[GeeTee TSI]

If developed countries with their (much) faster cars are driven within the speed limits, thanks to their fear of God in the form of fines and an even better points system on DL; then it is only fair that we embrace our transition into a (more) developed country thus.

Rather than individually assess the risk of how fast is too fast, it is better to relax and keep within the speed limit. I admit that this needs clearly visible (in-your-face) speed limit signs and realistic ones at that (not the outdated 30kmph sign put up decades ago). But for the temptation of speed (from earlier posts) I believe us BHPians are quite steadfast in adhering to safe practices and rules.

[Sk8r]

I do follow all the rules on the road but I am really worried about the penalties on speeding - 10000 or up to 1 year jail term There are hardly any proper signage indicating the speed limits in the highways. I feel this will end up becoming a great weapon in police's armory for higher bribes.
I would have been happy if there were some rules to regulate the pedestrians movement as well . This is becoming a very big problem in ever congesting cities ( my reference is OMR Chennai )

[turbowhistle]

Looks like everyone is a law-abiding driver here and never gets fined ( 80% vote suggest that)

I'd like to be honest, I've been caught twice so far in last few years.

1. When I was unaware of the actual concept of "Free Left", thought it's applicable for all the signals and the policeman hiding behind an auto pounced on me. Never did it since.

2. Got caught on Toll Naka around midnight without wearing a seatbelt (Don't even recall how)

We all have made mistakes while learning driving or we still do unintentionally, so I think I will just grin and pay whatever fine is there if I get caught. I do welcome the new act but not sure how much it is gonna help the cops, I just hope it doesn’t give them an extra opportunity to accept bribes!

[COMMUTER]

I usually am content to keep a lower speed than traffic(80-90 kmph on tollways) even when driving for over 500 km at a stretch.

I am hoping to avoid being penalized over some inconspicuous speed limit to the maximum extent possible.

I do wish we have uniform speed limits for similar categories - residential, SH, highways or expressways. But that is asking for much.

If I get unduly victimized , I have planned to drive at irritatingly lower speeds(50% of that limit) on those stretches many times over.

[airbus]

I do follow rules and in my 25+ years of riding/driving fined only once for wrong parking. The road had alternate side parking and I parked on the wrong side for that day.

I am happy with the new Motor Vehicle Act, something long overdue. Hope steep hike in fines will deter traffic violations.

[Fillmore]

Breaking a Red signal intentionally is a very common thing I see all over India. Why cant the Traffic police install cameras on every signal and start fining the vehicles who break the signal ?
Cutting through a red signal that just turned red from green is one thing, but frequently you see motorists just starting off out of turn and cutting a red signal when it was not even the turn of their lane to proceed.

[Ranabegins]

I don't break traffic rules intentionally. I have never been fined but I have only been driving regularly for around two and half years. Its really hard to drive at 80Kmph on 4 laned roads and this is the only rule I find hard to be in compliance of.

[handsofsteel]

Originally Posted by Hayek

Follow the traffic rules is the theoretical answer. But how do you follow the traffic rules when the speed limit on the JJ flyover is 30 kmph?.

My wife's only traffic violation, traveling 1.6kmph above the speed limit on the JJ flyover. How do you not keep pace with the traffic?
I think such insane speed limits are really going to hit many people hard. Interesting

[Tgo]

Voted for I am an extremely law-abiding driver, and I never / rarely get fined and my fine history for the last 12 years goes like this.

Overspeeding:

• 62kmph in 40kmph zone. 2 wheeler. Paid.
• 120 kmph in 60kmph zone. 4 wheeler-under construction highway. Paid (no receipt)
• 70kmph in 50 kmph zone. 4 wheeler-E-way exit ramp. Paid (no receipt)

No Helmet:

• Was picking up my bike from the FNG 2 lanes down and the helmet was at home. Paid.

Using Cellphone while driving:

• Never happens now. Paid (no receipt)

Crossing a red-light:

• the most absurd one. The Jawahar circle in jaipur has a red-light for traffic going around the round about. I have never seen such a setup anywhere in the world, so wasn't expecting it to be there in the first place. Paid (no receipt)

None of the above happens anymore. Have been challan free for the last 3 years. I use the cruise control and speed limiter as much as I can.

[BopsKA12]

Owned 2 cars and 3 bikes till now and fined once for parking in a No parking zone. Paid the fine and realized that the car was driven by a friend and promptly got him to pay back the fine amount . So yes, i do follow the rules and avoid unnecessary infractions.

