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Observing the law in the breach
View(s):Story and pix by Mangala Weerasekera
Despite large warnings displayed at nearly all fuel stations requesting customers to switch off engines, avoid smoking, using mobile phones and blocking entrances and exits, most motorists tend to ignore them.The warnings are to avoid disasters and save lives.
These scenes show what goes on at a number of fuel stations in and around Colombo city. “We have been warning drivers to refrain from smoking, using mobile phones and blocking entrances and exits.
“But they either ignore our warnings or abuse us saying that our job is to pump fuel”, said Sarath Maddumage, an employee at a fuel station.
Though many drivers neglect these cautions, smoking at fuel stations can trigger fire and blocking the drive way of fuel stations with trailers or container trucks could result in more damage in case of fire.
 To hell with these warnings, I've important business to attend to |
 Larger than life posters warn customers of the dos and don’ts at fuel stations |
 Long vehicles cause traffic blocks block roads at fuel stations endangering other road-users as well |
 A container blocks the exit of a fuel station |
 Moving large vehicles out would be difficult in the event of an emergency |
 Should heavy laden vehicles such as this be permitted into fuel stations? Could they not be refuelled prior to being loaded? |
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