[jalex77]

Originally Posted by vinu_h

Safety aspect. It can come loose and move in between brake or accelerator pedals. You don't want that.

Or it can come flying at you if and when the airbag deploys and when stuck on top of the airbag area of the dashboard right?

[jalex77]

Originally Posted by Amrik Singh

The MVD Officials - from top to bottom are just zombies, reading the rules and regulations only and not applying brains.
Are they technically qualified to review and assess the vehicle to be road compliant ?..

..So, for them their rules are their Bible - no change allowed.

Yes indeed they ARE technically qualified to make that call. Most of these officers nowadays are high ranking post graduates in engineering and not diploma holders like in the past.

It's not "their Bible", it's the law of the land. Don't like it? Ask or blame the ones who framed the law or are in power to amend these laws.

[DicKy]

Originally Posted by vinu_h

Safety aspect. It can come loose and move in between brake or accelerator pedals. You don't want that.

Really? An idol stuck with gum on the dashboard is more prone to come between the brake pedal and floor than the dozen other things that could roll around? Anything from a water bottle to your smartphone! Heck, I can't understand why many newer cars have the floating console with a huge storage area in the centre console with a thin lip. Have head enough horror stories of old with Ambassadors, Sumos, jeeps aned Omnis with bottles stuck under the pedal.

Originally Posted by jalex77

Or it can come flying at you if and when the airbag deploys and when stuck on top of the airbag area of the dashboard right?

Have seen more idiots sticking die cast models of their cars on top of the airbag cover of the front passenger than idols being stuck there. Most people stick the idols on the centre part of the dashboard, mostly in the manufacturer designated idol stowaway area.

Personally don't like putting anything on the dashboard for aesthetic reasons, but this excuse is a slippery slope when the high ranking post graduates start poking their heads inside the car. Next what? No seat cover, no mats, no cushions, nothing in the cupholders/bottleholders/storage areas, no lights emitting from the music system lest they distract the drivers, no music system, A/C making drivers too comfortable and sleepy... Let us not be blind to the hypocrisy. Many of the MVD officials themselves are enthusiasts and one look at their personal vehicles and you will find the answer. These are mostly end of month exercises to fill the coffers or met targets.

Seatbelt and helmet usage enforcement are needed, so is going at extremely modified vehicles like illegal stretch limos or monster truck lifted vehicles. But then they tend not to look at the vehicles without proper brake lights or those 100cc squids with holes in their exhausts racing at midnight. So.

[vinu_h]

Originally Posted by jalex77

Yes indeed they ARE technically qualified to make that call. Most of these officers nowadays are high ranking post graduates in engineering and not diploma holders like in the past.

It's not "their Bible", it's the law of the land. Don't like it? Ask or blame the ones who framed the law or are in power to amend these laws.

Good point and here is the news article that confirms it.

Originally Posted by DicKy

Really? An idol stuck with gum on the dashboard is more prone to come between the brake pedal and floor than the dozen other things that could roll around?

You are safer without those items in the car.

[HowardRoark]

Originally Posted by jalex77

Or it can come flying at you if and when the airbag deploys and when stuck on top of the airbag area of the dashboard right?

But is it illegal? If not they should advise. If it is illegal then I will advise my father to stop keeping his books and papers on the dashboard of his car.

[jalex77]

Originally Posted by HowardRoark

But is it illegal? If not they should advise. If it is illegal then I will advise my father to stop keeping his books and papers on the dashboard of his car.

Actually I don't think this was ever an enforcement drive against idols being placed on car dashboards. And till this moment, I haven't come across someone here in the state getting pulled over for placing an idol on his car's dashboard. Happened to be a legal practitioner here and if this sort of things happen in the state, we're probably the first ones to hear of it from our work circles or there will be many people with DMs asking about it.

Another member here vinu_h had posted a news article about this. Please do have a look and you could get a larger picture regarding the enforcement drive:-
https://www.cartoq.com/car-decoration-interiors-banned/

[RRM]

Originally Posted by Superleggera

Kerala as state is in such bad cash crunched state and the govt will do anything to extort money. They are planning to introduce entry taxes to all non-KL registered vehicles entering the state.

Yes, this I heard this while travelling in the KSRTC-Gajaraja Swift bus when the driver mentioned about this change coming and hence the cost of private bus travel to increase with good %

With MVD, using helmet cam itself is an issue and here it is a caravan from a different country which they haven’t seen. Hopefully they don’t object to dash-cam usage by 4W

[Amrik Singh]

Originally Posted by DicKy

Really? An idol stuck with gum on the dashboard is more prone to come between the brake pedal and floor than the dozen other things that could roll around?

