[Juggernaught]

https://publictv.in/youth-ride-lockd...sSdJOx2eiwYGYQ

Yesterday, a cousin of mine along with his friend went on a small bike ride from Bangalore towards Hassan on their individual bikes to take a break from the daily routine as the lockdown in Karnataka has been relaxed between 7 AM to 7 PM and intercity travel is also allowed. They would barely do about a hundred odd kilometers one way and turn around to still be safe, avoiding outside food and be home in time for breakfast. On the way back they were stopped by the Solur police around 9 30 AM. They could see 20 odd superbikes also parked on the side of the road and barricades placed to slow down other vehicles. Upon asking why they were stopped the cops blatantly replied it was due to over speeding without having an interceptor or any other means to track the speed of any bike. My cousin was on his RE 650 and his friend on a KTM D390 (both stock bikes with zero mods). Apparently locals had complained about a couple of bikers speeding on the road and also the noise being too loud. The solution to this per the cops was to block the road and catch every single biker who was in a riding gear irrespective of how fast it was or if they were actually violating any rules at all.

It is ironic that this has become the norm in almost every part of the country. Bikers wearing riding gear to keep themselves safe are often targeted for it thinking they are racing on the road.

The cops did not do anything other than stop the bikes passing through making everyone wait for close to three hours. It was also funny to see how they didn't even get close to the supercars and let them pass through (a couple of lambos and r8) without so much as to warn them, worrying they might be highly influential. At around 12 noon, they finally said the bikers will be let off provided they pay a hefty fine of Rs.3000 each. Per my cousin, there were 49 bikes which were stopped and each of them paying the amount is quite a payday for the cops (~1.5L). Instead of standing their ground and not paying the fine which was illegal in the first place, all but 2 of these guys paid the fines in cash most of them going to a nearby ATM and withdrawing the money. The receipt which they have received is not computerized and the reasons listed are dangerous driving, over speeding and disobedience to the police. I don't even understand how someone can be fined for being disobedient after they stop when asked to stop and wait for hours without a proper communication.

Most of the bikes stopped were middleweight and litre-class monsters worth at least 8+ lakhs and going all the way to 30 lakhs. While paying the fine may not be a big deal to owners of these bikes, it is also about having common sense not to when they didn't break any law in the first place and be united in their stand. At the end of it all only my cousin and his friend were left at the station without having paid the fines. Seeing that there was no other way to proceed and not wanting to be part of this legal bribery they had made a couple of calls to people they knew and finally were let go around 3 PM. This may not be the best way to tackle the situation, but it didn't seem like there was any other way specially since everyone else had complied and just paid the fine. It is also important to note that the sub-inspector had switched off his cellphone after he started getting a couple of calls and the official telephone numbers listed were all either inoperative or kept redirecting to other numbers.

Coming back to the link posted at the start of this article, the headline says Youngsters jolly ride - Chased in filmy style and let off by PSI after warning. It basically says the police chased the bikers in a filmy style who were racing on the road, were victorious in catching them and let them off after strict warning and fines. It is just sad that news medium publish articles with barely any truth in it. It is another topic altogether, that if these bikers were actually racing with their powerful machines how exactly the police would even catch them in the first place

[killjoy]

The cops have been dry for 3 months too, just a way for them to make money. Atrocious.

[wildsdi5530]

About 12 years back, I used to travel about 30 kms to a hospital by 2-wheeler. I used to wear a backpack and also a full face helmet. Suddenly one day, due to elections, there was police barricades and cops stopped my and checked me rather thoroughly. On asking why, I was told that only Terrorists wear helmets and an honest man will not cover his face. This happened for 3-4 days and then I started taking my car.

If your cousin and his friends were in Boxer shorts and flip flops, they would have been waved off. Just out of curiosity, how many locals were stopped for various traffic offenses during the 6-8 hours of humiliation that your cousin faced? Did the wrong way riding, helmet less triple riding locals spit on your cousin and their friends like they usually do?

[dkaile]

Being a fellow superbike owner, after reading such incidents, which can happen only in India, all I could think about was this tweet, which has garnered more than a million likes since yesterday -

Congratulations to the Astronauts that left Earth today. Good choice

Cheers...

[Juggernaught]

Here is a copy of one of the receipts. When asked how the cops could come to the conclusion of over speeding without an interceptor, one of them replied they could judge it just by looking at them

[Vasuki]

Here is the YouTube video by one of the affected biker, Mr. Gurby Dhar. According to him almost 50 SBK's were seized by the local police. He says supercars and bikers with lady pillions were let off.

