In Sri Lanka, we discovered that even the traffic police have mastered the art of hospitality.
Halfway through dinner, our driver’s phone buzzed. βExcuse me,β he said, βthe police are calling me. I need to move the car.”
When he returned I asked him if he got a fine. “No, he saw the number on my car and told me that I can’t park there. No fine.”
At this point, I was in disbelief. Not only had the police taken the time to call instead of slapping a ticket on the windshield, but they also offered a parking suggestion like the worldβs politest GPS.
Our driver laughed and said, βThe police are usually very nice here. But it depends on their morning. If their wife was happy, you might just get a friendly call. If she wasnβt, youβre getting a ticket for sure!β
This experience stood in sharp contrast to an encounter I had a decade ago in another Southeast Asian country. There, I was told to keep cash handy with my license. Sure enough, I was once pulled over for no reason. The officer, grinning as heβd just won the lottery, took the cash I slipped with my documents and said, βPolice help you!β
Sri Lanka, however, could not have been more different. The police treated our driver like a human being who made an honest mistake, not a walking ATM.
Their approach reflected a belief in giving people a chance to make things right rather than punishing themβor profiting from them. It was a refreshing reminder that kindness doesnβt just improve someoneβs day; it might even restore your faith in humanity.
