DAY RUINED writes:
On January 9 at about 10am I was exiting Allen Park onto Cactus Road.
To my right was a vehicle going before me to the Cactus/Eland three-way stop.
A security company vehicle was coming from Partridge Avenue down Cactus Road at a very high speed. He had his left indicator on and I assumed he was turning into Herfsland Old Age Home or Allen Park, so I proceeded onto Cactus Road.
The next thing, he was on my tail, hooter screaming at me. He overtook me and the first car at the three-way stop without stopping. Then I noticed he had his warning lights flashing.
Bottom line, he did not check whether his car was in good condition as his right front-side indicator was faulty. If he had crashed into me, I would have had a serious case against him.
I was in shock as to his driving and missed taking his licence number. I want to know, is it legal for these alarm and armed services to travel without blue lights, no sirens and ignore the road safety rules?
The police and ambulances have the right to travel with more speed when attending a serious matter but proceed with caution. Do alarm and security companies have this same ruling?
I will fit a camera to my dashboard for future reference.
Kobeli Mokheseng, acting metro police spokesperson, replies:
Private security company vehicles are not classified as an emergency vehicle like ambulances, police, traffic, military, metro police or civil defence vehicles.
If they were to commit any traffic offence under our observation, we would not hesitate to throw the book at them.
Having said that, in the City of Ekurhuleni, we have a good working relationship with them because we have one common goal, fighting crime together, but that does not grant them latitude to drive inconsiderately.
In some of their branded motor vehicles, there are contacts and a sticker saying ‘report bad driving’.
It is unfortunate that the complainant could not memorise the registration number or the company’s name, because he was at liberty to report such to their officials.
