Being stopped by police or transport officials is usually nightmare for Bengalurean two-wheeler riders, but Monday was a pleasant surprise as riders received an Eclairs toffee for breaking a rule.
The state government recently made it mandatory for pillion riders of two-wheelers to wear helmets. On Tuesday, the day the rule came into effect, transport officials along with the police were out on the streets stopping riders, not to reprimand them, but give them a mild and very friendly reminder that the pillion should be wearing a helmet.
Assistatn Sub-inspector of the KR Puram traffic police station Dharmaraj told The News Minute that giving chocolates was the transport department’s idea.
“We went along with them because we were asked to stop the riders. They were reminding people that the new rule was in force, that pillion riders are to wear helmets,” Dharmaraj said.
Inspector Mahesh told The News Minute that the drive had been undertaken across the city. “Transport officials stopped two-wheelers even when pillion riders were wearing helmets and told them to continue to follow the rules,” he said.
He said that currently, the police were only cautioning riders who did not wear helmets. The rules state that fines will be imposed only after January 25. Until then, Mahesh said, the police machines had also be configured to add this as a violation for which riders could be fined.