Rants on Bangalore's traffic situation

[IronH4WK]

red, amber, green - no yellow!

[Spitfire]

Funny incident yesterday.

Along the ORR around AKME Ballet they have dug up the service road for laying huge water pipes. That road is closed.

I was making my way to the bus stop and there was a TATA Ace coming down the wrong side with his headlights on.

There was a Traffic Inspector 50 meters away from where the Ace was coming towards him. He though was looking the other way. My way. With his walkie talkie buzzing. He seemed to be listening to it.

I walked up to him tapped him on his lap (he was sitting on the bike). And pointed towards the Ace coming in the wrong direction. Seeing this the Ace driver freaks out. He immediately climbs over the side median trying to get on to the non-dug-up service road.

The inspector looks at him and doesn't move an inch. I wait for a couple of seconds. And imagine this cop is like the rest of them so nothing will happen. I then start walking further.

The cop calls out to me and tells me this:

Cop: See the service road is dug up so we are giving some concession to the guys by letting them come the wrong side.
Me: There is a gap in the median about a km further down they can use that.
Cop: But it is far off.
Me: (Broad smile on my face a nod of the head)

I walk towards my bus stop.

And people ask me what is wrong with bangalore traffic!!!

This has got beyond being hilarious. Namma Bengaluru ki Jai.

[Googleman]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

Cop: See the service road is dug up so we are giving some concession to the guys by letting them come the wrong side.

And now that Namma Bengaluru is in the "development" stage, be prepared of everything and anything in the name of "concession". I don't get surprised to see a road becoming one way out of the sudden or even disappearing for a matter of fact.

It happens only in Bangalore....

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

Cop: See the service road is dug up so we are giving some concession to the guys by letting them come the wrong side.

The problem is the "concession" is always at the discretion of the cops. This waiver is almost always granted to BMTC drivers but NEVER to private cars. And god save you if you happen to drive a non-KA vehicle and not speak Kannada.

[benbsb29]

Scene this morning on the ORR near Bellandur in front of the Ecospace office.

There is a new U turn which was created for vehicles coming from Iblur junction to turn towards Ecospace. There is also a proper traffic cop holding a notepad manning this U turn to allow vehicles to make the turn by stopping traffic from the opposite side.

On comes a tractor without the trailer behind, who wants to go the wrong direction on the ORR. He switches on his headlamps (as is the convention now, in Bangalore) and proceeds to drive up the wrong side of the road. Cop on duty questions him and they share a nice laugh together.

All izz well. The tractor dude is allowed to do as he pleases. Cop goes back to his work (?!!). Imagine if this was done by a private vehicle.

As Spitfire says, you can even get away with murder in Bangalore if you drive with the headlamps switched on during the day!

[KarthikK]

Originally Posted by benbsb29

There is a new U turn which was created for vehicles coming from Iblur junction to turn towards Ecospace.

This stretch is getting more and more haphazard by the day. U-turn locations keep changing, speedbreakers are added and removed at random places. One night on the way back from office, I saw a few 2 wheeler riders falling on the new speedbreaker between Vrindavan tech village and Intel office (on what used to be a fast, non-stop stretch). Ouch! the least they could do was zebra-paint the speedbreaker.

I really wonder when those flyovers/underpasses will get completed on Silk board - marathahalli route. Sigh!

[Tats07]

Ask me:

One Saturday evening, my and my wife in car, I take the right turn at JP Nagar RV Medical college signal. There's a congestion, and all cars are dead stop, so I stop as well. after about 5 seconds, I feel a huge impact at the rear end of my car, and I go and hit the vehicle (in front of me), and both me and my wife hitting the car dashboard, and go knows maybe windshield (we had seat belts on)! I was stunned and shocked, and felt paralysed! Thank god there were no serious injuries. I got out of the car, saw a white Ford Figo has rammed from behind at high speed; presumably he was taking a turn from the other side at high speed, never anticipated that the traffic might be at a standstill once he turned left, and rammed into my dead stop vehicle. I was mad - and believe me, there's no other word to describe this person other than a 'Rascal'. He completely denied his responsibility and said I braked suddenly and hence this happened. The traffic police guy acknowldeged it was hundred percent his mistake, but this guy was adament. I have never seen a bigger rascal of a private car owner in my entire life!

I demanded repair charges. My rear bumper was broken, and rear door of my hatchback was smashed. My car is 5 years old, so insurance would pay only 60% of the metal replacement parts. He never budged, and told me I can do whatever, and he will not a pay a single penny.

I complained at Jayanagar 4th Block Police station, and they did get hold of the guy couple of days later and called me late evening. I wnet there alone, with the guy coming with his elderly father. The entire PS started talking in Kannada with these guys (they were locals), whereas I was the only non-Kannada speaking guy. I could understand they were tryign to convince the Police guys by dropping local bigshot names etc. I didn't budge. I must say that in spite of the language disadvantage, the police did arrange for a amount of Rs 4000 (this was paltry since my workshop was giving me an estimate of 20K) for me (not the difference of insurance amount though which I demanded), and I finally settled it, since I was not keen in going to the court (that is what was apparently the next step).

