[ValarMorghulis]

Isn't using a mobile phone while driving illegal and punishable by law in Bangalore?

Have seen numerous folks on two-wheelers and cars, typing away, while at good speed with reckless abandon; with no care for the direction they are going or the speed.

[svsantosh]

Originally Posted by ValarMorghulis

Isn't using a mobile phone while driving illegal and punishable by law in Bangalore?

Can I concur that you are new to Bangalore, or India?

[ValarMorghulis]

Originally Posted by svsantosh

Can I concur that you are new to Bangalore, or India?

Holy Vishnu, no

But that statement pretty much answers my question, so thanks.

[anjan_c2007]

A laudable step by the Bengaluru Traffic Police who have removed 918 of the 1412 abandoned vehicles, parked mostly on the kerbsides of various roads. These were abandoned and were constricting road-space and some were parked even on footpaths. The efforts commenced from 01.02.24. Shivaji Nagar and RT Nagar had the maximum number of such abandoned vehicles.

A statement from the traffic police said that they handed over the vehicles to the owners they could trace. The police will organise a public auction for vehicles with missing owners after getting permission from the court.

Nearly 706 abandoned vehicles were autorickshaws, while 521 were two-wheelers and 93 light goods vehicles. Of these, 350 autos, 449 two-wheelers and 68 light goods vehicles have been returned to their owners. The abandoned vehicles also include four- wheelers and heavy goods vehicles.

Needless to say, they are also following legal procedures by seeking clearance from the court. These days there are litigants aplenty, who could pour cold water by moving courts against the police alleging high-handedness, deprivation of means of livelihood and so on.

The news:-

https://www.deccanherald.com/india/k...hicles-2983036

[am1m]

Originally Posted by anjan_c2007

A laudable step by the Bengaluru Traffic Police who have removed 918 of the 1412 abandoned vehicles, parked mostly on the kerbsides of various roads.

Stellar move!

I hope they go after all vehicles parked needlessly/overnight/for hours on main roads next!

On one hand we cut trees to widen roads...when 1/4 of the road is being taken up by parked vehicles! And the same owners of these vehicles will lament about 'too many trees being cut in Bangalore'.

[ShreyG]

And now at the other end, seems like they will run all sorts of driveS, e.g.--> https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.c.../109671830.cms than to tackle the wrong side driving and mobile phone yapping morons.
The last time I remember reading about some sort of activity against this menace was when they started to involve the companies for which the techies work for. And boy what a move was that
I fail to comprehend how can silencers' sounds be a higher priority above red light jumping / wrong side driving / mobile phone use (all of which are potentially fatal). Moreover, seems like the judgement is being left to the vast knowledge of the BTP personnel about automobiles without an equipment to test the same. Seems like Diwali bonus has come in early this year

[srvm]

Word of caution to folks who use Group Captain Suranjan Das Road, C V Raman Nagar:
Two new speek breakers have come up between DRDO Township/Bagmane Tech park turn-off and ADE main gate. Those who are regulars on this road, watch out for sudden slowing down of fast-moving traffic.

Reason: A new building for Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) has come up just before ADE main gate.

[am1m]

Originally Posted by ShreyG

And now at the other end, seems like they will run all sorts of driveS...than to tackle the wrong side driving and mobile phone yapping morons.

Just guessing here, but maybe it is because wrong side driving, red light jumping can be captured by the traffic cameras and the photos uploaded as proof with the fine demand, but there is no way to capture evidence of a modified silencer unless there is a cop around. So that's probably why things like drunken driving and silencer violations require special drives?

But agreed, the cops should prioritize. The loud silencers are a real nuisance, but not as much a priority as some of the other offenses we see regularly on Bangalore roads. Also, even if automated, some special drives for punishing wrong-side driving and red light jumping will also help a lot.

[ShreyG]

Originally Posted by am1m

Just guessing here, but maybe it is because wrong side driving, red light jumping can be captured by the traffic cameras and the photos uploaded as proof with the fine demand

Absolutely agree on this point. Automated systems would bring some transparency and should act as BAU but they seem to fail as deterrents looking at the current situation on the roads. Reasons could be limited coverage and non communication about the violations. Nearly everyday, we read about 10 year old Activas running tens of thousands into fines without the knowledge of the owner.

Specialized drives seem to be necessity now to somehow create some sort of monitory fear in addition to irreversible damage (cancelled license, impounding the vehicle etc) in the minds of our dear, daredevil citizens given that the fear of other losses has evaporated. People need to realize the fact that breaking road rules is something to be ashamed about and not celebrated or to be proud of. This can only be achieved by means of public shaming and fining rather than an automated system generating fines which lay ignored in some database somewhere.

[anjan_c2007]

The Bengaluru Traffic Police has started a drive to check modified silencers of bikes and have booked almost 500 (494) cases during the first quarter of 2024. In 2023, just 296 cases were booked during the full year. Bikers with modified silencers were having a free run. Then there are aftermarket, bike silencers that are noisy but are equipped with DB killers to evade detection by the traffic police. The aftermarket silencers need to conform with the DB levels of the factory fitted ones. A biker Dave has told about the aftermarket silencers and has been quoted as such in the newsreport below.

Bikers in the city say that lately, most people are using Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Exhausts BS6 and BS6.2 models, and any change in exhausts voids the insurance. “The traffic department can use a DB (decibel) metre in case any aftermarket exhausts are installed. Though even aftermarket exhausts come with a ‘DB Killer’ which keeps the noise similar to stock OEM exhausts. For anyone who removes DB killers, action should be taken against them.

A few of the older Royal Enfield exhausts were even changed by us before this rule as what the company manufactured for Royal Enfield’s were longer and protruding out of the vehicle. We changed to the shorter ones as they used to touch or hit potholes, or someone would have rammed from the rear. Even while touring Ladakh, Himachal, or NE, we kept the exhaust aftermarket and upswept so that in such terrains (off-road), exhausts shouldn’t hit the boulders and the chances of the exhaust neck being cut from the manifold. I think DB Killers should be checked in aftermarket exhausts along with a DB Meter where the exhaust note/sound should be at par with OEM’s,” said Dave, a biker.

The news:-
https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.c.../109671830.cms

[shamanth]

Originally Posted by ShreyG

Nearly everyday, we read about 10 year old Activas running tens of thousands into fines without the knowledge of the owner.

In Hyderabad, whenever there was violation, I used to get SMS information within a day about the violation and fine details for my AP/TG registered vehicle. Guess RTO details and Traffic fines are integrated and we get information on fine. This was like 7-8 years back itself. Even automatic speed cameras and all were in place 7-8 years back in Hyderabad and we got AI cameras only a year back. We got lot to catch up in Bangalore due to lack of digitalization.

So in Bangalore, the gap looks like RTO and Traffic dept integration, people with 1 Lakh fines are driving daily Infront of same AI cameras without knowing, mostly without wearing helmet, delivery boys, etc.
Once this information is integrated, at least people with correct phone numbers in RTO will start getting traffic violations. And will be careful next time.

https://www.news18.com/viral/bengalu...s-8778264.html