Forgot to add that this could be done on the same day as Bus Day, or combined with any existing "days" being observed by traffic police like the No-honk day.

However, this will work out only if Traffic Police would lead and drive us (like how BMTC does for Bus Day). I am sure all of us will be more than happy to start and support this tradition.

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SB,

I think this is a great thought - honking within 100 mtrs of traffic signals must be banned, as already done in Delhi. Besides, some select areas could be targeted for severe enforcement on each enforcement day.

Actually, the traffic load is too much on all the city's roads & because of this, enforcement is extremely difficult, even while traffic keeps getting worse. Mass transport such as Metro /Mono /BRT is the only way out to guarantee sufficient teeth for effective & much needed ruthless enforcement.

It's really disappointing to see promise after promise being made by politicians whenever some elections are due. Inking any blueprint or action for all the pending proposals seems like it might never happen since the house is so divided - we seem to be caught in this "dangerously stable equilibriam", as Dr JP Narayan of Lok Satta mentioned !

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Will mail this to Mr Sood, and hope for more comments or suggestions on this.

Will also be good to meet traffic police once to get a detailed look-back and report on BTRAC. Will request for that as well, hope ACP will oblige with a meeting.

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 Honking is something which can be controlled if people participate. To help this, maybe we should have horn settings given by the manufacturers for city and highway as in loud and normal. Needless to say you only use Normal in residential areas most of the times in the city.

I think Volunteers i.e, citizens in all areas with authority to fine would be a fantastic idea.

There should be proper media coverage to make these things taken serious.

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When we met Mr Sood earlier this month, we told him about this day. He is game, and we are on to detail it.

Enforcement Day is bit geeky of a name and conveys a different meaning. Will call it Drive Well Day instead.

Did not see many hands of support for this day (going by comments on this post), but nevertheless, will create a project to make this happen. ETA by Tuesday (June 1).

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This is a much needed one. People will think differently and may not support if it is called Enforcement Day. Even if it is called Enforcement Day and made to coincide with bus day, it will support both!

Few Things to start with for the first Drivewell day:

1. First and foremost is monitoring of rash driving and speed detection, especially yellow board vehicles which has never been done before.

2. Starting lane discipline and saying no to hapazardal driving.

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The enforcement concept is good. Especially by responsible citizens of the area. They will make for a less corrupt and more efficient system.They do need to be protected effectively by law since most violators take violent actions like assault even on uniformed officers. A rule which says these enforcing citizens are to be considered on par as if discharging government duty, in terms of protecting their person/property.

Drives against specific target populations particularly directed against yellow board cabs, autos or buses will just get them up in arms and end up in strikes which hold the government and society to ranson.

Drives also will probably increase compliance at that period and subsequently stop soon after.

However we do need an immediate and total drive to spot destroy all musical/air/penumatic horns fitted on vehicles be they heavy vehicles, cabs, private 2 or 4 wheelers. Fine alone will not deter these demons.

Instead regular enforcement on a case to case basis irrespective of the color of the registration board or class of vehicle, should prevent such social ransom.

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The answer perhaps lies in the Traffic Marshalls programme. But, obviously, the powers that be don't think so - check this

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What prevents a vengeful get-back-at-the-rowdy-who-shouted-at-me kind of people from camouflaging behind this uniform and taking law into his hands?

I would rather the professional (read no-conflict-of-interest-because-job-at-stake) policeman keep the enforcement rights to himself and the warden/marshals stick to delivering information & guidance. Maybe his persuasion will be better than the enforcement in the long run. 

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When the enforcement number is inadequate, western countries do take citizens help in maintaining order and enforcing law. On part time basis of full time basis, rewarding them with 50 percent fo the fine collected for their time and effort.

I hear that traffic policemen are being rewarded with 30 percent of the the fine collected?

an old proposal along the lines of the west?

There is no vengence involved in citizens participation in enforcing traffic or other laws.
Infact, enforcement when in mufti or not in uniform is more likely to catch more violators, who are unaware that there is vigilance ahead or around.

If the wardens in or out of uniform can be given the powers to ticket and if one or two of them are proved to have issued tickets in vengence they can be removed from the job.

I am sure most of the members here if given the powers to ticket would indeed use them judiciously and not out of animosity, better than any uniformed policeman?

and we would not be induced to look the otherway by "I Promise to pay the bearer notes?

They increase the reach and spread of law. Infact uniformed policemen are too indifferent about creating ripples by efficiency and consequent wrangles and transfers.

The benefits they are likely to bring about definitely outweigh the disadvantages.
We really have no idea about the number of unreported accidents-fender benders or worse- caused by reckless violations of rules in the residential areas and smaller roads.

I lost two elderly friends to hit and run scooterists in Malleswaram area couple of years ago. and have plenty  of   incidents of avoidable petty damages from most of my fellow Bangaloreans who have experienced it. Vigilance has been a well known disincentive to crime and law violations.

I wish some of you could experience the dailymenace and torture  we do of wheelies, racing engines, loud horns, under aged driving, oneway violations disrupting traffic and consequent honking tortures, and shouting matches that go on in "quiet neighborhoods" .
 

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@IDS

I would rather the professional policeman keep the enforcement rights to himself and the warden/marshals stick to delivering information & guidance.

That's indeed what I had also suggested - quoted below is an extract from 'functions' and 'responsibilities' listed here

On the authority of the ID badges, members may counsel traffic offenders. Where required, they may report the offences to the authorities for further action and records.

Members to be role models as far as their own driving habits are concerned. Also, they should be polite, and scrupulously impartial in their handling of traffic offenders.
 

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I think it's the majority that tend to intrude & jostle into others' right of way - not the minority. Watching this & not to lose out, the minority of an otherwise sane set of drivers also follow them, thus all end up behaving in the same unfriendly manner on the streets.

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I was going to say that. I thought many would argue with me about my pessimistic attitude about educating the on road public in India. So I contented myself with minority.  Like yawning, those waiting in traffic lights start honking away at the waiting traffic, some friend they caught sight of and worst offenders are the night owls back late in the night who honk for their wives,maids,watchmen to open the gate/garage etc. How about school vans honking for the always late kids?

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The strict hand is missing in tons of fields (bylaws, garbage, sewerage, parking spots, unruly cables, encorached pavements etc etc) , is a systemic thing, and will improve with time and events like police reforms. However, our behavior on the roads is a function of 3 high level things

1. Education about driving - way we get our DLs, what we see and learn from our peers/parents etc around us.
2. Environmental Clues - Seeing verything organized around us makes you behave better. Sort of like how you are less likely to dirty a perfectly clean floor with dustbin put in corners. Or, sort of like how you behave better on the roads when you travel to the developed nations.
3. Enforcement, the strict hand natraj is passionately referring to

Yes, there is weakness on all counts. #3 is the most discussed one, #2 is prolly the hardest one to try quickfixes for, and #1 is relatively the easier one to take on (via projects like B-TRAC to put lane markings, signals etc).

We can't perhaps do much to hasten #3. I mean we can try and talk as much as we can, but is a big system thing.  But #1, we can, by pushing for more projects like BTRAC. #2, only we can, by thinking of some innovative ways to spread the word.

I would do what we can, or at least try what we can.

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