All about Chalaans :-(

It all started after me gifting a new car for myself!

I was new to driving then, but I quickly picked up the pace and I became a confident driver soon.

Some saturday year 2007:

Thank god its a weekend. We 4 friends decided to party and around 8:30PM we were ready to go to Fuga. I was driving the car then. We crossed the Richmond signal and came straight to take a right turn to castle street to reach Fuga. There was a small circle were in I had to take a right turn. the signal turned green and I took the right turn and entered Castle street. The traffic inspector came in front of my car and tried to stop my car. Only then I realized that it was a one way.. Until u take the turn the board is not visible but later u cud see the board. Since he had stopped my car right in the middle of the road and there was lot of traffic passin by I decided to park my car side and then get down and talk to them.. when i tried to park it aside I don't know what the Police thot of me.. he came right in front of my car again and it was as good as huggin my car and tryin to stop it. I was tellin him Sir, I shall park it aside.. he was like Stop the car.. I say u stop the car.. Well i stopped.. my friends got down and started the discussion with the traffic inspector.. The inspector put a fine of Rs400 for Rash driving and no entry violation. A rs100 fine was enuf.. but he assumed I was trying to elope and he risked his life comin in front of my car , he was scared to death that he filed one more case 'Rash driving'. We paid the fine of Rs400 and then took a U turn and reached Fuga.. Well that evening I was very disappointed .. Not coz I paid the fine but coz I paid the fine for Rash driving which I wasnt :(

July 2009

My wedding was fixed and I was in Mlore with my car for the wedding preparations.. I had to distribute invitations to my friend so I took the car and went all alone drivin .. Somewhere near Chilimbi in Mlore the police stopped my vehicle.. N this time I was like What the heck! I havnt broken any rule.. That's a city road no signal no one way .. then why am I stopped.. The traffic police handed over a printout to me and said mam u were over speeding! I was like over speeding??? I was jus in 50 km / hour speed.. He says mam there is a sign there and it says the speed limit is 30 km/hr. I was like I haven't seen any sign board.. He said mam u can go back n look it fr urself.. I dint have that patience to go n check.. I tried persuading him to leave me as i am new t o Mlore driving and I hadn't seen .. But the police was unshaken with my words.. At the end I paid Rs 300 as a fine.

Around 6 PM in the evening I went to a shoppin mall there and while I was comin out I happened to meet my friend there. N this guy is one helluva guy.. A true businessman with lot of contacts in the city. I casually told him that I was fined for over speeding. N i started laughing.. He asked me where was it.. I told him the location.. He quickly took his cell phone dialled a number and know what he was talkin to the Traffic police head.. He asked them to repay my fine back to me.. I was like shocked.. He said its ok Pallavi.. jus go to the police station aftr 7 PM and ask for this Inspector and tell him I sent u .. I was like its ok man i paid the fine thats ok.. now why simply goin to Police station n all..He said thats fine.. Its my order u go there meet the police and take ur money back n come.. I jus obeyed his orders.

As soon as I went the Constable was like madam.. why have u come here.. u have already paid the fine right? So its ok u can go home.. I was like No I need to talk to the Inspector.. He shyly showed me the way.. I went there wished the inspector took my friends name .. n he was like yes mam! take ur seat.. he asked the constable to get the fine book.. He told me.. 'Madam, in my entire service history I have never seen any police giving the fine money back, urs is a rare case.. Take the money mam.. I shall handle this case myself.. I took the money and quickly ran out...

Thats when I realized the power of influence..


August 2009:

I once again was caught by traffic police for jumping the signal.. This was one funny incident.. I had gone to south end circle to drop my grand parents at my uncles place and was on my way back to office which is at old airport road..Reached the trinity cirlce.. had to take a u turn there to hit the airport road.. But for my surprise the u turn was not allowed any more there.. May be coz of the metro work.. no idea.. N I tried to figure out wer was the next right turn available so that I cud take the right and reach this road.. to some far distance I cudnt see any right turn nor did I see any vehicles moving in that road.. The signal turned green and with all courage I took a U turn :) along with me there was one biker as well who took the U turn.. The road was completely deserted.. I was driving in a great speed.. N then came a left turn.. as in the road itself turns left.. n I happily took the left only to be stopped by a cop to tell I jumped the signal.. There were no vehicles behind me nor front.. n i hadn't seen any sign boards.The cop asked me to pay Rs 100 and I paid it quietly coz it was my fault. In the mean while the cop had stopped the biker as well.. But the biker was hesitant to pay the fine.. He was trying to persuade the Cop.. As a matter of fact he told the cop I dint know that therez no free left and I hadn't seen the signal turn red.. I followed the car blindly.. So the cop said.. ya u followed the car.. the lady in the car paid her fine.. now its ur turn to pay.. His face was worth watchin :)

So many fines n all for different reasons.. I jus hope I dnt have to pay any more fines :)