[dadu]

@Esteemer, as per excise rules an adult person is allowed to carry 2 ltrs/ bottles of Liquor across the borders, provided they have their cap seals broken.

@Hvkumar, I totally agree with your post#16, but I have also observed harrasment is more during night trips and in states where there is no on-the-spot fine system eg. PB.

[Cyrus43]

We had a similar experience back in 1994 if I remember correctly. We were heading back to Udwada(guj) after Dinner in Damman and the Cops stopped our Mahindra CL 340. They stated searching for alcohol, and found this bottle. I believe the guy opened it and pit it on his hand. It turned out to be oil!!

[rishab.k]

Originally Posted by dadu

as per excise rules an adult person is allowed to carry 2 ltrs/ bottles of Liquor across the borders, provided they have their cap seals broken.

Not in this case.You cannot carry any liquor inside Gujarat state as that is what a dry state means.

[hellstar]

Originally Posted by dadu

@Esteemer, as per excise rules an adult person is allowed to carry 2 ltrs/ bottles of Liquor across the borders, provided they have their cap seals broken.

dadu - the seals broken is the definition of the cops, the rule book says that for personal consumption any person can carry two bottles of liquor.

@Hvkumar, I totally agree with your post#16, but I have also observed harrasment is more during night trips and in states where there is no on-the-spot fine system eg. PB.

agree with you , but i have never had bad experiences but my experiences are restricted to south india, from what i understand , its a different ball game in the North.

[anarchist]

I was on my way to Tirupati from Bangalore in my Swift and I am stopped by at Andhra Checkpost and was asked where was I going to? I said Tirupati and he said give me Rs. 10, I said for what joy? and he said happyga icchandi "Give the money to me happily" haha my and family burst out laughing and I gave him that 10 bucks and went on.

Another time I was stopped while coming from Mangalore to Bangalore got stopped at Kunigal by civil cops with a highway patrol and the inspector was just writing away challans stating over speeding on the highway with no speed limits mentioned and I was not going over 50 kmph at that time as I was within the town limits sheer extortion by cops everywhere n everywhere.

I was involved in setting up the Sales Tax checkposts around Gujurat and the worst I saw was the Maharashtra, Gujurat border were every Commercial vehicle was stopped and what ever money collected was put into gunny bags right next to these attendants or whoever they were..
Imagine, we had this software implemented (in 1999) and the previous fiscal revenue was 390 crores from all checkposts in Gujarat and once our system was in place we recorded 300 crores in 10 days at 10 checkposts, dig that and the kind of money that is made at these check posts.

[sgiitk]

Many years ago when UP had a bout of statutory prohibition a very senior professor returning from the US with his wife was found with a couple of bottles of Whisky at Kanpur railway Station. There was an almighty hue and cry, and to cut the matter short I am told the Director had to call in the local administration.

[Atul-C]

Originally Posted by 9tMax

Didn't know that TN cops were so bad. In 2007, on the way to Pondicherry I navigated through Chennai with the help of the Accented cops only. And I was in my AP vehicle. They were quite helpful all through out. We were there in Chennai also for a couple of days at that time but didn't face any kind of problem.

According to my experience, you face less problem with the local people and local authority if you are at a tourist place. I have visited many tourist places like poducherry, ooty, goa etc in my car (I have a karnataka registration) and surprisingly I have found Cops and local people to be very friendly and helpful. One reason I can think of is that you are bringing business to them. They have to have a good impression on you so that you come back without thinking twice. After all most of their businesses are due to tourists and they cannot afford to leave a bad impression.

[newinthomas73]

It is the same all over India. These cops who stand by the roads are not there to control or monitor traffic, but to extort money from whosoever they can. They never appear in case of accidents in the right time so that some precious lives can be saved. I have heard first hand reports of cops stealing money, chains, finger rings, earrings, mobilephones etc from victims of road accidents. Cops especially those highway patrols are the most dreaded ones. Never seen them helping someone out of a situation.

[coolfyre]

Originally Posted by newinthomas73

It is the same all over India. These cops who stand by the roads are not there to control or monitor traffic, but to extort money from whosoever they can. They never appear in case of accidents in the right time so that some precious lives can be saved. I have heard first hand reports of cops stealing money, chains, finger rings, earrings, mobilephones etc from victims of road accidents. Cops especially those highway patrols are the most dreaded ones. Never seen them helping someone out of a situation.

I agree with you. Highway patrols do patrolling only to find a victim from whom they can extort money.

[haithereitsme]

Hey , I go through these mood swings where suddenly I realize our country is run by dogs and decide to stand up to it. I did and almost landed in deep ****.

For those who know , patinampakkam junction I was driving home for lunch and was at the signal to santhome high road in Chennai. Wasnt a free left and had to wait for 60 seconds and then moved to my first and second gear.

