Bad Experience With Kerala MVD

[stormchaser]

Hi all

I would like to share my bad experience with kerala MVD. My dad had a cardiac arrest on 07-June-08 @ Palakkad, Kerala. Myself doing business @ Kochi had to rush on 07th. Once his condition was stable in ICU i was rushing back to kochi for few hours on 08-June-08. on the way from Palakkad To Kochi i was stopped by MVD interceptor few kilometer from thrissur for driving @ 91 KMPH per hour.

Myself explained to AMVI Mr. Sinto about situation. He was not ready to listen.He was advicing me speed limit for 4 wheelers is 70. Took my orginal licence & gave me temperory licence for one month. My licence was issued by palakkad RTO Office & I Drive KL-07 Registeration Vehicle. Adviced me it will reach palakkad RTO office in 2 weeks.

After 1 month of expring my temp licence me went in person to palakkad RTO office they were not aware of whats happening, asked me to enquire after 1 month. Again during my home visit me went there in person they had no idea. I got busy with my dad's illness he had undergone bypass in august from MIOT hospital chennai.

Once i am back this time me contacted Thrissur RTO Office, From there its been send to Aluva RTO Office. Then my next hit was Aluva. Contacted there atlast i came to know its been send to Ernakulam RTO Office. Now December started me went there 7 times either RTO will be on meeting or busy with other people.

Atlast i got awarded by Ernakulam RTO for 3 Months Suspension from 10th Month - 08-Jan-09.I have submitted letter stating about my situation. they made me sign i have understood blah blah blah. now on 16th they have send a letter to my home @ palakkad About this Licence suspension. Now the real comedy is licence is been send back to Palakkad on 21st Jan for release.

I wonder why these people are so useless. They wont understand the situation i am into. for 3 months suspension i have waited for more than 7 months still licence is not with me.

If anyone has idea's how to move against them for giving wrong information & making me go to 4 RTO office's to get my licence back.

Thanks & Regards
SC

[aaggoswami]

Originally Posted by stormchaser

If anyone has idea's how to move against them for giving wrong information & making me go to 4 RTO office's to get my licence back.

I think moving against RTO is meaningless.
Although somewhat OT, I think I will put up my opinion and view about the present law scene in India. India was slave for many years. At that time we were not rulers, so the Britishers made the laws such that the common man will not be able to fight the authority and similarly the taxation was also such that common man's much income went into tax.

So, the laws in India are still based on old model. If you move against RTO, much of your resources will be spent on it without any positive outcome and this is such a complex and long procedure that it will take years of to get justice and prove them wrong. Moreover, we all know they will cook up stories, etc. just to prove they are correct. This is present all over the country. If the cops are not able to understand anything even on humanitarian grounds, do you think they will not react negatively when you go against them ? Its too strong an institution. Till now you have visited RTO ( going to RTO office itself is a lot of pain ) so many times. Once you go against them, they will again call you repeatedly just to trouble you.
Avoid it.

I suggest you apply for a new learning license, put up the L symbol on your car keep it for one month, and again get a new license.

[benbsb29]

Stormchaser, if you have some influence, use that to give a rap to the people concerned. Things will fall into place rather quickly.

I dont see any other alternative.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

I suggest you apply for a new learning license, put up the L symbol on your car keep it for one month, and again get a new license.

I'm surprised Stormchaser couldn't compound his offence and pay the fine on the spot, and carry on. At least that's the procedure the Delhi Traffic Police follow. A Rs.400 fine paid, and you are on your way.

Easier (and cheaper) to get a new licence than trying to get back the old one. The official left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing, so a fresh licence will be easily issued through agents even though the original licence is suspended.

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

@stormchaser -

1. It is illegal to have 2 driving licences. You have already had a real bad run-in with the guys, and things can get nasty i you try othher tricks. I believe your "dumped" your tension on the guys, instead of keeping cool and polite; else they would not have suspended the DL.

2. You have a receipt for the DL license. The seal of the guy who took the DL is on that receipt. Stick a Rs. 10 "COURT FEE" stamp on a A4 size paper, and send a letter (you have learned about letter writing in school, right/ That is sufficient) to that guy asking for whereabouts about your DL. And whom to contact and when to get back your DL. (Only two questions; no explanations, no history, nothing else) Make sure you write "APPLICATION UNDER RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT" on that paper, and sent under registered post, with acknowledgement due. Ensure that your reply address is there on the paper.

If you do not have a reply On the 40th day after sending this letter, write to the state information commission. (10 days extra for delays in transist).

[ASHISHPALLOD]

no offense meant to anyone.

as per situation, stormchaser was chasing at 91 km / hour from hospital to his business place. so where is emergency? if he was driving to hospital, then it will be emergency but he was driving to his business place and that is not emergency.

as rto stopped him for over speeding, rto has done his duty.

regarding further procedure, in india it is so ridiculous that people either pay fine or bribe and flew away. these rto people are so corrupt that they have lost humaneterian sense against money. we people have no choice. we can just curse these people.

i understand situation faced by stormchaser going with so much mental fatigue at that time but he had no other choice. i hope, his father is recovered well.

