Bad Drivers - How do you spot 'em

[Cyrus43]

I agree with what you say. I regularly wait in traffic jams behind a car in a lane rather than weave in and out of traffic. And on one occasion, i was nudged by a car. That said, what happened next was me putting the scooter on the stand refusing to move until he came out and said sorry.

[naveen.raju]

Spotted a new gen Skoda Laura (Arctic Breeze color) racing with Audi A4 from Cochin Airport to Edappally stretch. The skoda had a cracked windshield was fully loaded with 5 guys (teens). Although, the Audi was speeding and cutting across traffic, he somehow made sure that he didnt interfere with other drivers. But the Laura was ripping in and out of the lanes, overtaking very rashly giving many close calls to other motorists. He even missed my car by an inch. The looks on their faces somehow feels that they were all drunk. It was KL-7-BN-****. The number will be disclosed if everyone feels that it is right. I checked MVD and the car is reg under the MD of the Skoda showroom.
All I have to say is, be careful when you see this ride.

[silversteed]

@naveen.raju: Please disclose the number. People who were witnesses to the street race already know it, then what is the problem in making it known to people who browse this forum? If the same incident had been captured in video and posted/sent to some news channel by someone, I don't think the number would be masked. In fact it's criminal to hide the identity of such outlaws.

[jaaz]

We bhpians can make a difference. Small initiative -

Stop your Car or Bike before the Stop Line placed before the Zebra Crossing.

And drive your Cars in Straight line and within the lane unless you've to change the lane or take a turn.

Many people in Bangalore have this habit of stopping after the Stop Line and obstructing the Pedestrians on the Zebra Crossing.

Yesterday, I happened to travel to Tamilnadu in my Friends Car. Inspite of repeated requests to him to drive in a Single lane, he was driving in two lanes (One tyre in each lane). I didn't understand his logic or he was doing it unconciously. I also reminded him, that he could never drive outside India in this style.

[honeybee]

Cyrus, your love for discipline in traffic is commendable, but just think: how many other bikers do you see following your example?

Parking parellel to the kerb may not be illegal but it certainly prevents other users to use the available parking space more effectively. Just like the car owners don't own the roads, the bike owners don't own it either. So start being considerate towards other people's needs too. Which is exactly why the rant against irresponsible bikers. When they park or when they ride, they have absolutely no respect or regard to other road users' convenience or safety. Riding in the wrong lane at the wrong speeds, cutting across lanes right in front of other bikers and drivers, driving on the wrong side of the road the moment they sense the traffic has halted, weaving in and out of traffic, riding on the footpath when convenient, jumping signals as if they aren't meant for the bikes... the list can go on. And you can see examples of such lawlessness every day in every major city.

[naveen.raju]

Originally Posted by silversteed

@naveen.raju: Please disclose the number. People who were witnesses to the street race already know it, then what is the problem in making it known to people who browse this forum? If the same incident had been captured in video and posted/sent to some news channel by someone, I don't think the number would be masked. In fact it's criminal to hide the identity of such outlaws.

Yes, i know. I should have published it. But here you go.

KL-07-BN-1758 - It's reg under the MD of the showroom so guess it might be his driver or someone. New gen skoda laura Arctic breeze color with a cracked windshield. Although many guys exceed the highway limit, this car was very rashly driven almost knocking couple of guys down. Beware guys.!

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by IronH4WK

OT:

rooftops are better. i'll let you know the equipment i'll need btw, can we expand this program to include corrupt people sucking the life out of our country?

But my guess would be that the corrupt would have the upper hand, unfortunately.

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Now I'm confused ...


...Others may agree, or disagree, or, quite likely, improve on my ideas.

I agree with everything that you've said.

Originally Posted by honeybee

Parking parellel to the kerb may not be illegal but...


...such lawlessness every day in every major city.

You echo my sentiments, honeybee. Just go through my last post and you'd realize how similar our posts are!

[amitwlele]

Originally Posted by jaaz

Inspite of repeated requests to him to drive in a Single lane, he was driving in two lanes (One tyre in each lane). I didn't understand his logic or he was doing it unconciously. I also reminded him, that he could never drive outside India in this style.

This is yet another habit of drivers which irritates me no end. This usually happens with me when the guy in front of me decides to overtake a vehicle from the left. But he sees that he would not be able to make it because of obstruction in the front (Two Wheelers, Truck etc). So instead of coming back into the lane he would keep driving in the centre. Now if you are following this vehicle you are not sure whether he is going to overtake or come back into your lane and this goes on till the time he is able to overtake. Lane discipline gone for a toss.

[rohitsuresh]

I must include that politicians in white scorpios and safaris do the most infractions. They don't obey one ways, signals and they have the loudest horn ever.

[ghostrider]

I just look in any direction.

