[Anandg]

Hi Team,
I hope this is a new thread. Mods please park it in appropriate section if it is not.
We see everyday in Bangalore that ,though the traffic is going haywire on almost all junctions entire day, but there would not be single traffic cop at site.
Reason: They are busy robbing some two or four wheeler in some corner, via one reason or the other, where a vehicle cannot escape them by taking a left or right turn. And you end up paying heavy fine without even a receipt!

The police Chief Mr Bidari had even given strict instructions regarding the same to cops and also published in newspapers that cops should not stop any vehicle unless it voilates a law. But we see this rarely happens.

I would request team-bhpians to pour their ideas on following:
1) What essential papers a 2 wheeler and 4 wheeler should always have, in-case you get caught?
2) What information you should share with the cop?
3) Should you pay the fine on spot or collect a ticket for paying later in court?
4) What documents should you handover to cop in case he insists for them?
5) What other essential things/papers you should have in-case you are in city or going out with you?
6) What visible marks your car should have -- like fonts on number plates etc. to avoid breaking any law?
7) How to avoid a demanding /niggling cop?
8) What you should do in case you park at wrong area and your car gets towed away?
9) What is the first thing you should do in case you get involved in an accident do to your mistake? -- eg hitting some one.
10) What you should do in case you get involved in an accident that is not your mistake? -- eg someone hits you or you get in hit n run scenario.

I am sorry to ask these naive questions but I am sure we all agree that we tend forget them in times of crisis. I hope experts here would put fourth answers that would make team-bhpians safe drivers.

[Rudra Sen]

Mods note: Thread moved to appropriate section.

[moralfibre]

Excellent thread. I was thinking on similar lines a few days back out of a bad experience I had with cops in Bombay two weeks ago. Before I narrate my experience, in addition to the points mentioned by Anand, let us also add our experiences with dealing with traffic cops. You could share details on how they try to fleece you even if you honestly try to pay a fine .

Here goes my experience with dealing with traffic policemen:

27Feb'10 around 8:00 pm. Location: turn off to Link Road when you come from Carter Road. I was inattentive and engrossed in a conversation with my fiance' and accidentally jumped the signal thinking it would be a free left turn.

Traffic cop signals me to pull over. I stopped, got out of my seat and went to the cop and apologized for my negligence and asked him to make a receipt for the fine involved.

NOTE: First check if the traffic policeman has any star on his shoulder tab or not. If the policeman has no stars and is not accompanied by any senior inspector / havaldar with a star, he CANNOT collect money from you. He can only issue a receipt for the offence and direct you to the police station where you have to submit the fine. You pay the fine and return with an acknowledgement and collect your license.

The second cop on duty comes over to the car and says your car has illegal window films. I strongly rejected and asked him to prove using a tint meter. He said he doesn't have one. I replied saying that he cannot fine me until he proves this. He asked me to go to the police station and have this verified. I protested strongly and confidently that the film is legal and I can vouch for it. If he has a problem, he can go get a tint meter and prove me wrong. He cannot detain me / my vehicle for lack of equipment availability. This incident put him off.

He asked me to show me all documents of the car. I gladly produced all photo copies attested and he again came back saying that photocopies are not permitted. Since I was driving an out of Bombay registered vehicle I need to produce originals. I again protested stating that there is no such rule in the Motor Vehicles Act (MVA) and he got mad at me. I told him that the tax that I paid is for "Maharashtra State" and so are my registration documents. There is nothing different. He said I will have to produce the documents in court. I gladly asked him to go ahead and take my drivers license and issue me a receipt with the appropriate MVA laws. I carry a photocopy of the laws that are listed here.

By now the traffic cop was mighty pissed since I did not offer a bribe and was readily paying the fine for jumping a traffic light which is a paltry Rs. 100/-. I showed him a copy of the fine listing and he was in for a rude shock. By now I had already spent 20-25 minutes and I was equally disturbed by this attitude. I lost my cool and told the traffic policeman to do whatever he wants to real quick.

