[ashwin.terminat]

Not a rant as such, but still information that you will find useful.

I was fined for Jumping Signal this morning at Manipal Hospital Junction. I personally do not believe I jumped signal. AFAIK, I crossed the white line but was yet to cross the cops waiting there when the Pedestrian Siren sounded.

I was asked to move over to the side and was told the fine was Rs. 400. I asked them why as the fine for signal jumping was only Rs. 100. They told me it was coupled with Dangerous Driving now, which has a Rs. 300 fine. This was apparently a directive issued to the Traffic Police after the ghastly Hebbal accident a few weeks ago that killed 3 people.

I told them this was not right and took a picture of the cops. They told me I could call the commissioner and find out for myself.

At this point, they had printed the receipt for a Rs. 400 fine and told me to pay the fine in Court and that my vehicle would be seized. During this time, I was busy looking on the BTP website for any phone numbers I could call.

I found a certain number who then asked me to call the ACP for Old Airport Road jurisdiction. I told him the situation and he told me that they are only doing what they were asked to do. He said that the Rs. 100 fine was too low and people would promptly pay up and continue jumping signal again. To deter this, they introduced the Rs. 300 additional fine as well. His logic was, if one jumps signal, can it be considered safe driving? I thanked him for his time and hung up the phone.

Went up to the cops at the scene and told that I spoke to the ACP and I was satisfied that they are doing their job as instructed and was at peace with paying the Rs. 400. I paid them with content in my heart that yes, they aren't swindling me or cheating me of my money.

They went on to tell me how so many people abuse them(a doctor has abused them in the morning apparently) and don't respect them and very few actually talk to them politely. I told them I understand their problem and that I have constantly posted on their FB page about Wrong Side Driving, Footpath riding, etc., I thanked them for doing their job and shook hands with them and told them that I even wanted to become a Traffic Warden. Immediately, one of them started walking with me and gave me his number and told me to call him if I ever wanted to become a Traffic Warden. He asked for my number and saved it with my name as well. He asked me not to feel bad about being fined, I told him I am not, in fact, I am happy that cops are fining people.

It was a bittersweet experience. Though I feel bad for being fined for not actually jumping signal, it was an experience that I believe was worth spending Rs. 400 for. As a law abiding citizen, I believe this is alright. As long as Bangalore traffic becomes more disciplined, I have no problems with today. I even got the challan without asking(or haggling) for one!

That said, if you ever get caught jumping signal, this will likely be the fine slab:

2 wheeler: Rs. 400
4 wheeler: Rs. 500
Yellow Board: Rs. 600

[Soumyajit9]

Originally Posted by ashwin.terminat

I was fined for Jumping Signal this morning at Manipal Hospital Junction. I personally do not believe I jumped signal. AFAIK, I crossed the white line but was yet to cross the cops waiting there when the Pedestrian Siren sounded.

This is where frustration builds up. If you would have jumped signal and gone, would they have been able to catch you or fine you ? May be yes, through CCTV, but mostly they couldn't.

This is a bad example that BTP is setting. You were a good samaritan that you owed up and paid. The next time you would be careful.
Will this hold good for a cabbie or the general public, or even me. No.

What I have learnt from this episode is, if I am the last to cross a signal and suddenly the pedestrian siren starts blaring, it is wise not to stop on the white line, rather speed up to cross over and go.

A centimeter of here and there should be acceptable. It is not that you stopped and then zooomed to run over pedestrians. You stopped completely and allowed them to pass. You showed respect to them. BTP should acknowledge this.
May be they could have fined only Rs.100 for stopping on the zebra crossing. Charging Rs.300 for dangerous driving is absolutely robbery and forceful show of power.

What can possibly help me to prepare to stop before the pedestrian siren goes off, is a Countdown Timer. If I see 5 seconds left, I would slow down to stop before the zebra crossing.
I do it many times, I slow down and stop. I get an edge when the signal turns green. I zoom off first.

Logic be damned. This is Bangalore. Everyone does what suits him. Cops keep fining, Drivers keep jumping signals. There is practically no end to it.

[ashwin.terminat]

Originally Posted by Soumyajit9

What I have learnt from this episode is, if I am the last to cross a signal and suddenly the pedestrian siren starts blaring, it is wise not to stop on the white line, rather speed up to cross over and go.

This is what irked me as well.

There was no amber in the signal! Also, these cops were more than content letting people who were standing on the zebra crossing when the signal was clearly red off the hook.

In all honesty, I don't even remember this signal turning red before today. I assume they introduced it and then stationed cops there just to get some funds from the fines.

Either way, what's done can't be undone.

Premature honking be damned, I am going to stop when the signal shows amber hereon.

My peace of mind is far more important.

[TorqueyTechie]

Originally Posted by Soumyajit9

A centimeter of here and there should be acceptable. It is not that you stopped and then zooomed to run over pedestrians. You stopped completely and allowed them to pass. You showed respect to them. BTP should acknowledge this.
Logic be damned. This is Bangalore. Everyone does what suits him. Cops keep fining, Drivers keep jumping signals. There is practically no end to it.