Epilogue: Requested the workshop guys for repair instead of metal door replacement so that I don't pay up 40% depreciation amount, they considered my case, and did a repair of the rear door an the hood, but obviously replaced the bumper. I ended up paying about 6K from my pocket, the final bill 20k+.

Many more such horror stories of Bangalore private car drivers in past 5+years!

[ch.nathan]

This happened y'day evening on ORR. I don't know how to name this incident - funny or stupid or whatever.

There was a huge traffic jam on the flyover (after KRPuram junction towards Hebbal). All vehicles (buses, trucks, cars, 2-wheelers, autos) were stopped on the fly-over and people were leaning over the side-wall and looking down. Even cops were there to regulate. It seemed like a huge accident as if some vehicle had fallen-off the bridge.
As a responsible indian citizen , I also parked on the side and looked below.
And there was the shock of my life. Two snakes were mating and performing the 'dance'. That had created all the fuss.

[Iluvcars]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

Cop: See the service road is dug up so we are giving some concession to the guys by letting them come the wrong side.

I just repeat my statement in http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street...ml#post2195694

[raghav.carfreak]

We may crib about the traffic in namma bengaluru city, but I went from Cunningham road to Indranagar today and back after coffee, and it was an absolute pleasure to say the LEAST!
green signals, empty roads! after a hot cup of coffee after hanging out with some friends!
Life is definitely good! If only weekdays were like this!

[KarthikK]

Originally Posted by raghav.carfreak

I went from Cunningham road to Indranagar today and back after coffee, and it was an absolute pleasure to say the LEAST!
green signals, empty roads!

I guess half the city was in Chinnaswamy stadium and the rest were at home watching the India v/s Ireland match

[ajmat]

My office has moved to the Brookfields area so I tried the different options:

1: Take a Volvo door to door - ended up standing all the way and my shoulder hurts due to weight of briefcase. Trip home was ok since it was empty

2: Take the car - 17km at an average speed of 17km/h. A colossal waste

3: Take car to my airport road office, and take shuttle to office. Seems to work but I only reach my seat at 10. I can reach one office at 8.30, download mails and then respond to them enroute. I have option of a shuttle or volvo on return.

Whichever way, my commute is compromised. At least Sarjapur ORR traffic flows despite roadworks. Whitefield access points are terrible

[praz]

This happened today near my office on ORR. A lady on a 2 wheeler came and banged my car from the rear. She said it was too sudden for her to apply the brakes. I had come to a stop as the cab in front of me had stopped. And it was not sudden braking too. Good thing was that she accepted her mistake and apologised. I let it go. I reached office and checked the damage. Seemed to be some scratch on the bumper. Would look in the evening to ascertain the real damage.

Her mistake was that she was not paying enough attention to the road and she was too late to notice the car in front of her. I hope she realizes her mistake and corrects it. Otherwise, it could prove dangerous for her. I have seen a lot of people (2/4 wheelers & pedestrians) not pay enough attention while on the service road. They should understand that the service road is after all a road and there will be vehicles on that as well. And with the construction happening on ORR, more vehicles are forced to take the service road which would otherwise be less utilized. Please be a bit more careful while walking/driving on the service roads.

[jeeva]

The HSR main signal is an absolute mayhem these days, due to the ongoing flyover construction work.

Something very strange happened today morning. As I was nearing the signal (close to BDA complex), an auto guy all of a sudden decides to cut a right from stand-still. Luckily, I could brake in the nick of time.
Though I was irritated to the core, managed to keep my cool and asked him if he ever knew whats the use of those rear view mirrors he had on his auto. Strangely, the young chap apologized and started talking all philosophy..that nothing in this world is immortal and stuff.
Totally puzzled out, I moved on.

[Arkin evoisrevo]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

Funny incident yesterday.

A

The cop calls out to me and tells me this:

Cop: See the service road is dug up so we are giving some concession to the guys by letting them come the wrong side.
Me: There is a gap in the median about a km further down they can use that.
Cop: But it is far off.
Me: (Broad smile on my face a nod of the head)
.

At the Pizza hut / NAL U-turn on old airport road, we were taking our U-turn. It was red for the guys coming from wind tunnel road. The idiotic policeman started asking the guys who had to take a left from WT road to jump the signal! A responsible cab driver refused to do so, but the policeman forced him! How is one expected to take a U-turn under such circumstances? It's about time I'd personally call upon Mr Sood.

Originally Posted by Tats07

Epilogue: Requested the workshop guys for repair instead of metal door replacement so that I don't pay up 40% depreciation amount, they considered my case, and did a repair of the rear door an the hood, but obviously replaced the bumper. I ended up paying about 6K from my pocket, the final bill 20k+.

Many more such horror stories of Bangalore private car drivers in past 5+years!

The policemen got the Figo guy to pay you 4k!? I were in your position, I'd try to get vigilance action taken against the policemen. According to the law, it is deemed illegal for cash to be exchanged after a crash between the two parties. 3rd party insurance should be claimed for any loss that arises. In case one party is running on an expired policy, then we can think about cash to settle the issue.

Anyway, I hope you and your wife are doing well now? And was there any damage to the front end of your car?