[sachinpk]

Elderly man dragged on road for almost a kilometre by scooter-borne youth fleeing after accident
Only stringent action using the Indian Penal Code provisions can curb this behaviour..

[audioholic]

Saw a Brezza with its front completely gone after collision with an unknown vehicle right after Ecospace while ascending the flyover towards Sarjapur junction. Had caused a long pile up of traffic and the Brezza was badly damaged with airbags deployed. There was a parked TT in front of it but it was completely unscathed and the Brezza bonnet was caved in with a center bias which meant it hit a curved surface not a flat one like that of the TTs rear. Obviously didnt take pictures since I was crawling in the pile up for more than ten mins and didnt want to add to the jam.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by sachinpk

Only stringent action using the Indian Penal Code provisions can curb this behaviour..

We are now a city where we have wrong side riders and drivers who strictly follow rules:

• They use their indicators diligently when entering into a lane on their right when riding/driving on the wrong side
  
  
• School buses are even more careful and they turn on their headlights along with Hazards when driven in the wrong way
  
  
• Anyone who is on the wrong way ensures to alert pedestrians and other road users of their presence by honking
  
  
• If there are fruit and vegetable carts occupying the first lane, the wrong side drivers/riders go extra mile and turn on their left indicator, move to the middle/second lane and get back to the first lane. This act of theirs ensures the traffic that is heading in the right direction get enough time to make way for them by either slowing down or moving to the right lane(s)
  
  
• Last but not the least, they are pillars of our economy. They all are contributing endlessly towards reduction of dependency on fossil fuel and electricity by conserving whatever best they can by taking the wrong side
  
  
• The productivity and efficiency percentage has also seen a marginal increase due to impeccable time management skills these wrong siders have shown and is now being benchmarked too so that every day we have many more who can follow their footsteps and do their bit too

Hence, over the years the respect for these law abiding wrong siders has increased multifold!

Sadly, this is the reality - The casual behavior of these erring motorists has gone out of limits. They don't fear for their lives nor care for the presence of cops as well. Even parents with their kids heading to school do this, setting a dangerous example for the future generation.

Over the last few months alone, I have written to newspapers with images where they take up such civic issues with the concerned agencies and even visited the Traffic Police station with a written letter pleading them to take action on these motorists, along with Dashcam proofs of how they even get abusive. But nothing has happened and my hopes have faded.

Few years back, Bangalore's primary issue with traffic was not this (wrong side driving) but today this certainly is and cops are turning a blind eye despite this happening in their very presence. I wish BTP like the way they dedicate a day or a week for a purpose should target only wrong side motorists and penalize them on the spot.

And this is a video that I showed the cops at the Police station where you can clearly see how casually our dear biker friend takes on the wrong side only to expect me to lay a green carpet for him to make way!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gh1Z0NcIvzo

And this is another view where the single reason for traffic crawling is because few of them chose to take the wrong side.

https://youtu.be/1fMrPNdwkKc

And specimen like these are an everyday affair. Fast bikes, rushing to their destination, no license plates and ABUSIVE!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T62Jlui7DwA

Sorry for the sarcasm and rant but since this incident is due to wrong side riding, I couldn't help but vent it out here!

[NPV]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

We are now a city where we have wrong side riders and drivers who strictly follow rules:
....
Sorry for the sarcasm and rant but since this incident is due to wrong side riding, I couldn't help but vent it out here!

Wrong side driving and riding has reached pandemic proportions in Bangalore and the cops are truly unconcerned and turning a blind eye while they continue to look for the helmet and seat belt violations (and masks during Covid times) as easy prey to meet targets while these dangerous morons continue with their menace unhindered.

I was just hoping that Mr MA Saleem who has taken over charge of Bangalore traffic and has been given a single point agenda to easy the traffic mess in Bangalore will soon do something. He has already put in several measures and some of them are really working well, you can now see several traffic cops in the mornings and trucks are not being allowed inside the city during peak hours, etc

By the way, I'm wondering why the constables of Bangalore Traffic Police (BTP) have transformed into Bangalore Traffic Photographers, that's all they seem to be doing

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by old_cayuse

You must be one lucky chap to have been able to get thru to sorting out a easily solvable traffic snarl..

OT:
With a handle like Old Cayuse I assume you’re a reader of Westerns - Louis L’Amour, Sudden, Luke Short, J T Edson. Etc.
Must catch up off line.

[anandhsub]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

[*]School buses are even more careful and they turn on their headlights along with Hazards when driven in the wrong way

Not just the headlight. Even the high beam even at noon to claim their "right of way".

[old_cayuse]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

OT:
With a handle like Old Cayuse I assume you’re a reader of Westerns - Louis L’Amour, Sudden, Luke Short, J T Edson. Etc.

You hit the nail on the head pardner. I haven't read Luke Short but the others were de rigueur among my peers in them halcyon days. Also as the horse as a mode of transport in the mid 20th century had been replaced by steel steeds of the four and two wheel variety that me and my chums who I used to hang out with got around on bicycles and they named my old and battered bicycle 'the cayuse'. That's the inspiration for my handle.

[sachinpk]

Originally Posted by NPV

By the way, I'm wondering why the constables of Bangalore Traffic Police (BTP) have transformed into Bangalore Traffic Photographers, that's all they seem to be doing

Damned if you do, damned if you don't. That unfortunately is the case of the police men. Earlier people used to crib that the police men hide in corners and then detect traffic violations and levy a spot fine. Now that practise is stopped, vehicle photographs are taken (recording the violation) and an e-Challan generated from their Traffic Control centre. Fines can be paid online. Now the act of taking photographs is also taken as an inefficient move, and they are expected to do some other task.