Had a Police Sumo with G board, suddenly jump out of his lane to my lane avoiding the barricades to take his right turn. We almost crashed. I was so pissed , since it was a police vehicle started screaming at the driver and called the traffic constable at the signal. The senior police driving on the rear seat had an explanation that pissed me off further " we had just 5 seconds to take the turn and it was amber already hence we cut to your lane "

Man he was so ridiculous, I got wild and fired those guys. I pulled out the sumo's key and demanded a ticket be registered (Stupidest thing I did in my life)

Got pulled by the side, another patrol cop came in to threaten me. I knew am in deep **** and switched my mobile cam on inside my shirt pocket to tape the conversation. I didnt relent and gave him piece of my mind (if your going down, might as well throw a few words at the cops)

I guess at this point the cops, got scared and was questioning if I was a lawyer and he finally let me go. I got the conversation taped and sent it to the commissioners office by email mail (its still on you tube) and as expected no action was taken.

I know it was crazy and stupid thing to do ! but this is our country and if we dont stand up to it, the traffic and driving conditions are gona get worser.

The cops dont wear helmets , nor do they have to follow traffic rules. These days I just pass sarcastic statements at the cops if I catch them jump rules , but keep my temper in check.

[beejay]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

On the other hand, I have had horrible experiences with TN and PB cops. I remember being stopped at Conoor

It really saddens to hear my towns cop have behaved this way to you.

You have managed out of the situation in the right manner and that's exactly what you need to do, at least in TN.

I would be more than happy to help you next time you are around this side and face similar issues. By the way its Coonoor.

[pramodkumar]

Ok, Here is my bit, I was leaving to trichur this weekend for some work. I reached Cochin by 9:00AM, by this time the traffic was already at peak, every thing went fine till edapally by pass, i was supposed to take a right i did not know that, and was going straight normally. This section of the highway is 3 lane, i was in the middle lane cause i thought i am supposed to go straight. I reach the red light and i am about to cross it and all of a sudden i see an innova on my left was taking a right, imagine he is in the leftmost lane and he wants to go to the right. I had to break hard and this leaves me in the middle of the road with cars behind me, call it fate the light turns orange and traffic sence is still alien to us mallus, vehicles start coming from all directions even before its green for them. In ten seconds i hear a hard tap on my window(i am not exaggrating) and i roll the window down and there is this traffic cop who asks me for the liscence and tells me to go and pay the fine to get the liscence, remember all this happens in the middle of the intersection. my light turns green again and i cross the signal parked my car and went back to the guy what did i do, he says i jumped the red light. i said if i would have jumped my car wouldn't be struck there, he started shouting and started speaking in bad language(not abusive). I politly told him i didn't jump the red light so he said ok you obstructed the traffic so pay the fine. i asked him to return my liscence and write me a challan, he was not ready and started screaming and cleanching his teeth. I looked at him and told him now i am noting your badge number and you will be screwed(i know some people), to that he toned down and he said "sir, the traffic station is nearby go and pay the fine give me the recipt and i will return your liscence". The truth is he took the whole incident on his ego. There was one funny incidence one guy (commuter) stops his vehicle and comes and gets into our arguement, i took my anger on him, i asked him to mind his own bussiness, then this dude starts talking in my favour .


Anyways i understood there is no point speaking to this cop as he is loosing his cool, i went to the police station which is just like 100 mts frome the jn and spoke to the station incharge, he was insistant i look at the video(they have new cameras installed there ). i asked him how many days will it take. He is like i have to get an order form the court for evidance varification. i had enough by then asked him how much is the fine, he said 100, I paid and went back to our hero, i brought him a chilled bottle of water and appologised to him, he got up from his seat and shook hands with me and he said "sir, you know there are thousands of vehicles i have to look at and this really agrivates me, afterall this is a thankless job, i looked at him, this time i seriously felt sorry for him, i asked him to drink that water." And i left, lesson learned, when things have to go bad, it goes bad and if you try to prove you are guilty you might have to spend a lot of time, i work and live in Trivandrum and cochin is 200 kms away, comming till cochin to prove my innosence will cost me a lot of time, i am happy that i legally paid fine and did not grease his palm. I chose the lesser of the 2 evils.


Pramod

[aroop]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

After my run-ins with cops in GJ and PB on the HL Yellow sticker issue, I permanently have the yellow strip on my RHS headlamp, at least eliminates one excuse for petty extortion.

Recently, I was running away from cops in AS, WB, BR and UP (not stopping) all the time during my recent North East trip. In BR, they seized my car for election duty (and I talked my way out of that),

So this is India, meri jaan - live with it as much as you can!

One thing has always puzzled me: What is the logic behind having a yellow vertical sticker in GJ and PB? And is the headlamp half-blacking regime now obsolete?

Seizing the car for election duty!! I found it outright funny, though it must be a norm out there!

[esteemer]

Originally Posted by pramodkumar

There was one funny incidence one guy (commuter) stops his vehicle and comes and gets into our arguement, i took my anger on him, i asked him to mind his own bussiness, then this dude starts talking in my favour .

That one really had me clutchin' my sides.

About your offering to the cop--> I really appreciate your gesture. Really, is the condition of cops in the country that bad?

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by aroop

Seizing the car for election duty!! I found it outright funny, though it must be a norm out there!

It isn't funny at all when it happens to one personally. Having faced similar election duty recruitment in WB many years ago, I for one appreciate the fact that HVK got away by the skin of his teeth. The rules have changed now, and they cannot legally commandeer a private vehicle anymore, but even today in BR and WB the law is not followed by default. And once the papers for the car have gone into their hands, the process involved in getting them back is a royal circus.