Seriously though, spotting a bad driver isn't rocket science. Show me someone who's tailgating, recklessly cutting lanes, not using his indicators, straddling two lanes and blocking traffic while driving at 30 while the traffic around him is going twice that speed, oblivious to cars around him, and I'll show you a bad driver.
Another dead giveaway is someone who's driving a car that's covered in dents and scrapes. Look around while you're driving (actually, don't ), and you'll be hard-pressed to find someone NOT fitting this description.

You could blame our lack of road infrastructure, but I think a lot of blame should be given to our RTO. Our driving tests are a joke but in theory and practice. Not only do most idiots behind the wheel have no clue about traffic laws and rules, but they also have no clue how to handle their vehicles. Make driving tests more stringent, and license validity no more than 8 years. You'll get a lot of idiots off the road.

[vidyasagar]

I saw one such fellow today. though i was feeling like catching him and doing a , one thing caught my attention. This was TATA ACE, and he was driving on the right most lane of the hosur road, with his left indicator on. He was cutting lanes and was swaying left when ever he wished, not caring one bit for the traffic behind him.

If at all he would hit someone, he would have his escape plan : "I have the indicator ON..you did not look at it".

Some street smartness..?

[ghostrider]

Originally Posted by vidyasagar

I saw one such fellow today. though i was feeling like catching him and doing a , one thing caught my attention. This was TATA ACE, and he was driving on the right most lane of the hosur road, with his left indicator on. He was cutting lanes and was swaying left when ever he wished, not caring one bit for the traffic behind him.

If at all he would hit someone, he would have his escape plan : "I have the indicator ON..you did not look at it".

Some street smartness..?

A few months back I was driving down Cuffe Parade in Bombay, and a guy coming out from one of the side lanes while talking on his phone runs the red light and t-bones me. He then accuses ME of not swerving to avoid him despite the fact that twenty pedestrians were witness to the fact that he'd run a red light. My bill from Ford was about 60k, out of which I was out of pocket by 20k, not to mention the fact that my insurance premiums went up. A traffic cop who saw the whole thing did nothing to make this guy accountable.

My point is this - what difference does whose fault it is make in this country? This isn't like the US or UK where the insurance of the person at fault is liable to pay for the damage to 'victim'.

[honeybee]

Originally Posted by ghostrider

A few months back I was driving down Cuffe Parade in Bombay, and a guy coming out from one of the side lanes while talking on his phone runs the red light and t-bones me. He then accuses ME of not swerving to avoid him despite the fact that twenty pedestrians were witness to the fact that he'd run a red light. My bill from Ford was about 60k, out of which I was out of pocket by 20k, not to mention the fact that my insurance premiums went up. A traffic cop who saw the whole thing did nothing to make this guy accountable.

My point is this - what difference does whose fault it is make in this country? This isn't like the US or UK where the insurance of the person at fault is liable to pay for the damage to 'victim'.

You should have lodged a complaint, calling the traffic constable to be a witness. The offender would have likely settled for an out of court settlement and you would at least avoid a monetary loss.

Yesterday evening when I was driving back from office, I reached the T junction where the road coming from IIT-Gandhinagar meets the Eastern Express Highway. The signal was red and so I slowed down. There were two more cars ahead, also slowing down. I noticed a guy on bike taking off from the left side of the highway, the direction I would be taking. He started driving across the intersection to the Mumbai side, trying to make a quick getaway. A Meru taxi came by me, and the light turned green. The cabbie didn't bother to brake to a halt, as he had already slowed down enough for the turn and he hadn't spotted this biker cutting across him from the left. The result? The cabbie being a cautious driver the biker survived, with his bike, and promptly sped away.

[rohitsuresh]

It is worse here in Chennai. When you are apply brakes for a red signal and someone rear ends you... They blame you for braking!!!

[m_upreti]

Originally Posted by rohitsuresh

It is worse here in Chennai. When you are apply brakes for a red signal and someone rear ends you... They blame you for braking!!!

Same here, I braked once to let a BEST driver in a rush to pass in a busy circle and an Indica rear ended me. So as a good citizen I parked on the side and informed the traffic constable, by the time the India also came (pushed by a cpl of helpful people).

A polite middle aged guy with a big L on the windscreen, "Sir, aapne brake lagaya", I replied "Mere aage bus thi".

Anyways, the Indica had a crushed bonnet, punctured radiator, head light broken, bumper hanging all courtesy the thick pipe hidden inside the rear bumper of my Scorpio.

The cop came looke, the moment he heard that the Indica had rear ended, he told us to settle it ourself or go to the nearest police station (he was good enough to give the direction )

Well, I refused to pay, but helped him through some contacts in the nearest Tata A.S.S. to get the car towed and get the work done under insurance.