Slow down, for your own good

Slow down, for your own good
Traffic Interceptors With Speed Guns Deployed On Road To BIA
A T Subrahmanya | TNN

Bangalore: Bikers zooming on the road to Bengaluru International Airport, slow down! Traffic police on their hi-tech interceptor vehicles are waiting to slap a fine. The speed limit for twowheelers, contrary to popular belief, is only 60, and not 80 km/hour. Devanahalli Road’s smooth tarmac may seem enticing to motorcycle enthusiasts, but the rising number of accidents has the police stepping up their guard. Two interceptors have been deployed on the stretch covering five police stations. For the record, there have been 106 fatal and 600 non-fatal accidents on this road since January 2008!
Speed guns on the interceptors are being used to catch those crossing the lawful limit. “Naturally, motorcyclists aren’t amused and some of them even claim that the speed shown on the ticket is incorrect,” a police officer said. The problem is that most people are not even aware of the limit and start arguing, he added.
WHAT’S THE LIMIT?
Adding to the confusion, till recently, was the absence of signboards indicating speed limit for two-wheelers. But that has been rectified now. There are clear boards put up, indicating the limits: 60 km/hour for two-wheelers, 80 for four-wheelers and 40 for heavy vehicles.
Police say there are nearly 120 cases of overspeeding registered on the road every day. An officer said there are only nine interceptors in the city, two of which are used on this road.
Additional commissioner of police (traffic) Praveen Sood said: “There was some confusion earlier but now there are signboards indicating the limits. We are not very strict with two-wheeler riders but those speeding too much have to be stopped and fined.”
Speed limit within the city is 50 km/hour but the rule is not enforced strictly for practical reasons, he added.
WIND IN THEIR HAIR
Overspeeding and other cases from interceptors on Bellary Road in 2009
January: 3,067 cases, Rs 9.1 lakh fine collected February: 2,047, Rs 6.1 lakh March: 2,721, Rs 8.1 lakh April: 3,018, Rs 9 lakh May: 3,037, Rs 9.06 lakh June: 2,849, Rs 8.5 lakh Total: 16,739, Rs 49 lakh IN NUMBERS 2008: 74 fatal accidents, 80 dead; 414 non-fatal accidents, 372 injured 2009 (till June): 32 fatal accidents, 37 dead; 186 non-fatal accidents, 170 injured.