Small survival kit for Indian roads.

[nitinhegde]

1self,Being in Pune,I agree...
I used to maintain a fair distance from the vehicle(car or bike) in front of me...but I landed up having Bikes all around me trying to cut ahead !....
I was fed up and now I am habituated to leave only around half a foot distance in the front so that no Bike can cut in between...and if someone tries to play mischief ,I honk like crazy,roll the windows down and even scold the bike walla's sometimes..

[kkr2k2]

Originally Posted by Boom Shiva

This is something I've noticed...

When you drive carefully and conscientiously, everyone is out to get you, scratch your car etc etc.

But when you drive aggresively (sometimes we all do it), everyone mysteriously learns to behave themselves around you.

This has happened to me at least.

yes, i agree with you shiva, it happened a lot of times with me when i drive carefully, i am more prone to scratches, infact my indica had lot of scratches.
but after i hired a driver (he drives bit aggresively, nobody cuts in and infact no scratches for the car !!!)

[lsjey]

Guys,

Here is how I do my driving:

1. Has found that there are two kinds of drivers( Fast guys and slow guys) and two kinds of vehicles (Fast and slow). Given this there is invariably a gap (big enough) between the fast vehicles and slow vehicles. I drive between them.
2. In signals, I usually start slowly and let the fast guys go past and settle between the fast and the slow guys.
3. if need be I speed up to overtake a slow guy. I'll also put a good gap between him and myself
4. In severe traffic jams where this gap is gone, get behind a fast guy and move slowly. He will cut a way for me even in thick jams and will act as a repellent for other faster/slower guys. I typically go behind a BPO cab. If I cannot keep up with a fast guy, I slow down and look for a new fast guy.
5. I always keep a watch for intersections in the roads (any median for the matter). On recognizing one , immediately slow down. One never knows when an idiot will use the median to take a short cut.
6. Parked bus will immediately alert me to slow down, honk, move to the right
7. If an agressive driver comes up behind and honks hard. Stay calm, see to your left if you can move in there safely. If that is not possible, immediately slow down to more manageable speeds. ( This will force that idiot to slow also increasing safety for yourself). continue till you can find a place to move to your left safely and let that idiot pass. (as a precaution I keep my foot on the brakes when that guy passes me so that I can brake if he starts cutting in) If you react immediately, then you will bring more danger to yourself and the people who are to your left lane.

This usually helps.

lsjey

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by Zappo

Alongwith all the above checkpoints make it a habit to be a "nervous" driver. Keep darting your eyes across the RVM, ORVMs and the corners of the road ahead periodically. May just give you the wisdom of the Oracle at times to be able to predict a suicide attempt by some madcap nut behind the wheels. Feel free to add what you do over and above this to save your skin.

Good survival kit points Zappo , I have been driving now for 15 years and touchwood, I didnt have a single accident neither on my bike nor car just because that I follow the " nervous" driver style, my eyes are always darting at all corners to check out for imminent danger. As a matter of fact, I gave this advice on another thread and then saw your advice......i certainely agree with you that if you need to survive, keep your reflexes fast and use your eyes a lot

[Zappo]

not surprised to hear that mobike. afterall you also do your driving in this crazy city of hyderabad

but you must be real lucky if you did not have a nick or a scratch ever. i have suffered so many on my car, always when i was standing still. bikers are the biggest culprit. the worst one was last week. i was caught in bad jam right from HPS begumpet and was crawling on 1st gear all the way. on the hyd central i was waiting for the signal to turn green when i heard a thud and my car shook a bit. by the time i turned around to see what it was there was nothing except for the maze of cars standing behind. i realized later that a nut tried to manoeuver his bike between my car and the one behind me and caused a dent and left a bad streak of blue paint on my C pillar. by the time i had turn around he possibly vanished in the maze of cars. These you can not do anything about... sadly.

[goldsun]

This is a very good post. If some one can summarise these points into a nice article, it will be great.

I have my bit to add to this list:

1. When you are approaching a signal, don't be too close to the lane that is marked for right / left (mostly right turn) turn, as there is a fair chance that the taxis / trucks / buses on the adjacent lane barging into the your lane ahead of you resulting in scratches.

2. Be at a manageable speed when you are approaching the signal and that too when the yellow lights come on, you should carefully manage to stop without being hit from behind.

[sidharth_j]

Originally Posted by ramkya1

When braking, specially in city traffic, pump the brakes a couple of times and red-light the guy behind you, some guys just don't look in front of them when they drive . This reduces (not avoids) the number of bumps / sccrtches on your fenders.

I second that. This always gives extra notice to the guy behind you. I always drive expecting that the other motorists around me are morons who don't know the first thing about driving. This helps me to drive more defensively and anticipate moves like turning without a signal, braking with no brake lights visible...etc etc.

Another thing that happens in small towns like Trivandrum , is that the atuhorities switch off the traffic lights between 8:00 PM and 8:00 AM...i mean ..***??? don't people drive at night??
This is such a dangerous practise, and I am sure lot of very avoidable accidents take place at such jucntions. Again, take the utmost care when you come up to a signal where the red/amber light is blinking.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by Zappo

but you must be real lucky if you did not have a nick or a scratch ever.

Yes, in a way you can call me lucky, I never kissed anyone till now and since my style of driving is quite agressive, its even more surprising. I nick the paint a few times while rash and careless parking or some kids nicking the car with pens,pencils,stones etc..

