Along with many others, this reporter had the privilege of accompanying the President's sky-blue Mercedes as it struggled to get through the traffic today.

As one made it past the Sewa Nagar flyover, and parked behind an outsized Army truck, there were frantic sirens from behind. That was the pilot car calling attention to the plight of the First Passenger. But the Army truck did not deem it fit to budge for the nation's commander-in-chief.

So the police let the traffic go before the car could move on, only to see it halt at the Andrews Ganj crossing. Amidst persistent blowing of the horn and sirens wailing, there was somemovement. A policeman caught sight of the car and began waving frantically.

Finally, the Delhi Police did the unthinkable. The traffic moved on straight ahead and the President's car was flagged to a stop on the right.