Equal Before The Law

At approximately 7.45pm this evening, on Bermudiana Road, I happened upon one of the funniest things I’ve seen since moving to Bermuda.

Picture the scene: GP2, the over-sized Peugeot of Deputy Premier Dr. Ewart Brown, parked on double-yellow lines outside Little Venice.

And a traffic cop, sticking a parking ticket on its window.

Comments

[Fraz on 14.01.05 at 23:40]

That's what we like to call a career limiting move for the traffic cop.

[shipstones on 15.01.05 at 00:34]

That's great. You should have taken a picture for the papers!

[Adjustah on 15.01.05 at 08:05]

Just goes to show...the police are not under the control of the Government, eh? That's brilliant!

[loki on 15.01.05 at 08:21]

Did you happen to get the policeman's number? I think there are a few people around here who'd like to buy that man a case of beer.

[The Limey on 15.01.05 at 09:40]

Alas, I managed to get neither a photograph nor the policeman's number. Possibly the only time I've wished I had a cameraphone.

I wonder who will pay the fine - Dr. Brown or the taxpayer?

[loki on 15.01.05 at 09:58]

It's encouraging to see that Dr. Brown wasn't spared merely because it was a Government vehicle. Parking on double-yellow lines and expecting to get away with it smacks of arrogance. It does, however, raise an interesting side-issue: police vehicles blatantly parked illegally. After the Commissioner recently wrote in to the Gazette, defending the tickets handed out to those who had decided to go for a New Year's Day swim at Elobow Beach, it incensed me to see all manner of police bikes parked illegally. The number of times I've seen police bikes (and I'm not just talking about the large Hondas used by the traffic cops) parked in loading zones on Queen Street so that the rider can pop into KFC or Leisure Time is staggering. Also check out the bike parking areas on Reid Street between Music Box and Rock Island Coffee. No space left? No big deal for the policemen - just park next to one of the parking areas. That's good enough, isn't it? Not for the members of the public, but for the police, apparently so.

[The Limey on 15.01.05 at 10:10]

Bermuda Online suggests that police vehicles are exempt from parking restrictions. However the wording is ambiguous and this may only refer to officers of the rank of Chief Inspector and above.

Mind you, I wouldn't be too impressed if any officer abused that privilege just to pop into KFC for their lunch.

[loki on 15.01.05 at 11:04]

I don't believe police vehicles are exempt, Phil, and I've just checked with an ex-officer, who has informed me that they are not exempt. Perhaps the Commissioner might like to crack down on his own officers before getting high and mighty over the public's parking habits.

[airman on 17.01.05 at 10:58]

I would like to buy that officer a bottle of Remi; he done good!

[Paul on 17.01.05 at 11:16]

Now that is justice at work!

[bermudacop on 17.01.05 at 11:53]

whilst not defending illegal parking by police vehicles, most of the parking done by police vehicles on Queen St is done in order to get the Prisoners meals for Hamilton Police Station. Officers are sent there twice a day (lunch and dinner) to pick up the food for the jail and are often needed to go to a call for service immediately after which means they are not going to go hunting for a parking spot. Its a pain in the rear job that none of the officers want to do but get ordered to do by their Sgt. I have never actually seen any policemen buy their own lunch from KFC. (I am sure some do though)

[donabroad on 17.01.05 at 12:36]

Kudos to the cop for ticketting the high and mighty Minister. However, remember the cop that ticketted Renee Webb? He was dragged over the coals by the Commish!!

[ace on 17.01.05 at 12:39]

KFC?!!?????

What happened to gruel and water?

..and you guys are actually being ordered to go and pick it up for them? Is that a prison or a recreational centre?

Good lord.

[loki on 17.01.05 at 13:42]

Let's bear in mind that the food is being supplied to prisoners who are being held pending charge and/or pending initial court appearances. They haven't been convicted of anything when they are held at Hamilton Police Station.

[jake on 17.01.05 at 14:37]

That's right. Just like when a soldier marches in on orders and the Officer in charge used to say, "Just march that guilty [so and so] in."

