Ticket to Ride - in the bus lane in Italy!!

The caption of this post should have read: Ticket to drive in the bus lane. But I kept it unaltered for it is the title of the once famous Beatles song: Ticket to ride!! For ticket here is not the bus ticket, but the traffic violation ticket by the police.

I have in one of my earlier posts 'Caught on camera' talked of my traffic violation in Germany, for which I was fined € 20. And that was almost a year ago when I visited Germany in 2014. 

But just today, almost fourteen months after my visit to Germany and some of the Schengen countries including Italy, the travelogue of which I was about to share, I received news from the company from which I had hired a BMW to travel to Switzerland and Italy that I have been fined € 20 - wow, yet again.

Previously my 'crime' was travelling at 60 kmph while the speed limit was 50 - and this time my violation reported is: Driving in the bus lane despite the display of cautionary sign at the start of the the bus lane. So this is yet another 'ticket' to ride - this time from Italy. And the interesting part is that I did the violation on 7th October 2014 in Milan - Italy, but the ticket has arrived me through the car company I hired dated 15 December 2015.

 Violation in circle: Driving in the bus lane

Thus, this goes without saying that if you happen to be travelling in Europe and driving, be mindful of all traffic signs and parking instructions as no one is spared over there even if the violation is of a very minor nature. One of the many hazards that one faces is the language - almost all signs and warnings are in local language and one cannot decipher these unless caught and translates the ticket into English. So be mindful of the rules before driving in European countries.

We in Pakistan ride for free and make many violations and get away with it. And even if we are caught, I have seen people fighting and arguing with the traffic wardens and trying to justify our violation. No one dares arguing with a police officer in other parts of the world for you can be booked by the officer fro obstructing the law.

Now just for the lighter part, listen to the song by the same name as of the title of my post sung by The Beatles in the 60s: Ticket to Ride!!

Next time if I visit Germany and other countries and travel by a hired car, I think I will take a snail with me and drive after him so that the snail imposes a caution on me and doesn't let me overspeed.

Photo: The Telegraph

If you like Jaho Jalal, please follow us on Facebook

Read More

Caught on camera

In most of the European countries, one seldom comes across police controlling the traffic unlike our motorways and even cities. But despite their complete absence, all motorists comply with the traffic speeds and none is found over speeding.

Now don’t think they do it by habit – they do so because they are being watched electronically all the time. And the locals exactly know where the camera is located and they artfully reduce the speed and get away with it. But this may be over simplifying the things, but the fact is that their fines are so stringent that no one dares over speeding.

But what about foreigners like me who was on the Schengen countries visit recently and was caught twice: Once in Germany and the other time in Switzerland. While German fines are far less, the Swiss are very stringent in checking and fining too. I had hired a car to visit the neighboring Schengen countries, which became the 'instrument of offence' for the traffic violation I committed.

General area of first traffic violation

I was caught on camera in Kiel, Germany while going to a market locate almost outside the city and was only 5-6 kmph faster than the requisite speed limit and at one place, suddenly something flashed. And I knew it what has happened – I was caught on camera.

Caught on camera

And sure enough, a few days after, a letter from local police arrived, with my photo at the driving seat and fining me € 15. The car company from which I had rented the car also came out with a € 20 further ‘processing charges’ for letting the police reach me.

Place of offence caught on camera

I was lucky in Germany, but not in Switzerland. One night while going from Zurich to a country side resort where we were residing, I again saw the flash. This time at speed zone of 50, I was driving at 61, so said the police camera, ad this time I was fined € 100. And the beauty of the thing is that the challan came to Kiel, Germany where I was staying as their inter-country traffic system is interlinked. 

So don’t take it for granted that if you over speed outside the country of your residence, you will get away with that. So be careful while driving in the Schengen countries and ‘respect’ the speed limits – lest you are also caught on camera like me.

If you like Jaho Jalal, please follow us on Facebook

Read More