With more than 67 lakh vehicles on the road in Bengaluru, long traffic jams have become the norm. The fallout is frayed tempers, fender benders, and rising instances of road rage.
As a result, many vehicle owners are opting for a simple solution that may not guarantee their safety, but will ensure they have something to provide as evidence to the police. Dashboard cameras, earlier seen only on police and emergency vehicles, are becoming increasingly popular among vehicle users in Bengaluru.
“I installed a small camera in my car, which I switch on every time I am on the road. One day, an autorickshaw driver tried to overtake me and hit my front bumper. He began to blame me, saying that I hit his auto. A crowd started gathering around us and they believed the auto driver’s version,” said K. Arpita, a resident of Basavanagudi. A traffic policeman came to her rescue and when he saw the footage, he asked the auto driver to either file a complaint or leave.
From do-it-yourself solutions such as keeping a mobile phone on a holder with the camera facing the road to more complex solutions such as buying a mount for a small digital camera, many car owners are ensuring they have video evidence handy in case they get into trouble. Besides keeping a record of their driving, these cameras help identify those who become violent after an accident.
Traffic snapshot
For others, the camera feed presents a chance to highlight the traffic situation in Bengaluru. A Facebook page — Driving Around — that regularly shows videos of vehicles flouting traffic rules has become quite popular.
For the man behind the account @3rdEyeDude, Twitter and YouTube are tools to highlight improper driving. @3rdEyeDude, who did not want to be identified by name, said his decision to record traffic stemmed from him being a victim of road rage a few years back. Interestingly, his way of recording is not overt — he uses a camera mounted in a pair of sunglasses.
While traffic policemen often find it difficult to catch offences such as sudden lane changing, the camera-equipped vehicle owners are often ready to help. With the Public Eye system of the Bengaluru Traffic Police, which allows citizens to upload photos of traffic violations, it is a win-win for both the police and vehicle users. “For violations which put other vehicles in danger, I often take a screengrab later and upload it on Public Eye,” said a vehicle owner on the condition of anonymity.
