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Ian Alfredo Magno .

IT has taken the social media by storm.  The next thing we knew, this lawyer couple became instant celebrities in living rooms across the country, as television news likewise joined the sortie.  All thanks to that short-lived infamy dubbed as “5 minutes,” as captured in that viral clip.

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I don’t quite know the lady’s arithmetic, but surely, that verbal scuffle with the traffic enforcers lasted more than just mere five minutes.  For the sake of simplicity and memoryecall though, let’s leave the numbers behind and yes, let’s call it “five minutes.”  It sounds good – crisp and easy.

Coming to their senses, this subject couple may have realized by now that it could be the longest (and nastiest) five minutes of their life.

Perhaps most, if not all, of us may have experienced being apprehended on the road for some traffic violation or two. Worse, others may have figured in an accident far serious than just any illegal parking breach. Well for minor road violations, a neat tip I give to friends and folks is “hangyo lang” (maki-usap lang).

Admitting a traffic violation won’t get you a reclusion perpetua or life imprisonment, would you?  It doesn’t make one less of a man either (or a woman, in that sense) to straight away seek consideration from the man in uniform.  In hindsight, it shows decency.  You blocking the traffic in the middle of road is inconvenience to the public, at best.  And exhibiting one’s argumentative prowess in mid-street won’t get you anywhere, except to a point where heated confrontation could spin just about anything beyond proportion.

In the end, you still pay that parking ticket.  So, why waste time?

Arguing with a man in authority would only beef up the latter’s ire, and assert his office for all to see.  It just isn’t right to embarrass a traffic enforcer, and make him look stupid as if he doesn’t know his job (though it usually seems to be the case).

Even if you think you are more knowledgeable in law and rules, and hence, you believe to be correct, the officer’s uniform, office and authority demands respect – at the minimum.  No point trying to argue.  You’ll end up embarrassing the officer.  Hence, “hangyo lang” (maki-usap lang).  With the right amount of cordiality, chances are, the officer might just let you off the hook with a minor reprimand.

On the other hand, it’s quite true too that there exist several traffic enforcers who are themselves assholes in their own right.  They man their posts with such brand of arrogance posted like fair notice on their foreheads.  Officers who enforce road courtesy should, at least, be courteous – what else?

For certain, we all had our share of encounters too with one of these looney fringes.  Then again, if hot-head meets air-head, nothing sensible is expected to come out of it.  Don’t argue, instead, report, make a complaint.  When tables are turned, and the officer comes pleading for consideration from your end, that would be the perfect time to say your piece.  It happened once.  It was enough the officer admitted his arrogance and promised to make amends.  Then I let him off the hook with a minor reprimand.  “Hangyo lang” works both ways after all.

 

(Lawyer Ian Alfredo T. Magno a marketing head at Philhealth. E-mail: ianalfredom@gmail.com)

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