I wasn't sure but I had read somewhere that a traffic policeman can fine you only for the offence that you committed and not club any further offences that he feels deem fit. So I spoke this out and the cop realized that I wasn't a soft target. I had also noted down his belt number, name etc on a piece of paper since I wanted to give it back strongly to him by writing to dailies like Mumbai mirror, etc. I was also wanting to take a few photographs using my digicam but did not want to drag things further. I told him that I was going to launch a complaint against him at Bandra police station when I go pay the fine next day.

Result: My license was returned and I was let go. Although I insisted on him keeping my license and issuing a receipt.

[rohan_iitr]

The best way to avoid paying a fine is by not getting caught.

What I mean to say is that you should make it a point to follow all traffic rules and be especially careful about no free left turn, no U-turn, one way and no-parking areas.

Some time back, it was almost impossible to avoid getting caught by these corrupt traffic cops in Bangalore. But thankfully the current ACP (traffic) has instructed the cops to stop only vehicles which are found violating the traffic rules.

If you are caught by traffic police without any offence, tell them that they don't have the authority to stop vehicles randomly for checking papers. Also tell them that you will write a complaint to ACP (traffic). Some sub-inspectors have been suspended for such activities, and they would be aware of the consequences of such a complaint.

If you happen to break a traffic rule and are stopped by traffic police, never try to run away. Accept your mistake, tell him that you are new to this area, that's why you could not see the sign. Whether you prefer to pay the fine or bribe the cops is up to you, I will not comment on that.

Documents to be carried are:
1. Driving license
2. Registration booklet
3. Valid insurance
4. Valid emission certificate
5. Karnataka road tax receipt (in case of out of state vehicle)

Although by law you are required to keep originals, I prefer to keep photo copies. Bangalore cops are very corrupt, they will get the upper hand in bargaining if they confiscate your originals.

A personal advice, try to identify the common hiding spots of traffic police and avoid these areas, even if it means having to take a slight diversion. If you can't avoid the area, try to pass the traffic police with a vehicle blocking you so that he finds it difficult to stop you. Out of state vehicles are soft targets for the traffic police.

Never panic if stopped by a traffic police. They can sense your fear and take advantage. Don't show any fear, but don't be arrogant either.

In case of an accident, it does not matter whose mistake it was. If you happen to have an accident in Bangalore, never accept that it was your mistake.

If you are a north indian and happen to have an accident with a localite, call friends and police immediately. In Bangalore, the crowd will gather quickly to support the localite and you could be beaten up very easily. Or they can pressurise you into giving compensation to the other party.

If you find the situation getting worse, try to escape (along with your vehicle) and report the incident to the nearest police station.

Rohan

[Anandg]

Thanks Guys,
I find your comments really informative. I am sure other members would too benefit with these suggestions. I hope some cop is not reading and cursing us that we are breaking his "dreams of a villa in bangalore" here.

Originally Posted by Anandg

3) Should you pay the fine on spot or collect a ticket for paying later in court?

All Bangalore One centres are authorised to collect the fines for traffic violations. It is the best payment mode to ensure that the fine reaches the government coffers and not the cop's pockets!

[mooza]

Thanks a lot Ravi, for the info regarding Bangalore One collecting traffic fines!

Personally, I don't enter into long conversations with the traffic cops. I was once caught for entering a one way (I missed the board). The cop down the street asked me for 400 bucks, rebuking me as to why I entered the one way street, even though the sign board was put up three years ago (?!).
I just replied saying "my first visit to this road in 5 years, I belong to another part of town". He asked me "will you pay up 400 Rs. or want the bigger fine with receipt?" I just replied "please write the receipt"
The cop started fumbling and mumbling, and, to my amusement said "because of your good behaviour I am charging you only 200 Rs. for the violation" !
Obviously, the official rate for the violation was 200 Rs.

