[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by GTO

I'm surprised at some of the replies and how we've come to naturally expect a 'bit of concession'...like it's our birth right.

Why should we take a '5 - 10%' grace for granted? Does the law say that? Nope, it's black & white.

Sorry, if the speed limit is 60, that's it. It's 60....a fixed number, the board doesn't read '60ish'. If you're over 60, you're going to be fined.

I love your argument. 60 is 60, not '60ish'. I have already stated that I have no issues with zero tolerance, and I hope such enforcement becomes the norm across the country. But sadly that is not the case, and both you and I know that.

What irks me is the disparity between the stated official speed limit and what the cop on the street tells me. That's the sporting equivalent of moving the goalposts, and (to make a bad metaphor out of it) it's just not cricket! Add to it the probability of calibration error (as Tanveer stated, 95 kmph for a GPS-indicated 88 kmph - though in a neighbouring area), and this becomes a major safety issue.

Why a safety issue? Because vehicles travelling well over the speed limit suddenly slam on their brakes and slow down to below 40 kmph - an excellent formula for being rear-ended by tailgating idiots travelling equally fast. Something I watched happening right in front of me: a crash scenario about 3 weeks ago... Delhi Traffic Police Interceptor checking speed violations on a 50 kmph road. A grey i10 doing over 60 kmph suddenly noticed the interceptor and slammed on his brakes. A tailgating Aveo rear-ended the i10. Result: Both cars suffered serious damage. Funnily, the speed checking exercise was called off as the cops first rushed to the crashed cars, then they quietly packed up and left (I had stopped on my bicycle too, to watch like any other rubber-necker)!

This also makes me wonder... is covert placement of an interceptor to check speeding cars proving counterproductive by increasing the risk of similar crashes? Tailgating is a way of life while driving in India, and this crash was not unexpected. In fact, I winced as soon as the i10's brake lights came on.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Why a safety issue? Because vehicles travelling well over the speed limit suddenly slam on their brakes and slow down to below 40 kmph - an excellent formula for being rear-ended by tailgating idiots travelling equally fast. Something I watched happening right in front of me: a crash scenario about 3 weeks ago... Delhi Traffic Police Interceptor checking speed violations on a 50 kmph road. A grey i10 doing over 60 kmph suddenly noticed the interceptor and slammed on his brakes. A tailgating Aveo rear-ended the i10. Result: Both cars suffered serious damage. Funnily, the speed checking exercise was called off as the cops first rushed to the crashed cars, then they quietly packed up and left (I had stopped on my bicycle too, to watch like any other rubber-necker)!

Exactly something that I witnessed too! Drivers will spot the cop jumping and then slam the brakes

I then asked Mr. Inspector if this location was ever safe to which he replies – “Ah, c’mon, I know very well nothing will happen”

Climax:

Within the next 3 minutes, the same cop who stopped me jumps onto the fast lane and signals an i10 to stop. Obviously the i10 driver never ever dreamt that today cops would be stationed in such a “strategic” location. He brakes hard and within the next split second the Figo tailgating the i10 screeches its brakes and BANG!!! Good visible damage that one can expect on both cars at such high speed collisions.

Both of them park their cars way ahead and 2 couples come out. While both the male drivers had belted themselves their lady counterparts were probably not as one lady’s chin was bleeding while the other was in tears (which you will know why).

Both the drivers were at least civil in a way that they never picked up a fight for the collision and rather came to the cops. It was a totally unexpected situation you see.

Now, all the cops, including the Inspector are out of the vehicle and completely shocked.

I offer both the ladies some water and requested them to sit in my car till everything settles as it was sunny and hot.

And then the lady from the Figo started to tell the cops “It’s not about the car now, I am pregnant and if anything would go wrong, who is responsible?”
Cops are silent and have no words to respond. For a while, I have even forgotten my license or my case.

The owners are still thinking cops will fine them and the cops in return are asking them to come to Police station for an acknowledgement of the accident (damage/Image repair??).

Read the full story here : http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street...ml#post2756259

What I too feel is not right is jumping in the middle of thick (Or many times fast) moving traffic. Accidents will happen like in both of our cases but I have seen it creates mayhem and chaos by slowing down almost 3/4 of the lanes meant to travel in one direction!

[theredliner]

I'm really happy to see that cars and two wheelers have same speed limits in Delhi.
Here the genius cops think that the two wheelers are as lethargic as trucks and put them in the same category, leaving the two wheelers vulnerable to getting rear ended by cars and brushed by heavy vehicles.
A couple of years back, I was riding on the ORR (6 laned, hardly any traffic) around 55-60 km/h since the speed limit boards mentioned speed limits of cars as 60 and heavy vehicles as 50. There wasn't any info about two wheelers. So I assumed that two wheelers would have same speed limit as cars(pretty obvious as no where else in the world we see 2 wheelers having same speed limit as heavy vehicles ). I was stopped by an interceptor and fined. Only after that day, I came to know that two wheeler speed limit all over BLR is 50 unless and otherwise mentioned.

