Maniac on Mehrauli-Gurgaon road

[suman]

Guys, I've been busy shifting house from South Delhi to Gurgaon and today is probably the first time in almost a week that I've logged in. Just thought I'd share an experience that happened yesterday morning.......(pardon the long post!)

I normally drop the kids to school in the mornings, gives me a chance to spend some time with them and stretch my heavy-foot with the car what with good roads and no traffic! Well, having just moved to G'gaon, was in the process of trying out alternative routes to their school in Chanakyapuri, so went via the highway the first day and was trying the Mehrauli-G'gaon road y'day.

It was a little after 6.50 in the morning, a fair sprinkling of cars but moving fairly fast. In my usual style I was moving along quickly, there were a couple of cars in front and ahead of that I could see a Scorpio...all of a sudden, I sensed and then saw the Scorpio braked HARD, cars in front started stopping, looked in my mirror, saw the left was clear so swerved and went past. Then I saw the reason for the Scorpio having stopped so suddenly, there was a White Tucson that had just STOPPED in front and from the gesticulations of the gentleman in the Scorpio, I realized that he was (probably) furious because the guy had stopped deliberately.

So I just give a glance at the Tucson (looked like a driver or mechanic to me) and carry on at my pace (around 90 kmph)....the next thing I see in my mirror is the Tucson STREAKING up the left hand lane at what I felt was breakneck speed....I was just about to overtake a tractor & I realized that the lunatic was going to overtake at any cost so I slowed down a bit (didn't want to get up to my old tricks with the kids in the car). Guess what next? He overtakes and cuts in violently in front of me (I'd anticipated that seeing his style in the rear view mirror), then he slams on his brakes......again, I was prepared so I was ready and slammed on mine as well from about 80 kmph, car stopped without a squeal (the brakes on the Fiesta are awesome, this just reinforced it, had it been the Ikon, anticipation and all, I would have probably tailgated him!).

Now, given my normal hot headed tendencies, I would have probably gone after the bugger from the left, pulled across him and stopped...something told me this guy wasn't in his senses so we just watched what he did next (kids were not scared, nor was wife but were all a little jolted nonetheless, you don't expect this kind of stuff when you are on your way early morning minding your own business!).......he just went after one of the call center Sumos that was next in his way! He just overtook him from the right and then veered SHARPLY to the left as if he was going to ram him off the road....the Sumo guy was so rattled, he swerved left and braked hard and went off the road and stopped so that the guy couldn't have another go at him.

Next, he overtook another vehicle from the left at a bus stop (there was a bus waiting and people were getting off and were crossing the road) and CUT IN at high speed in front of that vehicle to avoid the Bus (I though he was going to topple over but maybe he had the traction control activated or something) so he avoided what may have been a major skid (mind you, ALL THE WHILE, he was at breakneck speed) & also running over a few people!

By now, I was maintaining a safe distance behind the lunatic - around 85-90 kmph nonetheless but no attempt to overtake him (It was like watching an action movie unfold). Even that was not enough for him so he slows down and indicates that I should pass him....so I go past and he is grinning like a cheshire cat...he must have been stoned or sloshed out of his senses....then again, as soon as I went past him, he came up from the left again and overtook me at full pelt!

For those of you who are familiar with that road, by now we were at the Chattarpur crossing and I would be taking a left turn into Vasant Kunj and so did our man ahead of me.....and then, he stopped at the bus stop there to leer and (probably) ogle at some women who were waiting there. I went past him but he had other vices on his mind so he didn't follow.

Now guys, can you imagine people of this nature with a new expensive SUV being out on the streets early morning, trying to goad people into perhaps getting off their car and into an altercation....and then what!? He's stoned or pissed so either he runs you over or maybe he's armed and he shoots you!

Needless to mention, there was not a single Delhi Police vehicle anywhere on this stretch and no one wanted to stop because I'm sure the same thing would have been running through their minds...what if this was a local criminal who was armed?

Sometimes, I really wonder...where are we headed as far as indiscipline and lawlessness in road behaviour are concerned? I'm not sure if I've managed to convey the crazy 7 or 10 minutes that all cars on that stretch faced but believe me, my adrenalin was flowing and I really had to restrain myself because I had my family in the car (their safety has always been of paramount importance to me and I really control my short fuse as far as possible these days) and (also) because it was a new car and I didn't want to bang it up.

Anyways, life moves on, just though I'd share my experience with you guys...he wasn't there today though! And Godfather, just read your post and can understand why you lost your cool. Pity about your car and thank God the biker didn't have serious injuries!

Cheers!

