A common sight on our streets are those of a bunch of Traffic Cops pulling over vehicles, usually 2 wheelers ostensibly to check whether their documents are in order. As stipulated by the MV Act, a document I have never seen nor do I wish to do so in the future. Cause it is just legalese to extort, an exercise our Rulers are adept in.
Take Registration. An exercise started when cars first hit the streets just to figure out which car belonged to who. Obviously a fee was charged for the clerical work. A one time fee.
And then there are us. An exorbitant life time fee for a set of plates? Which work only in the State that has issued them. Cross a state line and you need to reregister. Further proof that we are not a Single Country. After all, interlinking of State RTO records with high speed data access to the relevant police departments would do the job. A task that could be funded by ALL the fines collected by these very same traffic cops across the country. Which would be a substantial amount if the cops divulge the details of collection and what they are doing with all that moolah.
Instead, all you get is a demand for the RC. Failing which out comes the challan book. Tell me something. Are not those plates at both ends of your vehicle proof of the fact that you have in fact registered. OK the RC would identify you as a user. So if it isn't you at the wheel, then does it vindicate the cops action? I think not. Anybody could drive your vehicle so long as they have a valid DL. How does it concern the cops. Unless he is a thief. But for that there is a standard protocol. You lodge a complaint, giving all the relevant details to the Cops who, hopefully put out an alert which, if spotted would be the ONLY justification for stopping a vehicle. Period.
Take Registration. An exercise started when cars first hit the streets just to figure out which car belonged to who. Obviously a fee was charged for the clerical work. A one time fee.
And then there are us. An exorbitant life time fee for a set of plates? Which work only in the State that has issued them. Cross a state line and you need to reregister. Further proof that we are not a Single Country. After all, interlinking of State RTO records with high speed data access to the relevant police departments would do the job. A task that could be funded by ALL the fines collected by these very same traffic cops across the country. Which would be a substantial amount if the cops divulge the details of collection and what they are doing with all that moolah.
Instead, all you get is a demand for the RC. Failing which out comes the challan book. Tell me something. Are not those plates at both ends of your vehicle proof of the fact that you have in fact registered. OK the RC would identify you as a user. So if it isn't you at the wheel, then does it vindicate the cops action? I think not. Anybody could drive your vehicle so long as they have a valid DL. How does it concern the cops. Unless he is a thief. But for that there is a standard protocol. You lodge a complaint, giving all the relevant details to the Cops who, hopefully put out an alert which, if spotted would be the ONLY justification for stopping a vehicle. Period.
Ah.. traffic cops they are a unique breed and these rules must have be formulated just so that these guys could make that extra buck!
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