- Bribe Fighter
- 10 years ago
- 5116 views
So I was stopped by the Traffic Police recently for checking the…
So I was stopped by the Traffic Police recently for checking the documents of my bike.
I had the DL and RC all ready but the Insurance Paper and Pollution certificate had expired. I wasn't aware of the Insurance Paper expiry but Pollution certificate, my laziness :D
I was all set to get a challan from the TP. He showed me the fine list and as we say "2000/- ka chuna" was unavoidable. As I wasn't carrying so much cash, I politely asked him were the ATM was and the TP guy helped me with the directions. He asked me to get the money while keeping my DL with him.
I withdrew cash and was back in front of him all ready for the "chuna".
He half expected me to bring the money and churn out 2000 bucks but when I came back and asked him to make the challan, he just looked at me, a bit bewildered. He kept the challan book aside and said, "माहेश्वरीजी, 2000 रूपए का चालान है". I said, "हाँ जी, कोई बात नहीं, आप चालान बना दीजिए".
Taken aback, he asked were did I stay and what did I do. I told him that I teach music (works like a charm :P). Now he kept aside everything and asked me to teach him some song and he would give me some concession on challan (if you know what he means :D)!
I told him that I would teach him for sure but challan and teaching are different issues and since it was a mistake on my part to have outdated documents, I deserve the challan even if it was of 2000 rupees.
I must say, but he was dearly amused by my stand to get a challan and not just "get out" of the situation by a "concession".
Twist.
Another man was stopped and he didn't have any documents to show. Instead he had some big words with him "मेरे अंकल जी ट्रैफिक में ही हैं जी, मैं बात करवा देता हूँ" to which this TP guys says (mind you, his tone suddenly changed to ego-hurt-harsh one) "मैं तेरे अंकल का अंकल हूँ, चल लगा फोन"
Then he turned to me and said (polite again!), "Maheshwariji, you go get a pollution certificate made immediately. I won't challan you. Good day"
I was more than happy to leave without bribing or getting a challan.
This small incident can prompt this question:
Was the TP guy wrong by not giving me a challan?
Constitutionally, yes. Logically, no.
Going by the books he should've challaned me but he didn't. I see the laws in a different angle. Laws are to protect us and to keep us in check. Punishments can be of different ways to keep people in check. One way is to pinch us with money. But because I admitted that it was my mistake and I deserved the punishment, I assured him that I wasn't committing a mistake deliberately and had every intention to correct it. So, as a citizen I made him feel that I was a law abiding one and he acknowledged that by giving me a chance to correct myself. All hail the TP guy! :)
Anyways, All is well that ends well.
And, by the time I had my renewed Pollution Certificate, I think that the other guy was still trying to contact his non-existent uncle :P