This has become a nuisance all over the country where the officials usually harass the easier targets to make some quick bucks. It's high time we as a community take some stand against this nonsense.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhBw...ature=youtu.be

Originally Posted by Juggernaught

Most of the bikes stopped were middleweight and litre-class monsters worth at least 8+ lakhs and going all the way to 30 lakhs. At the end of it all, while paying the fine may not be a big deal to owners of these bikes, it is also about having common sense not to when they didn't break any law in the first place and be united in their stand.

What you say may be correct, but if the police want to charge you, they can charge you for any damn thing. Also when we are on highway about 100 odd kms from our home better sense to most of them would be to make payment, than being adamant. Yes it's not right, but again what to do?

ps: I don't do group rides for the same reason, yes it was plain unlucky for your cousin, to be at wrong place, at wrong time, remember Die Hard series.

Originally Posted by Juggernaught

Here is a copy of one of the receipts. When asked how the cops could come to the conclusion of over speeding without an interceptor, one of them replied they could judge it just by looking at them

We can have more of those specimens. Would save government some dough from investing in speed guns.

[paragsachania]

The cops used the current lockdown as an opportunity to book the riders but for various other offences without a valid evidence (speeding).

However, what made such a group ride possible during the lockdown period? I am not even referring to safe riding maintaining social distance but the mere fact that the same riders for sure would have parked together at some place before start and then parked again before bidding goodbye (if they were to complete their rides that day) actually defies the primary objective of social gathering which is still not permitted as per the guidelines.

Even today, when I and a friend go for our morning jog, it is just 2 of us and not our usual suspects in the apartment because we don't want that cop returning from the night curfew duty to see us in group jogging with our sport shoes and shorts and then book us for gathering in a group. This is even when I can easily converse with the cops in Kannada (not a relevant point but few avoid confrontation with cops if they are not comfortable talking in local language).

Apart from this very fact, I am sure the cops simply couldn't digest that few youngsters were having a good time on a "Jolly" ride treating everything around them normally.

While one can still question how the same cops allow public to gather at crowded markets, I will conclude by saying that the Group was at the wrong place at the wrong time!

[nikhn]

Originally Posted by Juggernaught

They could see 20 odd superbikes also parked on the side of the road and barricades placed to slow down other vehicles. Upon asking why they were stopped the cops blatantly replied it was due to over speeding without having an interceptor or any other means to track the speed of any bike. Apparently locals had complained about a couple of bikers speeding on the road and also the noise being too loud. The solution to this per the cops was to block the road and catch every single biker who was in a riding gear irrespective of how fast it was or if they were actually violating any rules at all.

Not condoning the behaviour of the police but I think it should also be seen from another perspective. I have seen "some" of these superbike owners racing on this road clocking dangerous speeds. Wearing just a pair of gloves and a riding jacket does not protect anyone in case of an accident at 250+kmph. These bikes are also fitted with race only exhausts which are pretty loud. I don't think there is any issue with locals complaining. However, cops should not just fine every biker with a riding jacket but as you rightly said, use standard equipment to judge whether they were violating any noise or speed rules.

Most of the bikes stopped were middleweight and litre-class monsters worth at least 8+ lakhs and going all the way to 30 lakhs. While paying the fine may not be a big deal to owners of these bikes, it is also about having common sense not to when they didn't break any law in the first place and be united in their stand.

Again I differ in this view. The method in which they were apprehended was incorrect but they are breaking the law violating speed restrictions, performing dangerous lane changes and so on, especially in highway crossings and overtaking scenarios. Of course, the cops can't monitor them in those situations and hence they have no proof. But we can see the owners themselves putting up videos, so it should be easy to report I guess.

Here is one example.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aZ4c08getY

Another one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_6Jupo3b8E

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

The cops used the current lockdown as an opportunity to book the riders but for various other offences without a valid evidence (speeding). I will conclude by saying that the Group was at the wrong place at the wrong time!

Perfectly summed. While the cops might have tried to gather some revenue, they still had a reason to do so. The lockdown still exists, but with a lot of relaxation. Going on a jolly ride isnt a part of the relaxation. And this whole bunch of guys were just like a pack of sheep who got caught by the police who were waiting for these situations

[Juggernaught]

I would like to clear one thing here. These 50 odd guys never went together in a single group. They were all just caught and made to wait together over a period of five to six hours. My cousin for instance went just with his friend so they were essentially a group of two on their individual bikes. While there might be others who went in larger groups this is definitely not applicable to all. So if someone is questioning about unsafe lockdown practices, shouldn't the question then be raised against the cops who made everyone wait together for hours without having a clear plan of what they wanted to do?

Again I'm not justifying for the guys that do have modified exhausts on their bikes or do upwards of 200kmph on the highways making it dangerous for everyone. But generalizing anyone riding a bike with a helmet and jacket/gloves as culprits because of a few that cause mishaps is definitely not the right way to go about it.