Just now, I came to know that the fine for traffic rule violations in Bangalore could be paid online. Please visit the following website for more info:

http://www.bangaloretrafficpolice.gov.in/

This site even displays parking space available in some malls/hospitals.

mooza,

The official fine for 'no entry' is Rs 100, vide serial number 24 of list of fine amount given in this link [perhaps, it might not have been updated]:

http://www.bangaloretrafficpolice.go...e&id=77&btp=77

[Gandhi]

I keep the list of offenses and their respective fines always with me so that traffic police can't rob me at least.

Here's an incident happened with me some 8 months back -

At the junction on hosur road towards ashok nagar, I couldn’t see the signal because of a BMTC bus ahead and by mistake went pass. The traffic police on the other side stopped me as I had jumped a signal.

I checked my license and other documents and all was fine. He told I’ll have to pay fine for jumping the signal, I said it’s fine as I knew it was my fault.

But then comes the shock, he asked to me to pay 400 Rs for jumping the signal. I told him fine for jumping the signal is 100 Rs not 400 so I argued with him. He then took out his blackberry and told this is “BlackBerry Fine”. As if we need to pay 4x fine because he will give receipt from his blackberry.

I continued my arguments and kept repeating that fine for jumping the signal is 100 Rs. Then he told me he will charge me for two offenses (signal breaking and dangerous driving). I knew I wasn’t driving fast nor was I driving on the wrong side of the road. So the argument continues. Finally he agreed for 100 Rs and told me to be careful from next time. I said fine and paid him 100 Rs.

Here comes another shock, he refused to give me receipt for 100 Rs. He told he has captured the data in his blackberry, if he gives me receipt it will go to main center and I will be charged double fine from next time. I told him that I am fine with that but I need receipt. Again after long debate he agreed to give me receipt for the 100 Rs, I didn’t want that 100 Rs to go in his pocket.

I wonder if it was somebody else instead of me who didn’t knew about the actual fines, he would either paid 400 Rs or might have tried to bribe the police for some lesser amount.

Moral of the story – be aware about the traffic fines. Take the receipt for the fine you pay.

Bangalore traffic police spot fines - http://www.bangaloretrafficpolice.go...spot_fines.htm

[mooza]

@ Ravi, the cop gave me a receipt for 200 Rs. At least, the money didn't go to the cops pocket .

But I will keep a hard copy of the details in the link provided by you, which will definitely help deal with the cops in future. Thanks again !

[MX6]

Originally Posted by mooza

@ Ravi, the cop gave me a receipt for 200 Rs. At least, the money didn't go to the cops pocket .

But I will keep a hard copy of the details in the link provided by you, which will definitely help deal with the cops in future. Thanks again !

Now I hear that some cops have duplicate receipts printed in Pune. Guess down the line I won't be surprised if there's a quarrel between beggars and cops at traffic signals as to who's territory it is.

I watched a Tamil film long back in which the comedian Vadivelu, portraying the role of a police constable demanding his hafta, and a begger begging from a shop-keeper simultaneously, ultimately fighting among themselves as to who should collect their share first!

[roadracer]

Guys,This is really a fantastic thread. I would also keep a hard copy of the rules/fines document with me.

For people in Chennai I came across this website(Chennai Traffic Police :: Welcome) which provides fair bit of information on traffic rules in Chennai. Pls go through it.

[addyhemmige]

Originally Posted by MX6

Now I hear that some cops have duplicate receipts printed in Pune. Guess down the line I won't be surprised if there's a quarrel between beggars and cops at traffic signals as to who's territory it is.

There was a big scam in Hassan a few years back. A traffic Sub-Inspector had got duplicate receipt book printed and he had siphoned off lakhs of 'fine' money before he was caught. Apparently, he was doing this for many years.

[Chipz]

This was a really informative thread. Can someone help me with the following questions;
1) Should we have ATTESTED copies of the document. Is it different for car and bike.
2) Should you pay the fine on spot or collect a ticket for paying later in court?
3) What documents should you handover to cop in case he insists for them?
4) What visible marks your car or bike should have -- like fonts on number plates etc. to avoid breaking any law?
Thanks