[harry10]

Honestly, I don't understand this running away business. You are driving a car worth lakhs. You know you have made a mistake. So, own up to it and shell out a few hundred bucks for the challan. Why run away and endanger yours and lives of others. Simply moronic.

[alavandar]

Originally Posted by omar

"The time the officer knew that I was a rallyist, and had taken part in many autocross rallies, I was treated indifferently.”

What was he expecting?

He was probably expecting that by pulling his rally credentials he will be treated like a demi God and left free. Hats off to Bangalore cops that they were relentlessly pursuing him. Rally driver does not mean breaking all rules of the road and running away from scene is justified. He in fact deserved more. It is probably he lied about not carrying licence because he knew that he complicated the situation so much that the licence will be invoked.

[Count510]

Originally Posted by Stiggy

Taking into consideration the "test" required to get our drivers license, I can safely say that I don't trust a fair few of the drivers on India's roads.

Also, again, remember, panic makes people do silly things. Therefore, I wouldn't recommend trying to run someone into a ditch/tree/lamp-post/what have you, or even thinking about the same.

Ok your point taken sir if it makes you happy.

[Rahulk76]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

No, you probably should not have been in the middle lane. The left lane seems quite clear. If you take the middle lane and expect everyone to overtake only on the right then you are throwing away 1/3rd of the road.

interesting... what makes you say that. why would i drive on extreme left when it is said that on this expressway that lane is for trucks..buses?

anyways i m not moralizing the issue. Thing is that i have a choice be likr them or follow simple rules.

[omar]

Originally Posted by alavandar

He was probably expecting that by pulling his rally credentials he will be treated like a demi God and left free. Hats off to Bangalore cops that they were relentlessly pursuing him. Rally driver does not mean breaking all rules of the road and running away from scene is justified. He in fact deserved more. It is probably he lied about not carrying licence because he knew that he complicated the situation so much that the licence will be invoked.

You're right. He shouldn't justifying breaking the law by boasting his rally credentials. Both are unrelated and he should be treated as any other offender.

I can't understand such people. Maybe fame gets to their head!

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by Rahulk76

interesting... what makes you say that. why would i drive on extreme left when it is said that on this expressway that lane is for trucks..buses?

Where is that said? Were there any trucks or buses?

anyways i m not moralizing the issue. Thing is that i have a choice be likr them or follow simple rules.

Yes, but what rules?

As has been said, the left lane, in India, may be dangerous because of traffic, animals, pedestrians, that, even on highways, may come suddenly from nowhere. This can be a very good reason not to be there.

But the rule, as far as I know, is drive on the left; move to the right for overtaking.

[vibbs]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Where is that said? Were there any trucks or buses?



Yes, but what rules?

As has been said, the left lane, in India, may be dangerous because of traffic, animals, pedestrians, that, even on highways, may come suddenly from nowhere. This can be a very good reason not to be there.

But the rule, as far as I know, is drive on the left; move to the right for overtaking.

Hi,

Here you go. This is what you are supposed to follow on Mumbai-Pune expressway and I believe on all roads with more than three lanes in one direction. The left most lane is always for Trucks and buses.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/23678208.cms

The notification says that on the Expressway, the extreme left lane is for heavy and semi-heavy vehicles, the central lane for light motor vehicles, and the extreme right lane for overtaking by light vehicles.

[Dry Ice]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Where is that said? Were there any trucks or buses?

Yes, but what rules?

As has been said, the left lane, in India, may be dangerous because of traffic, animals, pedestrians, that, even on highways, may come suddenly from nowhere. This can be a very good reason not to be there.

But the rule, as far as I know, is drive on the left; move to the right for overtaking.

Sir, in India, NO LANE is immune from such things. Drive a little further out on highways and you will pull your hair out trying to figure out what rules people follow.

Originally Posted by vibbs

Hi,

Here you go. This is what you are supposed to follow on Mumbai-Pune expressway and I believe on all roads with more than three lanes in one direction. The left most lane is always for Trucks and buses.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/23678208.cms

Exactly. Even Noida-Greater Noida, YEW have such markings. Overtaking lane is the right most lane. The middle lane for cars, and extreme left for buses/trucks.

We may debate all we want on traffic rules, end of the day, reality on our roads is completely different.

[ajaypjayaraj]

Originally Posted by Dry Ice

Sir, in India, NO LANE is immune from such things. Drive a little further out on highways and you will pull your hair out trying to figure out what rules people follow.



We may debate all we want on traffic rules, end of the day, reality on our roads is completely different.

