[ghodlur]

How about asking an independent NGO to collect the fines instead of the usual traffic cops. This can be without any govt official involving in the collection. The NGO can be give the essential rights and be asked to use the money for the welfare of the under previlaged.

If the onus of collection of fines still rests with the cops there is bound to be corruption or some shady deals going on behind the parked traffic cops vehicle. One does and the herd mentaliy follows.

[rajchetan]

HI guys,

I must say this is a step taken in the right direction.

Please read below points and i hope the law makers also read this.

Currently I am been travelling between countries like Hong Kong, China, Thailand, Vietnam & Combodia on business. Of these countries, other than HK all are similar to India when it comes to Traffic Issues. Hence my comments are after seeing and talking to loads of natives in these countries….

1) Combodia – It’s the most underdeveloped country of the lot, and has lots of Mopeds and Step troughs Mainly Honda and Yamaha. Traffic is not that bad and the police are very lack luster but friendly. You won’t get scared of riding here. But you dare not step out without a helmet for your self and your pillion rider and don’t break any rules or signals, and don’t cross the divider / yellow lines.
2) Vietnam / Thailand – This is a fast growing country with loads of Big cars, you wont see much of even c segment here. Its mainly D segment and above. And as for the common man he will travel only on the Mopeds and Step troughs Mainly Honda and Yamaha. But again you dare not step out without a helmet for your self and your pillion rider and don’t break any rules or signals, and don’t cross the divider / yellow lines.
3) China – I don’t know what to say, Cycles / Cars / Mopeds all made in China, and a few others, mostly small cars and few big cars.
4) Hong kong – There is no point writing about HK because, they are in a different League all together. They have the best transport system I have travelled in, and one does not require owning or hiring a car ever…

Now coming to the main point..

In all the above countries barring HK, we face a similar situation as in India, but then why is it that the people don’t Honk Crazily, or why don’t they leave their Helmets on their hands or at home, or why don’t they cross lanes as and when they want, or why don’t they ever break speed limits?

Its not about them being good riders or drivers, it’s the scare they have in the Police.

For example –
1) If you drive in the wrong lane, you are penalized 75usd.
2) If you don’t ware your helmet you are penalized 50usd.
3) If you don’t ware your seatbelts you are penalized 50usd.
4) If you jump the signal you are penalized 100usd.
5) If you break the speed limit you are penalized 100usd.

So the basic point is the fines are higher then what they can afford as most of the common people earn around 500 to 100 USD a month.

Now for the police they have a bonus on fines collected, every week, the fines collected is divided into 2 potions, 1 for the government and the other for the police station. It’s up to the police how they want to spend it.

Now imagine of the police station which has around 50 people, catches around 100 violators in a week. The minimum each police would earn is 100 USD, which in 4 weeks time would be equal to the salary he takes.

Now if only some Indian Lawmakers implement this rule……

I see there would be lot of Pros and Cons, but my bet it would make driving in India Joy full & SAFE. And improve the standard of the policemen.

I hope i am able to put my point across efficiently & effectively.

[honeybee]

@chetan,

An interesting observation. While it may seem to work there, over here there is every chance it will boomrang, where the police will start pocketing everything themselves.

@ghodlur,

A recipe for corrupting the NGO?

[rajchetan]

@Honeybee...

If its possible in countries like Vietnam, It must be possible in INDIA.

Its Just about the Implementation.

Currently our police get paid very less, hence they cant afford a decent living, and most people choose to be a police as they have no other option left.

But imagine with a good salary and facilities, we would have better people aspiring to be Police Man, and hence better implementation of Safety rules.

Its just a Chicken & Egg story again.

But you require to start some where. And if each District / State start implementing these things, the roads would be a Fun to Drive / Ride on.

All things are difficult before they are easy.

I for One Believe this is Possible...

[honeybee]

I have a difference of opinion regarding use of the fines as a means to generate revenue. Traffic offences are more dangerous than some other types of offences that can be regularized or offset by paying fines.

The intention behind the punishment should be to create a deterrant. In case of traffic offences, one may be surprised to find it's not the poor or illiterate truck drivers who are rampant, but the so-called elite class with their premium cars who take a special pride in breaking the rules. What could deter them from breaking the rules? A three-fold increase in the fines is again not a sufficient deterrent. These offenders will simply choose the time/place where a policeman isn't around, to break the law. What if you changed the punishment to a non-monetary one? Suppose a driver jumped a signal. On being caught, why not make him perform ten pushups on the roadside, in broad view of everyone else?

Once you start treating these fines as a means of revenue, the whole focus changes to maximizing the revenues and not minimizing the offenses. Instead of stopping drivers from jumping signals, the cops will be happy to let them commit the crime and then catch them and collect fines. Whereas the point was to prevent the drivers from jumping the signal.

Secondly the pay one receives has nothing to do with one's honesty or integrity. In my present job, the most hardworking and committed employee after our CEO is the office peon who is at the other end of the pay scale. It's the basic value education that only a handful of parents seem interested in driving into their children. If you took the political pressure off the cops, you would be surprised to see how many of them would actually start taking an interest in their jobs.