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.)
