Freedom finally after being a forced guest at the police station! Guess to balance out things there has to be a setback after a triumph. Some bad luck after a unbelievable run of good luck. Just when i got back on the road towards Pokhra and still getting into the ride mode it happened! A kid ran onto the road from behind a parked truck and before i even realized there was a kid on the road, he got hit by my bike and sent to the other side of the road rolling! i did not loose balance and was still riding, but looking at the poor kid roll i stopped. Well not surprisingly crowd gathers. Inspite of what i have heard i dont get beaten up nor my bike gets burnt. Instead was told to get into the pickup with the kid to the hospital. On my humble requests and a onlookers help i was allowed to ride my bike followed the good Samaritan. Then i was escorted into a police station, where the guy said about my innocence and i was to stay their till the kids gets medical attention and discharged! The kid has taken a hit on his and has a CT scan and is under oservation.
Well this turned out to be a 2.5 days of holdup. I was not detained but was not allowed to go till the kid gets discharged it seems. It does not matter if its not my mistake. I was on vehicle and kid on foot so i have to pay! I know something similar is there in india but the cops have a say in India and they can if they want to try to pick whose mistake it is. But around here, even the cops follow bigger vehicle's mistake's rule! They are just afraid of crowd attacking the station. The matters here settle here among the involved parties who decide the amount to be paid and the cops just sign off the agreement! The same in my case. I was to be there the other party puts across their demand. It can be any thing! Was shocked when the cops themselves told that if a bigger vehicle is parked and a smaller vehicle hits it then the bigger vehicle owner has to pay! Well you get the picture. i was even told that the kid is not from the locality else i would most surely be beaten up and my bike burnt!! This is the state of affairs here and cops don't have much of a say. I see like 20 sets of helmets and fiber shields and body armor lying outside ready. It seems its the same in all the stations.
It was very uncomfortable 2.5 days at the station. The cops took care of me like a guest, getting me things from outside like food, mineral water and was even given bed in officer's quarters. Treated with lot of respect. Just that i was under watch full eye and announce if i have to use the loo. It seems if i run off the guard at the gate would be held responsible and he has to pay! The whole exercise looked like the cops were caught in between something and were trying to keep me happy there!
Well about the stay it wasn't pleasant at all. Of course one would not like it in 5star hotel with out freedom. Spent most of the day on the guest couch fighting with the mobile. Ate with the cops on the mass lunch. The have only two but huge meals per day and i am used to eating many times but lil. But was escorted out for my eating outside in between without any fuss. They were helpful and at the same time sympathetic on my situation. But i have to stay! Was given officer's bed but i could hardly get sleep. Very basic loo etc. But was offered the best they got!
Today for the second time the discharge got delayed and was uncertain of when that would happen. This got me real frustrated. I even almost called the India embassy. But before that i requested the officer in charge that i be allowed to go and talk to the child's caretaker. After all its the kid's mistake and some responsibility has to be taken by the child's caretaker. I was obliged and i rode down to the hospital with a cop behind me. After quite some mins of walking around the various wards finally spot the boy and the care taker. The boy seems to be fine and the care taker had no idea of my plight. Tried to reason about fairness of the situation giving example like i when let go a pickup that hit me cos i found him not guilty. And i should get the same consideration. Not that i hit the kid standing on the footpath! etc... But all i got was it was like rule in Nepal that bigger vehicle guy has to pay... but atleast they guy was just sticking to the hospital bill unlike some cases where the cops said like some people in the same situatio would demand double and tripple of the bill amount and still have to pay.!! all this talks made the hospital staff agree to discharge today. They were just taking their own time without clue before now. Though i suggested not to discharge for this reason, its best for the kid to be there if required, but just let me go with the current bill amount as all the major expences were billed! It seems they were just waiting for doctor who otherwise would have happily turned in tomm.. Around 9k is the bill and i kinda reasoned on that. i know that i have to pay any way but did not want to agree easily and make them think that they can extract more. Had i not taken the initiative, would have been there for a day or 2 more!
7.30 in the evening the kid and the guardians show up and with a bill of 7.5k. One of the cop whisks them away and when back its 10k! i gave my displeasure and then i was whisked away and settled for 9k. well i knew i am getting lettoff easily compared to in India. But did not want to convey that. There is no record of the incident from the cops perspective and all they have is the agreement between the parties written in a notebook on which we both signed!! And yes i am out back to Kathmandu in the nice restaurant now. I was offered to stay for the night as it was late but i politely declined for obvious reasons. I have lived in the basic amenities in the trek and now wanna get back to my own. Aaaah Good to be back on my own! Kathmandu is still keeping me back for tonight and hopfully i ride out to some place tomm...
Some pix i took stealthily...
