[rohan_iitr]

I will never accept these 3 arguments about traffic cops:

Argument # 1: Traffic cops are underpaid.

Fact: They are paid sufficiently for what education they have and what job they do. If they feel that their pay is less, they should consider another job or ask the government to raise their salary.

Argument # 2: Traffic cops in Bangalore are under-staffed.

Fact: There is sufficient number of traffic cops in Bangalore. But instead of ensuring smooth traffic flow at the traffic signals, they hide somewhere after the signal to pocket fines from offenders and collect hafta from transport vehicles.

Argument # 3: Traffic cops have a high pressure job and hence should be treated with extra respect.

Fact: If they feel that they can't handle the job, they are free to look for another job. A high pressure job does not give them the license to treat other people badly.

Also, I prefer to have a bossy look rather than an apologetic look when dealing with corrupt traffic cop who has stopped me for no offense. A saale-jaanta-hai-mera-baap-kaun-hai-? (do-you-know-who-my-father-is-?) kind of attitude is better while dealing with these corrupt cops rather than pleading politely with them. He would think twice before demanding bribe from you.

If you have committed some offense, apologise politely and pay the fine. But if a corrupt cop catches you for no reason, don't be easy on him. He must be afraid of the consequences of his actions.

Don't misbehave with them, but also don't let them misbehave with you.

Rohan

[Torqy]

Originally Posted by kittigadu

well, i don't think i need to explain more.
Attachment 329214
Traffic cops need 2 things.

1. Respect. (On streets, people fear a beat constable and no one cares a traffic cop. Some even throw abuses and use fowl language. believe me , i have caught this on tape)

2. Money. (traffic cops think, they work standing all day in the sun, amidst the pollution and horns and what not and still get paid less and not treated well)

100% TRUE.

To get respect, you need to give respect. The issue is cops have got such a bad name, nobody cares. Make them look respectable. Dress them up so that they command respect. Look at cops in the US!

Money part is little tricky. Raise their salaries....so that educated youth think of this as a respectable job. Isn't it a shame that a "POOR" country like India can gift crores to cricketers and NOTHING towards Law and Order? Shows what they care about!
Increasing the salaries will solve short-staffed issue....and the bribes to an extent.

Educate them. Show them the wrongs they do.

...and before all this, LETS CHANGE THE WAY WE DRIVE / RIDE from TODAY!

Can we do that? Lets start a MOVEMENT. I assure you. You'll see the difference.

-- Torqy

[tanwaramit]

this thread started from where and has taken a new dimension. NCR has its own story on traffic management and am sure other cities too have similar stories.

On the first post of the thread, it seems very likely that there was some VIP movement who was expected to pass from this stretch, hence they were moving vehicles continuosly, even if it meant for those vehicles to pass through the other lane. Happens many times, they do it to avoid bottleneck.

[McLaren Rulez]

Originally Posted by kittigadu

well, i don't think i need to explain more.
Attachment 329214

Having worked with the Hyderabad traffic cops for almost 6 months for a documentary, i noticed some thing that applies to all the traffic cops in India,

1. At their own traffic police station, they are not treated well, so all they need is a few good words to make their day. Remember a cop station is a government office and with people from all casts and creed posted there and eventually, there are numerous internal groups and politics played around.

2. Call them "Sir" and throw an innocent smile. They don't mind and even excuse you if you go to the extent of holding their chin while requesting. I did this, called him "uncle" and they let me go. Not once but thrice.

3. At first they might not care, since they are not used to such things, eventually they will surprisingly turn friendly.

4. Having a bossy look on your face is when they get pissed off. They are already bossed around enough at their home station.

5. Most of them have a soft corner for women, only when the lady is in a requesting mode. They move mountains to let her go. And when she is in arguing/abusing mode, they cant take it.

6. During diversions, alternate route changes etc, tell them that you are new to this area as you reside in the other side of the town and you are really confused driving here and if possible a gentle touch on their hand for help.

Couldn't agree more! This is the best way to deal with cops. And if you know Kannada, it helps a lot. Many times the cops are not sure where you're from and try to talk in Hindi. Its happened to me many times and when I smile and reply back in Kannada, they almost instantly turn extremely friendly.

[Jaggu]

Party of cops used to park in one cozy corner in Koramangala, stop one way offenders, helmet less travelers, harass the heck out off poor rickshaw and lorry drivers. This went one for 2 months or so.

