Breaking the law is defined as an act of transgression, a violation of defined rules and principles. In most cases, lawbreakers are aware of their actions and some even take pleasure in trying to circumvent society's rules and regulations. Their actions come occasionally at a cost to others. Take those motorists who have no respect for traffic laws. They speed, they swerve, they run through traffic signals, they drive on road shoulders, and they have contributed to a major share of the Kingdom's rising road accidents and fatalities. Some have died as a result of their rash actions, but not before taking the lives of other innocent motorists who had the misfortune to be in their paths. But when these violators of the law are caught, they somehow manage to get a lifeline to continue on their merry way. Last year, I read of an extraordinary number of traffic violations by Saudi visitors to the UAE with traffic fines ranging from SR5,000 to SR20,000. The UAE traffic authorities did not mince words when they stated that these drivers would be apprehended and jailed or barred from entry. But what disturbed me more was reading a report a few days later that the Saudi mission to the country had pledged to cover the fines of these errant Saudis. A few days ago, the automated traffic-monitoring system company, Saher, was threatened with closure after it was discovered that a number of the company's employees had "allegedly posted videos of traffic violators on YouTube" and other social media. The news report said that the company was considering serious disciplinary measures including temporary suspension without pay for its employees who breached the privacy of lawbreakers. According to a source at Saher, “the company was bombarded with complaints from the drivers in the videos and their family members. They viewed it as an invasion of privacy and this could have legal repercussions. The company carried out an investigation that lasted three months since late December to find out which of its employees posted the company's videos online.” What surprised me more was when a lawyer rose to the defense of lawbreaking motorists by claiming that laws were broken when their nefarious activities behind the wheel were publicized on social media. Saying that the posting of the videos online breached the protocol of information crimes, he asserted that “what happened in this case is that the company breached the violators' right to privacy of information and tarnished their reputation in society. They also announced their names without any legal order to do so.” Elaborating further, he stated that the law “has the right to cancel the commercial license of the company or prevent it from taking on a certain project. Videos of traffic violators or even car accidents are private information entrusted to the company, which has been granted the right to document such incidents to ensure the safety of people, not to tarnish the reputation of violators.” He concluded that those employees who exposed the antics of lawbreakers could be subject to severe fines or imprisonment. I don't know about the rest of you, but I do find it odd that the lawbreakers in these cases seem to be getting the better part of the bargain. As I see it, breaking the law is being a perpetrator of a crime. Some of you may not agree, but when you learn of a family of five who lost their lives needlessly when their vehicle was run into and overturned by a speeding driver, you may have second thoughts. We should not heed whining lawbreakers complaining about their civil rights. They certainly did not consider the rights of others when they broke the law. Naming and shaming these lawbreakers may be one way of bringing an end to this social malady.
— The author can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @talmaeena
