When you make the aim of a law revenue generation, it loses it meaning.
For example I have been challaned for doing 81 in a 80 zone in Delhi. Fine 400rs.
Now on that stretch(DND) I am tempted to look at the speedo instead of the road.
Is 1kmph above the speed limit more dangerous or looking at speedo instead of road more dangerous.
In the west, you get fined only if you are faster than traffic. For example if on a 60mph road everybody is doing around 70, cops will not even bother, however if some guy is zigzagging at 80, he will be nailed, because doing 70 with the traffic is very safe.
On the contrary you can get fined for hogging the right lane at 60mph in a 60mph road. If somebody is behind you, you are supposed to yield.
On the outer ring road, with 8 lanes, speed limit is 60kmph. Now how does one ensure 60kmph. Look at speedo every few seconds. If instead cops focused more on people zig zagging at 100kmph rather than challan everyone at 61kmph, that stretch will be safer, however what they do not mints more money than ensuring safety.
Coming to scientific study, the speed limits of Delhi are not what the IIT traffic safety committee deemed fit, but what the Delhi police thought right.
I wonder are they even qualified? Would you consider a medicine safe if some LLB govt official decided so instead of a research team?
Coming to the final point of accidents, its a commonly known fact that most accidents are attributed to overspeeding by police.
For example an Auto came the wrong way on the DND flyway, and met head on with a swift. People died. The cause of accident was guess what "overspeeding".
Instead of saying "we will ensure people do not drive wrong side of road", they put speed guns.
So when you have such nincompoops making laws at whim, the law loses respect, and such silly laws are responsible for our roads resembling a banana republic.
the west has faster traffic but lower accident rate. So if overspeeding was the cause of all such accidents, they should have had a much higher accident rate.
The indian road scene is full of anarchy, an in all this circus, cops are looking for an easy way out. And if the easy way out makes money why not?
If you belive speed limits are for your safety, stop kidding yourself. Overloaded trucks without tail lights and iron girdirs hanging from the back kill a lot of people, but since they pay "hafta" cops turn a blind eye. So don't think the govt cares two hoots for your safety. Only you can do so. So drive safe, try to follow speed limits for your wallets sake, and on unmonitored roads, try to drive safely. Your car may be stable at 150kmph, but it cannot save you from the tractor without headlights coming right at you like the yamdoot in the fast lane. |