Uncommon Traffic Laws
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DRIVE OUT BARANTI, PURULIA 2021 August AUTOVENTURING GUIDE AROUND THE CITY kolkataonwheels.com Uncommon44 Traffic Laws Motorists must know B E W A R E CAR LAUNCH PAST PERFECT Vertical Barriers Skoda Kushaq Baro Mandir Ghat Elusive vision Compact on size A must-visit EDITORIAL ith regard to the recent digitization of regulations are tricky and need to be WKolkata on WHEELS, our subscription communicated and brought to the purview team is excited to share that most of our of the motorists before they fall prey. In subscribers seem to have readily accepted the this issue, we have shared four unusual transformation from print to the digital rules that a motorist rarely knows about format. They have been eagerly renewing and yet needs to adhere to. their subscriptions. It’s such a pleasure to In the series, Ghats of Kolkata, as we were realise that over the last thirteen years, the wrapping up, we stumbled upon one that content of our magazine has been winning reignited the charm for penetrating more hearts. The old saying ‘content is king’ is quite of such hidden treasures. Baro Mandir Ghat apt in this regard. Thanks to our editorial team deep inside the narrow lanes of Panihati is that we could easily win over our traditional probably one of the best ghats we have readers who preferred the conventional print come across. It is a fine example of history format to join our digital version. which is fully ‘alive’ and endures to serve as Kolkata on WHEELS magazine has always an intrinsic part of our daily life. generated content to educate a specific Coming up on 26 September is the target group – the motorists. Being a special- WHEELS Annual Meet. It’s that day of the interest publication, producing subjective year which all of us Wheelers look forward content every month for this niche audience to. I invite all life members of our Wheeling has been quite challenging. Yet it has family to participate and revel in the ultimately proven to be a winner by camaraderie. successfully retaining the car-centric audience onboard. In this issue, we deal with a cover story that explains the legal philosophy ‘ignorance of the law is no excuse.’ The motoring law in our SOUVIK GHOSH country is quite vast and elaborate. A few Editor KOLKATA ON WHEELS I August 2021 03 INSIDE 06Cover Story 4 Uncommon Traffic Laws 11 Beware Motorists The Elusive must know Vision Get familiar with the lesser- At unmanned road known traffic laws to avoid crossings with getting penalised vertical railings, be careful while driving across the road Past 13 Perfect Baro Mandir Ghat Welcome to the resplendent Baro Mandir Ghat of Panihati with its twelve Shiva temples – a must-visit Calcutta Chronicles Do You Know Calcutta's World-Class Pay attention 17 Phenomenon 20 to your Tyres! Drive Out Baranti 23 Enjoy the bounties of nature at Baranti - a small village in Purulia KOLKATA ON WHEELS I August 2021 04 INSIDE 31Nostalgia Crash or Crush Event The demolition derby 36 draws the same kind of Stop exploiting crowd that enjoys boxing and wrestling and good the motorists! cars end up as wrecks Fuel on Fire 37My Trip Dudhwa National Park Hidden gems of Uttar Pradesh Car Launch SKODA KUSHAQ 41 Ipeccable German build quality along with a premium European badge Kolkata 45 Canvas Wheelers 46 Forum Get the latest news on events and activities of Kolkata on WHEELS KOLKATA ON WHEELS I August 2021 05 HEADLIGHTS Uncommon44 Traffic Laws Motorists must know Souvik Ghosh here are lesser-known motoring offences that some T people might not be aware of. Even though these misdemeanours are not frequently caught, there are circumstances where the motorists are penalised for violating these rules. In this issue of Kolkata on WHEELS, get familiar with few such rules. KOLKATA ON WHEELS I August 2021 06 HEADLIGHTS Giving li to strangers A motorist may be fined for giving a li to The moment they got in and I started the strangers on the road, whether in distress or not. car, one traffic police officer in a towing vehicle waylaid me and asked me to show Weird but true! him my licence. At first, I thought that The case story of Nitin Nair may be probably I had stopped in a no-parking area. reviewed. We reproduce the Facebook post of Nitin Nair as follows. The police officer then started to write a “Guys this happened to me... please read receipt and asked me to hand over my and be aware. licence to him. I asked him for the reason, to which he said, ‘It is illegal to give a li to My intention of this post is not to criticise unknown people.’ or slam our system, law, judiciary, or police. I'm writing this just to make car owners I thought that he must be just making it up aware of such a law. I'm sure most of them and wanted to make some money from me. like me are unaware of this law. But he was serious. He took my licence and gave me the receipt. He asked me to go to Today I was fined by our country's court of the police station the next day, pay the fine, law just because I helped some people who and get the licence back. To which I agreed. were in need. The next day (Tuesday) I went to the police station to get my licence. There I was informed On Monday morning (18th June 2018) when that I needed to go to court to get the licence I was on my way to the office, I saw a few back as the section under which they were office goers near Airoli Circle desperately charging me is 66/192. Under this section, I looking for a li as it was raining heavily have to go to court and accept that I had made and all public transport was either crowded a mistake in front of a judge, pay the or late. One of them was an elderly (at least fine in court and get my 60+) person and the other two guys were licence back. working for a reputed IT company (I could make out from their Office ID card). I stopped by the side of the road. They said that they wanted to go to Gandhi Nagar. I asked them to get in, as Gandhi Nagar was on my way to the office. KOLKATA ON WHEELS I August 2021 07 HEADLIGHTS I consulted one of my lawyer friends to actually carrying any passengers or goods ensure that the police guys were not taking save in accordance with the conditions of a me for a ride. But the lawyer confirmed that permit granted or countersigned by a Indeed we have a law that makes it illegal to Regional or State Transport Authority or give a li to an unknown person in a private any prescribed authority authorising him vehicle. (What a draconian law !!!) the use of the vehicle in that place in the I accepted my fault in front of the judge in manner in which the vehicle is being used. the court room on Friday 22nd June 2018. I was fined Rs. 2000 for giving a li to The logic: There may be two reasons unknown people and using my car as a behind this law. The first reason being, that passenger car. Aer a lot of requests, they a motorist may use his private vehicle as a reduced my fine to Rs. 1500.” taxi and avoid paying taxes applicable for commercial vehicles. The second reason The law: Section 66(1) in The Motor may be attributed to the safety of a Vehicles Act, 1988, states: No owner of a motorist. A motorist may be harmed by an motor vehicle shall use or permit the use of unknown person aer the li. the vehicle as a transport vehicle in any So the next time you are about to give a li public place whether or not such vehicle is to a stranger, think twice. Unauthorised use of someone else's vehicle It is illegal to drive someone else’s car A driver who cannot produce a written without his express consent. An permission of the actual car owner could authorisation from the original car owner is be detained by police for an investigation required to be carried while driving a to find out the actual ownership borrowed car. of the vehicle. At the time of police interception, in the absence of the car owner inside the car, the driver needs to prove that the car owner has the knowledge of his driving the car and has agreed to let him drive the car. KOLKATA ON WHEELS I August 2021 08 HEADLIGHTS Simply put, driving a borrowed car is not he had lawful authority or in the illegal. But to prove that the car has not reasonable belief that the owner would in been stolen, the owner’s authorisation or the circumstances of the case have given permission is essential. It must be obtained his consent if he had been asked thereof. and carried by the driver. The logic: This seemingly unreasonable The law: Section 197(1) of The Motor rule is implemented to reduce car thes. In Vehicles Act, 1988, states that whoever most cases, when a driver fails to show takes and drives away any motor vehicle vehicle ownership, he would most likely say without having either the consent of the that he has borrowed the car.