[DragonHawk]

Originally Posted by Emvi

I have two questions,
1. Is the speed limit of 40kmph on highways a valid one?
2. Are deviations to the prescribed speed limits allowed in the rulebook? If yes, by how much?
3. How can I escalate this matter to the higher authorities, if you think I have a case here?

Your feedback BHPians..
Thanks in advance.

I think the chain gate stretch where you were stopped for overspeeding comes under city limits and hence the speed restriction. This has been a usual checking point for traffic cops for many years and people especially locals familiar with this generally slow down as they approach this place. I for the one have been the victim couple of years back and since then I judiciously reduce my speed to 40kmph. I can give you a few more places where traffic cops are on the hunt with speed guns in the Mani-Mysore stretch which is an NH but strangely NH speed limit doesn`t apply. So clearly there is no point in dragging this further and as many suggested, it is better to make peace within yourself and move on.

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by Emvi

I have two questions,
1. Is the speed limit of 40kmph on highways a valid one?
2. Are deviations to the prescribed speed limits allowed in the rulebook? If yes, by how much?
3. How can I escalate this matter to the higher authorities, if you think I have a case here?

Your feedback BHPians..
Thanks in advance.

1. Definitely valid (whether it makes sense is a different discussion). Problem is that although there are specified NH and SH speed limits, most of our highways pass through towns and villages where a lower speed limit can be made applicable. I personally have been fined in the outskirts of Mysore when coming from Gundlepet for driving 60 on a section marked as 50kmph. I was not even stopped and the ticket came by post to my home address in Bangalore.

2. I don't think our rulebook specifies deviations. In Kerala, I know of friends and family who have been fined for supposedly driving at 73km/h in a 70 km/h speed limit section.

3. Don't think you have one. 2-3 km before Madikeri would probably mean you are within Madikeri town limits where these lower speeds can be enforced

Even on the Bangalore ORR- The speed limit is 60. Although, pre covid, there was no way you would get anywhere near 60, there were specific sections after a typical bottleneck where the road would open out and you could go 60+. At such strategic points the cops used to always position themselves.

[Emvi]

Originally Posted by Jaguar

I see three questions

Sharp eyes! My bad

Originally Posted by DragonHawk

I think the chain gate stretch where you were stopped for overspeeding comes under city limits and hence the speed restriction. This has been a usual checking point for traffic cops for many years and people especially locals familiar with this generally slow down as they approach this place. I for the one have been the victim couple of years back and since then I judiciously reduce my speed to 40kmph. I can give you a few more places where traffic cops are on the hunt with speed guns in the Mani-Mysore stretch which is an NH but strangely NH speed limit doesn`t apply. So clearly there is no point in dragging this further and as many suggested, it is better to make peace within yourself and move on.

Yes, it was the chain gate stretch. I had seen the cops stationed there quite a few times previously. I generally drive at around 50-60 kmph speeds at that stretch. Since I wasn't stopped earlier, I kept believing that it was within the prescribed limits!

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

3. Don't think you have one. 2-3 km before Madikeri would probably mean you are within Madikeri town limits where these lower speeds can be enforced

Yes, you are right. That's their logic probably.

As many of you have suggested, it's better to make peace and move on. In the meantime, I have registered a grievance in the central public grievances portal. I know, it may not yield results, still no harm in giving it a try. I am not questioning the speed limit in that particular stretch, what I have questioned is the lack of proper sign boards mentioning the speed limit. Few years back, I had used this portal to report a civic issue, which to my surprise was acted upon.

[bejoy]

Originally Posted by Emvi

Today my car was stopped by the highway patrol cops on the Madikeri-Mysore highway about 2-3 Kms from Madikeri while I was returning from Mysore. I absolutely had no idea, why I was stopped.

After reading this I felt nostalgic. I was in an exact same situation during my first trip to Mysore from Bangalore (~2004). Just while nearing the Mysore city (somewhere after the present ORR junction), I was stopped by the cops. I walked to the cop's vehicle and the constable handed over a printed paper. I thought it was some "Welcome to Mysore" pamphlet or something, and was in rude shock when I saw the picture of my car in it only to realize that I was fined for over speeding. I was doing 60 on a 40kmph zone! It was my first ticket after 10 years of driving!

Originally Posted by Emvi

I have two questions,
1. Is the speed limit of 40kmph on highways a valid one?
2. Are deviations to the prescribed speed limits allowed in the rulebook? If yes, by how much?
3. How can I escalate this matter to the higher authorities, if you think I have a case here?

Usually the speed limit reduces while the highway enters a city/muncipal limits. Even if there are no boards, one has to go by these limits. These limits are imposed by the state RTO and can be overruled by the city/town police. The cops exploit the travelers by defining the outskirts as city/muncipal limits. Actually it is 50kmph in city, unless there is a specific board. For e.g. Bangalore traffic police has enforced the following limits within city. Though it says 60, the entire ORR is 40kmph.

