Anybody see the postman lately? I here waiting on him, cause as soon as I get this income tax money, the first thing I gine and do is get my glasses change, cause I does be reading things and them does don’t look right to me at all.
Case in point, I pick up THE NATION newspaper earlier this week, and I read a report by Antoinette Connell which said; “Some minibus drivers, tired of paying out thousands of dollars in traffic fines to avoid jail, are planning to take a different route to court. They want to sue the authorities, claiming that the traffic fines in the Bridgetown courts are harsh and excessive compared to the other jurisdictions.”
The author went on to say, that a group of concerned drivers and conductors met in Queen’s Park recently and said they were looking for a lawyer to take up their case.
Well I took off my glasses, cleaned them, and even checked to see if them wanted batteries (you never know with these modern day things), because I could not believe what I was reading.
The lady continued, “The fines, they pointed out, could include $600 forthwith for lack of a seat belt, or picking up passengers other than at a bus pole, and carry an alternative of 55 days in jail if not paid on the spot.”
Now, I gine tell the minibus men this, if you have problems with the fines and the law, here is my solution, and it gine save you some lawyer money too.
What I am now going to tell you might seem revolutionary, even insane, but it is steeped in common sense. If you have problems with the fines when you break the law, well don’t break the law. If you have a problem with paying the court $600 for not wearing a seat belt, well wear one. What so hard in that?
Now I know that driving mini bus and ZR is a hustle, and every person whether at a bus stop or not is a possible $2 bill, so I could understand that it is hard to pass a $2 bill especially when you got children to feed.
And while I may be sympathetic, the law isn’t, there is a law against that, so you must obey the law. However, if you gine say there shouldn’t be a law against picking up or putting down passengers other than at a bus pole, then I might see your line of reasoning.
Because I know some bus stops ain’t got no shade from the sun or rain, so people prefer to wait under a tree or by a shop in the area. Also, sometimes them got old people on the van with groceries, who can’t walk too far, so the driver might put them off right by them house and the conductor would help them take off the bags o’ groceries too and help carry them to the door.
I also know them does got parents dropping off lil children at day nurseries and the driver would stop right in front of the place and allow that parent to drop off the child, and in some cases wait for them to get back on the van to head to work.
Also women coming home from work late at night, a lot of drivers would drop them as close to home as possible, to make sure them get in safe.
Good customer service, you say? Yes, in my opinion, but all o’ that is fine (pun intended).
See ya.
