Hello, Yaan Driver Sompa Patheroni? (Hello, I am driver Sompa speaking?) Bus Driver gets Rs 5000 fine for Using Mobile Phone while Driving
Mangaluru: Police Commissioner of Mangaluru Dr P S Harsha during an interaction with bus owners, driver, conductors and cleaners on 19 August 2019 had clearly instructed them to be disciplined, follow traffic rules, if not face the consequences- and since then the cops have been cracking down on violators left and right, and have been raking in lakhs of rupees from penalties collected from traffic rules violators. But the problem with our bus crew is that they never change their habits, no matter how many times the cops warn them, or how many times they get caught and get fined.
Photo for Illustration only
It’s like a famous proverb in Malayalam -“Vaalu Pathu Noottaandu Kuzhali“, which means that even if the dog’s curved tail is put in a tube for many thousand’s of years, it won’t become straight. It is said that one can keep a dog’s tail in a straight tube and hold it there for as long as the dog lives. But it will curl as soon as you take it out of the tube! At one or other time in our lives, most of us probably heard this expression either from our parents, school teachers or others. This phenomenal world of names and forms is also like a dog’s tail: its nature is to curl!
Like a dog’s tail, which will never straighten out, the mind will not change, no matter how many things are tried. Similar is the case with the City’s bus drivers and conductors, no matter how many times they have been told or warned to be disciplined or behave well with the passengers, their attitude and character has remained the same. But this time the newly appointed police commissioner of Mangaluru Dr P S Harsha, wanted to give a try and use his tactics in motivating these bunch of unruly bus crew to bring a change in them, asking them to be disciplined and follow the traffic rules.
Money received from traffic fines by the Court on 7 September 2019
Regarding the WhatsApp video which went viral on social media on 18 August 2019, where a bus driver on the Karkala-Mangaluru route was seen talking on his mobile phone while at the steering wheel, ACP (Traffic) Manjunath Shetty informed that a case has been booked against the driver, who also behaved rudely with a passenger when questioned about his act. “We will write to the concerned authorities for the suspension of his driving license, as per the new traffic rule guidelines,” said ACP Shetty. Now here we have yet another incident which took place on 7 September, where a bus driver talking on his mobile phone was stopped by the cops and slapped with a fine of Rs 5000.
On Saturday late in the evening Mangaluru Traffic Police (North) were doing routine checks on vehicles for violations, during which they noticed a driver of a private bus yapping on his mobile phone while driving, he was stopped and penalized Rs 5000 as fine-the incident happened at Jokatte Cross in Mangaluru, at around 7 pm. It is learnt that the owner of the bus paid the fine. After the latest changes in the Motor Vehicles Act came into force recently, the traffic police have been strictly enforcing them on motorists who break the law.
The state government, on 3 September, had issued a notification bringing into force revised fines for violations of traffic rules in tune with the amended Central Motor Vehicles Act 2019 in the state. The revised fines have come into effect immediately. Motor vehicle inspectors of the transport department and officials holding ranks that are equivalent to assistant police sub-inspector and higher have been empowered to impose the revised fine.
For violations about dangerous driving (use of phones, blue tooth and use of handheld communication devices), Rs 5,000 fine has been fixed for the first violation and Rs 10,000 for repeated offenses. Creating hurdles in the smooth movement of ambulances, fire engines and other emergency vehicles now attract fine of Rs 10,000. Blowing horns in no horn zones like hospital areas will attract a penalty of Rs 1,000 in the first instance and Rs 2,000 for the second offense.
Use of vehicles not covered by insurance attracts a fine of Rs 2,000 for the first time offenders and Rs 4,000 thereafter. Offenses, like changing of silencer and using such methods to increase the decibel level of the horns, will be fined Rs 5,000. Driving of vehicles over and above the speed limit prescribed will be fined Rs 2,000 for the first violation and Rs 4,000 for subsequent violations.
Not using seat belts will be fined Rs 1,000, while helmet-less bike riding also would be fined Rs 1,000, driving without license will attract Rs 5,000 fine, Rs 100 would be charged for not using safe seat belt for children, riding another person’s motorbike will be fined Rs 5,000 and non-cooperation or refusal to provide information when sought by the officials would attract Rs 5,000 fine.
Few of the photos are for illustration only
