Date : 7 Aug 2014
Time : 4:00 PM
In my black truck, I picked up my kids from their school in Noida.
Typical laughter and chatter filled the car (my black truck) as my kids related the days events at school.... a little chat, some laugh with some mimicking, amidst contradictions and arguments that continued between the two siblings, as the happy mother drove on.
We passed by sector 142, cruizing towards Greater Noida on the Noida Expressway at a relatively good speed. The wide smooth road and low traffic always made it a pleasurable ride. Such 'maska' like conditions make it easy to overshoot the speed limit.
We had barely travelled 4 kilometers, some cars ahead of usm suddenly dropped their speed and drastically slowed down. I saw in the distance a small crowd of people and some cops near the jam of cars, a some what familiar sight on this highway....
More cars ahead could be seen, seemed at a stand still in the middle of the road, blocking most of the way.
Oh God No! An accident ?
Bad crashes and severe accidents due to high speed were not rare on this Expressway.
The thought of injured passengers made me queasy.
As we slowly approached the road block, to my relief I realised the road jam was because cops were on duty, to catch over speeding cars.
Standing in the middles of the highway, they waved their hands and legs in the air as we got closer to them, signalling the guilty ones to drift to the left of the road for a gift voucher.....The Speed Challan.
I became dead slow and as they tried to peer at the passengers through the reflections on the windshield glass, the expressions on their face eased up on seeing a female driven truck.
Aah yes ! Me too ! In our chatter I had forgotten the hidden camera enroute.
I was definately over 100 km/hr. And there was no way my speeding truck could be missed among other regular cars.
Ruko ruko (stop stop)....the cop in khaki brown yelled at me.
"thora aage, left side pey park karu" (let me park on the left) I said.
Nahi, ruko, ruko. (No, stop now).
"Idhar ? Rastey ke beech?" (Here ? In the middle of the road?) I asked cynically.
"License dikhao". (Show your license)
It took me a few minutes to peer into the darkness of my suitcase hand bag and then dive deep into it, in search of my license. Through the search I tossed innumerable papers, folders, keys, pens, pen drives, tooth picks, envelopes, bandaids, coins, phone charger, laptop charger, head phones, hair band, hair clips, paper clips, sweet wrappers, tissues and finally fished out the licence that lay untouched, unchallenged and unchallaned for many years.
Another cop in white and khaki (the asli / real traffic cop I think), signaled me to park ahead.
At least he seemed to have better road sense!
I parked ahead of a line of cars that were parked haphazardly and hazardously on the road due to the challan activity.
''Mom, do you have any money for the fine?'' my kids asked.
Fortunately, today I have money, enough to pay the fine, I smiled,
The last time I had had paid a fine was 2-3 years ago for a wrong turn. Rs. 200 with receipt. Do I have to pay any more, I had asked the cops. No, they said. But why so less, I questioned them. They were surprised. They had no answer.
Now today, in spite of the rate of inflation in our country, I was hoping (against hope) that the fine amount would be as super fine as Rs.200/-
On being stopped by a Traffic cop, in India, we elicit only 2 kinds of response....
Plead & Mercy
OR
Arrogance & Authority.
Usually the chauffeur will go in for the Plead.
While the Car Owner will be in defiance and pay no heed.
The chauffeur will beg forgiveness, in the hope of his challan being torn and flamed.
But the car owner will play the "don't you know who I am" game and shout out big names.
We never accept or respect them for their duty, long standing hours, long pollution hours.
It is a pity that this is all they see.
It is time for us to change the way we greet.
My kids and me waited in the truck, for the cop to bring the challan booklet.
Through my rear view, I could see other cops in action, stopping the speeding cars with their arms and legs, almost at the risk of breaking their legs. I could see some drivers beg and plead mercy to be let off.
Had I been caught yesterday, I too would have had to plead as I had not a rupee on me.
A cop came to our truck.
He showed me a tiny, cute, black & white printout of my truck on a small piece of paper 1''x 1''. The number plate was captured neatly and the date, time and speed (103 kms/hr) was clearly printed.
Wow, that was cool. I showed the cute print out to my kids. All of us appreciated the technology.
''Barason rupiya" (rs. 1200) he said.
Kissliye? (Why) I asked, although I knew why.
-Over speeding, he said.
Me : Limit kitna hai ? (What's the limit)
-"100"he said.
"Ok'' I said. ''Aap receipt lao please''. (Please bring the receipt).
My kids passed me my ''suitcase hand bag'' one more time.
I put my hand in the bag to search for the money that was some where within the compartments. I stared out into space as my fingers scanned through the innumerables inside the 'suitcase hand bag' for the cash.
