until we get to the head of the line and a clear stretch of road.
And no, I didn’t dare say anything. You never know – I might have found myself hauled out of the car, thrown to the ground and with a gun to my head.
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“I mean, you know, ‘The Americans are bad, we’re bad, and everyone’s bad, so what’s the big deal about us being a bit corrupt? You know our democracy’s a sham, their democracy’s a sham.’
I read this passage on http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-31020283 and somehow reminds me of Muscat and his party.
If Sheehan was coming the other way we would have had a right kefuffle.
Keep your smart phone handy next time, when you are in the Burmarrad area.
We’d love to see that on video: Caesar passing through the streets of Rome, sorry Burmarrad.
I got a taste of Muscat’s power-driving a few weeks back when I approached the Qormi flyover from Triq Dicembru Tlettax.
I was going at a steady pace (circa 60 km/h) when the notorious Alfa came up behind me with the chauffeur flashing his high beams for me to make way, and to hell with the safe distance between cars.
When I didn’t budge, the white security escort car with flashing blue lights crept from behind the Alfa and threw on the siren while flashing its high beams as well, at which point I changed lanes to let them pass.
All this happened at around 6.30pm.
On the day parliament opened under the new Labour government, I had to get to Republic Street to make a substantial medical delivery that was temperature-controlled in an unmarked white van.
As I turned from St. Paul’s Street on to Archbishop Street, I was told that the street was blocked and I had no access to Republic Street anyway.
There were about eight policemen at the corner, very relaxed and happy with the change in government, it seemed. I explained politely that although this was not an emergency, I had temperature-sensitive stuff to deliver to that specific address.
“I don’t care, just move on”, the most animated policeman said.
I noticed that things might get out of hand and that I would need to find another solution to my problem.
“So much for Malta taghna lkoll”, I said, before starting to move off.
That policeman tried to drag me out of my van, shouting and swearing and screaming: how dare I disrespect the government and the prime minister like that!
Other policemen came running to hold him back. I drove off.
I thought I might go to the police station to report the incident, but what was the point? A hapless police force with symptoms from the old regime (which I also experienced).
I managed to make it to Republic Street, but it was full of government cars, brand-new shining Mercs and Beemers driven the wrong way up the street.
Signs of the mindset of the new government, I thought.
There and then, the hope of seeing some change was dashed. I realised it was going to be more of the same. You can change your name, you can change your creed, you can change your colour, you can even change your spots, but you will never change the DNA.
You’re wrong. It is so much worse now: the Malta Labour Party is refined and sophisticated, and most importantly, very very very rich
Reminds me of a vaguely similar incident, back in the 90s, when I needed to go to Valletta for a committee meeting of the Deaf Association.
Living, as I do, near San Anton Palace, I happened to insinuate myself into the tail-end of a queue of Mercs that streamed out of the Palace.
All the way to Valletta, there were cops on point duty, stopping traffic and waving us on. As we get to the Mall, one-by-one the Mercs pull over, until I’m behind the Presidential Austin Princess, which finally comes to a genteel stop next to the War Memorial.
The (then) Albanian President then steps out and straightens his tie, with me in my Peugeot 309, not two yards distant.
Suddenly (sun-roof included), it all went black as fully a dozen police officers leap bodily onto my car. I lowered the window and asked politely “Something wrong?”.
An officer covered with braid asked me what I thought I was doing, to which I replied that I was on my way to Lascaris Wharf and could I just drive on, once you remove the plods splattered all across my car.
In the end, I was re-routed via the Marsamxett side ringroad.
I must say however, that at no time did I feel (or was ever) threatened. Apart from a few coppers covering the motor – I can understand why – it was all perfectly civilised.
I must say in fairness that whenever I had dealings with policemen/women in the street, they were always polite and respectful, probably because I was too.
If this were Britain, Muscat would have power-driven through a flurry of “you w*nker” hand gestures and middle-finger salutes.
Very true.
