SH-1

Written on 7/18/2008 12:24:00 am by Swift!

Today we went to our native place. I spent more time driving than we spent there. All our visits nowadays are in such a hurry that we barely get time to spend time with the people there.

Driving: Aha!! Today is a special day. The 'to' journey was full of adventurous driving. After years of driving through NH and AC roads to reach our home, it was for the first time that I was driving through MC road. It was a totally new experience. Very difficult to overtake, with steep slopes and near-hairpin curves. The return journey...God!! We were literally washed out. I have never drove through such heavy rains. At times I stopped in the middle of the road to check whether I was on the road itself. It was flooded a feet high in many places. Who said there are no rains in Kerala?

But these are not what I want to tell you. It's something that happened during our journey to my mother's house (near Tiruvalla). I, on the M.C. road was cruising through the straight, flat road built by the adorable Pati-Bel. I was really enjoying the quality of the road. The last reading that I had seen on my speedometer was 80kph. It was rising. But still it was pretty "normal" speed for such quality roads, you could take it to much higher speeds, I was just restraining myself from the temptation. Suddenly some distance ahead I could see a Jeep pulled over, with it's rear side visible to me." Is it a Police Jeep?", thought I. I lost a couple of seconds in assessing whether it was a Police Jeep or not (it proved to be very costly). Suddenly I saw it's colour and could see the "Police" board. Also came to my vision another Van parked adjacent to it. God!! I hit the brakes (not too hard, lest it should come to a sudden halt, or they notice that I had slowed down seeing them). I realised that I didn't have enough time to bring it below 70kph. And to worsen everything suddenly a hand came out signalling me to pull over. I just got a fraction of a second to look on the speedometer-I felt that it gone below the limit but I wasn't sure, I didn't have time to make sure. I put the left indicator and pulled over. There were many vehicles by the road. It was a "checking". Guess I made it(slowed to allowed speed limits), thought I. I tried to convince , myself. Actually I became very happy, it was the first time that I was going through a Police checking. Though I used to carry all the "papers" all the time, I haven't witnessed a single "checking" till date. So I was happy that the "papers" came to use atleast once. Also we didnot have the Pollution Control Certificate till yesterday. What a coincidence that I got it certified yesterday. We were fortunate, else would surely have been fined on it. I got all the papers in my hand and walked to the officer.

I happily extended the papers. He didn't look at them. He turned back and shouted to his assistant, "WagonR".

He turned to us and said, "You have been stopped for overspeeding. Speed Tracer."

"Yes, I know", thought I. I have sound knowledge of the equipments these people use.

"That's very bad". I told myself. I felt that this charge was specifically created for me. I felt that I wasn't appreciated for the 999 road rules I follow, but was getting punished for this single fault. They are doing this because they can't find any other fault with me, no matter how hard they try. These are really unreasonable people. I tried to console myself.

"What's their speed?", the officer asked his assistant. Now I understood why he had yelled WagonR earlier. These people are measuring the speed of ALL the vehicles(and not just overspeeding ones). These are really unreasonable people, thought I. Very bad.

I wasn't sure at what distance from their van they had measured my speed. I just anticipated hearing humiliating figures-80,85... I waited for the officer to show me his teeth, in glorious display of his supremity. Overspeeding was one disgrace, which I could bear, but the declaration of my speed would be another, and this would be unbearable. I visualised the things to happen. The assistant would declare the speed. The officer would stare at me and mock, "Ethryaada maximum speed?". And then I would stupidly smile at him.

"69", said the assistant.

"What!!!", God!, I made it. So I wasn't wrong. The speed had fallen below 70. What a narrow escape! A smile appeared on my face.

The officcer said, "the maximum speed allowed for this road is 60kph. We excuse those upto 65 kph. But you will have to pay the fine.

"No, no, nohhh!. These are really unreasonable people. How many times did I break 100 kph today morning and they are fining me for exceeding 60 kph. These are really unreasonable people."

"Are you going to pay now or in the court?", asked the officer.

The rest of the story is not worth remembering. All I can say is that by the time that all the proceedings got over, my Dad's financial status got poorer by Rs. 300.

At the end of the day, I need to ask some questions. I am not justifying my overspeeding or advocating driving at high speeds. But I need to say some things.

The maximum speed of 70 kph allowed in Kerala, if not permitted on the State Highway, where else can it be attained? Please don't tell me NH because, there it is usual to see vehicles with speeds in excess of 120 kph.

How many vehicles today do actually drive at speeds lower than 60? What about all these Skodas and Hondas?

These people had selected the best part of the road, a straight stretch one, to actually make sure that all the vehicles do exceed the limit.

Which is really important? To charge all vehicles with a mere "number" or identifying those ones that are actually driving dangerously.

Overspeed is a relative term. There were many sections in M. C. Road where I had to roll-on for minutes in second gear, at speeds below 20kph. 60 will be an unimaginable and impossible figure there. Still they belong to M. C. Road itself, right? Even a forty would be a dangerous speed there. I feel that the speed allowed for different roads should be different based on the quality of the road. And of course, it should be displayed properly. For, I couldn't see anywhere in the M. C. road that the maximum speed allowed was 60kph.

If you are not allowed to drive fast on good roads, where else can you? As a citizen, I would like to ask: who will compensate for the time I lost in all those parts of the SH which were not worth being called even a mud road? We should realise the need for "everyone" to travel fast. (Yes that's very important, not just for the ministers). One question that I wanted to ask the officer was: "Sir, do you intend to say that really all your Jeeps travel on these roads below 60kph!!".

And one final thing, I am willing to keep any speed limit they set-provided they ensure that not a single person breaks it. Nothing is more frustrating in this country (on the road), than to see that you are driving below the maximum speed and suddenly someone buzzes past you at a speed 40 kph HIGHER than you!!. I will obey the rule, but then everyone else too should be forced to. I was fined for breaking the rule but I can ensure that there were a thousand others who escaped on the same day even after crossing 100 kph. You need proof? Well I did :). Is not that injustice? I am sure that these guys were not "ensuring" the law but just "collecting" some money.

Tailpiece: On the return journey I was very "desp". Not on being fined. Thinking about the speed for which they had fined me. Oru naanam ketta fining aayi poyi. Purathu aarodenkilum njaan engane ithu parayum? Naalu aalodu njan engane parayum, That I was fined for driving at 69 kph!!! Pandu etho pattaalakaaran naatil vannu thenga veenu marichu ennu pranjathu pole.I cursed myself, especially when I thought of the ninetyes that that I had hit earlier during the day.

Having said all this I should tell you all one thing. Though I have told all this,

Statutory warning: Driving at high speeds is injurious to health. And at times to your purse.

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