[Trischia on 17.01.05 at 14:54]

But will he actually have to pay the fine ... : )

[ace on 17.01.05 at 15:09]

pfffttt

Typical.

Maybe we should ensure that they get a proper balanced meal and not greasy heart-attck inducing (but yummy tasting)KFC.

If we are going to be a liberal nanny-like nation we should do it right.

Let them eat Brussel sprouts I say.

[loki on 17.01.05 at 15:24]

"pfffttt

Typical.

Maybe we should ensure that they get a proper balanced meal and not greasy heart-attck inducing (but yummy tasting)KFC.

If we are going to be a liberal nanny-like nation we should do it right.

Let them eat Brussel sprouts I say."

Let me get this right? Feeding unconvicted prisoners - some of whom will ultimately be released without charge - something relatively tasty makes us a 'Nanny State'?

[ace on 17.01.05 at 15:32]

loki...if you haven't "caught it yet" I am being sarcastic.

;)

[ruby tuesday on 17.01.05 at 15:48]

I doubt he'll even go near his wallet. Brown has a reputation as a man with short arms and deep pockets - see his almost hysterical attempts every time he flies to get free flights and preferential treatment, hence the constant refrain of "Ewart Brown was off the island and could not be reached for comment..."

There is an unpleasant culture of entitlement among the PLP cabinet - that they are owed something beyond the immediate rewards of office. Considering that they are little more than minor administrative functionaries with fewer powers and less influence than a small town American mayor this is wrong. The problem lies in the franchise and the electorate - Bermudians end up with the politicians that their unquestionning stupidity deserves.

[loki on 17.01.05 at 16:18]

Whoops *switches irony-meter* back on.

[ace on 17.01.05 at 16:34]

hehe..not your fault...tough to guage emotion on a BBS. We need "emoticons" on this site...it would probably avoid a whoole bunch of misunderstandings.

[The Limey on 17.01.05 at 16:36]

Either that or a sarcasm point.

[ace on 17.01.05 at 16:56]

Question: (of a semi-serious nature;)

What if I get arrested and just do not like to eat KFC. Will the cops grab me a de Graffs beef pie? (with ketsup and mayonaise on her of course.)

[Anon (with reason) on 17.01.05 at 20:47]

Wait. If Ace gets a De Graff pie, I want a hamburger from dorothy's. The cop can pick up the fries from KFC though.

Those of you who have never had a Dorothy's burger are really missing out.

Phil, congratulations on today's spread in the RG. Nice picture too.

[Tiger Bay on 17.01.05 at 20:53]

Now the cops know what he looks like :)

[shipstones on 17.01.05 at 21:12]

I want a cucumber and cream cheese sandwich and cuppa tea!! Earl Grey preferred! No foreign muck!
LOL

[Anon (with reason) on 18.01.05 at 10:27]

Tiger Bay: You're just wrong LOL !

[Tiger Bay on 18.01.05 at 13:22]

The paper calls Minister Brown's new tourism plan ambitious. If I read this correctly, he expects to raise per head spending by 7 per cent over three years. At our current rate of inflation, that's actually losing ground!

Also, proposing a convention centre at the sports complex is misguided and throws another long term project into turmoil. Conventioneers want to be next to town, near to restarants, near hotels. Don't isolate them!!

[shipstones on 18.01.05 at 18:15]

We need another convention hotel rather than what he suggests!
The down side to either if successful is yet more people on this tiny island.

[The Lorax on 19.01.05 at 00:31]

TigerBay - ROFLMAO about losing ground re: inflation. Bloody good observation!

You are right about convention center idea at NS - it sucks. What about a convention center along the new Hamilton harbour front - did that make it into the plans?

L.

[Tiger Bay on 20.01.05 at 07:52]

It's ironic that in the same week that Dr. Brown announces that Bermuda is a year round tourism destination we hit 49 degrees chilly!

