Hi Mabs
My friend, who tends to drive too fast, found himself in trouble with the law. He and a mutual friend decided to drag race on a public road in a 60 km/h zone. Yes, I know it was wrong. An undercover cop sped ahead of them and stopped their cars. Two heavily armed officers got out, ready to act. My friends were terrified. The police cited them for speeding, threatening to arrest them and impound their vehicles. They also warned them of a potential criminal record. To avoid this, the officers demanded a bribe of R3000. My friends, both students, could only gather R2000. They went to the ATM, concerned about their future, handed over the money, and were allowed to go. While my friends acted irresponsibly, the officers’ conduct was also inappropriate. In a country where bribery is widespread, how should these officers have responded properly in this situation?
Mabs Answers
Situations like these make my blood boil because they fuel criminality and endanger innocent lives. While the students may have thought they were just ‘testing’ the speed of their cars and having ‘fun’, they could have easily caused a fatal accident and lived with the guilt forever. It only takes a split second for a crash to happen, and sometimes, you don’t even see where the car came from. I strongly advocate for defensive driving, especially for new drivers who are eager to get behind the wheel. It helps them become responsible, empowered drivers who respect all road users.
I’m disappointed by the corrupt officers’ behaviour and saddened that the students fell into their trap. Unless there’s criminality involved, traffic offences and bylaws are handled by metro police, who have tools to determine the students’ actual speed. These officers saw an opportunity and took advantage.
In normal circumstances, I would have advised the students to call their bluff, refuse to pay the bribe, and allow themselves to be arrested. However, because they felt guilty, they feared they had no defence. Normally, the officers would have likely let them go. I hope this experience taught your friends a lesson and that they’ll never drag race on roads used by other motorists and pedestrians again. As a way forward, I would strongly advise them to attend defensive driving and empower themselves.
