Ok, I just had to listen to my neighbor venting about how the system is bent to unfair poor people. What incite my normally affable neighbor to reach the tipping point where he had become so vitriolic? It all had to do with the way motor accidents are being treated by the police and the insurance companies.

Here is a synopsis of his story:

He is sitting in his car at a major stop waiting his time to join the through traffic on the other side. BOOM…a driver hits his car from behind. Luckily he was not seriously injured but the same cannot be said for his car. He does what most people do when involved in a collision; he whipped out his cell phone and called the police. By the way, the reason the driver collided with his car had to do with him trying to use a cell phone. When the police arrived on the scene they ask him to move his car from blocking the road. They record the name of the two motorists along with the usual information and proceeded to inform both parties that they may be prosecuted for the incident.

There was a time when it was standard for police at the scene of an accident in Barbados to take exact measurements and to provide police reports to the motorists in order to satisfy the respective insurance companies. Nowadays procuring a police report with ease is creating extreme hardship for Barbadians. The fact that exact measurements are not being taken which have historically assisted with who is culpable is creating a problem. Along with my neighbour I know of two other cases where the insurance asked for the police report and John Citizens have been to be chasing down the police to solicit these “useless” reports. Further feedback indicate that many Barbadians are biting the bullet by repairing their cars just to avoid the hassle. In these scenarios the insurance companies continue to be the beneficiaries of the system at the expense of Barbadians.

BU feels that what is happing to ordinary Barbadians is wrong and reflects insensitivity on the part of authorities. However the final blame for where Barbadian motorists find themselves must fall squarely on the shoulders of Barbadians whose docility appears to be their greatest foe.

Why is it that Barbadians continue to accept this state of affairs?