[Carpainter]

Originally Posted by d3mon

A while ago, it was deemed illegal for traffic police to stop anyone without any reason for just 'checking of documents'. Of course cops are allowed to stop you if they spot any violation.

Has that changed?

I was about to say the same. I heard there is some law that says police can't stop a motorist if there is no violation of law. Lawyers in the forum can shed some light on this.

The situation is same in Kolkata at the moment. Usually cops are super active during festive season every year and this is no exception. Thankfully I've never been stopped. All my papers are updated so there is no problem for me but I think it's a waste of time if you haven't violated any rules.

I have a doubt that our traffic signalling system is also flawed. When the signal turns from green to amber to red, the time given for amber light varies from place to place. Sometimes it's like merely a second before it's red. I don't know the international rules but I think the amber should stay on for a couple of seconds before red so that motorists who are within a handshake distance from stop line get time to cross and those who are at some distance get time to stop before stop line. Otherwise what happens is people has to brake abruptly and they stop after crossing the line in the process which becomes a violation of law.

[Ragul]

Originally Posted by Ranger747

All,
I got stopped couple of times and they took money for the 3m film I had on the window glass. It is barely noticeable, but they will make you roll down the window and try scratching with thumb to see any film.

cheers

How much did they fine you? It is unfortunate that the SC passed such a judgement even for 70% clear film in a hot country where the temperatures soar to 40C levels for months at end. But we have to live with it until the Government passes a law legalizing it or wait for auto manufacturers to provide sandwich glass sunfilm. I think no auto maker is doing that despite so many years after the judgement is passed .. or are there any car models with such glass?

[aravind.anand]

It is very infuriating, when we respect rules by giving up our privacy and going for clear film paying an additional premium for the 3M film, and they still want to extort us.

The idea behind the ruling by SC, is to ensure no illegal activities happen behind dark tinted windows, which we comply with. Them scratching to find out if we have a clear film on itself shows how closet to the plain glass we are. We are just protecting ourselves from the tropical heat that bestows upon our hot and humid country, and we face this.

Let us see how many Scorpios and Fortuners sporting Bull bars (banned), dark tints (banned), curtains (??), beacon lights (illegal), Non legible License plate with stickers (illegal) are being stopped by these law enforcers!!

This is the return gift for the taxes we pay I suppose.

[paranoidAndroid]

I've noticed this all over bangalore. I got stopped twice on Sarjapur Road, the cop just checked something on his smart phone and checked the car and asked me to move on.
I've also noticed stringent enforcement against parking in No Parking areas. On NEW Bel Road, i remember the street had full parking on both sides despite no parking signs everywhere during May-Jul. Last month i could see cops out in droves. In a lot of cases, i could see them asking the people to move on without giving them a challan. I think its a good thing the cops are starting to enforce rules.
I dont know their motivation for suddenly enforcing rules but i like the safer streets its creating.

[vibbs]

As long as they are enforcing rule of law, its fine. No?
I mean I know they have targets and all, but in the end if it results in a semblance of order on the roads, I am all for it.

[frewper]

Originally Posted by d3mon

A while ago, it was deemed illegal for traffic police to stop anyone without any reason for just 'checking of documents'. Of course cops are allowed to stop you if they spot any violation.

Has that changed?

Ohh. But when was this ever implemented? Check points have always been there and with no privacy laws in the country, cops think its their birth right to stop anyone, question anyone on any subject and even put their hands down your jeans pocket to check what you are carring. Even checking your mobile phones is a given. There was a huge debate on this a couple of years back in Pune when cops would stop you at the railway station and check your gallery and text messages and then ask you to pay a fine when they find something.

[vmathews]

I stay in Hosur and see the police stationed immediately after the Attibelle Toll Plaza (towards Hosur) catching helmet violators. I dod not think too much about it, as police were always stationed as part of the COVID shutdown.

Now that I saw this post, I am realising that they have been fining 2 wheelers without helmet for more than a month now.

[hummer]

I am perfectly fine if it's checking to ensure law and order, but it is not only that, they are in for making quick money in wrong way !!

Recently we had been to a friend's farm in 3 cars, my friend's vehicles were ahead of my Duster, little after we joined the Mysore road from RR Nagar arch, a police man was vaguely showing hands to stop vehicles randomly, my friends didn't stop and went ahead, then the police showed hand to me also to stop. I didn't want to run away in front of my teen son so I promptly stopped. Police didn't come to me till few minutes, he was busy stopping others, I could have escaped, but I didn't want to set a wrong precedence to my kid, so I waited. Later he came & asked for my DL, I could have told as per new rule, we no longer need to carry DL but I gave it, he took DL & asked me come out to meet his boss in police vehicle.

