[Omkar]

At some point in our lives, we have blamed the system for horrible road conditions, lack of structure, bad road sense among drivers and whatnot when driving. And while we all try and follow safe driving practices and avoid fines, we’re not perfect. The system does get you when you slip. I know this is going to be an embarrassing journey, but let’s share some of the traffic violations that we have been fined for. I would request members not to evaluate the traffic violations of other members. This is just so that we can learn from our as well as others' mistakes and not judge people. Here are some of the times when I have been caught by the traffic cops.

Speeding:

I’ve never had a ticket for speeding, but there has been one incident I would like to narrate. While driving from Noida to Agra on the Yamuna expressway, there came a point where the endless straight roads finally got to me. So, I thought I’d go faster as I couldn’t see any cameras around and right at that moment, I saw an interceptor on the side of the road. I was 15-20 km/h above the limit and I knew that I was going to get a ticket and rightly so. When I reached the end toll, the attendant told me that the car was caught speeding and that I should park on the side. I told him that I was driving on the Yamuna expressway for the first time (which was true) and didn’t realize that I was above the limit (which wasn’t true). He looked behind where the speeding cars were being fined by cops and the line was long. Since the cops were already occupied, the attendant asked me to carry on. While I didn’t get fined, since then, I haven’t gotten into trouble for excessive speeding. I have made sure that I stay within the speed limit.



Jumping a yellow light:

This was in my early college days when I had just gotten my bike. While there’s nothing much to it, the traffic light was green and when it turned yellow, instead of slowing down, I decided to cross it. A traffic cop was standing right after the signal, and he was very happy to see me. When I told him I didn’t have any cash to pay the fine, his smile got wider and he took out a card machine. What a day.



I’ve also been fined for an illegal U-Turn (poor signage), parking in a 'No Parking' area and expired PUC. Do share some of the traffic violations that you have been fined for. Once again, the aim is to learn from others' mistakes and not judge.

[Jeroen]

I’m not quite sure but over the years I have raked up probably at least 1.5 million kilometers if not more on all continents.

I have had the odd speeding fine and some parking fines.

I have also received a fine for driving without a driver license. I was 18 and already having driving lessons. But my father took me to a desolate industrial estate for some practice. It was desolate except for the cop car who pulled us over! My dad got done for instructing without a license and I got done for not having a driving license!

I have had a few close calls with the law, but managed not to get a ticket. Both my Alfa Spider and my Mercedes W123 have illegal registration plates. You can read them, they will show up on the speed cameras, but technically they are the wrong shape and or colour. But I like them.

I have had the odd cop making comments about them. I always have to promise to put the original plates back on when I reach home. I always promise, but of course the cop and I know it ain’t going to happen! ��

I also got pulled over in our village near The Hague once. In all those years I lived there, never ever did I see a cop. That day I took the shocks of my W123 in front of our house. I could not finish the job, so I had to drive it, without shocks to its garage. About a kilometer from our house. Lots of speed bumps and the cops behind me noticed the W123 bumping up and down, so they pulled me over.

They told me they thought there was something wrong with my shocks! I told them, what shocks, this car doesn’t have any. By the way what are you doing in our village. First cop car I have seen in 15 years? Luckily, they were ok with my explanation!

Just spend a long weekend in Belgium and I am pretty sure I will be receiving a speeding ticket. I thundered along in the Jaguar and I saw the camera flash in my rear view mirror!

Jeroen

[asingh1977]

I sold my i20 some months ago. There were like 5 challans: "violation of road marking". Rs 1500 / offense. Not sure, what this even means.

[saikishor]

This happened very recently and I wasn't aware of speedcams to be working on that road. It was an empty road and I was driving normally unaware of the speed limit. Must say this was a very NFSMW2005 like picture to me, especially the color grading.

Apart from this, on two wheeler, I was fined thrice for a pillion not having a helmet(godbless my friends).

[anandhsub]

Have had no traffic violation fines (touchwood) in about 100k kms of driving but have been fined twice while riding. Once for parking on the footpath and other for jumping a signal.

However I have once paid a fine for not having the right emission certificate. Since mine was a BSIV vehicle thought the certificate was issued for 1 year, instead turned out for diesel it was only for 6 months.

[Beemer1077]

I have never had any traffic violations, be it in United States or in India on driving a car/bike. But the time I got into trouble on across both nations was something unusual - riding a bicycle.

Here in Ohio, as I was not aware, I was pulled over by a patrolling officer as I was riding on the tarmac instead of the sidewalk. However, since it was my first time, he only gave me a polite verbal warning, and asked me to ride on sidewalks, stating that it is safe and that just tell pedestrians "behind you" so they can move aside.

In Pune, MH, as a teenager, I was riding on Lakdi bridge, which has no 2-wheelers sign, which applied to bicycles as well. At the other end, a uniformed cop asked me to stop at the side and said that he will have to deflate my tires as a violation. However I showed my student ID and requested leniency: he warned me not to ride again. I found it way absurd and disgusted that they treat bicycles like this.

On the same lines, in Mumbai, as an adult and while visiting from America, I took my uncle's bicycle for a joyride with helmet, and on one bridge, a traffic constable stopped me. He asked me for my details, and license, and stated that I am not supposed to ride on the bridge(it was not Bandra Worli Sea Link, but some flyover). He penalized me Rs. 200, but I refused to pay, stating that there were no signs about bicycles even if 2-wheelers were not allowed. An argument ensued and the public pressure mounted on him. Subsequently, his senior officer came and said that as per rules I committed an offense, but I replied that it only applied to Motor Vehicles and not bicycles, even showed him after searching on google. There again, the officers released me without taking any penalties.

[DevendraG]

Confession Time on Sunday:

Started driving around 2000.

I’ve been guilty of:
1: Speeding (Pune Mumbai Expressway, Pune Goa Highway) - Legally Paid
2: Parking Tickets - Legally Paid most of them
3: Lane cutting - Pune does that to you - No fines paid (Did pay for it in Mumbai though)
4: License impounded for late night chat with then girlfriend on the side lane - had to abscond since I couldn’t afford my father knowing about it - got another license made - old memories
5: Learnt driving without a license ofcourse - luckily didn’t get caught then

Can’t recall much apart the above offences. Mostly an enthusiast on road with respect for others on the road and the law.