We all know that auto guys are the biggest pests of Bangalore roads. I didn’t know there was a group coming in a close second place. Manish and I were going from Ulsoor to Airport Road last Saturday night at about 10:30. The signal was green to take the left turn at trinity circle. As we past the signal a cop jumped in my way like a frog and frantically waved us down. I thought it was a general checking. I showed him my documents. He told me I had violated traffic rules. I was stunned. I was riding slowly with a helmet on. I wondered what rule I could have broken. He said I had jumped a signal. Now no amount of persuasion could change his mind. And there was no way he could have seen the signal from where he had been standing. How do you argue with this?
Next he could have said I wasn’t wearing a helmet because I had taken it off to talk to him. Thank God he didn’t do that. He said the fine was 400 bucks. We protested, argued and begged. He threatened me saying that he would confiscate my licence and produce me in court where without any hard evidence; it would be my word against his. I don’t know how they decide such cases. But luckily we managed to convince him that we had only 100 bucks on us. I thought it would be a bribe. But he gave a receipt! And in the end he said 'thank you brother!' I wonder what you can do in such situations. Except maybe give him a good dose of expletives in your mind.
u shudnt hav paid him when there is no fault of urs .... shud hav blasted him ... these bastards really need once such ... they remember traffic rules only when they r short of money ...
ReplyDeleteIt's better to pay them off and shout "You F**ker!" while kicking the bike and run away.
ReplyDeleteCan spit towards them too..
@varun.. dude he had my license in his hand.. ob he wud tk it if i had acted smart!
ReplyDelete@sahaj.. that wud mean leaving my bike dere.. assuming u meant running on legs! :D
LOL ..no no, i meant riding away.
ReplyDeletei have had HORRIBLE experiences with autowallahs ...but urs with the cop is actually quite funny...why did he give you a receipt??
ReplyDeletebtw i never got a receipt, (had to bribe them twice), what is written on it?
ReplyDeleteis the reason behind fine written on it?
raising your voice against traffic policemen isn't gonna do much. instead being a lil polite helps at times, though u can totally abuse him in your head. and yeah, u should pick up a lil kannada or tamil. that will surely help
ReplyDelete@nalini.. is it bad 2 get a receipt? n its nt funny to loose 100 bucks!
ReplyDelete@sahaj..reason ws some negligent driving or smth.. i don knw whether wat he has written is in kannada or english..
@raja.. v tried 2 b as polite as possible.. v gave some senti talk like being students n all.. yeah knowing kannada wud hv helped i think.. coz he asked us whether v knew kannada.. but then its nt fair.. even cops showing xenophobia.. do u think v will ever feel free 2 approach d cops if such is the case?
xenophobia is quite prevalent here. shopkeepers, bus conductors.. and autowallahs. i remember one of them calling me "northwallah". lolest. but then, as one of my Tamil friend from delhi pointed out, racial slur is common thing in north India too.
ReplyDeletechange is required in the system. and its gotta start from individuals.
BTW: GE pics! wat was ur sso id? :D
Blog is the best place to express your frustration!! cheers!!
ReplyDeleteguess what are the blogs by frustrated people called?
ReplyDeleteFROG :)
dude! the reason why he gave u a receipt is coz the fine for jumping signals is 100 bucks..
ReplyDeleteoh didnt knw dat.. but point is he fined me fr no reason.. so obviously i tot he wanted somthing fr his pocket.. so ws surprised wen he gave a receipt!
ReplyDelete