The Logo of Hyderabad Traffic Police says: Traffic Police, Hyderabad – For you. With you. Always.Recently a friend of mine added to the above:
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Yes,
where ever you are
and when ever you are,
not with some traffic problem,
but with some
Cash in your pocket!
We will create the problem you don’t have
and
empty your pockets
for you!!
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Well, things are not always this bad. I went through the pages of website of Hyderabad Traffic Police and I tend to have a positive opinion of them. I always have sympathy for the traffic constables in Traffic junctions. They have to manage a chaotic traffic where everyone is in a perpetual hurry, never bothering about rules, safety and security of others on the road. These poor guys have to sweat it out whether it raining or sweltering hot, put up with perennial noise and dust pollution and face a hostile public all the while.
At times I get frustrated in getting an auto, say from Paradise Circle to Lakshmi nagar in Secunderabad (about 2.5 km). On such occasions, I just force myself upon a traffic constable and request him (pleading that I am a pitiable senior citizen) to fetch / stop an auto for me. Usually he succeeds in about ten minutes!!
The website has a lot of useful information directly useful to the common man. Details of Police Officers and Police Stations in all the seven traffic circles in twin cities are given. The beauty is that cell phone and email addresses are also given. In the case of police stations you can even find out how to reach a specific station. When you use vehicles like Scooter or car you need info on Towing zones, parking zones, flyovers, alternate routes, junctions that are at this instant facing traffic congestion etc. All this is available.
If you breach a traffic rule you get a challan. They recognize that you may be given wrong challans. But the site shows what to do with this situation! From a cursory glance at the traffic accident statistics (fairly up to date), you learn that it is riskiest to just walk on our roads (pedestrians). Next group of victims are two wheeler drivers. Safer are those who are inside a car!!
It is worthwhile trying to understand, sympathize and co-operate with them. Even the lower rung of traffic cops are like to change for the better.