I had an unpleasant experience involving Metro police two weeks ago.
I was travelling south along Main Road towards Sloane Street, planning to turn into the road.
As I approached the intersection, I noticed that there were about seven stationary vehicles in the left turning lane and the emergency lane, completely blocking access into Sloane Street.
I could not stop in the left through lane, as there were cars behind me, so I pulled in behind the last car in the line of stationary vehicles, in order to allow the cars behind me to carry on to the traffic lights ahead.
I waited for a while and then as there was no movement, I decided to pull out of this stationary queue and carry on up Main Road using the left through lane to turn. As I started to move my vehicle into the through lane, a female traffic officer stepped out between the cars ahead of me, gesticulating frantically for me to return to the lane of stationary cars. This was the first time I had noticed that traffic officers were the cause of this traffic hold-up.
I thought that it was a licence inspection exercise.
I obeyed their instructions and then a very rude and arrogant male traffic cop approached the window and started shouting at me.
He asked if I always drove my car in the emergency lane? I replied, “No” and tried to explain the situation.
He would not listen and proceeded to issue me with a fine of R500.
If I had not stopped my car at the back of the line of stationary vehicles and stopped in the left through lane I would have disrupted the flow of through traffic and possibly caused an accident. I feel that my actions were the most responsible under the circumstances.
In hindsight, I now realise that Metro police caused the tail back of stationary cars completely blocking the left turning lane so that they could ticket as many cars as possible for infringement to collect revenue easily.
This was unfair practice and their attitude was appalling.
Motorists who have been subjected to a similar situation should voice their opinion.
