Care two hoots for revised traffic fines, life moves on as �usual� in Jamshedpur

Mail News Service

Jamshedpur, Sept 2: The new traffic penalty rates have been instituted with the onset of September 1 with all the �devotional� intents of restricting traffic rule violations. Penalties have gone up several notches than the period before September 1. Hikes in fines for helmet-less riding, overloading, non-fastening of seat belts, overtaking from the wrong side, jumping traffic signals, exceeding speed limits � well the list of traffic norm flouting is endless; and so are the fines imposed.

In spite of all the good intents of the stifling traffic fines imposed, the city riders have yet to wake up to the reality of the pocket pinch once they are caught on the wrong end of the pitch. The Avenue Mail�s roving eye went round the major busy routes of the city where �alert� traffic cops are supposed to keep a hawk eye on vehicular movement and nab truant drivers and riders. But at the time of writing this disconcerting report, none has been booked although many norm breakers have been spotted like flies on cut fruits and jagery juice.

Three young boys, yet to reach their license obtaining age, were seen riding brazenly on a scooter and without a helmet at the Bistupur roundabout this afternoon. They were speeding even at the curb and could have been the epicenter of a major mishap. But such sights are �normal� and even the saner members of an insane traffic scenario have resigned themselves to remaining passive and silently cursing onlookers. But who are they cursing � the rule benders? The traffic cops? Or, themselves for being a part of this bizarre city scenario? May be, the sanity in them will go with the first two options and then pick on themselves for failing to draw the attention of the authorities concerned to this malice. It remains to be seen if the authorities concerned are really concerned.

Then again, a motorcyclist was seen wearing a helmet and driving his vehicle near the Sakchi �forced� autorickshaw stand. But this gentleman in question was towing his whole family comprising his wife (presumably) and two children on his two- wheeler. One of his kids was seated on the tank. Lo and behold, to use the biblical term, fitted the moment as tea in a teacup. However, citizens are habituated in drinking from such circus oriented teacups day in and day out.

As far as this beautiful, well planned Jamshedpur is concerned, the broad, well paved and maintained roads with most norms of traffic safety going into the construction and layout of these thoroughfares, it was designed to be a driving delight. And it could and should have been but for blatant traffic offences usually going unchecked. The traffic norm busters continue to thrive amidst a system gone haywire for all practical purposes. Riders and drivers who swear by the cult of traffic violators care two hoots for the enhanced penalties. Their fathers will pay through their noses, the young ones on finance-failed two-wheelers feel.