[InControl]

Really happy that the rule got passed finally!!!
I have been guilty of parking in No Parking Zones (even though unintentional) which resulted in my car getting towed.
I used to take the risk of parking in front of an ATM even if it is on the main road, get in and get out in a jiffy before the Traffic police fines me for No Parking but can't risk that anymore. Now, I am planning to take that extra 30 seconds to search for a parking spot even if it is for a short duration (Buying medicines, withdrawing money from ATM etc). Don't want the entire withdrawn money to be taken away outside the ATM

Regarding speeding(70-80 kmph on a 60 kmph road), I have always noticed that the Traffic Police will check at the end of a slope and winding road, well nothing can be done, I will concentrate on the road rather than the speedometer and if caught, grin and bear it

[lobojames9]

I have rarely gotten fined. Once for over speeding on the highway. A couple of times for parking in a no-parking zone. And once for stopping at a no-stop zone (I couldn't even remember when I had done this or where, only realised there was a challan later on the online platform.). I guess the way to adapt to the new fines is to follow laws, as well as push for better road infrastructure in our neighborhoods. An example being, many a times no parking boards are hiding behind trees, have fallen over, but for the cop they haven't. One of the no parking fines I received was a similar case, I had no clue it was a no parking zone as I could not see the sign. I guess another way to adapt, is to actually pay the fine and not make the cops richer.

While I am happy to see the hike in fines and personally would ensure I pay them as their meant to be. I am skeptical about the move in terms of whether it will lead to better traffic management or just worse bribe management. Given our bribe culture, would this just mean that people will be more willing to just bribe cops for offenses as the actual fines are higher, and cops more willing to take them.

Anyways, I hope for the better!

[swissknife]

I am cross posting this where a "no right turn" sign board co-exists with a signal which permits the right turn. The location is at the T-Junction of Bharathidasan Road and Anna Salai, Chennai.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/stree...ml#post4639363

[SS-Traveller]

It is very encouraging to learn that almost 80% of BHPians are extremely law-abiding drivers, and never / rarely get fined. But what about your significant other, your teenage child, or your chauffeur? Most chauffeurs I know, are fairly ignorant of traffic rules and signs, and would drive at, say, 40 kmph in a 50 kmph zone when they are aware that speed cameras usually operate in that area.

Originally Posted by gkveda

"Follow traffic rules"

Very true - except, there are so many grey areas in our list of traffic rules that a traffic policeman determined to complete his 'quota' of challans for the day is allowed to target you for such 'deemed' violations. Take, for example, dangerous driving. It could include cutting lanes, or even accelerating hard from 0-50kmph in a 50 kmph zone. Note that there is no fine described for blowing your extra-loud horn in a hospital zone or school zone. At a traffic stop, no one is penalized for stopping haphazardly without remaining between lane markers, but there is a penalty for crossing the stop line.

Originally Posted by bluevolt

Driving without license?
What does this exactly means for NCR Traffic Police?
I don't keep my original license with me and instead carry e-license through DigiLocker App. Same for the vehicle RC.
I also keep a copy of order that validates carrying of license through digi locker app and will be acceptable by police.

Traffic cops are gradually becoming aware of the existence of DigiLocker, but most do not care about Supreme Court orders - if you do not have your physical DL, what are they supposed to impound and suspend for 3 months if they catch you for violations such as speeding or jumping a red light in Delhi-NCR?

Originally Posted by Hayek

...when 5 cars squeeze into 3 lanes - and you have occasional fines for “lane cutting”.

The traffic police are neither aware of, nor able to enforce international Right of Way rules, which govern who goes first at places such as merging lanes, roundabouts or crossings. The new Act does not talk about it either.

Originally Posted by Hayek

My driver who drives my wife’s Vento has incurred 2-3 Parking Fines, and 2-3 fines for crossing the line at signals. The second category is avoidable and he is going to be warned that he may pay 50% of those costs. Let’s see how this goes.

Hope he actually knows the rules, and thereby drives more carefully. Otherwise his best efforts will come to nought.

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

'Don't break the rules, Duh!'

Snark aside, and granted some of the proposed fines are arbitrary and our traffic cops known opportunists (speed cams on downwards slopes anyone?)...
...
...I'll consider the fines a price worth paying for a better behaved driving population.

