A ROAD RAGE incident on Phuket involving a motorist waving a sword in a threatening manner has highlighted the need for greater control of illegal weapons.
The incident occurred about 9pm on January 14 in Phuket City, in a residential area close to the Slaughterhouse Intersection.
A woman was driving home, being followed in a second car by her boyfriend. As the woman was about to make a left turn, a car on her right cut across and turned left in front of her.
She tooted her horn, and the driver of the other car remonstrated with her. The boyfriend pulled over, too.
An argument developed over the rights and wrongs of the left-turn. The cars had all pulled over close to the home of the woman driver, and as voices were raised, neighbors came out to see what was happening.
The second driver returned to his vehicle, where his woman passenger was overheard saying to him: ''Beat her now.''
He returned to the argument with the other two drivers, the woman and her boyfriend, carrying a long sword. He then proceeded to wave it at them, in a threatening manner, they later told police and Phuketwan.
''Go to the police station,'' the swordsman said. ''I am a police officer. I can do anything I like.''
The driver's boyfriend said, ''I've already called the police.''
With that, the sword-waver returned to his vehicle and drove off.
After discussing the incident with neighbors, the woman driver and her boyfriend drove to Phuket City police station . . . to find the sword-waver and his friend just leaving.
A uniformed officer at Phuket City police headquarters heard their story and said there was little police could do. At the most, the incident would bring a 200 baht fine, the officer said.
The threat was implied, never carried out.
''What if he had wounded someone with the sword?'' the boyfriend of the woman driver asked. ''What if he had been waving a gun?''
His objections brought no response.
Phuketwan has based this report on interviews with the woman and her boyfriend, who both wished to remain anonymous.
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A woman was driving home, being followed in a second car by her boyfriend. As the woman was about to make a left turn, a car on her right cut across and turned left in front of her.
She tooted her horn, and the driver of the other car remonstrated with her. The boyfriend pulled over, too.
An argument developed over the rights and wrongs of the left-turn. The cars had all pulled over close to the home of the woman driver, and as voices were raised, neighbors came out to see what was happening.
The second driver returned to his vehicle, where his woman passenger was overheard saying to him: ''Beat her now.''
He returned to the argument with the other two drivers, the woman and her boyfriend, carrying a long sword. He then proceeded to wave it at them, in a threatening manner, they later told police and Phuketwan.
''Go to the police station,'' the swordsman said. ''I am a police officer. I can do anything I like.''
The driver's boyfriend said, ''I've already called the police.''
With that, the sword-waver returned to his vehicle and drove off.
After discussing the incident with neighbors, the woman driver and her boyfriend drove to Phuket City police station . . . to find the sword-waver and his friend just leaving.
A uniformed officer at Phuket City police headquarters heard their story and said there was little police could do. At the most, the incident would bring a 200 baht fine, the officer said.
The threat was implied, never carried out.
''What if he had wounded someone with the sword?'' the boyfriend of the woman driver asked. ''What if he had been waving a gun?''
His objections brought no response.
Phuketwan has based this report on interviews with the woman and her boyfriend, who both wished to remain anonymous.
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''Go to the police station,'' the swordsman said. ''I am a police officer. I can do anything I like.''
And there we see how power is used here !!
Posted by LivinLOS on January 24, 2010 12:16