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


In Kerala, where you enter "Town" limits every 20 kms, the situation is dire. Though you cannot speed in most of the places, you are guaranteed facing a radar gun wherever the traffic eases a bit or the road widens a bit.

https://mvd.kerala.gov.in/roadSafety...-limits-kerala


BTW, On my numerous follow on trips to Mysore, I know where to drive slowly and has been lucky so far!

[bhavik.1991]

Do the cars with red lights get any exemption on speed limits?
I have witnessed 'Mantriji's kafila' zooming pass the traffic at approx 120kmph on highways. Some of the escort cars are Tavera which really struggle to keep up with Mantriji's Innova but they still dangerously overspeed.

[am1m]

Originally Posted by bhavik.1991

Do the cars with red lights get any exemption on speed limits?

What a question yaar! Forget mantrijis, anyone with ANY sort of political muscle, however local, including local corporator, local corporator's chelas, ward party secretary, district party president, film star fan club president, etc. etc., is automatically and perpetually exempt from ANY and all restrictions that apply to us ordinary taxpayers! And the cops who so readily stop, fine, lathi charge us will go out of their way to clear the path for these esteemed citizens. Which country have you been in all these years man, that you have to ask?!

[condor]

Logically, unless it is a restricted part of the highway, the speeds will reduce as we approach a city/town. Normally, there would be a board with the reduced speed limits.

In the above situation, if there was no board, then the OP may have been able to state that.


Having said that, we normally continue with the previous speeds on a highway. I dont blame the OP for driving at 60 there

[aravind.anand]

If the point of having a speed limit is to reduce the number of accidents, then its alright. But the point of these 'silly' speed limit zones are to extort fines only. No amount of arguing will work. I have given up on trying to drive sense into those law enforcers. I don't even negotiate, I pay up the fine and leave with anger, but also with my dignity intact.

Yet another irritant on our roads, we just have to accept and move on

[AMG Power]

Here’s a point of view if you’re inclined to take things up legally:

Kerala High Court stays fines based on speed camera visuals:

Link (Kerala HC stays fines based on speed camera visuals)

[GeeTee TSI]

Having being subjected to a speeding ticket while approaching Bangalore City from Puttaparthi, I admit I was slow to catch the mushrooming of 80kmph speed limit signs. There was no denying the image on the speed gun

Experience on a particular route greatly helps to ease off the throttle and settle to a lower speed than abruptly react to a speed limit sign (worse, jab on the brakes while on the rightmost lane). It makes me wonder, how hard is it to have a giant signboard announcing the approaching speed restriction!

[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by Emvi

He said there are speed limit boards beside the highway, which I am not sure. I have never seen/noticed such boards all these years.

If there really was, you are at fault. No point arguing. Pay and leave.

On the other hand, our Traffic Police are capable of rigging up temporary speed limit boards. I was caught for over speeding in Bangalore City, on a road that I use every day for commuting to work. Had never seen a speed limit board (In 8 years of traveling on this road) and when the cops pointed to one, I had no case and was preparing myself mentally to pay and leave. As we were standing well ahead of speed limit board, I could not check what it was. I was told it was 30kmph. I was traveling above that limit for sure. What did save me was lack of evidence. When I asked for it, their speed gun was busy processing "other" offenders, so they could not show evidence. I refused to pay post which they let me go. The next morning, I looked for that speed limit board and it wasn't there.

[vinu_h]

There are a lot of grey areas in our system and TP place themselves in stretches where they know you won't be doing 30 on a NH. Only way out is to map out speed zones and integrate them into Gmaps etc for public to follow.

Mysuru-Bengaluru express way - Is this project dead or delayed ? Much needed

Interesting & related read

[anshu1101]

This is the modus operandi by authorities to eke out higher revenue.

I had a similar experience on the Bangalore - Hyderabad highway once. I don't remember the name of the place where I was challaned but it was somewhere in AP. The cops flagged me down and asked me to pay up Rs 600 as I was overspeeding.

I was doing about 80 kmph on the highway and when I enquired about the speed limit, the cops said it was 60 kmph on that stretch (apparently due to higher accidents). Honestly, I did not see an signs which mentioned the 60kmph speed limit, but the inspector insisted that the sign boards were there indeed.

Nevertheless, I did pay up the fine and moved on as I saw no point in arguing with the cops there.

[Caramba]

Originally Posted by Emvi

I have never seen/noticed such boards all these years.

The boards are there. Infact, they stand strategically at places just after the boards. There is one point where the speed limit is 30Kmph. It is quite the experience slowing down and crawling past them.

Interestingly, have been stopped and warned (not challaned) when driving a bangalore registered car, but never stopped when driving a locally registered car.

So would probably classify it as revenue generated by tourists.

[pradeep_mvpa]

Originally Posted by Jaguar

I see three questions

Not only you can't do anything, but you would also be lucky if the ordeal is over. I was caught similarly when entering Goa, on a highway section with ridiculously low-speed limits.

I have a similar experience with Goa.
In Goa, almost every old bridge has 40 kmph speed limit. I did some googling before my travel and was aware of this. While carefully driving below 40 on one bridge some cars overtook me. They were promptly stopped by cops who were waiting at the other end of the bridge.