Cycling is a sport that many have taken up, especially during COVID times for staying fit. One can see people cycling to offices and elsewhere. There are many who carry their cycles to a cycling track or some particular place for cycling on racks attached to their cars but this will now be checked. If you wish to do so then proper RTO permission will be required else your pocket will get lighter by up to Rs 5000. RTO permission allows for extra fitting on a vehicle.
Prasanth Sukumaran, a resident of Electronics City in Bengaluru, who was travelling with his son with two cycles on a rack attached to their car, was fined by the city police. When Prasanth asked that why was he fined, the police told him that carrying one cycle was permitted but, they were carrying two. Fine for carrying cycle without proper permission can go up to Rs 5,000.
Prasanth said that his son Dhanush has won many cycling events and the father-son duo go to Avati hills or Avalahalli for practice and they have no option but to carry their cycles on racks attached to the car.
Important notice to cyclists
The social media became abuzz with what happened with Prasanth and ADGP, Bhaskar Rao, who cycles often, tweeted that though there is no penalty for carrying cycles on the car but it is only the rear and top overhang. Protrusion on either side is considered an offence because this is dangerous to other commuters on the road.
Another cyclist while replying to the tweet said that a full-sized cycle will not fit within the width of a car and if the car is small then the cycle will protrude on either side.
Bengaluru Police as a reply tweeted,"(Cycle racks are) acceptable only when you use standard rack as the public will not get harmed."
A cop was quoted as saying that unless you have permission from the RTO, carrying a cycle attached to a car is a violation. Such violators can be fined up to Rs 5,000 for altering the vehicle without RTO's permission.
It should be noted that it is illegal to do any type of modification to a vehicle. There are regular inspections these days of vehicles that violate the laws.