I went out, he was ignoring me & talking to others, I insisted what was my mistake, he asked me to speak to a person in the back seat who was checking over speeding, that person again after insisting showed the footage where my Duster was in a corner, the + mark was on a different vehicle, he said I was at 70kms but limit there was 60kms, I asked him to give the print out, he says printer is not working. The other guy with my DL said Rs.1000 fine for over speeding. I said I am not paying with printout, they said then I have to wait. My friends were waiting in their cars, it was not safe to stand out (COVID) for long, we were running out of time, so I decided to pay fine of Rs.1000 !!!

I handed over Rs.1000 to the person with my DL and I asked for the receipt. Again the same trick, ignoring me and talking to others, I could sense they are deliberately making me wait, but I kept on asking for receipt again and again, the boss told I have to wait if I need receipt and they are attending many others. It already took 20-25 minutes, I didn't have patience and moreover didn't want to stand on the road during this COVID.

See that last part, I just asked the person with my DL to return Rs.500. He promptly returned Rs.500 along with my DL and moved on with his "Ethical Duty". With high frustration and disappointment of not able to do anything in that situation, I returned to my car & moved on.

Later I felt I could have tried few things:
1. I could have refused to pay spot fine and paid online
2. Should have taken the photo of that over speeding footage from my mobile & posted on BTP facebook page
3. Record the entire episode on mobile and share in social media or BTP facebook

I know not all police are corrupt, but some are for sure !

[Samurai]

Since I was barely driving these days, I was not aware of the traffic fine drive at all. However, yesterday I drove from Bangalore to Manipal, and I was surprised at the number of police checks all the way to Manipal. In most cases, cops gave a close look before deciding not to stop us. Since I was with wife and kids, I guess they decided to give a pass every time.

BTW, are the cops fine with Digilocker and mParivahan apps as documents or they are insisting on hard documents?

[NPV]

Originally Posted by adityak7

Please take the word 'we' in my post in a liberal sense. I was alluding to the public in general and based on viewing a few of my neighbours pay up for the challans due to not wearing a helmet when they normally do.

Absolutely, same with my post as well, I didn't assume you're one of those riders without a helmet and I used 'we' in my post as a generic reference

Actually I'm glad the cops are stationing themselves in those smaller streets and netting some of these 'local' offenders who would otherwise escape these checks.

[airbus]

Looks like some old dues are also being cleared



PC: DCP Traffic East (@DCPTrEastBCP)

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by airbus

Looks like some old dues are also being cleared

If you are stopped, the first thing that gets checked on the hand held device is the history of past offences. This one just made it to the news/tweet for the umpteenth time now albeit a different violator/vehicle .

[jasjotbains]

Good initiative by the cops provided it is made a regular feature. Bangalore already has enough problems of its own. It needs less of these rule breaking nonsense drivers.

In Chandigarh, the fear of cops and the hefty fines plus the "You know who my father is? No, here is your challan, tell your dad to clear it" attitude has, to quite some extent, made the people abide by rules. Unless you get the stick, many will not fall in line.

Hope there is a similar move in TN. These lunas with their scant regard for turning almost anywhere and the "chappri nibbas" on their bikes feeling as if they own the road, they need to be brought down back to mother earth and have some sense driven into them

[jkrishnakj]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Since I was barely driving these days, I was not aware of the traffic fine drive at all. However, yesterday I drove from Bangalore to Manipal, and I was surprised at the number of police checks all the way to Manipal. In most cases, cops gave a close look before deciding not to stop us. Since I was with wife and kids, I guess they decided to give a pass every time.

BTW, are the cops fine with Digilocker and mParivahan apps as documents or they are insisting on hard documents?

Just last Sunday , I was driving inside town and was stopped at two places ( first time for me at Blr) Near Canara Bank circle and near Golf Course. I showed them my Insurance copy from the Toyota App and my RC from Digi. Since my license is the paper book based , I had to carry that physically.

No words exchanged at both places and I was asked to go. The Apps were acceptable for sure.

[hrman]

Ill only sum it up in a few words. "Do no wrong, face no consequence!"

I don't think the Bengaluru police will unnecessarily harass you if you have all documents in place: DL, PUC, RC copy, insurance, and follow all road rules including wearing a mask, wearing a seatbelt, wearing a helmet, following signals, speed limits, no illegal mods, no sun film etc etc. The list is huge, but not a problem for a law abiding citizen.