Road to Jaffna
Road to Jaffna, by GlobeTrotter

In most countries, roads are considered public property. In Sri Lanka, on the other hand, they are considered your property. i.e. if there is a road bordering your house, you are free to use it any way you wish.

Some innovative uses Sri Lankans have put their roads to:

  1. As a toilet: especially for pets, and occationally for the owners.
  2. As a garbage dump: bonus points if your garbage smells extra bad, and you stack it directly in front of someone elses house.
  3. For construction: Let’s say you decide to build an addition to your house, or renovate. The road can be used for stacking cement blocks or bricks, to mix cement, also for storing sand, etc.
  4. For funerals: It is the custom that if someone in your family dies, as part of the festivities mourning, you are permitted to erect a makeshift gazebo/pavillion where the bereaved can gather and drink themselves silly mourn.
  5. For weddings: same as above.
  6. For parking: If you need to park your vehicle, your friends vehicle, or the truck belonging to your fathers brothers mothers cousin twice removed, you guessed it, thats what the road is for.

Traditional Sri Lankan road-etiquette concepts

  1. Make sure you obstruct other vehicles: If you must park on the road, don’t park in the side. Park at an odd hazardous angle and block all traffic.
  2. If you are constructing something on your road, leave timber, sand, nails, and any hazardous items in the way of any cars that ply that road.
  3. Show your neighbor your love, by blocking their gateway using any means necessary. Its the Sri Lankan way!

Random non related flickr photo of the day:

Walls ice cream
Walls Ice cream? Hmm.. yummy