I was over at a client’s place for a couple of hours yesterday. After two cups of hot mocha, lunch and some actual work done, I headed back to my office. When I was about to exit the PLUS Sungai Besi toll plaza, something rather strange happened.
Firstly, I noticed two policemen on their oversized motorbikes waiting beside the (blood sucking) toll booth. I quickly looked down to make sure I was wearing my seatbelt. It isn’t like I do not wear my seatbelt when I am driving. I just wanted to be 100% positive that I was wearing it. I was exhausted and didn’t want to have a coffee break chat with them.
I was having a good laugh at how one of their supposedly white police uniform was actually bluish-purplish white. It looks as if it was oversaturated in Photoshop or something. I have seen quite a few shirts like that back in my primary school years. I guess that’s why my mother always tells us not to mix white and colored clothing when washing.
Anyway, as I was paying for my toll ticket, I started hearing a loud siren behind me. I looked into the rear view mirror and saw a car with flashing lights behind me. It was either a police car or a black Proton Perdana (my memory is failing me right now). I started to panic and thought of what I needed to do next. My instant reaction was to get the hell out of the way for whoever was behind me but then I realized that I was at a toll booth. There is no place for me to squeeze into.
It was only less than 5 seconds later that I got my change and receipt from the toll booth attendant but it felt much longer than that. I snatched the coins from her hand and at the same time tried not to drop them. In that situation, opening the car door just to pick up a few cents is totally out of the question, although the price of petrol has risen sharply lately and the cost of some items has risen.
I stopped the car at the side of the road at the far left to have a better look at what was going on. It took me more or less 10 seconds to reach the side of the road — I had to cross 4 to 5 lanes before reaching there while making sure that I do not get hit by other vehicles. When I arrived there safely, I was still able to see the Proton Perdana passing by me. I couldn’t see exactly who was in the car but they were all dressed in suit and all — official VVIP looking.
Then all of a sudden, all the dots seem to connect and I realized why I was feeling strange earlier on. Why on earth were they using the manual cash lane booth? One of the purposes of having police escort is to allow the VVIPs to zig-zag across the traffic without stopping. I am sure if they have allocations for a police escort, they would be able to afford a Smart Tag device. At the very least, they should be using a Touch ‘N Go card.
CASH?!
Now thinking back, I should have come out from the car to ask for an autograph before driving off. Who knows, MB Selangor, Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim could have been in the car. Or maybe the PM? Deputy PM maybe?
Wait…Anwar Ibrahim! 
Side note:
Why on earth is our parliamentarian cycling on a girl’s bicycle? Siap ada bakul lagi. Photo courtesy of Malaysiakini.
There are better ways to experience the real hardship the average Malaysian goes through in their daily lives. However, I feel that cycling isn’t one of them. Just how many people actually cycle? Try going to work with any public transport. Use the bus, LRT, KTM, etc. Make it a “surprise visit” thing. If the operators know before hand, it’ll be just a plain “cow-dang experiment”.
If taking motorized vehicles is too “grand”, try walking.
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