New Mark System For Drivers

[pontiac_gto]

I'm confusing about this mark system.

In no. 13 i dont have idea about "wachika widhana".

And if someone exceed the marks limit wt happen to his or her driving licence.

I think you guys have better idea about this.

[Davy]

I remember this being shared on the forum sometime back, but not all of these have been implemented yet. Only two have been implemented, and they are driving under the influence of alchohol (12 points), and causing a serious/fatal accident (12 points).

Just to answer your question:

"waachika widhaana" means commands/instructions that were verbally communicated (to a driver by a cop, in this case).

I was not able to locate the info on the RMV site, the only online resource I found was this.

[Ripper]

#2 and #8 are very dodgy ones cos sometimes coppers have their own interpretations.

Unfortunately both those carry high negative points

[dpbatagoda]

#2 and #8 are very dodgy ones cos sometimes coppers have their own interpretations.

Unfortunately both those carry high negative points

Yes, that is correct.

Also this scheme will increase the income for traffic police

[Sylvi]

Members,

Most Young Police Men do not take bribes today , only who take bribes are senior Police men on traffic duty.

Sylvi Wijesinghe.

[Rumesh88]

Members,

Most Young Police Men do not take bribes today , only who take bribes are senior Police men on traffic duty.

Sylvi Wijesinghe.

It is because usually the young police men run on a low budget! Wait till they get married and hv children.

However, the point system is a bit vague, but I believe it can only be imposed o you after a court decision on your offence. But the decision is announced almost ex-parte' as you walk into court as the defendant and asked "Guilty or Not Guilty" and you respond "Guilty Your Honor" as if you have nothing else to say.. That's it!

This system is nothing new though. Those days when databases and chip cards were unheard of, RMV used to issue the license with an " Endorsement Sheet" which you were supposed to keep in your possession always. I still hv the one they issued me in early 80s. But I am yet to hear of an incident this sheet was actually endorsed.

It is No. 4 in the list that gave me goosebumps. There are certain areas in the country where, when you get involved in an accident you have to first run for your life! What would be more important your life or the 12 points?

As for the verbal "instructions" you can immediately realize if you done the offence then and there depending on whether you hear verbal "abuse" next or not. LOL

[kirala2]

Guys,

Any idea how or where these points are going to be recorded and updated? I remember when I got my license in 1998, I was given a separate sheet of paper (white cardboard, folded into 4 quadrants) which carried a table where "demerit points" were to be recorded. Do I have to fish out that sheet?

[whatever]

Ideally, demerit points in #6 should be based on the amount of exceeded speed over the maximum limit.

[vishkid]

Ideally, demerit points in #6 should be based on the amount of exceeded speed over the maximum limit.

No offence mate, personally I'd prefer if not

But your suggestion has merit and that's the way it's implemented in some countries.

Edited January 4, 2013 by vishkid

[whatever]

No offence mate, personally I'd prefer if not

But your suggestion has merit and that's the way it's implemented in some countries.

With that kind of demerit points system, one can take a truly calculated ( demerit points) risk

[Gummybr]

They should put a marking system for obstructing traffic and for not keeping to one lane.

[vishkid]

Hey guys - question, what will happen if one breaks a road rule and a policeman tries to stop the guy but guy goes on without stopping?

I've seen this happen more than a couple of times, the latest and most blatant one today.

(In honesty, I hv also done a similar thing while overtaking a bus somewhere in Pelmadulla, late night - my excuse is that I only saw the cop waving frantically in my rearview as I was revving off and stopping was too much trouble. In reality, I was tired and did not fancy going back to Pelmadulla to claim the license. No body chased after me or stopped me at next checkpoint or whatever)

Does this offence fall under #13 in above list? If so, how would they serve the fine?

[Rumesh88]

Hey guys - question, what will happen if one breaks a road rule and a policeman tries to stop the guy but guy goes on without stopping?

I've seen this happen more than a couple of times, the latest and most blatant one today.

(In honesty, I hv also done a similar thing while overtaking a bus somewhere in Pelmadulla, late night - my excuse is that I only saw the cop waving frantically in my rearview as I was revving off and stopping was too much trouble. In reality, I was tired and did not fancy going back to Pelmadulla to claim the license. No body chased after me or stopped me at next checkpoint or whatever)

Does this offence fall under #13 in above list? If so, how would they serve the fine?

