by Sidney Sweeting, DDS
I went to see my tailor on Saturday on Woodes Rogers wharf and parked in the only space available. I was gone for less than five minutes and as I was about to start my car someone got my attention and I realized that it was a young police officer. He asked for my licence, which I produced and asked why he wanted it. He informed me that he would have to give me a parking ticket because I was parked illegally. I asked how I was supposed to know and he informed me that there was a yellow line in the road. I looked and saw a yellow smudge. At that time a senior officer showed up and he finally admitted that the line was very faint, gave me my licence back and wished me a merry Christmas.
My wife had a similar experience on Elizabeth Avenue a couple of years ago. The officer in her case admitted that the road had recently been paved so they had not had time to paint the yellow lines or replace the signs, yet he insisted on issuing the ticket. This is particularly disturbing to me because I have called the traffic department on several occasions complaining of the cars parked on Collins Avenue and Victoria Avenue on sidewalks and on the road where the signs are clearly posted. If the police are going to enforce the parking laws then they should send officers to do so who have some measure of common sense.
My wife and I decided to try and see the movie Valkerie yesterday. I used the word "try" because we had given up going to the movies except on a Friday afternoon when the theatres are almost empty because too many Bahamians cannot sit in a theatre without talking to each other and on their cell phones.
Once again we thought we had made a mistake. Some young people a few rows behind us were talking to each other, laughing and talking on their cell phones. I spoke to them without effect and finally had to get an usher and whatever he said got them to quiet down. There is now a sign posted in the theatres asking patrons to turn off their cell phones but, like very other law in the Bahamas, that is totally ignored (the seat belt law comes to mind)!.
Cell phones is really a whole issue unto itself. I will just say here that it seems that if a cell phone is placed into the hands of a Bahamian it immediately causes them to become loud, ill-mannered, inconsiderate and totally devoid of any common sense. The ultimate was when I saw someone driving on Shirley Street with a cell phone in one hand, a cup of the coffee in the other and steering with one finger. That is just cause for another law to be placed on the books for Bahamians to ignore!
I have often wondered why Bahamians are all so impeccably dressed in the latest designer clothes, shoes, jewelry and a new hairstyle every week and drive the best cars and yet our surroundings make tourists wonder if we are a nation of slovenly pigs.