Aah, got it ! I clutched the money and my hand resurfaced into daylight.
''Udhar aajao'' (Go there ) he said pointing towards a cop at a distance.
I refused to get off the truck.
"I wont leave my kids alone in the car, I said, You can get me the receipt here".
"Chalo, aap ladis ho toh aap ke liye paanso rupiya, he said.
I didn't quiteunderstand what he said.
''Aap paanso dey kar ja saktey ho. Aap ka naam record sey kaat dengey''.
(Since you are a lady, rs.500 for you, your name will be struck off the records).
''Matlab'' ? What ?? I asked.
Is this a Special Discount for errant 'Ladis' Drivers ? I wondered.
I didn't understand this system. The chivalry was not digestable.
Kyu? I asked him again.
Hum ko receipt chahiye ( I want a receipt) I insisted.
''Aapka naam kya hai?'' ( By the way, what's your name? ) I asked him.
He pointed at some shabby embroidery in Hindi on the chest pocket of his khaki uniform.
''Vipin'' it read .
''Atcha chalo, aapko maaf kiya, aap jao''. (Ok, you are excused) .
Saying this, Top cop Vipin walked off into the crowd of speed defaulters.
I was dumbstruck.
Here I was, mentally, emotionally and financially ready to pay the fine. All I wanted was a receipt. Why did he insist on half price for ladies?
''Mom, he just wanted a bribe, he was trying to hint, but you didn't get the hint Mom! '' my 15 year old explained.
"Wait here kids, I told them sternly, I am going to complaint to who ever is the chief out here about cheating in the name of fining the overspeeding'' I said in a huff.
Just as I opened the truck door to get off, both the kids grabbed my arm and pulled it to stop me from getting down.
''Noooo Mom, PLEASE DONT, they pleaded. Don't leave us alone. PLEASE, JUST LET GO & GO HOME."
I didn't know which would be better or worse, leaving my kids alone in the car to complaint to the Traffic Inspector, or leave without complaining about that fraud cop on duty.
I knew the first option of complaining was going to be a long drawn time consuming affair.
I decided to carry on home.
We started off towards Greater Noida.
I was still irritated with the partiality.
I dialed 100 and put in a complaint with the police about Vipin and the incident.
It was duly noted.
And then .... ???
Well then .... I will never know what happened or if any action was ever taken against the smart cop named Vipin.
This
---------
Time : 4:00 PM
In my black truck, I picked up my kids from their school in Noida.
Typical laughter and chatter filled the car (my black truck) as my kids related the days events at school.... a little chat, some laugh with some mimicking, amidst contradictions and arguments that continued between the two siblings, as the happy mother drove on.
We passed by sector 142, cruizing towards Greater Noida on the Noida Expressway at a relatively good speed. The wide smooth road and low traffic always made it a pleasurable ride. Such 'maska' like conditions make it easy to overshoot the speed limit.
We had barely travelled 4 kilometers, some cars ahead of usm suddenly dropped their speed and drastically slowed down. I saw in the distance a small crowd of people and some cops near the jam of cars, a some what familiar sight on this highway....
More cars ahead could be seen, seemed at a stand still in the middle of the road, blocking most of the way.
Oh God No! An accident ?
Bad crashes and severe accidents due to high speed were not rare on this Expressway.
The thought of injured passengers made me queasy.
As we slowly approached the road block, to my relief I realised the road jam was because cops were on duty, to catch over speeding cars.
Standing in the middles of the highway, they waved their hands and legs in the air as we got closer to them, signalling the guilty ones to drift to the left of the road for a gift voucher.....The Speed Challan.
I became dead slow and as they tried to peer at the passengers through the reflections on the windshield glass, the expressions on their face eased up on seeing a female driven truck.
I was definately over 100 km/hr. And there was no way my speeding truck could be missed among other regular cars.
Ruko ruko (stop stop)....the cop in khaki brown yelled at me.
"thora aage, left side pey park karu" (let me park on the left) I said.
Nahi, ruko, ruko. (No, stop now).
"Idhar ? Rastey ke beech?" (Here ? In the middle of the road?) I asked cynically.
"License dikhao". (Show your license)
It took me a few minutes to peer into the darkness of my suitcase hand bag and then dive deep into it, in search of my license. Through the search I tossed innumerable papers, folders, keys, pens, pen drives, tooth picks, envelopes, bandaids, coins, phone charger, laptop charger, head phones, hair band, hair clips, paper clips, sweet wrappers, tissues and finally fished out the licence that lay untouched, unchallenged and unchallaned for many years.
Another cop in white and khaki (the asli / real traffic cop I think), signaled me to park ahead.