Sooo damn true! Waiting for our traffic scene to come up to the level we expect in our forum discussions is a waste of time. That seems next to impossible. If some one is too optimistic, well and good but all it takes is to get on the road into our wonderful traffic to kill any level of optimism. It feels like when is our traffic scene gonna improve ever.

[deathwalkr]

Why is the BMW accident garnering so much attention in here and in social media? People seem genuinely surprised that a BMW could end up like that.

I tell them a car is just a car irrespective of brand at such speeds. Not a tank :(

Sad accidents but then accidents are always so. Wish we had race tracks around where speed junkies can go get their fill for speed :(

[joybhowmik]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Stopping beyond the stop line is my birthright, and I shall do it!

Who are we to judge our enforcers?

Attachment 1302194

SST: The plate is DL3CBV7271. You may wish to report the offense on https://www.facebook.com/pages/Delhi...17817371573308
with the date, time, and location of the infringement.

At least when Satyendra Garg used to take personal interest, the enforcers were pulled up for transgressions of the law.

Not sure what's the scene like now. Or even if it is a police vehicle - despite the sticker. Genuine or not, the driver deserves to be challaned.

[Chetan_Rao]

I've lost faith in this entire 'report to traffic police' hogwash. I've used this channel multiple times in Bangalore, but the most they can do (if they accept your complaint in the first place) is add a retrospective fine to the vehicle's record. Most vehicle drivers don't check (and don't care) for accumulated fines until they're caught by a blackberry-wielding cop who can give them an update of their total due.

Even if that happens, our traffic fines are so minuscule that most people laugh at them. I've personally been at the scene of one such case where the person (in a rashly driven swanky car) offered to handsomely 'tip' the shameless policeman above his accumulated fine amount. No prizes for guessing how that turned out.

[sachinpk]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

Most vehicle drivers don't check (and don't care) for accumulated fines until they're caught by a blackberry-wielding cop who can give them an update of their total due.

In a city like Bangalore the police (or the RTO) does not have the means (and man power) to hunt down traffic offenders, pull them out of their houses and make them pay fine. People frequently changes homes and tracing them is a big big problem. Blackberry system is at least better. There are still cities which don't even have such a facility for the Traffic Police.

Even if that happens, our traffic fines are so minuscule that most people laugh at them.

Let the new Road Safety Bill gets passed in Parliament and become the law. The "laughing of people" would soon become crying, for the fines are really heavy. Bribes may also proportionately increase. And they are also planning to keep track of vehicle records and offences etc. on a central repository. Things may improve in another 2-3 years.

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by sachinpk

Let the new Road Safety Bill gets passed in Parliament and become the law. The "laughing of people" would soon become crying, for the fines are really heavy. Bribes may also proportionately increase. And they are also planning to keep track of vehicle records and offences etc. on a central repository. Things may improve in another 2-3 years.

I had my bike towed away from a designated parking area (I had the receipt). When I went to the traffic police station in the area to collect my bike, the officer in-charge asked me to pay Rs. 200 (the actual fine including towing charge is double that amount) and leave, since it was lunch time and the officer didn't want to 'inconvenience' me to wait for a receipt. He wasn't happy when I offered to come 30 mins later and pay with a receipt. He wasn't even willing to entertain an argument of wrongful towing.

No point putting in better systems if the hands operating them stay the same. Nothing will change. They'll just adjust 'settlement' amounts according to the prescribed fines. What we need is a REAL deterrent. What that can/should be is open to debate. Bigger fine amounts in definitely no solution with the existing traffic police force.

[sachinpk]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

No point putting in better systems if the hands operating them stay the same. Nothing will change. They'll just adjust 'settlement' amounts according to the prescribed fines. What we need is a REAL deterrent. What that can/should be is open to debate. Bigger fine amounts in definitely no solution with the existing traffic police force.

I agree. The bribes would also proportionately increase. But what would happen is that people would be forced to be more careful, in order to avoid getting caught by the traffic police. If not for the fine, then for the high amount of bribes as well . As you pointed out the swanky car owner could laugh at the police officer when he could pay a paltry sum as fine. Think about him doing the same when he would just lose Rs.1000/- at one shot, and would have to beg the same police officer for letting him off, or paying a higher amount of the bribe? The smile in his face would vanish.

The new bill has provisions & plans to automate the detection of traffic offences. This is a step in the right direction. One thing we can try is to bring a system where fines have to be paid at the court. The police can collect evidence and submit it to court. The accused can plead guilty and pay the fine, or contest the case. Off course he would have to take the time out to appear in court if he plans to contest. For police any way this is not a big deal as this is part of their job.

Police, Courts are all necessary evils. If we wait for a 100% perfect police to deal with a 100% unruly, law violating crowd - then we will be waiting for the next 1000 years. It just does not happen .