A software guy cheesed off and made a complained at the help line. Help line advised him to take snaps. He took snaps but the cops caught him and gave him a slap. When encountered by others they gave some story of obstructing justice blah blah blah. Few calls were made to Commisioner, ACP etc and they also sided the cops version and was of not much help. Finally the issue was compromised and an apology letter from the poor software guy closed the matter.

Things went back to normal for few weeks, cops making fines on Blockberry, favors, gifts and some bribe, till one day they catch a local with some connection. An hour of verbal duel, few well connected guys and notorious characters come into the picture during this time. Cops are taken to task and stern warning issued to them in very clear terms.

Its been a week or two and no sign of the cop party at the spot.

So who is better, cops or the local thugs?

[Spitfire]

Oh frigg.. The traffic cops are going to get on my tail for posting that video.

Something is seriously wrong with this place.

[Ranjan Sharma]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

Party of cops.....

So who is better, cops or the local thugs?

My vote goes to the Local Thugs

It's like a shame to get involved with police no matter whatever the reason is.

Originally Posted by Spitfire

Oh frigg.. The traffic cops are going to get on my tail for posting that video.

Something is seriously wrong with this place.

A slap for a picture.. imagine what will they do for a video

[benbsb29]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

Its been a week or two and no sign of the cop party at the spot.

So who is better, cops or the local thugs?

Another favorite party spot for the traffic cops is the Marathalli junction, where many of them are seen with their vehicles parked all over the place and chatting away.

For all the no U turn and other signage present in the area, the police tow truck is free to drive up the wrong way of the road, take illegal U turns etc. The tow truck carries on it the baggage of 2 wheelers and an occasional car when doing these stunts. Considering that there is nothing which is of a dire emergency when towing away bikes, i don't see why the tow truck has the rights to flout all rules. Someday i hope to capture this on video and put it up somewhere.

[bullinb]

Originally Posted by rohan_iitr

If they feel that their pay is less, they should consider another job or ask the government to raise their salary

Originally Posted by rohan_iitr

If they feel that they can't handle the job, they are free to look for another job.

You said it mate. Everybody who thinks that the job of a traffic cop pays too less for the stress it involves and is capable of finding better job has ALREADY done so! May that is the reason why you are not a traffic cop. On a serious note, this is not utopia. The fact is that cops are paid way less than what the job entails. Like somebody said, you pay peanuts you get only monkeys.

Originally Posted by rohan_iitr

A saale-jaanta-hai-mera-baap-kaun-hai-? (do-you-know-who-my-father-is-?) kind of attitude is better while dealing with these corrupt cops rather than pleading politely with them

Man! If were so easy to pull a bluff like this on somebody who probably has seen thousands of such attempts. Be gentle and polite but firm. Your attitude can land you in unnecessary trouble if you are not well "connected".

Originally Posted by rohan_iitr

He would think twice before demanding bribe from you

Hope you don't really believe this for your own good.

[Nitin]

Lets get back to the topics, folks. For now, leave out the 'do you know the local language question', and focus on how things could improve in the city a lot of us have grown up in (as well as seen it go from bad to worse).

I'd like to know if anyone here recently went through a driving school to get a license.Reason being, I'd like to understand how much of the 'good stuff' is imparted to the students of such driving schools. If the school were to be a genuine one and do its job, practically 90-95% of the graduates (or the one getting their licenses, in other words) ought to be sensible drivers. I know that not much sense prevails on the streets but what ever little does exist would still do wonders if properly implemented.

Also, shouldn't auto drivers have to go through some sort of driving school before he/she gets to drive one around? Thinking aloud, since autos constitute the 'clan' of road-occupants who create a lot of havoc with their wonderful sense of driving etiquettes.

[bullinb]

Originally Posted by Ranjan Sharma

No, That is not the reason most of us migrated here. Reason is IT..!

That is why I said directly or indirectly. Why is IT here in Bangalore and not in say Kolkata? Does safely have nothing to do with it?

Originally Posted by Ranjan Sharma

Go out on the road, and try to figure out how many of them are safe enough. Auto drivers? Cab drivers? Bus Drivers? cover 50% of the road, who I don't think are safe. How can it be a safest place then?

Have you driven in Mumbai? Delhi? Chennai or even Pune? Name one big city where this does not happen?