[VEA]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

I'm surprised Stormchaser couldn't compound his offence and pay the fine on the spot, and carry on. At least that's the procedure the Delhi Traffic Police follow. A Rs.400 fine paid, and you are on your way.

Kerala is the least corrupted state in India as per some surverys. Sometimes it can work against you. You many not be able to bribe/influence officers all the time. If the Police catches you for overspeeing, you have a chance to pay the fine and escape. But for the MV department, suspending the license is the most common way of punishment for these kind of offences. About the government way of paperwork, you know what to expect. Dont fight with them, just go along nicely and you will find it works faster.

[Steeroid]

Do they have the authority to take your license away?

Driving at 91kmph is not an offense for which you should get your license confiscated.

IMHO the MVD in Kerala is going hyperactive and we have too many people exercising their jurisdiction on the roads - we have the local police, the highway patrols, the MVD and these 'interceptors'.

We need some clarity on who has final jurisdiction upon what happens on the roads - I'm not sure if the MVD is the right authority to be policing on the roads. The time is right for a PIL on this - things have come to a situation where you cannot drive peacefully on the roads.

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

Do they have the authority to take your license away?

They are the guys who give; and they are the guys who can take it away.

See rule 28 at Department of Road Transport & Highways

Driving at 91kmph is not an offense for which you should get your license confiscated.

Yeh. Daffinetely yeh. Especially coz. "I" do not keep it under 1 KMph. (zeros have no value, right?)

We need some clarity on who has final jurisdiction upon what happens on the roads - I'm not sure if the MVD is the right authority to be policing on the roads.

Aw. They are the guys. Along with the police.

At least the MVD and Police are supposed to be in uniform. Here is a list of guys who need not wear a uniform to flag you down.

1. The labour department.
2. Revenue department.
3. The sales tax guys.
4. The animal whatever.
5. Excise (uniform required)
6. Forest (uniform required)

Thankfully, that is all for the yellow boards. (edit:- 1 and 2 are for yellow boards; rest can stop any vehicle).

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR

@stormchaser -

1. It is illegal to have 2 driving licences.

2. Make sure you write "APPLICATION UNDER RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT" on that paper, and sent under registered post, with acknowledgement due.

1. Very true.
2. I think this is the best advice and course of action to follow. Will take a little time and whatever fine is required (Rs.400, I think), but the licence will return automatically.

The ground realities in Kerala may well be very different from that in Delhi.

[pypkmsrikanth]

Looks like its better not to drive into Kerala, with all hyperactive cops, MVD and who not. Its strange that the MVD decided to suspend licence for going at 91kmph - God forbid if some one is caught at the speeds at which cars ply around the Chennai - Bangalore highwways. Or imagine trying to enforce the speed limit rule in the Mumbai - Pune expressway

[jaysmokesleaves]

What happens if you dont stop.
Do they chase you.
Ive had traffic cops chase me quite often.
Longest chase was 18kms in Jalgaon and then they ran out of jurisdiction.
Its not advisable always, but sometimes its good not to stop. If they are too busy with other vehicles, they might as well note ur vehicle number. Atleast you have your vehicle and license with you.
Then let them follow the due course of their law.

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR

Yeh. Daffinetely yeh. Especially coz. "I" do not keep it under 1 KMph. (zeros have no value, right?)

Not sure what you're trying to say here, but if it is illegal to drive at 91 kmph they should ban the sale of any vehicle that is capable of reaching such speeds.

In my personal opinion, this is nothing but yet another get-rich-soon scheme for the cops and the MVD. It is about time someone challenged their right to impose arbitrary and archaic speed limits that are totally out of touch with reality - speeding isnt the only dangerous activity on our roads and is probably the smallest contributor to accidents if you consider other activities like driving on the wrong lane, driving on the wrong SIDE of the road, driving without working brake or tail lamps, driving with a single headlamp or driving with multiple headlamps on, etc.

If they decide to impose rules, they should impose ALL rules and not just pick up stuff arbitrarily and decide to police it. The number of arguements I have had with the cops on speeding fines applied only selectively to expensive cars or SUVs while not bothering with buses, trucks et al is no joke.

Dont try to justify what they're doing, Backseat driver. I dont think anybody is under any illusion that they're doing a public service. I'm not sure what is worse - pseudomorality itself or those that seek to justify it.

[speedzak]

1. There was no request to pay fine on spot?
2. Was there any tussle with the MVD guys?

These are the 2 unanswered questions which has to be clarified before going any further ahead.

[jkdas]

Originally Posted by speedzak

1. There was no request to pay fine on spot?
2. Was there any tussle with the MVD guys?

These are the 2 unanswered questions which has to be clarified before going any further ahead.

In my case, I had a tussle and then I said I will pay one. They said, 'Will see you in RTO office when you come for the RC book."

4 visits, a letter and a petty fine later I got my book.

We have too many very young policeman/MVI etc now and hence 'chora thilappa pillerkku'