I thought all those religious relics and idols affixed or hung up inside the Cars were not decor, but a part of "Protection against Evil Powers".
Oh ! Thou Atheists ! You think what is put in there for protection, is actually going to be injurious ?
Need to repeat the famous words "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing"

[the.dogfather]

I had seen this group in the first week of December, when I was driving around the Nilgiris. They were quite disciplined, maintaining lane discipline, following speed limits and the Caravans were not in a group. Passed by around 15-20 of them in a 10 kilometer span, and they seemed to be quite popular amongst the locals. I saw many locals waving to them and them waving back. I believe they were driving separately to attract less attention, otherwise a big group like this would definitely have caused a lot of heads to turn and traffic jams.

While I agree with MVD trying to enforce the rules, this will badly affect the tourism in our country. If there are rules about modifications, the same should be enforced at the time the vehicle is imported into the country via carnet and carnet should be provided on the basis of these regulations. It the vehicles have been let in through with Carnet, a user will expect he is allowed to drive in a country as far as he follows the traffic rules. The officials who have issued the carnet should be made aware of the regulations, so that any such changes can be done before a car is imported.

Originally Posted by RRM

Yes, this I heard this while travelling in the KSRTC-Gajaraja Swift bus when the driver mentioned about this change coming and hence the cost of private bus travel to increase with good %

I think that is limited to the commercial vehicles and is not applicable to private vehicles registered to other states coming for a short duration. The state road tax , which earlier used to be given for shorter durations, now has to be paid for a year IIRC for Non-KL registered commercial vehicles.
Most of the interstate tourist busses, even though owned by Kerala based operators, are registered in NL or PY to save taxes. I think this move is to curb such practices.

[GeeTee TSI]

Very saddening to read this on two counts

All these caravans are on international plates and plying in India (ok, KL) soil temporarily on the basis of permits. Shouldn't there be clarity on the law with the MVD officials than clumsily invite attention? It is another matter that the concept of caravans and motorhomes are alien to us at large

I cannot but help notice that these 'high profile' overseas travellers got intervention at the highest level (and also the most polite treatment, even apologies I'd reckon!) whereas a common man may have just been stuck, period!

[crdi]

https://www.indiatimes.com/news/indi...or-558210.html
This is not the first time that the kerala cops/mvd gets in the news for their overzealous meddling with tourists.

[Apolo4409]

Originally Posted by Amrik Singh

The MVD Officials - from top to bottom are just zombies, reading the rules and regulations only and not applying brains.
Are they technically qualified to review and assess the vehicle to be road compliant ? No ! They only understand that any vehicle manufactured and sold by the manufacturer is the ultimate and only fit to be on the road. Any modification, though done by much experienced organisation is deemed to be unacceptable. No one in the MVD wants to take responsibility for any change in them. So, for them their rules are their Bible - no change allowed.

Actually they do use brains. These are the same folk who decided to use the most vague rule in the book ("Distracted Driving") to issue challans to people for using handsfree bluetooth calling in the car. I don't mean just earphones but the infotainment system in cars.

From what I have noticed every year they have a new thing they try to crack down on. One year it was bluetooth, another year it was aftermarket alloys and another year it was window tint. After that year, they don't seem to apply fines for the same. If you visit Kerala you can see plenty of vehicles with aftermarket alloys and tints. Motor Vehicles Act is long overdue for an overhaul and I mean a full top to bottom overhaul from what's legal and what's not to how a driving test is conducted.

[edunata]

Why a long discussion about this !
This is clearly a case of corrupted cops trying get their 'pound of flesh' from the foreigners.
Our government is doing the same. Haven't anyone noticed, all ASI monuments charge a high premium for foreigners.

[Latheesh]

Originally Posted by edunata

Why a long discussion about this !
This is clearly a case of corrupted cops trying get their 'pound of flesh' from the foreigners.

Do you have first hand experience here?

I use to drive my KA registered car during my visit and drive many KL registered cars here. Never stopped or harassed by cops here till now (except once while crossing from KA to KL - they were checking almost all vehicles based on some tips) and never have to 'bribe' them.

[Amrik Singh]

Originally Posted by Apolo4409

Actually they do use brains. These are the same folk who decided to use the most vague rule in the book ("Distracted Driving") to issue challans to people for using handsfree bluetooth calling in the car. I don't mean just earphones but the infotainment system in cars.

Show me an instance where they have used their Education and Experience towards "Change of Rules" in favour of Drivers except enforcement of Rules in the name of Safety.
If a driver wants a Bull Bar, Rule book would say "Illegal" but has anyone in MVD designed a Bull Bar which could be street legal ? Easiest way forward is to enforce existing laws but not to fight your own department for any change. Why not design and fix a Chip in the Car which may beep alert at any Toll barrier, if reported stolen, lacking Insurance or other irregularities ?
We are entering the age of flying Drones in a country where even flying Kite is illegal as the Lawmakers are busy minting money and nobody is interested in bringing about a change.
Flying a kite
AFAIK !
It is illegal to fly a kite in India without a permit. As per the Indian Aircraft Act, 1934, you need a permit to fly an aircraft. - Readers from Law field may please clarify this