My first ticket - I'm not talking about my first flight ticket, or first cruise ticket. I'm talking about the "पर्ची काटो प्रक्रिया"; i.e. the challan given by traffic police in US.
Few days back, me and wifey were driving to a hospital in nearby city, totally guided by our friend - Google Navigator. We were on the interstate highway driving at 65 mph, when suddenly my friend Google Navigator said "take the next exit"; and of course, I obeyed it.
After entering the town, the speed sign changed to 45 mph and soon to 25 mph; but, do we ever care (इन्दौरी में बोले तो "अपन कभी सुनते हैं क्या?").
Besides that, have you ever, I mean ever ever ever, drove at 40 kmph on an nearly empty road right after driving at beyond 100 kmph. Ever? If you say "yes" then I would say "चल हट झूठे, Liar". I could even say "झूठ बोलना पाप है, नदी किनारे सांप है!"
However, I did reduce my speed to a decent limit (don't ask how decent, but decent enough in India).
Hardly after five minutes or so, my friend Google Navigator said "You've arrived at your destination" and I was like "Where?". On the screen, there was no road ( route had ended); on the road, there was no screen (signboard).
Through corner of my eye, I saw a police bike parked on the side of road, with lights flashing and I said to wifey "someone is going to get a ticket today (कोई तो कटने वाला है आज )".
Few minutes later I saw in mirror that the cop was behind us, flashing all the lights of his bike; pointing to pull over. I tried to find another vehicle on the road whom he might be following, but ours was the only one. So, I pulled over to the side and he parked his bike and came towards me.
I was shocked to hear what he said: "Sir, please remain seated". I know you're thinking the same thing that I was thinking "पुलिसवाला, वो भी इतनी इज्जत से बात कर रहा है". I was so delighted that I forgot that I'm about to be penalized. आँखों में आंसू नहीं आये, बस!
He said, "Sir, do you know you were over-speeding"; I said "what"?
He said "you were driving at 40 mph in a 25 mph zone"; I wanted to say "so what, that's not even double", but said "oh, I didn't know that".
He asked for my license and I gave him my Indian driving license. He looked perplexed for sometime; after all - it's not everyday that an American cop gets to see a plastic card that is dyed with blue colour on one side and has photo of a kid (me - a few decades back) on the other side. He was so confused that I almost wanted to say "keep it, if you want. I will get another one. After all, I've a coloured photocopy at home, that looks exactly like this license".
Anyways, rest was the usual stuff - except लेन - देन की बात; and that was how I got my first ticket.... and hopefully the last ticket :)
Few days back, me and wifey were driving to a hospital in nearby city, totally guided by our friend - Google Navigator. We were on the interstate highway driving at 65 mph, when suddenly my friend Google Navigator said "take the next exit"; and of course, I obeyed it.
After entering the town, the speed sign changed to 45 mph and soon to 25 mph; but, do we ever care (इन्दौरी में बोले तो "अपन कभी सुनते हैं क्या?").
Besides that, have you ever, I mean ever ever ever, drove at 40 kmph on an nearly empty road right after driving at beyond 100 kmph. Ever? If you say "yes" then I would say "चल हट झूठे, Liar". I could even say "झूठ बोलना पाप है, नदी किनारे सांप है!"
However, I did reduce my speed to a decent limit (don't ask how decent, but decent enough in India).
Hardly after five minutes or so, my friend Google Navigator said "You've arrived at your destination" and I was like "Where?". On the screen, there was no road ( route had ended); on the road, there was no screen (signboard).
Through corner of my eye, I saw a police bike parked on the side of road, with lights flashing and I said to wifey "someone is going to get a ticket today (कोई तो कटने वाला है आज )".
Few minutes later I saw in mirror that the cop was behind us, flashing all the lights of his bike; pointing to pull over. I tried to find another vehicle on the road whom he might be following, but ours was the only one. So, I pulled over to the side and he parked his bike and came towards me.
I was shocked to hear what he said: "Sir, please remain seated". I know you're thinking the same thing that I was thinking "पुलिसवाला, वो भी इतनी इज्जत से बात कर रहा है". I was so delighted that I forgot that I'm about to be penalized. आँखों में आंसू नहीं आये, बस!
He said, "Sir, do you know you were over-speeding"; I said "what"?
He said "you were driving at 40 mph in a 25 mph zone"; I wanted to say "so what, that's not even double", but said "oh, I didn't know that".
He asked for my license and I gave him my Indian driving license. He looked perplexed for sometime; after all - it's not everyday that an American cop gets to see a plastic card that is dyed with blue colour on one side and has photo of a kid (me - a few decades back) on the other side. He was so confused that I almost wanted to say "keep it, if you want. I will get another one. After all, I've a coloured photocopy at home, that looks exactly like this license".
Anyways, rest was the usual stuff - except लेन - देन की बात; and that was how I got my first ticket.... and hopefully the last ticket :)
