Rules are implemented when the Enforcement is strong or when there is Armoured Carrier !!!!

When the penalty is fine, people tend to refrain themselves from committing a mistake or avoid getting caught !

We have the helmet rule in force in the State – yet if you turn your head in a road signal in a busy road, you would find most are not wearing helmets.  You could still see Police cops at some street ends stopping vehicles, hauling some to the side, and make them pay the fine.  For the average two wheeler driver,   the chances of one getting caught and made to pay the fine is remote if not non-existent.  We do not care for the rules; we do not tend to think that the rules for our protection.  One would cite all and sundry reasons like hair fall, feeling heavy, having to carry the helmet, feeling uncomfortable in the hot sun, heavy sweating and smell, discomfort in driving, possible pain in the neck et. al without ever realizing that helmet is meant to be a protection not a burden.  The Police may not enforce the rule effectively, there is simply enough to enforce – you may turn away in the by-lane if you see someone being caught; Cop might stop, yet may not fine or could be settled in some manner ………………… 

Similar is the attitude of parking vehicles in ‘No parking zone’ – sometimes under the very sign board itself.  Again those who park might at the maximum receive a fine or perhaps have their vehicle towed.  -  can you imagine the wrongly parked vehicle getting crushed beneath the wheels of an armoured personnel carrier driven by the local Mayor himself !! Incredible stuff – one might feel

A very different scene was witnessed at Vilnius – the capital of Lithuania – a large city. Lithuania is the largest and most southerly of the three Baltic republics.   Its present Mayor is a recipient of  international and national awards and honors. He was decorated by President Jacques Chirac of France in 2001 with the National Order of Merit and President Vaira Vike-Freiberga of Latvia for his contribution to the betterment of bi-lateral relations. He was twice elected Vice-President of the Organization of World Heritage Cities. He is a three-time recipient of the popular Vilnius „Iron Wolf“ award.   It is -  Artūras Zuokas (1968)  a Lithuanian politician,  former leader of the Liberal and Centre Union political party and the Mayor of Vilnius city municipality from 2000-2007 and from April 2011 onward.  In his earlier years, he was a war reporter and credited to have taped the bombing of the Baghdad TV Tower, a footage that was shown all over the world.

At Vilnius, people watched with awe as he wrecked a Mercedes car parked wrongly on the road with armoured carrier driven by him.  The scene was shot and shown in video released by the city government.   The Mayor narrated the video stating that in the past few days, expensive cars have been illegally parked in many places and the drivers must understand that they are not above law !!

It turned out that the mayor of Lithuania's capital, Vilnius, has been filmed using an armoured vehicle to crush a car parked illegally in a cycle lane.  "That's what will happen if you park your car illegally," Mayor Arturas Zuokas, an avid cyclist, says in a clip posted on the Vilnius City website. The apparent owner then arrives to see his wrecked Mercedes being towed. The stunt was shot over the weekend for a popular Swedish TV series, 99 Things You Should Do Before You Die.  The mayor cleans up the mess of crushed glass at the end of the video, before riding away on a bike

Such  get-tough approach  has earned praise for Zuokas, who  wanted his message to be loud and clear that the city will not tolerate brazen and disrespectful behaviour by drivers who disobey parking rules. The mayor hopes that he will not have to repeat his performance to have drivers heed his message, although he says that he is prepared to do so  - the spokesperson added. 

Different country, different people, different rules………  where there is a strong will, it is certain that rules will be implemented.

Regards – S. Sampathkumar.