[iamitp]

Delhi Traffic Police is a money-making establishment. Look at how absurdly low the speed limits are and how speed cameras are placed on roads with long empty stretches without any pedestrian crossings.

[shaheenazk]

Originally Posted by rahul_jo

Moral of the story - You are better off just paying a small fine and getting rid of the headache. Instead of trying to prove your case.

Even if you're right, the whole situation depends on the mood/need of that specific cop on that specific day. We might have a justice system but it is so slow and so broken that even when you're right, you'll have to go through a nightmare to prove your case.

Do not agree with it at all. What is wrong, is wrong. An attitude like this encourages immoral policemen. One must set an example by upholding what is right. This is what makes a law abiding society. Justice system may be slow but not broken totally. I am sure we would not like to give this kind of advice to our children too.

[rahul_jo]

Originally Posted by shaheenazk

Do not agree with it at all. What is wrong, is wrong. An attitude like this encourages immoral policemen. One must set an example by upholding what is right. This is what makes a law abiding society. Justice system may be slow but not broken totally. I am sure we would not like to give this kind of advice to our children too.

You are right. What is wrong is indeed wrong. However, you mentioned that the system is slow but it isn't broken. Well, how slow do you think it is? It can take years and in some cases decades for the court to come to a decision.

Justice delayed is justice denied. Ask anyone who's ever had the pleasure of dealing with the Indian court system and you'll find a very frustrated man/woman who would never want to get stuck in that web again. Not many people have enough time or the resources to even get entangled into the deep spider web of the Indian justice system.

One might be a 100% correct but the current justice system is like a chain. It is an extremely complex set of relationships between people and institutions.

For it to work properly, every link of that chain will have to perform their duty appropriately, however, one weak link and the entire chain ends up breaking into pieces. That's the current state of affairs sadly.

I would want things to be different, just like millions of other Indians who also want things to get better. But it just isn't. That is the harsh reality.

P.S You are right again about never teaching this to kids. Hopefully, when those kids grow up, they won't have to go through this as things are indeed changing. Even though at a slow pace.

[frewper]

First things first, We all have to take a minute and agree that cops have a very tough life personally, because of their hectic work schedule. They obviously are underpaid and this I believe is one of the primary reason for theirs mentality being as it is today. i.e its ok to acccept and ask for bribe.

That being said, I have noticed that some of us has mentioned that it my not be the cops fault that they did not notice the green because vehicles on the other side were moving or had turned green. To be fair, the job of the cop and almost 5 of them, their entire job is to monitor the signal and see who is jumping the signal. Cant do this simple job right?

We as engineers, doctors and other qualified professionals, when we make a mistake in our jobs, its noticed by everyone in our team. If we deliberately make a mistake, lets say not double checking etc; then it will be discussed upon. And these cops cant do a simple dumb job of stopping people who jump a red properly? Why should we even give them the benefit of doubt, when the price is to be paid by someone else.

Of course their entire intention here was to make money. And get a few challans done as well do meet their montly quota from including those who are innocent. If this doesnt qualify as robbery then what is. I say robbery because the cops use their position of power to extract money out.

[ManasN95]

In specific cases where the policemen asks us to show our licence then confiscate it until we pay the fine, correctly or wrongly, I have always showed the scannable image of my driving licence through the DigiLocker app, and If I'm not wrong, it's an official replacement for the physical smart card.

Since I've downloaded and filled up my details, I've been stopped thrice and all the time the app licence was accepted.

[AZ911]

Dash cams have become a necessity nowadays to escape from their shakedowns. I think for the next year or two, a good way to escape might be to start vigorously coughing if a cop pulls you up.

Jokes apart, I’m glad that cameras are eventually replacing these people. However, off topic - the damn speed limit needs to be raised from decades old 50 kmph on some roads.

[slipstream]

Had a similar situation back at Chennai. The lights were green and the countdown timer had 5 seconds left to amber when I crossed the line, well within speed limits. But by then a stream of pedestrians had started crossing right under the Sergeant's nose and so I braked and waited for them to cross by, only to be signalled by the Sergeant to pull over and pay a fine for crossing under a red light. No amount of convincing helped and I was given an option to either pay Rs.500 for the fine with receipt or Rs.100 without it. Paid the Rs.500 and took the receipt as I was determined not to fill his pocket for a mistake I haven't done. Really wished I had a dashcam that day

[whitecloud]

Thank God he had the dash cam to prove his innocence.
It was in Jan 2018 at Sec 20/34 roundabout in chandigarh that I was stopped for crossing red light .It so happened that the car in my front suddenly stopped and started asking for directions and my light turned orange and I had already crossed the Zebra markings.As soon as I crossed the roundabout, a Chandigarh Traffic Police constable stopped me for crossing red light.My vehicle had the Gurgaon registration meaning a tourist or outsider's vehicle.After getting my Driving License, as usual which happens with most of motorists the constable asked me about my profession and if I was a govt servant .I didnot try to settle it off thinking that the challan would be of Rs 300.
The real horror started a week later when I went to Traffic Lines in sector 29 to pay fine and to get my drivng license back .After standing in que for an hour , I was informed that I could opt to pay fine and also have my license suspended by the issuing RTO/DTO for 3 months or I could contest this challan in court .I opted to contest the traffic challan.
To cut the story short , I got my license after nearly a month from the court of Traffic Magistrate.
This rule of suspension of traffic license on even first offence is quite absurd and way too harsh .It should be backed by hard evidence .

