[Spitfire]

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...etrafficpolice

Looks like the Bangalore Traffic Police have woken up to the phenomenon of social media.

Following in their North Indian Colleagues footsteps.

Time to flood this sight with unruly, rules breaking pictures of violators in Bangalore.

So fellow members let it roll. We need to make these people sit up and notice. And hopefully the fines start getting added to their vehicles through the online tool.

I am going to load some pictures soon with number plates visible and then check back on the btis - fine site to check whether the Facebook Page is being taken seriously by the authorities.

Good move by the Bangalore Police to bring around some transparency hope they stick to it though.

[viper_711]

Good step! This, in conjunction with the traffic monitoring system, should help them be more effective!
Time to bring out the camera phones!

[Fordmanchau]

That's a nice move, but considering that Bangalore is a IT city, this comes late from the Bangalore police. Nevertheless, it's a welcome move.
I hope BP will be transparent and prompt to resolve any situation.
Hyderabad Traffic Police (HTP) are doing nice work on their FB page. They promptly response to any concern or query plus also provide a visual evidence for the challaned issued if questioned.

[paragsachania]

Pune Traffic Police too has been doing their bit on Facebook since a while by taking actions on complaints/photos posted online or even notifying about any possible deviation of traffic that occur due to various events/reasons.

I only hope that this initiative by BTP doesnt die soon like their so called initiatives earlier like - 'Zero Tolerance Zone (MG Road)', 'No Headlights Zone', Stricter Seat Belt law when drivers were pulled for not wearing seatbelts (specially entering Brigade Road). The list is endless.

If they are taking initiatives, they must stay active and take actions here than come up with reasons later that there were too many hits on their page with thousands of complaints that they finally logged off!

I am now waiting for Bengaluru's own PR agency (TOI) to publish a glorified report on this initiative soon who might as well mention it as "First time in India".

[tsk1979]

What happens if someone doctors a number plate and posts it on Facebook site? Can the police prosecute violators unless a certified Lab certifies that the pictures are not doctored?

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

What happens if someone doctors a number plate and posts it on Facebook site? Can the police prosecute violators unless a certified Lab certifies that the pictures are not doctored?

Possible.

It would be an inefficient force that goes just by the pictures.

Also the guy who doctors the number plate needs to match the vehicle number in the picture with the car model, colour, engine number and chassis number too.

[amitoj]

The skeptic in me tells me that as far as the Bangalore Traffic Police is concerned, the facebook site has already served its purpose by making it to the Bangalore newspapers.

Let's face it. As long as the taxi and auto unions have the upper hand, situation will remain grim. Penalizing only the "educated" law breakers (read un-unionized) will only increase the angst among them and will still not lead to better traffic manners.

[Spitfire]

How would the Auto and Taxi Union be immune to documented proof of violation?

All are seen as equal. Increase of angst has a poor argument that if he does wrong and gets away with it, I can do wrong and should also be able to get away with it. Not holding because the opposite is to do right.

Yes its in the hands of the authorities like I said. I saw this initiative being a success in my home state - Goa. Goa Traffic Police has a similar site and I heard of owners panicking seeing a lone citizen pull out a camera and point at a violation. But this happens only due to a powerful backing of the authorities. And that is the weakest link in this chain when it comes to the most corrupt state in India.

[amitoj]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

How would the Auto and Taxi Union be immune to documented proof of violation?

Yes its in the hands of the authorities like I said. I saw this initiative being a success in my home state - Goa.

Arre sir, they are immune to live proofs of violation too. Forget documented.

Each state has a different set up. What works in other places, is not necessarily going to work here. I can't even give any points to Bangalore Traffic Police for this initiative because I don't think their heart is in the right place behind this move.

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by amitoj

Arre sir, they are immune to live proofs of violation too. Forget documented.

Blame that on the spine of the Bangalore Police, then.

I remember the situation on MG Road where an Auto driver caught for a violation involved his friends and bought the whole CBD in Bangalore on its knees.

The ACP Traffic had to ask for forgiveness to get the issue resolved. Something unprecedented.

Yeah I agree to your point and thats why I mentioned that the weakest link are the stakeholders themselves.

Me, I believe in hope.

[Spitfire]

Some good work happening.

After today's news article in the times the people adding up to Bangalore Traffic Police page is good.

The best part is the responses from the page. They are well measured and true. The one regarding road humps is a good one. It gives us a good perspective of what the dark side thinks about this.

People have started posting pictures too.

A nice FAQ has been created, a lengthy and exhaustive one.

Here: Bangalore City Traffic Police

Some examples, why BMTC buses are not stopped immediately for a violation. Why traffic policeman are standing where there are signals.

I am impressed for now.

[benbsb29]

From the FAQ page :

Can police penalize vehicles with number plate of other State?
No. police is not authorized to penalize any one for out Station number plates. This is not the mandate for police.

This still does not rule out the RTO from stopping motorists with non-KA vehicles.

[mobike008]

Nice.

Hyderabad Traffic Police is also active on FB since over 8 months and they are doing a fantastic job by issuing challans for various offenses.

This medium also provides an opportunity for us to help them with uploading pictures of offenders whom they will then issue with challans using the provided photographic evidence.

Hyderabad Traffic Commissioner (C.V Anand) most of the time responds personally to queries on FB

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by benbsb29

This still does not rule out the RTO from stopping motorists with non-KA vehicles.

Benny, this is by the Traffic Police guys they don't have the authority to stop and question an out of state number plate. They can ask for the papers. I have been through this with the cops. I had an out of station vehicle and if the papers are clear we are good.

And they should stop you only if you break a rule. Otherwise they cant.

The RTO though has the powers to question out of state vehicles. If you have the necessary documents to prove that the vehicle is not permanently in the State you are good.

RTO and Traffic Police are different departments.

Originally Posted by mobike008

Hyderabad Traffic Commissioner (C.V Anand) most of the time responds personally to queries on FB

Brilliant.

This is a great way to connect to the people. There was a huge gap there.

Knowing this side of the cops makes us believe that there is hope for our traffic situation.

[prateekm]

Hope this doesn't go the way Mumbai Traffic Police page went. It was launched with all sorts of media attention and then the plan backfired when people started posting police officers and constables themselves breaking the rules (driving on wrong side, not wearing helmet, etc). For a few weeks the police deleted the posts targeting them and now they have just ignored the page. If the offender is a guy from the police force, they should take some action and reprimand him rather than deleting the posts.