From the series “how urgent is urgent.”
Quite an interesting case in the Tribune de Genève:
In the case where a “motard” did not hear the Police sirens “due to his helmet” and as a result drove on into the oncoming wheels of the Police on their way to an emergency response intervention, the injured victim is still suffering the consequences, has undergone several surgical interventions and is awaiting others.
The case by the victim’s lawyer goes into the thinking of it all.
The judge found that though there may well have been an emergency to respond to, the prime responsibility on the way there, is to road safety.
Therefore, that notwithstanding the urgency dictating their mission, respect of the people already on the road comes first.
The argument that Police have an overriding card, did not hold the ground that Joseph Muscat evidently allocates to it.
The contemplative nature of the discussion itself is worth a read:
http://www.tdg.ch/geneve/actu-genevoise/Course-d-urgence-un-gendarme-est-condamne/story/19693758?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed
From the same publication comes another interesting read.
This time about what happens to Police who are caught – even under a fictitious name, to show racist sentiments, or leanings, on social media.
How enlightening to see that the Police here are in constant communication with Human Rights Organisations to ensure that internal vigilance is not excluded from external vigilance.
In this case, the Policeman showing Neo-Nazi affection for Hitler and “his Empire” was internally reassigned to a purely administrative job that met guarantees that no effect nor contact with the public would ensue.
http://www.tdg.ch/geneve/actu-genevoise/policier-genevois-tendances-neonazies-mute/story/26678353
I can understand that Joseph Muscat’s time is precious but ours is also precious.
It happened to me at the Attard-Rabat roundabout.
I was on the roundabout and got blocked off by a white car with flashing lights.
That car did not stop at the roundabout as required to do so by law – instead they put the siren and flashing lights on and dove right in.
I was in third gear and almost stalled trying to avoid them, even though the right of way was mine.
Just curious. Can anybody work out the cost of a trip by Joseph Muscat from Valletta to Burmarrad? After all it is paid for from our tax money.
The “costing” should include fuel for both his car and the car escorting him (or does it tail him?) and at least two motor-cycles, the “renting” of Joseph’s own car, salaries of two drivers and two outriders, and I don’t know what else.
A parliamentary question should be asked regarding speed camera records of the day in question.
Is the PM and his goon show above the traffic laws of Malta?
What happens if they kill somebody coming the right way?
Kurt Farrugia will do another lying press release.
Under Labour, might was always, and forever will be, right.
Michelle’s waters must have broken, and she hadn’t known she was pregnant.
It-toroq u r-regolamenti tas-sewqan huma Taghna Lkoll ukoll.
What a sick display of hamallagni. Just like the rich hamalli who go around wearing gold chokers and bracelets.
Maybe I see it that way because if I were to be prime minister, on most days I would not even want to opt for a driver, let alone having Chips accompanying me with their little flashing lights and nino sounds.
Since our PM is habitually late …..
Is-soop kienet qed tiksah, u s-selit tidbiel.
And the gingerbredt man was feeling randy
The same happens when HRH Coleiro Preca is being driven around. Last time the police in front of HRH started beeping non-stop because there was a heavy loaded truck driving in front of them and they expected him to stop so HRH Coleiro Preca could pass. They then overtook him by crossing over a double line.
Maybe he overindulged and needed a bathroom FAST.
I thought I was reading the Onion but then I realize that this was reporting of an actual speech given today. Poor Malta, poor us.
”President of the MDA Sandro Chetcuti emphasised that the MDA works passionately without any agenda. He spoke about the Citizenship scheme, stating that it is an important mechanism that brings foreigners to Malta, thus bringing investment.”
“Our political leaders have always kept our citizens united. Look around us and there are people killing each other. We have a great country, a people overflowing with values. I believe good times are ahead and I urge you to work hard and raise the level of quality”.
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2015-01-29/local-news/Balance-between-environment-and-development-must-not-come-at-the-expense-of-decisions-PM-6736129718