Good question. This has happened to me too sometime back. I was keeping buffer to buffer with vehicle in front on the inner lane of DS Senanayaka Mw passing Horton Pl traffic lights gong towards the cemetery. My view of the only traffic light which was a pelican mount on the left was totally obscured by the vehicles (like buses) on the two outer lanes. Mine was the last vehicle to pass the light and it was only when my wife told me that I saw a cop in my rear view mirror trying to cross other two lanes and waving, most probably at me. The traffic was moving and I had no intention of stopping for I did not deliberately break any rules. Now for you to commit the offence the police should signal at the front. But still if they stop you at the next check point and claim the offence, are you going to challenge it at the courts or just pay the fine and forget it?

However, if you are stopped at the next point you can always argue that you committed only one offence (ie crossing double lines for ex) and they will definitely be satisfied with it for their only interest is to book you for some offence.

Edited February 7, 2013 by Rumesh88

[HardHat]

Guys,

Any idea how or where these points are going to be recorded and updated? I remember when I got my license in 1998, I was given a separate sheet of paper (white cardboard, folded into 4 quadrants) which carried a table where "demerit points" were to be recorded. Do I have to fish out that sheet?

same question from me. How are they recording the points? On paper or do the SL authorities have centralized databases now?

[vishkid]

However, if you are stopped at the next point you can always argue that you committed only one offence (ie crossing double lines for ex) and they will definitely be satisfied with it for their only interest is to book you for some offence.

Hmm, .. yes, that would be the standard defense I guess. However, yesterday on the Battaramulla-Kaduwela road the way ahead was blocked by a slow moving van, two vehicles infront of me. The guy in the car behind was impatient (as was I), but he jumped the gun and overtook me and the other 3 vehicles just as there was a break in the traffic going in the other direction. This was past 1. A pedestrian crossing 2. A continuous white line in the bend which merged to a double line.

In order to pass the 4 vehicles, that guy had to violate all this and interestingly there were a whole bunch of cops (4-5) placed at the bend and not one but two of them jumped in to the road - right in to our path! - to stop that car, which swerved to avoid the cops (!) and sped away as the road was clear ahead in the most wanted style. I could see that the cops were flabbergasted and they did not even look at me when I followed suit over the lines to get away from the block.

Since it was quite a few cops and even an OIC was there, I thought that guy might be stopped by at Malabe junction which was just 500 meters away and the policemen manning the junction could be reached easily by walkie-talkie - but apparently not! Interesting...

[vishkid]

same question from me. How are they recording the points? On paper or do the SL authorities have centralized databases now?

As per the Sunday Times article I read, it will be on paper - through the courts and the DMV. They hope to get a centralized database running by 2015.

Edited February 7, 2013 by vishkid

[Pericles]

As per the Sunday Times article I read, it will be on paper - through the courts and the DMV. They hope to get a centralized database running by 2015.

Considering the amount of work that has gone into the DMT (which is the correct name according to the site), the DB will not be a significant challenge at all. That thing will be able to handle it. The only issue will be dissemination of information to and from the remote nodes. Something I'm sure can be sorted in a snap by issuing cheap Chinese Android phones to traffic cops with a custom app to access the DB.

[Rumesh88]

Considering the amount of work that has gone into the DMT (which is the correct name according to the site), the DB will not be a significant challenge at all. That thing will be able to handle it. The only issue will be dissemination of information to and from the remote nodes. Something I'm sure can be sorted in a snap by issuing cheap Chinese Android phones to traffic cops with a custom app to access the DB.

You input garbage in to a DB and you get same out from it! DBs are only as good as the people who use it. I did a transfer and went to RMV for I did not get the book for sometime and the revenue license fell due for renewal. When I produced the required documents along with a copy of the old book they asked me if the number of passengers was 3 because that's what was in the DB while the copy of the old book which was produced from the same DB showed 4. Now that's for the integrity (in the context of IT) of RMV DB. What makes you think intended DMT DB to be any different? Can a evidence from a DB lacking required integrity be produced in a court of law?

[HardHat]

You input garbage in to a DB and you get same out from it! DBs are only as good as the people who use it. I did a transfer and went to RMV for I did not get the book for sometime and the revenue license fell due for renewal. When I produced the required documents along with a copy of the old book they asked me if the number of passengers was 3 because that's what was in the DB while the copy of the old book which was produced from the same DB showed 4. Now that's for the integrity (in the context of IT) of RMV DB. What makes you think intended DMT DB to be any different? Can a evidence from a DB lacking required integrity be produced in a court of law?

yep, that's the concern with a DB. Transition to IT based record keeping is inevitable but at least if you've got a piece of paper - despite how inconveneint that may be - stating what's the number of points you've been lucky enough to accumulate and when they expire, you've got a better chance of contesting your case.

