I always follow traffic rules and also make sure that if I am pillion riding or sitting in car, the driver should also follow traffic rules. Yesterday something happened to us which was not good -
We were in Jayanagar sunday evening, trying to look for a parking space, and we reached canara bank circle. We stopped there for the signal as it was RED, and then it turned GREEN, we started moving, with that slowly moving traffic we crossed the white line, it was still GREEN, we were turning left but due to other vehicles we got a little bit delayed(Noone follows lane discipline in bangalore, its a known fact), but it was still GREEN till we can see the signal. It must have happened that we turned left and signal must have turned RED and there were 2 police inspector standing with their motorcyle with blackberries, one came in front of our car, we stopped and they alleged that we have jumped signal, we should pay fine. We were shocked, as we knew that we haven't, it was GREEN, but there was no way to prove our innocence. I agree that it might be possible that the moment we would have turned left and singal were turned RED, but we were already ahead of line and almost turned left by then. How can you drive as well as look back to see what is the condition of signal now, not possible right?
We requested a lot that we didn't jump, we were already in the middle of road but they said "No arguments", pay fine for Rs. 100 and started typing in their blackberries.
Now the questions props up -
(1) What is the first responsibility of Traffic police ( that too 2 cops), To make sure that traffic is running smoothly, to check people stick to their lanes and do not obstruct other's ways and not cause any jam at the intersection or JUST SLAP FINES AT INNOCENT CITIZENS?
(2) Now, when a traffic cops alleges that one jumped signal, now what's the proof, what is the way we can prove our innocence?
(3) There has to some answer to this, otherwise its a joke on World's largest democracy. I would say Traffic Management should put cameras and cops should only fine when they can prove that one broke the signal.
The reason I am posting this blog is that I need suggestion in how should I do something about it so that it shouldn't happen with other innocent citizens. I am attaching here the receipt photo also so that if we can make this complaint reach upto the higher management, the culprit cops can be tracked by the place, time, number on the reciept, and others should stop catching innocent peoples.
(I blurred the Driver's name and Vehicle number in the photo to protect the identity of the person driving the car publicly.)
9 comments:
One point i didn't understand is that if you were to go left, they you should be at the left most lane if the road is wide enough. and in that case no vehicle other than the vehicles in front of you, would be obstructing you from going left.
so i didn't get why u couldnt able to cross the signal or stay at the signal.
one more point. lets review this situation from traffic police's point. why would he believe what you were saying. He has to deal with many such cases through out the day, if he will start considering every bodys situation, then nobody will pay fine. Everybody will try to comeup with some excuse.
so at some point, they were correct because they caught you red handed in the middle of the road.
@umang
Road was wide enough to have 6 cars parallely, being in the second left lane is also fine to take left, but what if leftmost person wants to go straight or the one right to you wants to go left, and what about other 2-wheelers who can be on any of the lane/no-lane and make you stand at the same place. Remember you are in a car and you cannot maneuver so easily.
Secondly, Traffic police has to see that who all are still coming ahead after the signal goes GREEN, not the ones who are already at the intersection and signal is FULL GREEN, not even yellow, yes full GREEN.
Also, when I am saying that in front of us, traffic was not at all smooth, then why the cops were there - to slap fines ? or to really police the traffic?
And that's where my point is, if a traffic cop says "You jumped the signal, pay fine, no arguemnts", now what's with me to prove that I haven't done that? Really nothing. Either Traffic cops have to be very honest and corrupt-free then I agree it works that they can say and you have to follow, but you know, I know and everyone know that they all are corrupt, they want to eat money, then in that case I request government not to take away all power from innocent citizens and give all to Traffic cops, I can request government to install cameras at the signals, and if someone doesn't agree to the allegegations made by cops, cops have the proof that you jumped the signal.
I hope, I have cleared myself what exactly happened to us, and if traffic police were doing their actual work, then we would have gone smooth on the road.
I know that we haven't jumped the signal, but again, what is the proof, that's what my whole post about?
This can happen anywhere..if you were in the middle of the road while the traffic light turned from Green to Red, it becomes your responsibility and you can be claimed to have jumped Red light.
I agree that the fundamental issue here is really 'Lane & Intersection Management' such that the intersection should have been cleared to be able to make such decisions but the point is; if you saw that the traffic ahead of you was blocked while taking left on the intersection, you should have not moved and create more jam on the intersection but rather let the traffic ahead of you clear. This would solve the problem you cited.
something similar happened to me..and in jayanagar near cool joint..i guess it was their EPM time and hence they need to collect fines...:)
@trivedin
I understand what you are saying, but first and most important thing here is that this is INDIA, and regardless of signal or non-signal, you have to keep going ahead unless the signal is turning Yellow or RED, otherwise you will not be able to move anytime. You will never find any intersection always cleared at any time, it will be full of all kind of peoples turning left from the rightmost lane and vice-versa, suddenly changing the decision to take the other turn, and sometimes the buses and other cabs just stop for either picking or dropping passengers, it all can happen on the signal in INDIA.
I know what you are saying is very good if you are driving in US with all other good-mannered drivers around you, its all fine, but when its about INDIA, all very-bad-mannered-drivers around you, you don't have much choice left with you. :-(
@Saurabh: Yes that's true, this also seems to be festival time and they want to increase the revenue so that they can get a good bonus. :-)
Deepak, "This is India" - ironic that you mention that but aren't we trying to change the fundamental culture/issue here...I thought your blog highly reflects of the change you are trying to bring upon the country. So if it is indeed India, then why are you surprised that the traffic cop cited you for nothing wrong-doing of your own..afterall, this is India and India mein sab kuch chalta hain, right!!
@trivedin
Yes, true that I want to change India, change for its good, and want to make atleast some change happen in my lifetime, but at the sametime what I said is totally in sync with what the current situation is. I can be optimistic, but the current situation is what I mentioned in the comment.
I know, you know, many know that how driving condition is here today. Noone respects others except a few ones. Many times even Ambulances have to struggle a lot in the traffic.
I want change, and that's why trying to spread when something unfair happened to me, so it shouldn't happen with others.
Today India is like this only, but I am very optimistic about its future, and I am sure I will be going to make a significant contribution towards this.
Last year, I got a letter from traffic police sayng I had jumped the signal at some "SM Circle, Peenya, Bangalore" on a particular day at 2:45 pm; and that I had to pay 100 rs fine.
But you know what? On specified day and time, my car was in the office parking lot .. in fact it had been more than a year since my car had gone towards Peenya side.
I went to the nearest traffic police station to argue .. they were understanding .. but they said at the end of the day there's nothing I can do. The police constable who noted down the number must have made a mistake in the regn number and thats how we got the notice by mistake.
This is just one out of 4 examples I had. I'l skip the other instances and get straight to the point; which is - the constable's word is final. If he says you have violated a rule; there is no way for you to prove your innocence.
This is the reason I am careful even when demanding that I will pay the fine and want the receipt instead of giving bribe. What is the cop gets pissed off and puts some higher violation and higher fine? There is nothing you can do. You are powerless.
I think your suggestion makes sense .. cameras installed to prove that u indeed broke a rule!
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