Thursday, February 07, 2008

Wearing the Hijab - be mindful of traffic safety

Most pedestrians and cyclists don't realise just how difficult it is to see them under artificial light, particularly in poor driving conditions. I suppose one can only blame the educational system for this lapse.

The problem becomes magnified when women wear the black version of the Hijab.

I few years back I almost ran over a woman in a Hijab. It was at about 5 in the morning, with a fair amount of rain. She crossed the (unlit) road somewhere near Avissawella. Luckily for a moment the Hijab lifted and I caught a glimpse of her ankle in the headlights. I couldn't see the rest of her at all. I braked, the brakes locked and the car went into a skid. I turned the wheel but nothing happened. Luckily the ABS kicked in after a few moments and the car swerved away, otherwise I would have killed her.

So please, for your own safety and that of others, please carry something white at night.

1 comment:

Lady divine said...

Hope people take your advice..
Sometimes traffic cops don't wear their night jackets and it's difficult to spot them too... and cyclers.. sigh! safety rules are there for reasons nah...