My Rant on Bangalore Traffic (and now even a note of appreciation... its not all bad)

[gopz]

Originally Posted by ajmat

Today was wonderful, no white termites (indicas) or trucks as they were on strike. If only it rained and there was also an auto strike

Then we would have had a feel of the pensioners' paradise...(Bangalore 15 years ago)!

[VJ_MAVRICK]

Yea ! I too found the drive from Koramangala to My office on ORR a touch or more decent and also the thought of the cabs and shuttles used by companies being off the road made me .

[snaronikar]

It was nice to drive down today to office. I only wish if auto wallahs would have also taken to strike, it would have been very nice to drive along. BTW, when is their next strike? Any ideas.

[benbsb29]

For those of us with our own transport, it makes for a nice time to drive on the roads. In the case of my colleagues, with the company shuttles being stopped, many of them have been left with very few choices.

While i appreciate not having many pests on the roads, i also sympathize with the plight of those who relied on these buses and cabs.

[Jaggu]

lol same sentiments here, wish we could have a better public transport so that it stayed this way and dependency on white moths minimized :( and i heard the strike is indefinite unless agreement is made in the meeting with govt (havent checked news since morning)

[dkamath]

Well, was not so lucky as you guys

A few Indicabs, Swaraj Mazdas, and TT's, and a bus that must've attempted to remain on duty this morning, had their tyres punctured along the KR Market flyover, resulting in slow-moving traffic :(

[VJ_MAVRICK]

Yea Jaggu AFAI, its indefinite i think as well and its surely a sight to see the roads without the cabs. great way to curb the menace, and wish somehow ricks are also carrommed into somewhere of no return . Nay! forget about that, it was just a way to vent on those 3 wheelies.

[jvsatish]

Hi

Everyday during our commute we have to crawl through umpteen bottlenecks in bangalore traffic. If we notice, most of these are temporary in nature (like someone parking a lorry on a narrow road, etc.,) or created because of unscientific planning - having a bus stop, pedestrian crossings at the entrance / exit of a flyover, traffic criss-crossing at the entrance / exit of flyovers thus defeating the very purpose of a flyover, speedbreakers or rather vehicle breakers on already narrow roads causing the traffic to crawl (on roads where you cannot even cross 30kmph)...etc., etc.,

I am sure all of us come across these things on an everyday basis. I am putting up a picture of the (in)famous KR puram hanging bridge. The picture shows the entrance to the bridge from Tin factory side. You can find a bus stand, people crossing and also some long distance bus stop also. (please excuse the quality as it was shot using my phone, will post more detailed pictures later)

[img=http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/1976/hangingbridgeentrancegq1.th.jpg]


Mods: please move the thread to appropriate section if this is not the one, thanks

[amtak]

Dear JV,

Today is my 3rd day in BLR! Though you would know this city better but here are my observations about this city:

• I see that the roads are poorly maintained, full of dust and mostly dug up with no work being done what so ever.
• The service roads are pretty big but hardly anyone uses them!
• The traffic signals are manned by a cop, why can't they install signals like we have in Mumbai (The timing is shown for the signal to turn green)
• everyone drives like they are following one another (like a sheep!), Please, I had to instruct people to move from a particular side of the road and then only they moved!
• I noticed that people don't have patience for the signal to turn green and start riding on the foot paths (where do I walk now!!!)
• 5 kms is a lot of distance for them! (I used to drive 90 kms a day without a fuss). This actually makes them to take whatever route they find, causing a jam.

I may be totally wrong, but as an outsider this is my honest feedback!

[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by jvsatish

[img=http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/1976/hangingbridgeentrancegq1.th.jpg]


Mods: please move the thread to appropriate section if this is not the one, thanks

Just curious, nice blame thread you started there, but normally how many people travel in your car everyday? How many cars are being added to blr? What is the capacity of roads in blr?

That will be self-illuminating.

Originally Posted by amtak

5 kms is a lot of distance for them! (I used to drive 90 kms a day without a fuss). This actually makes them to take whatever route they find, causing a jam.

That is personally amusing to me, having stayed in powai/andheri for a few months. Having spent regularly 20-30 mins at sakinaka in a jam in auto, I am not amused when my own friends refuse to turn up to meet, only because of traffic. Mumbai has a different attitude towards jams. and yes, the trains help immensely.

[jvsatish]

[quote=phamilyman;732228]Just curious, nice blame thread you started there, but normally how many people travel in your car everyday? How many cars are being added to blr? What is the capacity of roads in blr?

That will be self-illuminating.