I believe that the pedestrian signal doesnt start until signal has turned red. Also isn't it that when the signal is amber you should slow down and be ready to stop and not try to cross the signal?

Originally Posted by ashwin.terminat

Not a rant as such, but still information that you will find useful.

+1 to what you have mentioned. You didnt put up a fight and paid them but after understanding the new rules.

[Soumyajit9]

Originally Posted by TorqueyTechie

I believe that the pedestrian signal doesnt start until signal has turned red. Also isn't it that when the signal is amber you should slow down and be ready to stop and not try to cross the signal?

There is no concept of Amber in 90% of signals in Bangalore

Traffic Green > Traffic Red > Pedestrian Green > Pedestrian Red > Traffic Green

It works in the above sequence without a breather of a nano second. You would be lucky if you happen to spot an Amber light at any signal.

[Quarter Mile]

Originally Posted by Soumyajit9

There is no concept of Amber in 90% of signals in Bangalore

Well, there actually is! When you see amber at your signal, you better stop immediately because the other side of the signal would have already taken off and leave you in a jam like it was all your fault

I've completely lost hopes. People have lost their civic sense and corruption all over and here we are focusing on swachh bharat...hideous!

[TorqueyTechie]

Originally Posted by Soumyajit9

There is no concept of Amber in 90% of signals in Bangalore

Traffic Green > Traffic Red > Pedestrian Green > Pedestrian Red > Traffic Green

It works in the above sequence without a breather of a nano second. You would be lucky if you happen to spot an Amber light at any signal.

Than either I am quite lucky to see most of the signals on my way to work have amber or have been very aware of signals to stop on red .

[Grand Drive]

Police propose reversal of traffic on Richmond and Residency road.

Source : Bangalore Mirror

[Soumyajit9]

Something everyone knows and agrees. Sharing an old picture...

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by Soumyajit9

Something everyone knows and agrees. Sharing an old picture...

Attachment 1363289

I guess most of the Indian cities are in the same boat as that of bangalore or may be slightly better off. Or is it that Bangalore traffic / roads infrastructure has virtually taken a severe beating??

May be folks from Delhi,Chennai,Mumbai, Kolkata and Hyderabad can throw more light on what is the state of affairs in these cities

[binand]

Originally Posted by Soumyajit9

This is a bad example that BTP is setting. You were a good samaritan that you owed up and paid. The next time you would be careful.

I don't understand given the conclusion ("next time you would be careful") how BTP is settting a bad example here.

Originally Posted by ashwin.terminat

In all honesty, I don't even remember this signal turning red before today. I assume they introduced it and then stationed cops there just to get some funds from the fines.

You were going towards HAL? That has a red aspect for a very short duration; purely for people to cross the road. In fact, it has simultaneous greens for vehicles coming from Domlur side and those coming from JB Nagar side.

[Soumyajit9]

Originally Posted by binand

I don't understand given the conclusion ("next time you would be careful") how BTP is settting a bad example here.

My bad, I should have written the entire sentence in one line/paragraph and not two. Here is the original quote, spread into two lines / paragraph.
My emphasis is on the 2nd and 3rd line/paragraph that I mentioned.

This is a bad example that BTP is setting. You were a good samaritan that you owed up and paid. The next time you would be careful.
Will this hold good for a cabbie or the general public, or even me. No.

What I have learnt from this episode is, if I am the last to cross a signal and suddenly the pedestrian siren starts blaring, it is wise not to stop on the white line, rather speed up to cross over and go.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by ashwin.terminat

AFAIK, I crossed the white line but was yet to cross the cops waiting there when the Pedestrian Siren sounded.

Never cross the white Stop/Limit line, always stop before the line.
Few years ago, cops is Bangalore were very strict with this and would fine immediately, I think it was Rs.100 back then too but not sure if the offense was challaned as Signal jumping or something else. I have seen cops in Chennai do this as well on Mount Road few years ago.

[ashwin.terminat]

Originally Posted by binand

You were going towards HAL? That has a red aspect for a very short duration; purely for people to cross the road. In fact, it has simultaneous greens for vehicles coming from Domlur side and those coming from JB Nagar side.

Yes, I was indeed headed towards HAL. Last evening when I checked the signal, the signal went like this:

Green > No Lights > Red

Originally Posted by NPV

Never cross the white Stop/Limit line, always stop before the line.

I always do that. I have even been abused by an armyman once because of my obstinance.

I guess I mustn't have been clear. I crossed the White Line before it turned Red. I distinctly remember the siren sounding well after I had cross the white line.

There was approximately 25m between the White Line and the cops. I had already covered around 10m of this distance when the siren sounded. This would probably be when the signal that I had just crossed might have turned red. But guess the cops believed that anyone caught in this 25m region when the siren sounds may have jumped the signal.

[sdp1975]

Jayadeva flyover may be demolished to make way for the metro. Get ready for more misery.

Source