[Stribog]

Originally Posted by Hayek

All very valid points. The fact is that I am already in that boat - have 5 challans between 2017 and date on the X3, and 11 between 2021 and date on the Tiguan. 4 of the X3 challans are for speeding (typically 120 kmph in 100 kmph zones on the Expressway), and 6 of those for the Tiguan are for speeding (typically, speeds of around 105-108 kmph in 100 kmph zones and one case of 80 kmph on the downhill on the Expressway where they have a nutty 50 kmph limit). All those on the X3 were with me driving - those on the Tiguan are mainly where my driver was driving. And even though the Tiguan is owned by my employer, it is allotted to me - and I have to take responsibility for everything to do with it.
o.

Look, on a proper e-way I absolutely will adhere to speed limits, like say the Samuriddi e-way.

The Mumbai Pune e-way is at this point an extension of the Mumbai WEH or EEH that's all. It's overcrowded, has ridiculous speed limits (varies from 100 to 35 kmph) and is by no yardstick an e-way now.

I don't even overspeed and particularly after a run last year I maintain speed limits but they got me a month ago on a speed trap doing some 55 kmph in a 35 kmph zone....I didn't even see that board!

At this point the Maharashtra police aren't there to look out for the safety of road users but increase their income.

The knee jerk reaction to the Cyrus Mistry accident was similar. Mandating back seat belts even in Mumbai City traffic where the avg speed is 5 kmph in peak just to show that they were doing something but now though there's a law everyone has forgotten about it.

[Turbohead]

Originally Posted by theabstractmind

Saying that I will budget for fines or use apps to circumvent the cameras etc., is blatantly promoting bad behavior. I know the driving conditions are not ideal in our country as it is. Don't please encourage contribution to it.

Even I used to believe that such apps promoted illegal behaviour until I used one. These apps will warm you in advance that there are cameras around. The advantages?
1) You have better compliance - hear me out - if there's a camera installed at an accident prone zone, the users will naturally slow down and be inadvertently better equipped to handle emergency maneuvers. How else can you enforce law and order when people prefer to break the rules otherwise if not for a fine?
2) People will be able to slow down in advance for the cameras with a ridiculously low speed limit - why do you want people to slow down abruptly on seeing a camera causing unnecessary chaos? Better safety, I'd argue.
3) With so many cameras these days, even a hooligan will soon realise that it's better to take it easy than go pedal to the metal and then braking like an idiot every 2 kms. But people who want to speed, will continue to do so anyway.
4) Going through an unknown area, you'll soon realise that there is a built up area/ town approaching if the speed limits are low (saw this in Kerala). Very useful if the speed limit signs are placed in areas that are easy to miss or broken.

Not only do you save a few thousand for every trip, it helps you be safer too.

Considering the fact that the Mumbai Pune expressway has areas with a limit of 50 kmph in the ghat section which is an anomaly when compared to the rest of the hoghway, I'm expecting more people will start to use it.

[TROOPER]

Originally Posted by theabstractmind

Folks, if you want to break rules, do so. But don't openly profess it and justify it. This only talks of the urban elitism......

Agree with your points. I don't think this e-way is ready for a 120 kmph limit until they can police deliberate low speed offenders 'parking the bus' on the fast lane.

Saying that I will budget for fines or use apps to circumvent the cameras etc., is blatantly promoting bad behavior.

Speed cam apps help one to be alert. You may not need them on the E-way where the limits are marked. I was once fined on the Bangalore Tirupati highway while entering the city for doing something around 80 kmph. Mind you, the traffic in the first two lanes were in the same range of speed or I would have singularly appeared to be rash. The pic showed by the cop was on the flyover descent We argued where the limit board is and the cop just said 'it's there'. On our next trip a year later, we took it very slow and decided to check out where the 'board' is and there was one tattered circular board with a 60 on it on a light pole, which even an eagle eyed driver would miss.

Such situations, especially where interceptors are placed at the bottom of inclines, for making moolah, not for the safety of the public, you need apps where you wouldn't be aware of the limits, and get fined for doing sensible and safe speeds.

[offroad]

Originally Posted by Hayek

Speed cameras have become yet another money making vehicle for our state Governments. We already have completely irrational speed limits (even 100 kmph is too low on an expressway) and no penalties for third rate overloaded trucks or even hyper miler cars driving at 30-50 kmph even with no one ahead of them. Further, speeding is the only offence that is ever prosecuted - you have examples of auto rickshaw, two wheeler and tempo drivers happily going the wrong way on highways and other major roads without ever being penalised - but private cars alone are targeted.

This is going to be another disaster - at any rate, I have decided that I just assume there will be ₹4-6 k of fines on any Poona journey and treat that as part of the cost of a driving holiday.