Hi Phamilyman

I take the office transport and our cab has atleast 8 people in it. I didnt intend to start this as a 'blame thread', instead highlight areas where traffic can be eased by taking simple steps instead of expanding roads or building flyovers...IMHO

[grvanand]

Originally Posted by amtak

Dear JV,

Today is my 3rd day in BLR! Though you would know this city better but here are my observations about this city:

• I see that the roads are poorly maintained, full of dust and mostly dug up with no work being done what so ever.
• The service roads are pretty big but hardly anyone uses them!
• The traffic signals are manned by a cop, why can't they install signals like we have in Mumbai (The timing is shown for the signal to turn green)
• everyone drives like they are following one another (like a sheep!), Please, I had to instruct people to move from a particular side of the road and then only they moved!
• I noticed that people don't have patience for the signal to turn green and start riding on the foot paths (where do I walk now!!!)
• 5 kms is a lot of distance for them! (I used to drive 90 kms a day without a fuss). This actually makes them to take whatever route they find, causing a jam.

I may be totally wrong, but as an outsider this is my honest feedback!

I agree with all your points and by time I am sure you would realise a lot more as well.

However the timing thing you are mentioning was to my knowledge first started here in Bangalore itself, why they are not used now and why our great cops show traffic signals manually is absolutely beyond me and its truly a stupid practice.

The new underpass made at cauvery junction looks to me to be a disaster in the making, and BBMP plans to create many more of such variety, god only should save us. The passage way of this underpass is too narrow to even accommodate 2 vehicles side by side and traffic from the opposite end should take a U-turn at that junction. Who in this world came out with such brilliant ideas I would like to know.

[rjstyles69]

Originally Posted by amtak

Dear JV,

Today is my 3rd day in BLR! Though you would know this city better but here are my observations about this city:

• I see that the roads are poorly maintained, full of dust and mostly dug up with no work being done what so ever.
• The service roads are pretty big but hardly anyone uses them!
• The traffic signals are manned by a cop, why can't they install signals like we have in Mumbai (The timing is shown for the signal to turn green)
• everyone drives like they are following one another (like a sheep!), Please, I had to instruct people to move from a particular side of the road and then only they moved!
• I noticed that people don't have patience for the signal to turn green and start riding on the foot paths (where do I walk now!!!)
• 5 kms is a lot of distance for them! (I used to drive 90 kms a day without a fuss). This actually makes them to take whatever route they find, causing a jam.

I may be totally wrong, but as an outsider this is my honest feedback!

Welcome to the Bengalooru my friend . We have been go thru this ordeal for a few years now.

[HappyWheels]

Originally Posted by amtak

...Today is my 3rd day in BLR! Though you would know this city better but here are my observations about this city:

• I see that the roads are poorly maintained, full of dust and mostly dug up with no work being done what so ever.

Digging up new road, not clearign dust is something that all have got used to. A interesting fact is that only well laid roads/ freshly laid roads are dug up - that too as soon as the road work is completed.

Originally Posted by amtak

The service roads are pretty big but hardly anyone uses them!

Most of the service road are used for parking / street vendors! Driving on the service road is akin to driving inside a persons house - you never know when someone is going to jump in front of your vehicle.

Originally Posted by amtak

The traffic signals are manned by a cop, why can't they install signals like we have in Mumbai (The timing is shown for the signal to turn green)

there are traffic lights. but the cops feel that they can do a better job than the lights. this works in places where the lights timings are not in sync with the traffic flow. helps in clearing the traffic faster than what would have happened if the lights were on.

Originally Posted by amtak

everyone drives like they are following one another (like a sheep!), Please, I had to instruct people to move from a particular side of the road and then only they moved!

Nothing said the better. Do we blame the road planner or do we blame the road user!

Originally Posted by amtak

I noticed that people don't have patience for the signal to turn green and start riding on the foot paths (where do I walk now!!!)

I am sure this was a practise brought into Bangalore. Have not noticed this type of driving few years back, but now, its the norm - if you do not have road to drive, use the footpath! (Recollect the case where two guys were arrested for man-handling a pedestrian becasue he did not give them way on the footpath!!!)

Originally Posted by amtak

5 kms is a lot of distance for them! (I used to drive 90 kms a day without a fuss). This actually makes them to take whatever route they find, causing a jam.

Perfectly said!

Originally Posted by amtak

I may be totally wrong, but as an outsider this is my honest feedback!

[benbsb29]

Another gimmick seen here:

Cops will never target autos parked blocking half the road waiting for customers e.g. in front of a multiplex or a mall, but will tow/carry away a bike/s which is parked on a service road, causing hardly any obstruction to the flow of traffic.