Its indeed sad to know about your unfortunate incident, that stretch is unbielevably crowded way until police lines..and i know..u feel helpless sitting in the car while bikers caresses you from all sides

[Master530i]

LANE SENSE IS ABSOLUTELY ZERO !! in India. But the problem is more deeper - every driver (anykind - mortorized or not) has to travel on those narrow lanes in jam packed situation coexisting with every kind of vehicle. On the top of that, every indians things that he is smarter than rest of us and tries to exercise that smartness on the road - the result is a BANG !. The thread originator has pointed out really good things and wish every driver would follow them.
Some occidental fella will faint seeing our traffic flow and some will keep their eyes peeled open until they reach the destination in one piece

[Mendi]

Hi suman
I will try and implement the point you mentioned as it seems to be the only method to let cars and bikers behind you know that you have planned not to run thru the orange light now.....

[ggkg]

Some more tips based on my experience!

1. Be careful overtaking a stopped autorickshaw. After he picks up a passenger he will suddenly swing to the right lane without looking back or bothering to check, especially if you are driving two wheeler.
2. Always assume that the moron inside a stopped car will open the doors wide without looking at traffic.
3. Allot atleast one full lane to a kid driving a cycle ahead of you, even though actual space taken is much less. This is because he may swerve right and left and do spanish dance without any warning, and of course,without turning back.
4. During night in city driving, about 20% of two wheelers dont turn on their lights, either they are faulty or they are moronic enough to belive that they can save electricity. So go slow.
5. Never assume that if the vehicle ahead of you brakes you will know because of the red light - practically all commercial vehicles especially three wheeled ones, autos, plus many buses dont have working lights.
6. Dont panic or get nervous but stay cool even if the vehicles behind you stark honking the moment the LED display at red light starts showing 8 seconds left. When it goes under 5 the honking reaches fever pitch particularly from two-wheelers. Look for the vehicle ahead of you it is good chance it has starting trouble so dont assume it will move!
7. Never overtake a bus at a bus stop. People will always run to cross the street in front of the bus, and you will not see them until you cross the bus driver, then it is too late for you and the morons crossing the street. Of course, you are the one that is wrong because they are on foot and you are driving.

[swathyd]

Never overtake two vevhicles at a stretch, particularly when first one you are going to overtake is bike or even auto. Because they take zig zag turns without looking at rearview mirror.

Also on junctions after you get green never rush until you ensure that traffic has come to a standstill on otherside, also ensure that the vehicle in front of you have passed( it is mentioned in a different manner in the beginning) and dont get into a mess with traffic.
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[h.k]

i would go the very old queens drivers policy, just think all other except you on the road are mad. and they can do anything at any time, come opposie one way, turn without a concern, stop without looking rear.

[fiery enzyme]

I have one other thing to add.

I have a habit of checking out the traffic in front of the car through his windscreen, meaning if you can see through the car in the front to see any obstacles or oncoming traffic.This will give you a good idea of what the driver in front of you will do.Though this is not possible all times I have seen that it is usual especially while riding bikes and always avoid buses and auto's man like plague.

This has worked for me.

[Vinay DL]

Tips on a safe & enjoyable long drive… safeguarding your life as well as your vehicle.
These days its common to take a long drive, run away from the usual hectic life and spend some quality time getting to know the natural side of yourself. Its been made so artificial and manipulated in the cities that we all have to wear a mask to survive.
First thing is to make it clear to the mind that you are going on the trip to enjoy. So leave the road rage and don’t drive with vengeance. The overtaking should happen only if the other person is driving really slow and driving haphazard. Remember overtaking should never be done to be first, it seems so silly when people overtake just to be the first as though he is the first to drive on the road.
Fix a vehicle in front which you think is going with good enough speed and driving with enough cautiousness. What ever speed you maintain behind him leave approximately that much of distance between. In case you are traveling at 80 Km/Hr leave ~80 Ft distance between.
Advantages:
The infront vehicle leads your way and shows the path…
You know our Indian roads there will be a stretch where the road is really smooth and rosy and you are encouraged to stamp on the accelerator and suddenly you will hear a huge thud and you never know when you came off track. Sudden braking is pretty risky and can damage the car or might turn into a situation where it becomes difficult to control.
So having a vehicle in front will tell you where to slow down and where to accelerate, but be sure that you have enough distance to brake. Also during a deep curve and while there is a narrow bridge or when the opposite vehicle is approaching, you will know exactly how to react.
Cutting out the night glare…
During nights, driving becomes more a struggle rather than enjoyment. Concentration is really needed to drive in such conditions, the opposite glare which strikes like lightning can make you blind for a moment. Even taking your eyes off the road for a moment might be disastrous. This state of blindness will remain seconds after the opposite vehicle has passed. It’s a huge gamble to decide what is there in front and drive. Most cases we develop a pattern in the mind and assume that the road curves like that and also assume that there are no obstacles in front.
So following a vehicle cuts out the glare till the opposite vehicle passes the front vehicle, this helps us to eliminate maximum part of the glare and helps us to build a pattern reducing the gamble risk.
Following a vehicle also helps us to take our eyes off the road for few moments and enjoy the picturesque country side.

So the formula is simple.. have a vehicle in front and have a distance equal to the speed you are traveling.
Have a safe drive…