Fined on the spot for over-speeding

It was around 5.30 PM on Wednesday the 17th of September 2008. I was returning home from office with a couple of friends in my car. I have been working out of the office closer home for the past couple of months and that day was one of those days.

So, there I was, happily coasting along the ECR at my usual speed of 80 KmPH in the stretch near Hot Kitchen restaurant. Suddenly in the middle of my lane, there appeared an apparition dressed in white shirt and khaki trousers and waving a big stick at me. I started braking and found out the apparition to be a real traffic constable.

He pointed me to the edge of the road using that big stick. When I pulled over, he came up to my window. I rolled it down and with my heart beating a little faster than normal, I asked him what was the matter. He responded by asking me why I was going so fast.

He confirmed my fear that I was pulled over for going faster than the posted speed limit. He then came closer to our car and said:
"400 rupees fine sir".
Me: "How much?"
TP (Traffic Police; abbreviation should not bring any other explanation to your mind): "400 rupees sir".
Me: "Ok, I am willing to pay the fine".
I then got out of my car.
TP: "Or you can pay 300 rupees fine and collect the challan."
Me: "Ok sir. Whatever is the fine, let me know and I will pay it. No problem."
TP: "Then it is 300 rupees sir."
Me: "Ok. Where do I pay?"
TP: "First give me your license"
I handed it over. He checked it. Then, he escorted me a few steps behind to where a patrol jeep was standing. He told a policeman standing in front of the jeep to prepare a spot fine challan for 300 rupees.
He then went off to the main road and I saw him do a similar waving gesture at a WagonR that was also coming at a good speed in that stretch. After successfully stopping that car, this dude came over to the patrol jeep. The policeman preparing the spot fine ticket and the receipt for the fine was quite busy with his paperwork. By then we were joined by another policeman, who looked a Sergeant-ish type. The gesticulating TP then came near his senior and said "sir, he accepted to pay whatever the fine was sir. he is a gentleman sir". I was instantly reminded of the famous Enna romba nallavannu sollittaan ma statement of Vadivelu!

Anyways, I never intended to bribe these policemen in the first place and even if the fine had been of much higher proportions, I would have paid it or at least collected the ticket to contest it in court.

My license was then handed back to me along with the spot fine ticket and the receipt. I paid the 300 rupees and before leaving the scene, I asked the gesticulating TP what the speed limit was in that area. He told that one could go up to 60 but I was going at 79! I assumed that he did track me on a radar or better still, he was able to guess my speed quite perfectly.

Ever since, my friends have been strongly cautioning me when I near that stretch, to go slow. However this does not come anywhere close to the warnings my parents were giving me while we were all in the USA and I got a speeding ticket right in front of them!

And please, do not jump to the conclusion that I am some speeding maniac on the road. Those of you who have travelled with me know full well that I don't drive that fast except on stretches that are really empty and the road is quite straight.

There is another bit of irony to this episode. It was only that same morning, that I was talking to a couple of team members that I don't drive that fast!!!