[SmokingGun on 24.01.07 at 17:35]

From the RG Online:

The arrogance of drivers
January 22, 2007
Dear Sir,
So GP1, the car belonging to the Premier, was photographed illegally parked in a handicapped spot. Well turn me upside down and paint me blue and allow me the extra time to wipe the drool off my face! Surprised anyone? I'm not. The driver was as arrogant as other drivers who park in handicapped spots without giving it a second thought! I do hope the Premier Ewart Brown has a good explanation as to what his car was doing parked in a handicap parking spot! Shame on you, Mr. Editor, for hiding the picture on the third page of today's paper! Talk about a picture being worth a thousand words!

The Corporation of Hamilton needs to do more to ensure that handicapped parking bays are used by those who have to fill out their useless forms every year! I find that most drivers are very arrogant when they illegally park their cars in handicapped spots. The traffic wardens need to do more to ensure that these despicable individuals get ticketed when they do! For goodness sake stop and think about the person who is handicapped and desperately needs that spot! Only in Bermuda do people get away with such distasteful behaviour! And now we see that the car belonging to leader of our country is being just as arrogant! Do we have any hope!
HANDICAPPED PARKING DIVA
City of Hamilton"

Talk about "Double Parking" he should get double the fine as he's not only the Premier he's the Minister of Transportation to boot! Oh and that little thing about doctors supposedly having empathy for the sick and infirm? Pure Ewart Brown.

[ken on 24.01.07 at 17:49]

I am sorry, does Dr. Brown actually drive GP1? The answer would be no. Therefore Dr. Brown is not the person who parked it.

[Uncle Elvis on 24.01.07 at 19:15]

Um... regardless of this, doesn't he have a responsibility to... well... stop the guy driving from parking in a Handicapped space?

[sandgrownan on 24.01.07 at 19:40]

Tiger Bay - bloody weather has all been messed up since the PLp came to power.

[Triforce on 25.01.07 at 10:26]

Who is GP2 assigned to now? The car was behind me last evening and I hope that if a Government minister was inside they were paying attention to the red-light-running of some of the traffic ahead.

[SmokingGun on 25.01.07 at 11:47]

ken - you want to know something - you are absolutely right - he didn't park the car, his driver did. And his driver managed to get his bosses car plastered in the local newspapers which only goes to show he is clueless about what the image is that his boss wants portrayed. Either that or he doesn't care. And the only reason he wouldn't care is because he knows his boss wouldn't care which just so happens to be what the person writing in perceived. And which is something a great many more just happen to actually believe.

It's in the small things ken. If you surround yourself with arrogant, insensitive imbeciles you'll end up looking like an arrogant, insensitive imbecile. Kind of like how some people end up looking a lot like their dogs.

[ken on 25.01.07 at 14:29]

SmokingGun,

You may not know of what you speak. You can assume one way or the other but you don't know if the Premier has or has not said anything to the driver. You are making an assumption which might you look like an...

[SmokingGun on 25.01.07 at 18:14]

Once again you're right ken. I look forward to reading the letter in the RG from the Premier's limo driver apologising for his ignorance and tarnishing his boss's image. Either that or I imagine we'll just see a "SPO" sticker planted on the car.

And yes I am looking a little bit like my mangy old mongrel these days.

BTW - what kind of car do you drive ken? ;-)

[Uncle Elvis on 25.01.07 at 18:24]

Again. Doesn't he have a responsibility to stop the guy driving from parking in a Handicapped space?

[Bermudian on 25.01.07 at 19:30]

Who says he even knew that the driver parked there?

[Uncle Elvis on 25.01.07 at 23:54]

This CRACKS me up. The insane amount of defense for Dr. Brown. It's just nuts.
Why can't you guys just admit that this was a bad thing, that the Premier's car was parked in a handicapped zone and that he's gotta have some responsibility for it.

Regardless of whether or not he was in the car, shouldn't there be some sort of repercussion for this? Shouldn't the driver be reprimanded? Wouldn't it be good press for the Premier to make this reprimand public? Or at least let us know what the real deal is, rather than just arrogantly ignoring yet another legitimate question?

What is going to be done about this?