On Topic: One glance at the way in which the cops try to catch the offenders, it becomes immediately clear that they do that only to meet booking/bribe quota and not for improving road safety. These inspectors put the poor constables' lives at risk for doing that while they themselves sit comfortably inside their cars. Everyday I see these constables trying to flag down the trucks, standing in the middle lane on ORR while cars fly next to them at 60+.

[D C]

Originally Posted by GTO

Says who? I know students who got fined for doing 32 mph in a 30 zone (i.e. my college neighbourhood). Students being students will always contest the ticket, but they've badly lost.

Looks like that is very subjective and depends on the state rules.

I have been pulled over in Florida last year for doing 51 mph on a 45 mph zone. We can hardly recognize the speed difference of 5 mph without looking at an electronic speedometer.

I was excused as the difference is less than 10 mph. And, it was the Cop's discretion. I heard it's the same in most of the states.

They do not have black and white rules when it comes to speed limits may be because the speed guns or the speedometers in the cars do not have that precision as pointed out by tsk1979!

The safest bet, stick to 5 Kms less than the speed limits.

[coolboy007]

Faced a similar issue today, near Dwarka Sec 21, they had put on a night vision interceptor and merrily catching people at 11 in the night. I was travelling at 75-77 as per the digital speedo on my Vento, was stopped and asked to pay a fine of 1400, i asked asked why and he said you were at 80. 80 and above is 1400 while below 80 it is 400.

I told him to double check as i never even touched 80, he was adamant and rude so i closed the chapter then and there, paid the fine and carried along.

Night interceptors are here, so Delhi guys, please keep your speeds in check at night as well. Hope the government comes out of their stupid mode now, speed limit of 50 for a 6 lane road is absolutely silly.

[Dry Ice]

Originally Posted by coolboy007

Faced a similar issue today, near Dwarka Sec 21, they had put on a night vision interceptor and merrily catching people at 11 in the night. I was travelling at 75-77 as per the digital speedo on my Vento, was stopped and asked to pay a fine of 1400, i asked asked why and he said you were at 80. 80 and above is 1400 while below 80 it is 400.

I told him to double check as i never even touched 80, he was adamant and rude so i closed the chapter then and there, paid the fine and carried along.

Night interceptors are here, so Delhi guys, please keep your speeds in check at night as well. Hope the government comes out of their stupid mode now, speed limit of 50 for a 6 lane road is absolutely silly.

Was it at the red dot? This seems to have become their favourite spot!

That's why I rarely take that route nowadays. Prefer to go as the arrows. Even if the interceptor is not there, people literally start crawling on this stretch.

The pain on 'arrow route' earlier were the 3 quick red lights. But, its somewhat better now - @ 1, DTP is trying to create a round about. 2 is mostly in blinking mode outside of office hours, 3 is a small 15 second stop in worst case.

Other spots are both the link roads - from terminal 1D to palam flyover, and the other from NH-8 to sec-21 underpass.

[coolboy007]

Originally Posted by Dry Ice

Other spots are both the link roads - from terminal 1D to palam flyover, and the other from NH-8 to sec-21 underpass.

Bingo, that is the exact same spot where they park their Innova and then catch offenders near the traffic light. I knew about the spot and even i crawl while going through their during day time but did not know they have started using night cameras as well.

Will try to go from the route you mentioned or else they will again catch me if i forget about their interceptor, doing 50 on that road is impossible.

[kisharchit]

Originally Posted by coolboy007

Faced a similar issue today, near Dwarka Sec 21, they had put on a night vision interceptor and merrily catching people at 11 in the night. I was travelling at 75-77 as per the digital speedo on my Vento, was stopped and asked to pay a fine of 1400, i asked asked why and he said you were at 80. 80 and above is 1400 while below 80 it is 400.

I told him to double check as i never even touched 80, he was adamant and rude so i closed the chapter then and there, paid the fine and carried along.

Night interceptors are here, so Delhi guys, please keep your speeds in check at night as well. Hope the government comes out of their stupid mode now, speed limit of 50 for a 6 lane road is absolutely silly.

I normally see these interceptors in front of Sector 21 metro while going towards NH8 and while returning they're on the Bharthal Road just exiting the NH8 service road. Aren't the interceptors visible at night? And I also agree on the silly limit of 50 on that road.

[RohanDheman]

For the benefit of NCR Bhpians using the DND at night: Night Interceptors are in place almost every second night (post 9pm) on the carriageway from Noida to Delhi. They are stationed near the restrooms post the yamuna bridge. A friend got challaned last night for driving at 75kmph. Limit is 70kmph on the DND.

Rohan