Originally Posted by Ranjan Sharma

People rob your car and mobile phones when you meet with an accident in Bangalore, and all other places also. How is it safest?
While driving to office, I don't know which guy will BANG my car and start asking compensation later, list goes on and on..

Oh please! Go look up the crime rate in Indian cities. I repeat myself in saying Bangalore is "one" of the safest cities.

Originally Posted by AlokSriva

@bullinb - don't waste your efforts mate with a thought process which is reading/perceiving/comprehending things selectively.

I don't understand why are you so ticked off. I said exactly the same thing - it is for your own good to learn the local language. What selective reading are you talking about?

[AlokSriva]

I am aghast at why people don't understand the simple reason why even if a fly sneezes in BLR, it is reported on T-BHP. For the ignorant, most of the members are located in this city and are pretty active as well. Which reflects in the number of threads related to BLR.

What beats me hollow is the interpretation of convenience!!

@bullinb - it was someone else's selective reading I was concerned about Sir Sorry, if I confused you..

PS - all these posts would be gone tomorrow morning and we will continue with our lives as if nothing had happened.

[techn0l0gist]

Originally Posted by bullinb

Have you driven in Mumbai? Delhi? Chennai or even Pune? Name one big city where this does not happen?

I have! By far Bangalore has the worst traffic sense and most of so called educated "IT" guys aren't much different from the auto drivers when it comes to traffic sense(should we call it common sense? - keeping in right lane when you need to take a right turn at a signal is something that would come naturally to a small kid, wouldn't it ? but somehow all bangaloreans do just the opposite)

Also Bangalore has the rudest and most selfish motorists when it comes to basic things like allowing someone to change lanes, right of way at intersections, driving with low beams, honoring signals, and so on - almost everybody is in a hurry to try and go ahead and create a traffic jam by blocking the next guy and creating a deadlock whenever possible!

Originally Posted by bullinb

Not to offend, I really fail to understand this attitude. Do you seriously believe people with power would have behaved differently anywhere else in India? The country runs on favours exchanged. You get nothing if you have nothing to offer.

No where in the country have I seen a traffic sub inspector being shouted at by a cab driver and told to get lost when the cop stopped the cab driver for going the wrong way! The cab moved on and the cop threw a stone at the cab in frustration - i've never seen a cop so helpless - what's the use of all the power if he bowed down to a dumb cab driver ! Try doing this in mumbai or delhi.

A traffic cop driving his white bajaj pulsar on the wrong side - and when I ask him in english about what he's breaking the law, the idiot shouts at me in kannada to mind my own business and whether I want a fine and that rules don't apply to the police !

No where in the country will a traffic cop NOT be able to manage a simple traffic intersection !

No where in the country will people break a signal or go the wrong way when a traffic cop is looking at them!

Do you still fail to see reason why we're upset? (now please donot say "if you don't like bangalore - go away!" it's home for all of us we're just highlighting the issues we see!)

On a note of doing something about this - does anyone know any higher ups in the bangalore police - who can be pointed out to this thead and team-bhp as a whole? how about sending them a link ?

[Ranjan Sharma]

Originally Posted by bullinb

That is why I said directly or indirectly. Why is IT here in Bangalore and not in say Kolkata? Does safely have nothing to do with it?.

Ha Ha... now IT is in Bangalore because of safety

Bangalore - Investment Hub go through this please and clear your doubts, it's highly recommended..!

Originally Posted by techn0l0gist

No where in the country have I seen a traffic sub inspector being shouted at by a cab driver and told to get lost when the cop stopped the cab driver for going the wrong way! The cab moved on and the cop threw a stone at the cab in frustration - i've never seen a cop so helpless - what's the use of all the power if he bowed down to a dumb cab driver ! Try doing this in mumbai or delhi.

Exactly, you have to see how SRS drivers treat the traffic cops like Dogs on road.

1 more thing I would like to stress which I have seen only in BANGALORE . Traffic cops spitting on vehicles which don't stop to pay them for their 'Chai-Nashta'.

[Iluvcars]

Whatever, the local language issue has been (over) played in many major cities in India and Bangalore is no exception. I once read a news in TOI that a police helpline in Bangalore failed to take a complaint just because the complainant didn't speak Kannada. I myself have swallowed the bitter pill several times. But honestly, is that just in Karnataka? - No (a resounding one!)
I always feel that India is a continent and every state is a country on its own!