Well this turned out to be a 2.5 days of holdup. I was not detained but was not allowed to go till the kid gets discharged it seems. It does not matter if its not my mistake. I was on vehicle and kid on foot so i have to pay! I know something similar is there in india but the cops have a say in India and they can if they want to try to pick whose mistake it is. But around here, even the cops follow bigger vehicle's mistake's rule! They are just afraid of crowd attacking the station. The matters here settle here among the involved parties who decide the amount to be paid and the cops just sign off the agreement! The same in my case. I was to be there the other party puts across their demand. It can be any thing! Was shocked when the cops themselves told that if a bigger vehicle is parked and a smaller vehicle hits it then the bigger vehicle owner has to pay! Well you get the picture. i was even told that the kid is not from the locality else i would most surely be beaten up and my bike burnt!! This is the state of affairs here and cops don't have much of a say. I see like 20 sets of helmets and fiber shields and body armor lying outside ready. It seems its the same in all the stations.
It was very uncomfortable 2.5 days at the station. The cops took care of me like a guest, getting me things from outside like food, mineral water and was even given bed in officer's quarters. Treated with lot of respect. Just that i was under watch full eye and announce if i have to use the loo. It seems if i run off the guard at the gate would be held responsible and he has to pay! The whole exercise looked like the cops were caught in between something and were trying to keep me happy there!
Well about the stay it wasn't pleasant at all. Of course one would not like it in 5star hotel with out freedom. Spent most of the day on the guest couch fighting with the mobile. Ate with the cops on the mass lunch. The have only two but huge meals per day and i am used to eating many times but lil. But was escorted out for my eating outside in between without any fuss. They were helpful and at the same time sympathetic on my situation. But i have to stay! Was given officer's bed but i could hardly get sleep. Very basic loo etc. But was offered the best they got!
Today for the second time the discharge got delayed and was uncertain of when that would happen. This got me real frustrated. I even almost called the India embassy. But before that i requested the officer in charge that i be allowed to go and talk to the child's caretaker. After all its the kid's mistake and some responsibility has to be taken by the child's caretaker. I was obliged and i rode down to the hospital with a cop behind me. After quite some mins of walking around the various wards finally spot the boy and the care taker. The boy seems to be fine and the care taker had no idea of my plight. Tried to reason about fairness of the situation giving example like i when let go a pickup that hit me cos i found him not guilty. And i should get the same consideration. Not that i hit the kid standing on the footpath! etc... But all i got was it was like rule in Nepal that bigger vehicle guy has to pay... but atleast they guy was just sticking to the hospital bill unlike some cases where the cops said like some people in the same situatio would demand double and tripple of the bill amount and still have to pay.!! all this talks made the hospital staff agree to discharge today. They were just taking their own time without clue before now. Though i suggested not to discharge for this reason, its best for the kid to be there if required, but just let me go with the current bill amount as all the major expences were billed! It seems they were just waiting for doctor who otherwise would have happily turned in tomm.. Around 9k is the bill and i kinda reasoned on that. i know that i have to pay any way but did not want to agree easily and make them think that they can extract more. Had i not taken the initiative, would have been there for a day or 2 more!
7.30 in the evening the kid and the guardians show up and with a bill of 7.5k. One of the cop whisks them away and when back its 10k! i gave my displeasure and then i was whisked away and settled for 9k. well i knew i am getting lettoff easily compared to in India. But did not want to convey that. There is no record of the incident from the cops perspective and all they have is the agreement between the parties written in a notebook on which we both signed!! And yes i am out back to Kathmandu in the nice restaurant now. I was offered to stay for the night as it was late but i politely declined for obvious reasons. I have lived in the basic amenities in the trek and now wanna get back to my own. Aaaah Good to be back on my own! Kathmandu is still keeping me back for tonight and hopfully i ride out to some place tomm...
Some pix i took stealthily...
My office for the 2.5 days...
The guest sofa where i spent the days!!
The shield ready for action. Each have scars of may action days!!
My bike's got some shelter too and the keys still with me!!
7 comments:
FUCK !!! .. crazy man!
Sad that this thing happened, but glad that things didnt get too complicated .. ! .. Happy for you that you are now safe and back on the road again ..
Man .. you are REALLY having adventures!!!!
lucky u .........
things could have been worst...
take care dude
Man !
what the..
Get back on the bike and go far from kathmandu.
You have spent a lot of days there.
The situation is very much same in India as well. I spent 7k on a smiliar scenario with 3 visits to the station and clearing things legally without ever meeting the opp party. Cops suggest its never a good idea stopping on such situations..just proceed and report in the next station and let them take control of the scenario.
In your case, i guess its not an option for you to go legal and you must be extremely lucky to come out cool in few days..Say thanks to the kid! :-)
PKM.............RUN!
sprotor: Yeah have to look at the bright side and things could have gone worse. Well hope its behind now :)
Thanks mani will keep a look out now :)
Ashwin: Hope to escap from here tomm :)
Arun: But cops are not really in command here like in india. Any way hoping that its all behind now :)
Srinidhi: Hehe no its Ride. Done with my walking :d
Any how u have luky nothing happen worng take care of ur riding.
come back from kathmandu
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