[shaheenazk]

Originally Posted by rahul_jo

Justice delayed is justice denied. Ask anyone who's ever had the pleasure of dealing with the Indian court system and you'll find a very frustrated man/woman who would never want to get stuck in that web again. Not many people have enough time or the resources to even get entangled into the deep spider web of the Indian justice system.

Once I was stopped by traffic police for over speeding. My driving license was taken away and was asked to collect it from the R.T.O. after a certain date. They showed me the video in which my car was doing 20 kms above the speed limit. On the designated day I went to the R.T.O. I was asked to write an application stating that I shall not repeat the offence. I submitted the application to the concerned official. The official asked me to come after three months to collect the DL. He gave an acknowledgement receipt to me.

After three months, I went to the counter of the R.T.O. where such matters are taken care of. I showed the acknowledgement receipt to the official. As he handed over my DL, I reached out to my pocket expecting to pay a fine and asked him how much has to be paid. He said NIL ! I was taken aback. I asked him again the same question to which he replied that no fine is being charged because your license was seized for three months.

I took the DL and went away with a smile on my face for not having to pay a single paisa for a traffic offense.

[alikidwhy]

I have a story which might go a little against me but here goes.

Last year I was going to Connaught Place with my friends and I was driving, my car. For anyone who hasn’t been to Central Delhi area, there are numerous round abouts and most of the Delhiites know their way around and their are signboards as well.

On that particular day, I was chatting and missed turning at the Round about for my destination (it was the 3rd exit and I took the 2nd) and I kept driving. After a hundred meters or so, the white line in the middle of the road started converging and vanished.

There were no turns as I remember distinctly and I slowed down, confused, I drove ahead a few meters and saw another round about but it seemed like it was on the wrong side so I turned left and it was clear what had happened. The road had changed into one way and there was no indication and traffic was no coming towards me, look towards the left and I saw 7-8 Traffic Cops. Some sitting, some standing who gestured for me to stop and I did. I got out, confused and he started talking about how I was coming the wrong way. I looked behind me and 2 cars had just made the same mistake and the other cops moved towards them swiftly and 3 cars were lined up ahead of mine, leaving after getting fined or whatever they negotiated. I try to put ahead my point regarding no signboard and road converging suddenly but they were not in the mood to listen and wanted to fine me 4000.

I’m well read and there wouldn’t be a fine of 4000 for coming the opposite direction (before the amendment of Mv Act) and I contested and he asked me to give either 2000 or court challan and when I refused he came down to 1000 and then 600 but I didn’t believe that I should be fined.

Yes, I was in the wrong but there were no signage or warnings.

In the end, I paid him Rs. 100 (Not bribed, since I got it on my License and RC’s record).

[anjan_c2007]

Some of them are above law and try to use their discretionary powers to harass the road users.

Once, in 1983 I was riding my brand new TVS-50 moped. I jumped a manual signal mistakenly, as I missed sighting the traffic constable during dusk. Many others did as the constable was not much visible from the end wherefrom I and others were moving. Another constable on the other end of the road corner, missed out all the other cars, scooters and bikes that had jumped the signal, but signalled me to stop. I reasoned with the cop that he should have challaned them all instead of targeting the slow moving moped with me. The cop justified his action by telling me that there are many theives on the run, but the ones caught by the police are punished. Others move freely. This 1983 TVS-50 moped, my first vehicle with my own money is still with me.

While some are quite helpful and come forth to help a traffic user in distress. Once my Landmaster (1955 model) in 2003 was ferrying my daughter to her school. The brass float of the carb had a pinhole and suddenly there was flooding and spillage of petrol on the road from the SU carburettor. The car stalled in the busy traffic. Luckily, I could transfer my daughter to her classmate's car, whose father was following us. And the traffic policeman at the traffic junction came and helped me push the car to the kerb where I parked it and later called my mechanic to tow it and take care.

Hence, we have good and bad expereriences too !

