Motorists can complain

20 September 2011 09:14 pm

Amidst the continuous harassment faced by motorists on the roads by apparent VIP vehicle convoys that travel beeping horns and flashing head lights, Inspector General of Police (IGP) N.K Illangakoon yesterday said that motorists can complaint on 119 about vehicle convoys that interrupt the traffic flow and cause a nuisance to other road users.

“Day or night using head lights and causing trouble to other motorists is a traffic offence as it is in the Motor Traffic Act. The law is applicable for any individual who causes trouble to the public,” he said.

 “We cannot decide the number of vehicles that should be in a convoy of an individual. What we can do is that we can take action against them if they are interrupting the daily traffic flow in the respective area,” he said.

“We cannot control the number of vehicles,” he said. It was reported in March this year that a car driven by President Mahinda Rajapaksa was nearly hit by a VIP convoy when he was touring the city to monitor vehicular conduct of VIPs on the roads.

He was inspecting to see the trouble these VIPs are giving ordinary people on the road. Following the incident he warned the Ministers not to cause problems to the public on the road in driving fast as he got many reports on VIP vehicles hitting innocent people on the roads.

“The public has complained to the police of such disruptions but no action has been taken against such individuals who cause trouble to motorists,” a concerned motorist said.

Although it is learnt that only a limited number of ministers and service chiefs were entitled to use several vehicles in their convoys, many individuals including businessman are currently using up to three or four vehicles in their respective convoys and travelling by posing off as ministers. (Supun Dias)