Picture discussion

I believe this is a scene taken on a congested road. This is suggested by the presence of vehicles in the background and the lack of pedestrians seen. The adjacent vehicles also imply a traffic jam.

I infer that this is a scene after a car accident. Two traffic policemen are taking a statement from a witness of a typical car accident in a foreign country. Three men can be seen in the foreground, standing at the side of the road. The man in casual wear in the right foreground is probably a witness instead of victim of the car accident as his car does not seem to be of any serious damage from this view. He is pointing his hand to his left, presumably indicating the scene of the accident. The two men facing the man and photo source are apparently police officers. This is evident as they are wearing similar smart uniforms with ranks strapped on their shoulders. In addition, a walkie-talkie can be seen secured on the left shoulder of the policeman in the left foreground. He seems to be taking down the witness’s statement on a note pad. The unfamiliar foreign letters on the strap of their uniforms suggests the place as a foreign area.

A car accident might have been triggered previously due to the close distance between the vehicles in the jam. This witness might have been the one who has reported the tragedy and summoned the traffic police.

The witness of the car accident must be feeling concerned and condolent for the victims. He appears to be expressing his testimony dedicatedly, emphasizing his point by actions, pointing in an agitated way. This indicates that he is trying his best to distinguish the party which induce the mishap to the policemen. He is probably thinking of seeking justice for the victims.

Both the traffic officers have grim and serious looks on their faces, suggesting a serious and fatal car accident. It also indicates their devotion towards their work. They are perhaps feeling thankful towards the witness, as his testimony saves them the trouble of further investigating the cause of the tragedy.

The drivers in the passing cars in the background must be curious about the commotion. The slow traffic is an indication. It is common for drivers to peer out of their window inquisitively in such a situation, resulting in the blockage.

After the recording of statement, the witness would leave the scene to restore traffic in the area his car is occupying. The traffic officers would stay to restore traffic order in the affected area before submitting the testimony of the witness to the respective department.

I believe that this photograph is taken for a report of this accident in the newspaper. Permission has been granted by the people that have appeared in the image. This can be proven by the deliberate blurring of the witness’s face. This must have been requested by the witness when he agreed the publishing of the image.

This photograph depicts the significance of witness’s statements. It can ensure justice for victims and bring deserved punishment to the criminals. The photograph is also an evidence to prove the importance and the benefit for people to offer help to one another in life.

Written by:
Goh Chian Yee
3I (8)



image taken from: http://news.joins.com/component/htmlphoto_mmdata/200406/htm_2004060123374090009040-001.JPG