[whatever]

You input garbage in to a DB and you get same out from it! DBs are only as good as the people who use it. I did a transfer and went to RMV for I did not get the book for sometime and the revenue license fell due for renewal. When I produced the required documents along with a copy of the old book they asked me if the number of passengers was 3 because that's what was in the DB while the copy of the old book which was produced from the same DB showed 4. Now that's for the integrity (in the context of IT) of RMV DB. What makes you think intended DMT DB to be any different? Can a evidence from a DB lacking required integrity be produced in a court of law?

To prevent such mistakes, these information should be accessible to public. One should be able to cross-check the data in the system against the ticket he got.

[Pericles]

You input garbage in to a DB and you get same out from it! DBs are only as good as the people who use it. I did a transfer and went to RMV for I did not get the book for sometime and the revenue license fell due for renewal. When I produced the required documents along with a copy of the old book they asked me if the number of passengers was 3 because that's what was in the DB while the copy of the old book which was produced from the same DB showed 4. Now that's for the integrity (in the context of IT) of RMV DB. What makes you think intended DMT DB to be any different? Can a evidence from a DB lacking required integrity be produced in a court of law?

GIGO is always the issue, but thats not proving lack of system integrity from the IT point of view. Thats merely a Data integrity problem. What I pointed out was that the system should be easily able to keep track of the points and such. If that data is entered incorrectly, its the fault of the operators, not the system.

As far as my experience goes, they had a solid track of my data at the DMT. Despite an unreadable License, they pulled up the relevant details using the ID number. Which I could cross check coz I had the data noted down, despite the physical state of the license. And THAT will be the same system that will be used for points tracking.

RMV data entry has problems, yes. Even when I transferred my vehicle, they had an issue with not properly having the luxury tax details noted down, which took an extra day at the Insurance offices to sort out. Better than the old days, no doubt, but has its kinks.

[Rumesh88]

GIGO is always the issue, but thats not proving lack of system integrity from the IT point of view. Thats merely a Data integrity problem. What I pointed out was that the system should be easily able to keep track of the points and such. If that data is entered incorrectly, its the fault of the operators, not the system.

In the example I quoted it is a case of system integrity for the number of seats which was entered by the operator correctly as 4 at the first registration had been changed to 3 later on possibly by a manual operation. During an ownership transfer the operator should be allowed permissions only to change a few fields. If at all if there has been an unlikely change in the number of seats due to a modification, that should have been treated under a different procedure. However, my salient point was when the system data is in question how can such evidence be produced in a court against an offender?

Edited February 11, 2013 by Rumesh88

[Pericles]

In the example I quoted it is a case of system integrity for the number of seats which was entered by the operator correctly as 4 at the first registration had been changed to 3 later on possibly by a manual operation. During an ownership transfer the operator should be allowed permissions only to change a few fields. If at all if there has been an unlikely change in the number of seats due to a modification, that should have been treated under a different procedure. However, my salient point was when the system data is in question how can such evidence be produced in a court against an offender?

Again, you are using the wrong terms. No. of seats is not system data, that is what is classified as user data. Wrong user data, or changing of user data, isn't classified as a break down of system integrity, it is a failure of Data integrity.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_integrity

As to the question of evidence at courts, it is upto the parties presenting the evidence to decide if the evidence is accurate or not. If the police want to show a record showing 3 seats while you show physical evidence of a vehicle with 4, then naturally, it would be your win. Courts (technically) are for determining if an offence has occurred in the first place.

[vishkid]

"Drunk driving has led to more than 3,000 licence holders losing points, Motor Vehicle Registrar S. H. Harischandra said yesterday.The scheme termed Driver Improvement Point system was introduced in terms of the Motor Traffic Act and is intended to bring about better discipline among drivers.

More than 3,000 drivers have had their points reduced under the system introduced last month for offences of drunk driving and fatal accidents, according to Mr. Harishchandra. Three drivers who exhausted the available 24 points have had their licenses cancelled.

The highest number of offenders was from the Western Province where more than 1,400 people lost points for drunk driving and 23 others for fatal accidents.
Under the system 12 points are reduced for drunk driving and 12 for fatal accidents. A driver is entitled to only 24 points.

The Government plans to extend the point reduction system to other traffic offences in June."

[sunday Times]