Fancy number plates keep cops guessing

KOCHI: Last week, a two-wheeler rider who violated traffic rules left the city traffic police scrambling. They had failed to read the two-wheeler's altered number plate. Even the CCTV footage was to no avail. 
It seems the police are finding it difficult to track errant riders/drivers who have allegedly tampered with their number plates to avoid detection by the enforcement agencies.

Following this, the City Traffic Police (West) conducted a special drive in the city to identify the vehicles sporting fancy number plates. Around 30 vehicles were caught in this drive. “Most of the offenders were two-wheeler riders. Majority of the two-wheelers caught had no number plates in the front. In many cases the riders had fixed the number plates below the seats thus blocking visibility,” said Traffic (West) CI P H Ibrahim. 

According to him, modification of the two-wheelers, sporting fancy lights, and stylish horns were the other offences. 

Police officers said use of fancy fonts, photos, special characters, and wordings were the popular violations seen in Kochi. Crash guards and other additional fittings blocking visibility of the rear number plates in heavy duty vehicles was also a violation.

“Four-wheelers, mainly cars were also found violating the number plate norms. Everyday about 30 vehicles are being fined for this violation,” said Ibrahim. He added, the drive against fancy number plate was continuing in the city. A fine up to `5,000 will be levied on motorists with such number plates.
The officers are of the view that the menace would end with the implementation of the proposed high-security registration number plates in the state.