At least he seemed to have better road sense!
I parked ahead of a line of cars that were parked haphazardly and hazardously on the road due to the challan activity.
''Mom, do you have any money for the fine?'' my kids asked.
Fortunately, today I have money, enough to pay the fine, I smiled,
The last time I had had paid a fine was 2-3 years ago for a wrong turn. Rs. 200 with receipt. Do I have to pay any more, I had asked the cops. No, they said. But why so less, I questioned them. They were surprised. They had no answer.
Now today, in spite of the rate of inflation in our country, I was hoping (against hope) that the fine amount would be as super fine as Rs.200/-
On being stopped by a Traffic cop, in India, we elicit only 2 kinds of response....
Plead & Mercy
OR
Arrogance & Authority.
Usually the chauffeur will go in for the Plead.
While the Car Owner will be in defiance and pay no heed.
The chauffeur will beg forgiveness, in the hope of his challan being torn and flamed.
But the car owner will play the "don't you know who I am" game and shout out big names.
We never accept or respect them for their duty, long standing hours, long pollution hours.
It is a pity that this is all they see.
It is time for us to change the way we greet.
My kids and me waited in the truck, for the cop to bring the challan booklet.
Through my rear view, I could see other cops in action, stopping the speeding cars with their arms and legs, almost at the risk of breaking their legs. I could see some drivers beg and plead mercy to be let off.
Had I been caught yesterday, I too would have had to plead as I had not a rupee on me.
A cop came to our truck.
He showed me a tiny, cute, black & white printout of my truck on a small piece of paper 1''x 1''. The number plate was captured neatly and the date, time and speed (103 kms/hr) was clearly printed.
Wow, that was cool. I showed the cute print out to my kids. All of us appreciated the technology.
''Barason rupiya" (rs. 1200) he said.
Kissliye? (Why) I asked, although I knew why.
-Over speeding, he said.
Me : Limit kitna hai ? (What's the limit)
-"100"he said.
"Ok'' I said. ''Aap receipt lao please''. (Please bring the receipt).
My kids passed me my ''suitcase hand bag'' one more time.
I put my hand in the bag to search for the money that was some where within the compartments. I stared out into space as my fingers scanned through the innumerables inside the 'suitcase hand bag' for the cash.
Aah, got it ! I clutched the money and my hand resurfaced into daylight.
''Udhar aajao'' (Go there ) he said pointing towards a cop at a distance.
I refused to get off the truck.
"I wont leave my kids alone in the car, I said, You can get me the receipt here".
"Chalo, aap ladis ho toh aap ke liye paanso rupiya, he said.
I didn't quiteunderstand what he said.
''Aap paanso dey kar ja saktey ho. Aap ka naam record sey kaat dengey''.
(Since you are a lady, rs.500 for you, your name will be struck off the records).
''Matlab'' ? What ?? I asked.
Is this a Special Discount for errant 'Ladis' Drivers ? I wondered.
I didn't understand this system. The chivalry was not digestable.
Kyu? I asked him again.
Hum ko receipt chahiye ( I want a receipt) I insisted.
''Aapka naam kya hai?'' ( By the way, what's your name? ) I asked him.
He pointed at some shabby embroidery in Hindi on the chest pocket of his khaki uniform.
''Vipin'' it read .
''Atcha chalo, aapko maaf kiya, aap jao''. (Ok, you are excused) .
Saying this, Top cop Vipin walked off into the crowd of speed defaulters.
I was dumbstruck.
Here I was, mentally, emotionally and financially ready to pay the fine. All I wanted was a receipt. Why did he insist on half price for ladies?
''Mom, he just wanted a bribe, he was trying to hint, but you didn't get the hint Mom! '' my 15 year old explained.
"Wait here kids, I told them sternly, I am going to complaint to who ever is the chief out here about cheating in the name of fining the overspeeding'' I said in a huff.
Just as I opened the truck door to get off, both the kids grabbed my arm and pulled it to stop me from getting down.
''Noooo Mom, PLEASE DONT, they pleaded. Don't leave us alone. PLEASE, JUST LET GO & GO HOME."
I didn't know which would be better or worse, leaving my kids alone in the car to complaint to the Traffic Inspector, or leave without complaining about that fraud cop on duty.
I knew the first option of complaining was going to be a long drawn time consuming affair.
I decided to carry on home.
We started off towards Greater Noida.
I was still irritated with the partiality.
I dialed 100 and put in a complaint with the police about Vipin and the incident.
It was duly noted.
And then .... ???
Well then .... I will never know what happened or if any action was ever taken against the smart cop named Vipin.
This
---------
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