VIP on Road. What do the red flags indicate?

[kvish]

Yesterday on the Bangalore Mysore Highway, some VIP was passing by (Vatal Nagaraj). The pilot vehicle was flashing red flag. However, he just wouldnt go fast . I wasnt very clear on this red flag rule. I just blazed past the car and only after I went out of sight to these vehicles, I started to doubt whether it was a big mistake in overtaking them. Quite a few vehicles overtook them. In the Mandya traffic signal I was totally confused, there was a cop on one side not allowing me to go and the pilot van behind me blasting off the siren.

Ok coming back to the topic, in the city I understand one shouldnt overtake them, but on highways, if they are causing an issue by going slower than normal traffic I dont know what should be done.
One of my friends said that the red flag is only to indicate that you must NEVER go in between the two vehicles, which even in my dreams I wouldnt do.

I dont really know what the rule book says, someone please enlighten me

[spadival]

Originally Posted by kvish

Yesterday on the Bangalore Mysore Highway, some VIP was passing by (Vatal Nagaraj).

OT: Since when did Vatala Nagaraj become a VIP?? The red flag is probably his party flag?

[normally_crazy]

kvish - check this out - https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street-experiences/15925-drive-within-rules-bloodied-nose.html

[diabloo]

The busy road near Okalipuram, the road which diverts to Magadi Road & Yeshwantpur is named after him.

Originally Posted by spadival

OT: Since when did Vatala Nagaraj become a VIP?? The red flag is probably his party flag?

[kvish]

Originally Posted by spadival

OT: Since when did Vatala Nagaraj become a VIP?? The red flag is probably his party flag?

Even I was quite surprised. May be someone else was in that car too. That scorpio of his did not have any beacon and it was just like any other scorpio. How would anyone know there is an "important" person sitting inside the car? At first I thought the policeman was in a hurry for something since I didnt see anyone else coming with him apart from the normal looking scorpio.

Originally Posted by normally_crazy

kvish - check this out - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street...died-nose.html (Drive within rules = Bloodied nose)

Oh boy! I missed that thread earlier. NC, Thats a nasty experience. Next time I see a red flag, its probably time to stop for a coffee!

[mjothi]

I always had this doubt, whether to overtake those cars or not. Now I know, why I shouldn't

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

They were showing a red flag at you?
You know why the station master waves a red flag at the guy who drives the train, don't you?
It means danger ahead!!!

[amohit]

ok, I also faced this red flag day sometime ago. It was on the way krishnagiri - blr stretch. there were these 2 jeeps with red flags and in between them was a huge truck...and it was crawling at 15kmph. Initially I was not sure what to do, but then I saw a few vehicles overtake them, so I also overtook. Not sure what was expected of us normal human beings in such a case....follow them at 15kmph on that toll road??

Regards,

[gd1418]

We see these kind of things day-in and day-out in Delhi/NCR and in the neighbouring states. This practice of the lead vehicle and the last vehicle sporting a red flag started in Punjab during the heightened days of terrorism.

This actually means that there are a couple of vehicles between those two escort vehicles that are driving in a convoy at a constant speed and have the right of the way, even at stop signals. One should not try to break their formation and get into the convoy; then they get nasty, violent and abusive.

But overtaking them was never and is never a problem here since they don't restrict overtaking, but only you have to be at ahigher speed than them. And normally they drive at a great speed.

Now coming to this Vatala Nagaraja stuff, if I remember correctly he is some kind of Kannada activist having a view on anything and everything under the sun and a two-bit politician. I don't think if he is taken even seriously in Karnataka as well..

After reading Gautam's post (I dunno how I missed it), the less said about that rowdy Rane family the better. If the Rane parivaar didn't have that kind of reputation, they couldn't have bested the Thackerays in the election slug-fest in that konkan area.

[iraghava]

Originally Posted by gd1418

But overtaking them was never and is never a problem here since they don't restrict overtaking, but only you have to be at ahigher speed than them. And normally they drive at a great speed.

Agreed, if you're faster than them outright & find a clear stretch where you overtake the whole convoy in one shot, they're not going to bother you. But if you have to abandon your overtaking maneuver in the middle then DO NOT attempt to slot in between the convoy, let them pass & join behind them. Trying to join in between will in all probability land you in trouble.

I've overtaken many a VVIP/Army convoys on NH24 & the Delhi-Meerut highway but have taken care to do it on an empty stretch where I can overtake all the cars (usually between 3-6) at once. If they see that you're faster than them outright & by some margin & thus don't pose a threat, they won't bother you.

[tsk1979]

I was once travelling from Bangalore to Silent valley, and came across some big convoy(maybe chief minister or cabinet minister)
They were going at 60kmph, and overtaking with gay abandon, pushing even KSRTC buses off the road while overtaking.
Whenever I tried overtaking the convoy, the last car kept on blocking me and abusing in Kannada.
So I just followed behind, hoping that the ministers car overturns or goes into a ditch.
No such luck for 30 minutes after which they turned towards some tourist bungalow. Thankfully I did not have deal with them again.

I wonder what gives these people whose salary is paid by us the right to bully?

[svsantosh]

OT - This thread reminds of a popular Tamil Comedian's act - Vivek. He bike is stopped by cops when he is running to a interview(or something) saying there is a VIP convoy passing. He waits until eternity and then all Cops shout 'Police Salute' and people wonder where... there is a aeroplane flying overby(Presumably with a minister) and all this confusion was for that.!!

Vivek wanted to highlight the (sometimes) abused previlege of VIP passing Rights by the cops and causing hinderance to public

cheers.

[bblost]

my career as a profession criminal never took off thanks to my dad never taking interest in joining politics.

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by bblost

my career as a profession criminal never took off thanks to my dad never taking interest in joining politics.

At least you can help your son realise your dream career. Join politics today.

So I just followed behind, hoping that the ministers car overturns or goes into a ditch.

@tsk1979... lol, nice wish

[wanderernomad]

Red Flags indicate the convoy formation and that you are not invited to it. Yes overtaking them is not an issue but at times there are guys who take it too seriously and dont want anyone to get ahead. The origin is with Army convoys that drove at a constant speed and in a single file formation but came to ev used as a tactic for VIP escort on busy roads as well.
Last to last year the Delhi CM's convoy was forced off road into another ministers bungalow by the NSG escort group escorting the PM. The whole CM conovy including her pilot jeep were forced in. So much so for trusting their own brethren.