Completely agree to this. One of my known transport tata ace guy started roaming around without a number plate and when caught, he is giving excuse that it fell off or topping of Rs100 and does all nonsense, like over speed, wrong lane driving, more than permissible weight carrying capacity etc. on Outer Ring Road (ORR) in Hyderabad. When asked, he mentioned with having number plates on and driving he was paying close to Rs 6000 / month challans and now the tips cost him less that Rs2000 and sometimes none in a month. Bottom line, unless and until both the people and system are not in order how much ever technology you use, it will be applicable only for the people who follow or wish to follow all rules. And those are the only ones who end up paying fines irrespective of maintaining everything.

[Auto spawn]

I’ve already gotten fined twice for breaching the speed limit of 50 km/h.
How is it possible to maintain that speed limit, especially while descending?
Even if one tries to save on the challan and drives slow at 50km/h on the ghats, high chances of getting rear-ended badly….
For now I’ve accepted that everytime I do a trip on this route my phone will buzz with a notification saying that I’ve been fined.

[revsperminute]

Will cause more chaos when this is implemented. I have seen drivers stand on their brakes when they spot a mobile speed camera, even in the Ghat section with zero regard of the vehicle behind them. And let’s not forget how some road users decide to drive at 60Kmph within 1km radius of each and every speed camera.

This is just another method to extract money from road users. Seems like illogical penalties being levied on road users have proven themselves to be lucrative sources of revenue for the government and are here to stay.

What’s funny is they can’t implement traffic management procedures that will help control congestion but on the other hand have enough dough to turn ~100kms of road into a catwalk with cameras galore.

Long live Radarbot!

[fhdowntheline]

430 cameras on an E Way that lasts only about 120 odd km? Something is not quite right. And how many cameras do they plan on the Mumbai Goa highway ? Or Pune Nasik highway ? Those places are much more vulnerable to traffic accidents. You create a nearly 100 % access controlled highway, and then apply more strictures by going overboard with vigilance.

[humyum]

This looks like an idea to fleece, they don't care about speeding. Some places have limit of 50 on a downhill while getting down from Lonavala, if I maintained 50, neither my Swift or Crysta would have a backside as its just not possible with even the heavy truckers doing 80 plus there because of the inertia.

[GTE]

The parasites live in their own world not bothered to obey the laws they impose on others. If they had to drive their own cars, paying for their own fuel and repairs, you can be sure that we would pothole free roads and much lower fuel prices.

[MyLife_MyCar]

While we are talking about people getting fined for driving at 50kmph, here's the other extreme, doing over 200kmph:
Rohit Sharma issued three traffic challan for over speeding on Mumbai-Pune Expressway

I don't want to get into the discussion of a public figure setting wrong example, but all I care about is India lifting the world cup. And this man, Hitman, is in a terrific form, and we don't want him involved in any traffic form. He needs to take care of himself.

[deathwalkr]

Originally Posted by MyLife_MyCar

but all I care about is India lifting the world cup. And this man, Hitman, is in a terrific form, and we don't want him involved in any traffic form. He needs to take care of himself.

Especially considering the fact that one of our key players is still recovering after a horrendous crash :(

Would these fines really make any difference to him?

[ex-innova-guy]

Drove on the Mumbai-Pune expressway few days ago, and what an absolute spectacle it has turned into. When travelling towards Pune, the traffic on the Lonavala Ghat seems to never end.

I don’t mind the newly installed speed cams, but there is no rationality in placing so many of them at 50 kmph while driving downhill on the Lonavala ghat. Maintained the speed limit throughout the section, albeit in the third lane, just because of how slow it really was and because I didn’t want to get rear-ended! I guess they expect us to be in 2nd gear and use maximum engine braking. Eagerly waiting for the tunnels to be completed in order to totally avoid this section.

[sanoronha63]

NH4 most sections are 80kmph. some are 60/50/30.

Originally Posted by SAS

Can someone mention the speed limits on the highway and the ghat section? The boards indicate both 80 and 100 on the open stretches, not sure what to follow.

Also how do we identify the ghat section start and end? its not clearly marked with boards..

Also after the expressway ends and we head on towards Bangalore, whats the speed limit between Pune and Bangalore? I heard its reduced to 90 kmph. Can someone throw light on this?

[redcruiser]

Originally Posted by el lobo 6061

1. They should change the name of Mumbai-Pune Expressway to Mumbai-Pune Vasooli Way.

Have you tried giving this as feedback to the officials? I think if enough such responses are received then things should be moving for the better

[GTO]

This is climbing to ridiculous levels!

I was on a road-trip in this ultra-luxury SUV with the family, including senior citizens, so was driving in an extremely relaxed manner. Cruising at 100 kmph tops, and taking curves slowly (again, senior citizens in the car). The one road-trip I don't corner hard, the one drive I don't accelerate hard, the one trip I don't floor the magic pedal even once, I get challan'ed 4000 bucks . Imagine your SUV getting classified as a heavy motor vehicle and getting fined 4000 bucks for doing 95 kmph . 95 kmph on the open expressway, although admittedly on a downhill section! This is my only challan in 3 years, despite having taken 500 - 600 BHP cars on the open road several times.