Flowerly Maua

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I smile recklessly and I love excessively. I live today knowing I have no other day until tomorrow. Now is my moment. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow is a mystery, but today, today is my gift (present).

Tuesday 4 August 2009

Routine Random Police Checks

My 1st car was a BMW which my then boyfriend and I drove to Munich from Athens to go buy. It was an old car, maybe 4-5yrs old, a 320, a 1988 model. I loved my car, but it was short lived coz a few weeks later, it crashed and I packed it.

A few yrs ago my brother got a BMW 318 sports. It was newer than mine, and very beautiful. I was so proud of him.


5 yrs on, he doesn’t want it anymore. And what’s wrong with it? I've asked this question many times with no answer, until yesterday morning. I was with him in the car, and the ‘ old bill ’ followed him for quite a while, and then stopped him.


The usual questions, ‘have you got your DL? Yes. Do you own this car? Yes. For how long? 5 yrs. He hands his DL, and they are running a check on him, with no explanation why they stopped him. 15 minutes later, they say it is routine. (A black man riding a posh car.)

I don’t believe in racial discrimination, but, I think I’ll be shifting soon.

He told me he’s getting rid of the car coz for the last 5 yrs, he can not count how many times he’s been stopped, how much time he’s wasted, and how many times he’s been late for work coz of ROUTINE CHECKS.

I am not driving any posh car for a while.

Other issues
1. Why are London buses’ heaters always on in summer, and off in winter?

2. For 6 weeks since last week, I have a full time job. Cook, escort, driver, cleaner, teacher, social worker, name it. The sad thing is, it's unpaid, I can't resign, and I have to do it come rain come sunshine. I need to import myself house help.

7 comments:

joyunspeakable2011 said...

I like your attitude. Girl am thinking now is the time to get rid of my big guzzler and get myself a toyota runx, a small beautiful car but the people i keep seeking opinion think i should maintain my standards!????? Whatever?? I have never held a meeting in my car so why i should i want to ride a big car to impress my audience..
Oops...i ranted at your doorstep..soorry

Our Kid said...

He he. Scary cars.

Cee said...

Maua I def feel you on the heaters in the buses and trains...I always thought it was only here, kumbe pia kwenu...lol....as for the posh cars, atleast here they assume you are the owners driver so they don't stop you as often if you are black...lol!!! And I thought these people were more racist.....Hey maybe your bro could complaing and he will be invited to beer with Gordon Brown ama wat do you guys drink in UK?

Maua said...

@Joy, I feel you here, you don't hold meetings in a car, and I ask kama iko na bafu na choo. If it doesn't, a small cheap one to take me from A-B will do. Automatic.

@Our Kid, Bimas, Kompressors, Lexus etc, for now they scare me. Not worth the hassle.

@Cee, ati they assume all blacks are chauffeurs, shame on them. To see GB, you need a visa booked like 2 yrs in advance, and the protocol, wacha tu.

For the buses and trains, I feel better if you get the heaters too.

KK said...

I do hope you don't believe in any sort of discrimination.... Unfortunately it is part of life and especially evident when you are part of a minority. Too bad it's forcing your bro to sell his bimmer. Someone once told me that success is the best form of revenge. To be so successful one day so that those cops who may have profiled me before are actually standing guard as I drive or walk by, now that is something. Look at Obama for instance.

Anonymous said...

thats racial profiling at its best! no arguments there...

Anonymous said...

He needs to write a complaints letter or something..I would be totally mad if that happened to me...pole to your bro.

farmgal