Traffic policemen learn up a single rule each day, and use their tunnel vision to start fining only those drivers who violate that particular rule. For example, a team of cops catching motorists for speeding will only do that - if you drive past them with your seatbelt undone, they wouldn't notice!

Originally Posted by pkulkarni.2106

Do they expect drivers to fix their eyes on the speedo to make sure they don't exceed the limit?
This may sound stupid, but what if a slight "margin" is allowed? For ex: if the speed limit is 60KMPH, +/- 5KMPH should be tolerated, vehicle speed may vary because of the slight upward/downward slopes.

If the speed limit is 60 kmph, drive at 55 if you cannot hold the car steady at 60. Or get a car with cruise control. Keeping a constant check on your speed as displayed on the speedometer is certainly an important part of driving, and there can be no excuses about it.

Originally Posted by aravind.anand

...shopping malls pay the local policemen well, so they plonk 'No Parking' boards in all streets near the malls and ensure it is adhered strictly, just to ensure they park inside the malls as it is a very important revenue for them.

The police-parking mafia nexus is a rampant issue everywhere across the country.

Originally Posted by RedTerrano

I have been driving for ~30 years and I have been "fined" a grand total of one time.

Wow! That's a great record!

Originally Posted by RedTerrano

I try and follow as many traffic rules as possible. Not for the cops, but because it is the correct thing to do.

I like that part in bold! Correct as well as the safest thing to do.

Originally Posted by RedTerrano

...75-80% of the fine collected should be officially given to the cop issuing the challan.

That would lead to arbitrary challans all over the place, such as, if you sneeze while driving, a cop will fine you for dangerous driving.

Originally Posted by Eddy

Actually come to think of it, this may not be as tough as I imagined. I always follow all traffic rules including the 50 kmph limit when I drive in Chandigarh.
Why ?
Because the policing is very strict, even more so for outstation cars. I hope the entire country becomes Chandigarh.

Chandigarh traffic cops love outstation cars! If they don't find anything worthwhile to fine you with, they'll stop you just to check your PUC and insurance!

Originally Posted by cm1933

As someone living in a small city that is regularly overrun by tourists every weekend (some of who are DUI),I am all in for strict enforcement of these new fines for traffic infractions.

And a few members from small towns have said they do not need to pay traffic fines where they live and drive! Most small towns do not have traffic enforcement at all, and that is surprising.

Originally Posted by cm1933

Why fine only the infractions by motor vehicles? What about the pedestrians? Half the problems on Indian roads are due to totally unregulated pedestrian movement. How can the roads be civilized as long as the pedestrian gets a free pass?

Pedestrians, cyclists, hand-drawn as well as pedal rickshaws, non-motorized goods carriers, all should have been under the ambit of the new law. Unfortunately, the wise folks who formulated the new M V Act thought that since it is the Motor Vehicles Act, it should only regulate motorized vehicles, and not ALL road users.

Originally Posted by cm1933

Maybe they should fine the local governments for lack of proper traffic markings/signs.

Haha!! Who will bell the cat?

Originally Posted by JBIBS

Bold move, But barely enough. Because there are so many problems which lead to violations in our country. Top 3 key reasons which I see from my experience of staying in multiple countries and from the observations I have made -

1. Serious lack of Infra.
2. Lack of adequate police personnel.
3. Culture

Very well described.

Originally Posted by turbowhistle

Looks like everyone is a law-abiding driver here and never gets fined ( 80% vote suggest that)

Yes, that percentage is much higher than what I was expecting, but it makes me happy.

Originally Posted by COMMUTER

I do wish we have uniform speed limits for similar categories - residential, SH, highways or expressways. But that is asking for much.

Indeed. There are speed bands described by the UN & WHO for certain types of roads, and speed management is not only about putting up signboards with arbitrary numbers on them. For those interested, the attachment would be worth a long read...

WHO INT Speed Management Manual.pdf

Originally Posted by COMMUTER

If I get unduly victimized , I have planned to drive at irritatingly lower speeds(50% of that limit) on those stretches many times over.

Oops... that would endanger yourself as well as a lot of other road users!

Originally Posted by Ranabegins

I don't break traffic rules intentionally. I have never been fined but I have only been driving regularly for around two and half years.

Encourage you to maintain that record!

[.HEM]

The last time I was stopped was in 2009, I was stopped for jumping the stop light. In the last decade, I never paid any fine.

I totally agree of the increase in the fines. Also, I would recommend of suspending or cancelling of the licence during the 1st attempt for Drunken driving / street racing.