[Samurai]

As someone who regularly drives on this road on Sundays, I have often seen SBKs appearing suddenly in my rearview mirror and then vanish in front of my eyes, accompanied by thundering sound.

May be only 10% of the SBK riders do this. However, they have forever spoiled the image of SBK riders in this road. Even if you are an responsible rider, if you ride in this road in full gear on an expensive bike, you will perfectly fit the profile of reckless speeding biker. And police heavily rely on profiling.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by Juggernaught

I would like to clear one thing here. These 50 odd guys never went together in a single group. They were all just caught and made to wait together over a period of five to six hours. My cousin for instance went just with his friend so they were essentially a group of two on their individual bikes. While there might be others who went in larger groups this is definitely not applicable to all.

Unfortunately, there will be no way anyone can justify such a coincidence where multiple groups rode at the same time (even with 2 hours interval) in the same direction, on the same day, and more importantly, on same category of vehicles (super bikes).

All said and done, the very simple reason why cops would still take action or can take action is for unnecessary travel during a lockdown period.

So if someone is questioning about unsafe lockdown practices, shouldn't the question then be raised against the cops who made everyone wait together for hours without having a clear plan of what they wanted to do?

I already mentioned one thing and will repeat this. You were all at the wrong place at the wrong time during the lockdown period. That way we can question the crowd gathering when travel was arranged for migrants as well.

0700 to 1900 is relaxed but very much still a lockdown. It also says all non essential travel should be avoided. So please understand that the group ride or even solo ride for that matter for no apparent reason is still very risky.

You must also thank your stars that they didn't take action by arresting under the NDMA by tagging this to violation of norms during the lockdown period.

I am not here to justify the cops' action but would it have happened on a normal day, It would certainly compel me to think differently than what I am now.

Regarding local media's portrayal of this incident, take it lightly for we know what they want and I will not be surprised.

[GoBlue]

It does seem a little bizarre that the cops would generalize a group of riders to have broken the law by overspeeding without producing factual evidence of the same.
Also empathize with the OP's cousin and his friend who despite not being a part of the group were assumed to be of the same ilk. This is definitely wrong and cannot be justified.

However, there's a question here, how many of the superbike riders caught by the police actually rode below the speed limit and never exceeded it by overspeeding? Are any of these bikes actually ridden below the legal speed limit on national/state highways?

Whether these superbike riders (the ones riding higher capacity machines) had a valid/genuine claim that they did not break the speed limit even once during the ride and therefore did not deserve to be fined? There shouldn't be any hesitation to pay the fine when one knows one has indeed exceeded the stipulated speed limit, whether the cop has evidence or not is another factor altogether. If one is indeed of clean conscience of not having broken the speed limit, raising a protest to the cop may provide some peace of mind. Otherwise just accept it, do the needful - pay the fine and move on.

And as to the aspect of the police generalizing superbike riders as rash riders, the above post by member nikhn mentions some of several YouTube videos which document riders riding at ridiculous speeds on public roads. The way these people ride in the referred videos, clearly comes across as rash riding and endangering safety of others on the road.
It would be naive to think that cops would not have come across these videos and wouldn't have formed an opinion - that everyone who has such bikes indulge in this kind of stuff. Cops are human too after all.

Just a case of being at the wrong place at the wrong time for the OP's cousin and his friend.

[AtheK]

I agree with points above, the police was wrong, but so were SBK riders, we are still in lockdown, only essential travel is allowed. Not sure what is so essential for bikers to be on road, and that too in a group (ofcourse not all of them, but some of them would have been groups for sure). Police though should have warned them and let them go, or fined them for any missing documents.

Bikers should feel lucky that while returning to bangalore they were not stopped again and fined one more time. I am missing the riding myself and have an itch to go out as well, and must admit that i did a small spin as well, albeit solo, but in mid of ride realized that it was not worth taking the risk. I have since parked the bike and will proably start thinking of riding post 8th Jun, once interstate and intra state travel is not limited.

[ethanhunt123]

Originally Posted by Vasuki

Here is the YouTube video by one of the affected biker, Mr. Gurby Dhar. According to him almost 50 SBK's were seized by the local police.

From the same gentleman's Youtube feed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QUqkZXbjjk

I agree with Athek here - if the police was wrong - so were the SBK guys. I ride quite regularly on this particular stretch and its full of Liter class guys riding like they are on a race track. Also - highway speed limit form motorcycles is 50kmph IMHO - and i can bet no one was following it that day or follows it on any ride day. Besides - if the bike guys were sure they hadnt broken any rules - they should have taken the challan and challenged it in a court.

With Lockdown still in effect - i am not surprised that cops acted on these guys. Best to stay at home till more restrictions are lifted.