Splashing water isn’t ok
Posted Thursday, March 20 2014 at 02:00
It is once again that season when we have to get used to rainfall and the ills it comes with. One of those ills is when another motorist is splashed with dirty water by a fast moving vehicle. It is worse for pedestrians, what should we do?
Jude: We have been complaining about dust and now it seems like we are into the rain or call it wet season. One of the unfortunate things this seasons presents, are pools of water on roads or off road. So pedestrians and other road users such as motor cyclists, bicycle riders are often splashed with dirty water by car drivers. I have heard some people say that it is a crime, is it anyway?
Mustafa: Let’s put it this way. Jude, have you ever splashed water on anyone?
Mustafa: Paul, have you?
Paul: Yes, but unconsciously.
Jude: Why say unconsciously?
Mustafa: Paul, it has to be yes or no.
Paul: Yes, but it wasn’t intentional, I was sorry.
Mustafa: We all feel sorry for them.
Paul: Often it is accidental. I don’t know of any people who go out there and intentionally splash water on others. We have to blame it on potholes. Some of them can be seen, others you cannot see. And because of traffic, sometimes you cannot avoid splashing. However, I am not aware of any law or ban against splashing water.
Jude: Some people say when you splash water on someone, they write down your registration number and then report to police.
Mustafa: Then in such a situation it is your word against mine. How do you know that it was me driving? I can write down any person’s number and give it to police but where is burden of proof? Anyone can do this, even to mudsling you, it is a tight situation.
Paul: It could be retribution, maybe you just wrote another car’s number that passed by and not mine.
Jude: Okay, what then do you do when faced with a pool of water ahead of you. Do you slow down? There are situations when you just cannot help it but splash and go right ahead, the way it floods at the Entebbe road clock tower route. And there are times when you cannot know the depth of the pothole, thus creating a huge splash.