[revharder]

Originally Posted by suman

but believe me, my adrenalin was flowing and I really had to restrain myself because I had my family in the car (their safety has always been of paramount importance to me and I really control my short fuse as far as possible these days) and (also) because it was a new car and I didn't want to bang it up.

thank god, good senses prevailed!
what you did shows that you are mature enough to avoid such type of people on road.
these days it is not safe to get into an arguement with strangers.
who knows he might be having some "desi-katta" (local-revolver).

i am not coward (lol) or anything but still i feels it is better not to get into unnecessary troubles.
life has its own share of problems, why increase them for such silly incidents!

i am sure that guy will soon be a news in the third paragraph of the first column of a newspaper!!

by the way, did you noted down the registration number of that white tuscon?

[aZa]

Suman this perticular stretch is known for notorious call center cabs taveras , qualis and sumos. But a TUCSON hahah now thats something ... Narrow roads with farmhouses lined up on the sides and fast traffic is just few of the problems. Even the cops are known to extort money at night on false charges on this stretch.

But i'm glad ur safe and so is ur family ...


safe driving brotha!

[pramodkumar]

I my self work in a call center in gurgaon and belive me its actually crazy to even think of driving at night on those roads surrounding gurgaon all call center cab drivers think that they are Schumarkers on steorids. i see its always some innocent driver who suffer due tio such crazy maniacs. you did the right thing in not interfearing with his crazy busniss or else who knows what all lies in the trunk of that supersized SUV

[goldie_malhotra]

this guy sounds really rotten, though there are loads of idiots like him on the roads - especially the long, open stretches in delhi - good that you used your common-sense and let him go ..

i once saw a scorpio doing some equally rash driving on the dhaula kuan section of ring-road at night, and i grudgingly gave way to this idiot - and further down the road, near chanakyapuri, i see this guy lodged neatly into the divider - part of me (nay - all of me) was saying "serves you right b**t**d"

[typeOnegative]

What a f***** moron! Thank goodness you kept your cool.

[khaadu75]

Hey,

Hats of to you for doing the right thing and specially as you had your kids and wife along with you -- but i'm sure that guy knocked whatever lil sleep you might have had in your system ( kidding ) !!! But its real strange to see or rather experience something like this at about 6 n the morning ... Wish you had noted down his Reg no and posted it --

Alls well and thats what matters in this case ... though will keep a look out for this vehicle !!

Cheers

Note from the support team: Quote deleted.

[paharino1]

probably another rich kid with no sense of responsibility & a free gifted SUV from his parents....

[suman]

Hi guys, than you all for your feedback & concern & for reinforcing that my decision was correct under the circumstances...

Khaadu, you said it.....cleared away the cobwebs from the corners of my eyes and brain all right! I did get the number but am not sure if its 100% correct - DL3FD0040 or 30 (thats what I'm confused about) so, it was a "special" number. There was also a sunscreen kind of a thing on the rear windscreen but OUTSIDE (more like a display board) with something written about FAITH ( !!!).

Goldie, I can understand how you felt, I was telling my wife as we watched him do the jig that "I hope the b****r gets himself killed ao that there's one scum less in the world"!

So guys, keep a look out for above (or similar type of) number but I wouldn't be surprised if you spot the car and find it being driven sedately by the owner who probably didn't have a clue that it was being misused by someone. But, who knows, it could even be as Paharino says......he looked like a sub-staff though!

[shuvc]

great control .. driving and mental !!

Whenever i spot these crazy drivers, I yearn to get hold of a Bond car .. surely Q would be able to design something to get back at these idiots from a safe distance !

[Boom Shiva]

Keep sharp metal tacks and a matchbox in your glove box. When you see the maniac again, you can overtake him and drop the tacks in front of him. Then after he blows his tyres and flips over a few times, you can stop, disconnect his fuel line and set his car on fire.

I know I know...but sometimes I feel like doing it to these types...

[suman]

Boom, that was hilarious as usual and has just set the mood for the weekend......

[cheap_deal]

Originally Posted by Boom Shiva

Keep sharp metal tacks and a matchbox in your glove box. When you see the maniac again, you can overtake him and drop the tacks in front of him. Then after he blows his tyres and flips over a few times, you can stop, disconnect his fuel line and set his car on fire.

I know I know...but sometimes I feel like doing it to these types...

lol that was hilarious. maybe i shud try it out sometime. but wont the tacks cause other motorists harm too? im too lazy to go pick up em after all this.

[Aditya]

Well done, suman. Everyone should use your experience as an example on how he / she should behave.
As for the maniac, that's what happens when you give a powerful car to someone for the first time.

[ryder]

good you kept your cool, better not get into tight situations with family in the car.