JOIN USToo small a sign to notice
But this is not the case when you go on the roads on the outskirts of the City like the NICE Road or the Outer Ring Road.
So the next time you travel on these almost deserted stretches and are tempted to rev that engine up, you need to know that these roads have speed limits for different types of vehicles.
According to the Motor Vehicle Act, whoever drives a vehicle or causes a vehicle to be driven at a speed exceeding the maximum speed will be charged a fine of Rs 300. The speed limit for cars is 60 km per hour while for Large Utility Vehicles like buses, trucks and matadors, it is 50 km per hour.
There are signboards placed at certain points to make people aware of the various speed limits too. But if you are not looking out carefully, you will surely miss them. This inadequate and improper placing of the signboards has caused major inconvenience to the users of these roads.
When travelling in the night, there is absolutely no visibility which compounds the problem. Vinay, a student, once found himself in a troublesome situation when he was made to pay a fine of Rs 300 for crossing the speed limit. When he questioned the traffic cop about this, he was shown a board, the diametre of which was not more than ten centimetres.
He adds, “I was not aware of this as the board never catches your attention while driving. If it is a signboard, it needs to be kept in the public view.” While on these long stretches, the inadequate signboards are definitely a problem.
Even on busy roads like M G Road and Cubbon Road, there are no signboards mentioning the maximum speed limits. When the authorities were questioned about the inadequate signboards, they argued that when people take a driving test, they need to make themselves aware of all the speed limits that exist in the City.
Says a spokesperson from the traffic department, “If you have a license, you ought to know the speed limits all across the City. Signboards are just for the common knowledge of the general public.”
But with new flyovers and underpasses constructed over the past few years, people complain that the limits at different places have been slightly changed. The traffic authorities, under the B-Trac Project, have taken the initiative to make the necessary changes that is imperative because of the better quality of roads.
But unless there is better communication between the authorities and the public, there is no way they can be implemented in the right manner. Says Anirudh, a professional, “If they are going to revise the limits, they should at least notify the people about the same. Most vehicle users do not flout the rules intentionally.”
As per the records of the traffic department, as many as 35357 speeding tickets were issued this year alone. But this can be reduced by creating more awareness among the people and equipping all the roads with adequate signboards to educate those who do not know about speed limits.