[boohooper]

This happened to me to me in Beautiful Bangalore in the early 90's. I was living in Madras and used to go to Bangalore often. One time a family friend asked to run an errand for him and gave me the keys of his RX100 but with the condition that I take his driver ALTHAF ( All-Tough, I nicknamed him) along to help me navigate the city. Accepted. Being an IND-SUZUKI rider with it's relatively slow pick up, riding the yummy Yam was a delight. Well maintained to boot. Very tight and responsive she was. This brought out the devil in me. Such responsiveness was not there in my AX100. Flicking in and out of .. ah well ok...I shall cut to the chase. or shall i say the HOLD UP!

After weaving through some light traffic ( yes, Bangalore did have that back in the day) I gunned the engine to beat the Red at a junction (I don't remember the area.... perhaps some 'Haley' or 'Sandra' ). Dropped a gear and swept right (with Althaf clinging on the the grab rail for dear life) only to be stopped by a City-bus that had been in turn pulled up by a quick thinking Bangalore Traffic cop. Apparently he'd waved down to bus to put a barrier for the approaching Speedy Gonzales - ME! So there i was stuck with no chance of escape crept to the curb and gave up. More so, after getting a earful of Staccato Kannada in my face from the Bangalore Bren gun.
All-Tough came to the rescue and burbled something back and thrust a note into the cops pant pocket. And told me to move quickly. Then ordered me into a side street and after a few lefts and rights we stopped for a quick chai. Apparently, I'd made it before the amber but the cop was chiding us about my speed. when i asked him how much he paid the cop he said he'd put some paper into the cop's pocket when he was Word Blasting me. Hence the desperate Need for Speed after the 'counterfeit' Payment! Miss the old days!

[BashfulKlutz]

Looking at the videos, I can only say, "Sheesh! Poor guy." Going by the headline, a vaguely similar incident happened with me and my Tauji (Uncle) in Bhopal, where my grandparents live.

We were returning after taking Tauji to an optometrist, and en route, there was a crossroad which had a red light so weakly-lit that one actually couldn't see it without taking one's eyes off the road and staring at it for a while. A group of traffic policemen stood just after the signal, as if they had conveniently chosen that spot for fining motorists. I drove across half of the crossroad, after which I realised that it was in fact a red light. I asked Tauji what I should do (I know, a mistake on my part, perhaps I should've reversed to stand behind the line), upon which he advised me to move forward.

Subsequently, one of those policemen decided to make us pull over, and I softly told said policeman that the traffic signal was faulty. Naturally, he didn't listen, fining us ₹500 on the spot with a receipt. Tauji decided to pay the fine and just leave, after which we began walking towards the car. Something flashed in my mind, and I felt that I don't want to partake in our "chalta hai" (it happens) attitude. I decided to walk back and talk with him, and politely explained that I was partly at fault as well, but he should understand that the traffic signal light itself is faulty. He began screaming at me, saying that I paid the fine already, so there is no point in my unnecessarily arguing with him. With that, he stopped an Alto K10 driver as well, who also insisted that the signal light had developed a snag. My respect for the police dropped dramatically since that day, and I nowadays refer to them as "foolish" (might change that to "churlish", I use these since they remotely rhyme with "police", and seem apt for their general attitude).

With that said, I still strongly encourage each and everyone reading this to carefully follow traffic rules. This may be a personal belief, but I am of the opinion that they are to protect the driver, as well as everyone else around the driver and his/her road vehicle.

[shaheenazk]

Originally Posted by BashfulKlutz

This may be a personal belief, but I am of the opinion that they are to protect the driver, as well as everyone else around the driver and his/her road vehicle.

Not at all. These corrupt people are there only to loot the general public and are least worthy of any respect. They don't give a dam if anybody dies. My mantra is to simply follow traffic rules and avoid them or any confrontation.

Two days ago, I spotted a red light and immediately pulled over to the side (so that the impatient motorists behind me do not honk me to jump the red light) and waited for it to turn green. It was a two minute wait but not a single motorist who passed me, stopped at the red light because there were no cops around. As the light turned green, I began to move and that is when I noticed that at a short distance, there was a traffic camera mounted on a street light pole pointing towards the road. I had a smile on my face knowing that I was saved by not tempting to jump the red light and others....well may be they will receive challans at their homes.

[krishnadevjs]

I too had a similar experience around 3.5 years ago, at Kanjur Marg junction in Mumbai. Halfway into the junction, the car in front of me suddenly decided he wanted to take a U-Turn rather than turn left, leaving me stranded inside the junction while the light turned red.
As expected, an overzealous Mumbai Traffic Policeman flagged me down and fined me for jumping a red light. This, despite me explaining the situation to him and offering to play dashcam footage for him to verify.
Not one to take such things lying down, I argued with the cop and took the matter right up to his superior. The senior guy reviewed the footage, saw I had entered the junction when the light was green and proceeded to cancel the challan. Just one of many instances where the dashcam proved its worth.