FROM HERE TO THERE IN THE COMMON MAN’S LIMO

Wedged between a giant and a dwarf the survival of ‘the little red one' that carries Ladybird from here to there hangs in the balance. Whilst these entities on bigger wheels and smaller wheels, some four, some three and some two, including the express meals-on-wheels carriers that whiz past at breakneck speed weave their way in and out of the city's ever increasing traffic, Ladybird is forced to writhe and wriggle in the hope of avoiding a dent here, a scrape there or a sniff at noxious exhaust fumes, that seep even through the most insulated air conditioned contraption.

Buses, public or private seem to rule the roads in their own inimitable way. Shoo, shoo, out of my way, they seem to say with their continually blaring horns and threatening cut-ins, suddenly freezing in the middle of nowhere to drop off or pick up a wayward passenger, forcing those behind to rudely screech to a halt and even get hit at the back from an equally unprepared and confused driver.

Three-wheeled taxis, also known by a host of other names seem to have

infiltrated the streets on a mammoth mission to reach the Guinness Book of Records as the most coveted, most beholden conveyance on Sri Lankan roads. They also nose themselves into every nook and cranny between other vehicles, overtake on all sides even if they're on the wrong lane and eventually thrust themselves at an angle someplace in between blocking all legitimate law abiding drivers and creating the most horrendous traffic jams ever. Needless to say they swallow up the parking space at every street corner causing other drivers passing through or needing to park much hassle.still, they are some of the necessary evils that are part and parcel of the infrastructure of a still developing nation.

Unless and until we are blessed with a systematic city railway network, a right-on-time ‘safe' bus service that runs within the rules or a sleek monorail that snakes above us – Ah! The luxury of such a thought – how would the Pereras, Subramaniams, Mohameds and de Silvas amongst others with no other option commute, if not for these threateningly snorting, huffing, puffing, recklessly zooming entities?