[am1m]

Originally Posted by sachinpk

Now the act of taking photographs is also taken as an inefficient move,

I think it's a step in the right direction. Better than them jumping out into moving traffic, stopping some vehicles and then the whole process of argument, negotiation, etc etc. This way there is less scope for bribes, traffic flow doesn't get interrupted, and they can record a lot more violations.

Only downside is the few vehicles with wrong registration, and the cases of wrong attribution to a different license plate, but in the overall scheme of things I guess this will be better. I guess in most countries recording traffic violations is automated, this is a step in that direction. Over a generation, as more people find challans waiting for them, we will get conditioned into not breaking rules because we know there is a decent chance it will be flagged. Hopefully. Change takes time.

For serious violations like wrong side driving, perhaps they can have regular drives to curtail that menace. It has worked well in the case of drunken driving. My friends and I used to ride home after a couple of drinks in the early 2000s without any fear of getting flagged down, even across the city sometimes (we were idiots back then!) By 2010, the chances of getting caught had increased enough to dissuade us from even thinking about doing that.

[nagr22]

Unfortunately Bangalore cops don't even think wrong side driving is a serious offense. Infact, I know a junction where a cop is posted mainly to allow wrong side drivers to make safe merger onto main road

Edit: I am talking about the junction near IOCL petrol bunk near Hoodi circle. Though the primary purpose of posting a cop here is to allow two wheelers coming from an interior road to cross the main road, the volume of wrong side drivers using the cops help to merge onto the road is equal to or more than the genuine commuters. I tweeted about it to higher ups in the department several times but they haven't done much.

Originally Posted by ShreyG

Covering number plates or affixing incorrect ones also seems to be a rampant issue nowadays.

Guess what, looks like the higher ups have instructed the cops to strictly act on such number plate violations so the cops now seem to have gone hyper and started harassing people instead of catching real offenders! Couple of months ago I was pulled over for Improper plate on my Suzuki Access and as per the cop, I cannot have front number pasted on a sticker! I was eventually let go without a fine and the only reason he did that as per him is because I spoke Kannada! (I am not a kannadiga by birth BTW). A week later I saw a news article where the cops were proudly boasting that Improper Number plate was the largest category of offense that month!!

[ShreyG]

Originally Posted by sachinpk

Damned if you do, damned if you don't. That unfortunately is the case of the police men. Earlier people used to crib that the police men hide in corners and then detect traffic violations and levy a spot fine. Now that practise is stopped, vehicle photographs are taken (recording the violation) and an e-Challan generated from their Traffic Control centre. Fines can be paid online. Now the act of taking photographs is also taken as an inefficient move, and they are expected to do some other task.

The photography for fines, although efficient, does not seem to act as a deterrent to law breakers. Wrong side driving has been rampant even on clogged up roads e.g. the ORR towards Sarjapur Iblur junction from Silk Board. Helmet less two wheelers with 3 onboard merrily ride down the wrong side during peak hours. The traffic pile does allow the cops to click photos but seems like we have another up and coming pandemic --> (https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities...le66230922.ece). Covering number plates or affixing incorrect ones also seems to be a rampant issue nowadays.

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Sorry for the sarcasm and rant but since this incident is due to wrong side riding, I couldn't help but vent it out here!

Sometimes there's retribution too. Today saw an Activa and a bike speeding ahead by going on the wrong side (while we were all stuck in a slow-moving line). Seeing a vehicle coming towards them and also a big pothole in front, both accelerated & veered towards the footpath and collided. The guys on the Activa fell in the pothole while the guy in the bike did a small jump over the footpath and somehow was able to get his vehicle to a stop.

By then my line started moving and I moved on; I could see all 3 bickering & accusing each other in the rear view mirror. Need to go home and download the dashcam video.

[m8002?]

Originally Posted by am1m

For serious violations like wrong side driving, perhaps they can have regular drives to curtail that menace. It has worked well in the case of drunken driving. My friends and I used to ride home after a couple of drinks in the early 2000s without any fear of getting flagged down, even across the city sometimes (we were idiots back then!) By 2010, the chances of getting caught had increased enough to dissuade us from even thinking about doing that.

Totally agree with this. They should have regular drives to stop the wrong side driving and driving on foot paths so that it reduces like drunken driving. They can easily collect a lot more money than speeding, PUC, helmetless riding combined!!

The sad part is that people continue doing it even if there is a cop stationed in these locations as the cops rarely get hold of guys riding on the wrong side. Case in point, at the Sai Mandir junction in HSR. Lot of them just drive on the right side of the divider to go straight/right and avoid the compulsory left.

[NPV]

While photographs and automated challans are good, I think a large number of these habitual violators (especially wrong side riders) have wrong/fake registration plates, no insurance (and won't do a proper RTO transfer even when selling off their vehicles) and won't ever check online to see if they have fines against their vehicles. To make things worse, delivery personnel use rental or company owned vehicles. So it's just left to our imagination as to how many of these guys will ever end up actually paying any fine

[nagarjun]

Originally Posted by NPV

While photographs and automated challans are good, I think a large number of these habitual violators (especially wrong side riders) have wrong/fake registration plates, no insurance (and won't do a proper RTO transfer even when selling off their vehicles) and won't ever check online to see if they have fines against their vehicles. To make things worse, delivery personnel use rental or company owned vehicles. So it's just left to our imagination as to how many of these guys will ever end up actually paying any fine

Yes, I agree. The guy who diligently checks online and pays the challan may not be an offender or at least not a regular offender. In a rare occasion that our cops caught these offenders and checked the challan list, we have seen that the challan amount is 10s of thousands and few times higher than the old bike value for which the challans were created.