I already have a blog - http://searchingthru.blogspot.com, why the need for another.
Perspectives, Paradigms and Critical Thought is my personal blog. It is something that i update as and when i get a really deep insight into a significant behavioral/attitudinal change in my life. This blog is different, this is where i would like to post my random musings ... usually on work, my academic interests, society in general and my volunteer activities.
What triggered the creation of this blog? I had a message in my inbox from a very dear friend asking me for my opinion on "sting operations" and "carbon colonialism" and i suddenly realized that when i have an opinion i could communicate it to all through the medium of the web! If somebody wants to read the random thoughts and opinions of a "mindless thinker", who am i to stop them :D!
This is not going to be a journal or an open diary, i don't think i would ever put up those everyday thoughts online. I will be updating this blog more often than my personal blog!
Hope my visitors enjoy the content that i put up on this site!
Random thoughts, observations and possible balderdash ... All work is (C) Amith Dsouza 2020
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
There is a classical dilemma that my boss (hey Srini you are my boss :D !!!) and i were discussing over lunch yesterday ...
The problem: How do we stop Bangaloreans from breaking traffic rules?
Possible solutions discussed:
1) Make the fines really large, increase them by atleast 5 times over current levels. This will dissuade current motorists from breaking the law.
2) Allow policemen to keep 25% of the fines that they collect. This will motivate the policemen enforce the law more strictly.
While both approaches have their tactical merits, in the long run i feel these will prove to be detrimental to the task they wish to achieve!
If the fines are made really large, then there will be more motivation for the public to bribe the policeman to escape payment of such large amounts.
If policemen are allowed to keep 25% of the fines, it would be very difficult to put in place control mechanisms which will ensure that policemen don't misuse their power and harass innocent motorists to make more money for themselves.
For a hard day of thankless work, a traffic policeman is probably paid Rs8000 (USD200) per month along with free departmental housing. The conditions of traffic police station are just short of pathetic.
Contrast this with salaries that are paid in other professions (fresh grads get paid upwards of Rs10000 (USD250) per month) along with benefits and a swanky (mostly) air conditioned environment. It becomes evident that it is this lack of "financial motivation" that could perhaps be the root cause of the whole "corruption-breaking traffic rules" cycle which is the main factor behind such madness on Bangalore roads today.
Our final conclusion at the lunch table, tackle the problem head on, increase the wages that are paid to our policemen, give them better benefits and working conditions. In the long run, this will be more viable than any short run benefits that other solutions bring about.
Disclaimer: Every statement made in this post is debatable and does not represent an absolute unchangeable line of thought! :D ...
The problem: How do we stop Bangaloreans from breaking traffic rules?
Possible solutions discussed:
1) Make the fines really large, increase them by atleast 5 times over current levels. This will dissuade current motorists from breaking the law.
2) Allow policemen to keep 25% of the fines that they collect. This will motivate the policemen enforce the law more strictly.
While both approaches have their tactical merits, in the long run i feel these will prove to be detrimental to the task they wish to achieve!
If the fines are made really large, then there will be more motivation for the public to bribe the policeman to escape payment of such large amounts.
If policemen are allowed to keep 25% of the fines, it would be very difficult to put in place control mechanisms which will ensure that policemen don't misuse their power and harass innocent motorists to make more money for themselves.
For a hard day of thankless work, a traffic policeman is probably paid Rs8000 (USD200) per month along with free departmental housing. The conditions of traffic police station are just short of pathetic.
Contrast this with salaries that are paid in other professions (fresh grads get paid upwards of Rs10000 (USD250) per month) along with benefits and a swanky (mostly) air conditioned environment. It becomes evident that it is this lack of "financial motivation" that could perhaps be the root cause of the whole "corruption-breaking traffic rules" cycle which is the main factor behind such madness on Bangalore roads today.
Our final conclusion at the lunch table, tackle the problem head on, increase the wages that are paid to our policemen, give them better benefits and working conditions. In the long run, this will be more viable than any short run benefits that other solutions bring about.
Disclaimer: Every statement made in this post is debatable and does not represent an absolute unchangeable line of thought! :D ...
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