Rants on Bangalore's traffic situation

[dark.knight]

Originally Posted by Rahul_

I am sure many of us must have gone through frustrating times on this road however today it escalated to a whole new level. I advice people to be more cautious especially near this stretch.

Your advise as above is genuine and has to be followed, unfortunately you didn't follow it for yourself. I double face-palmed my way through the video, its unfortunate that for something so small that insults of such a nature had to be exchanged. I feel it'd have been best for you had you just kept quiet and moved away to the left like other vehicles.

I understand what you felt but in this city I see a case like this every single day.. I personally wouldn't want my mood to be ruined by hearing unwanted, uncalled for and low-blow abuses all because of trying to stick to the rightness of being. You're still asking what you should do further? My suggestion is to forget it ever happened and become wiser for the next time. If the road is indeed a one-way its far from your fault so why feel hurt over having done nothing wrong. Some of those words flying around in that video are really, REALLY uncalled for, but you did go the extra mile to provoke so curb that at all times. The road is no place for a measuring contest.

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by Rahul_

BDi I post a complaint with the police ?[
]Nunfortunately. I was advised against it given the VIP number on the car and previous incidents where migrants similar to me were troubled in similar cases. I would like to know your comments on the same on how to go about this without inviting trouble ?

Usually there is a hapless traffic warden at the location where Corolla is parked, inspire of this daily there are many who drive on wrong side and create a mess.

Personally I don't think this one way is solving any issues as such . However, that doesn't mean you can try to muscle your way through oncoming traffic.

You don't need to worry about reporting this incident to police. BTP's public eye link accepts images only I guess. You can share the YouTube link on their Facebook page with location and date.

[Rahul_]

Originally Posted by dark.knight

I feel it'd have been best for you had you just kept quiet and moved away to the left like other vehicles.

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

Personally I don't think this one way is solving any issues as such . However, that doesn't mean you can try to muscle your way through oncoming traffic.

Keep quiet and move to the left side of the road, compromise and adjust is how I have been managing without a similar incident since last one year since this one way has been implemented. This is the most balanced advice I would have given to my near and dear ones too and thanks for similar advices as feels like family. Unfortunately, for me today I was forced to be on the right side of the lane because of a SCross parked on the left lane. That SCross guy only moved away after the altercation started, which is how you are able to see the traffic flow on the left side. I had cars piled up on the backside so couldn't take reverse to move to the left. The lady pulled the car all the way to my front bumper to I was blocked there. What you suggested would be my suggestion to anyone I know looking at the video and hence I included the side note that explains the situation leading to this.

Its the arrogance and irritation of losing time all along the one way starting from VIMS and dealing with such offenders on a daily basis makes you lose your patience. I might be wrong to tell the offenders that what they were doing is wrong,and may be as a result I am nursing my wounds. However, its just human to react the way I had to when people have the audacity to walk over to start a fight knowing fully well they are on the wrong side of the law. But point taken, whatever it is, just move aside (if you can) and let it be.

[landcruiser123]

Originally Posted by Rahul_

Unfortunately, for me today I was forced to be on the right side of the lane because of a SCross parked on the left lane. That SCross guy only moved away after the altercation started, which is how you are able to see the traffic flow on the left side.

Consider that your unlucky day because you didn't get a chance to move out. I hope you weren't physically abused.

The lawlessness in India is alarming.

I would advise you to report that at BTP public eye and also tweet the video.

[chandrda]

Early morning there was a bit of traffic jam near Iblur-Sarjapur Junction (front of Royal Enfield showroom) on the Ring Road, thought must a be regular accident near the divider.

But No, it was Traffic Police stopping 2 wheeler for riding without helmets and generally stopping bikers to check for license.

Regards

[JD1]

Originally Posted by Rahul_

Unfortunate incident from today.
Location : Kadubisnahalli service lane next to Cessna Business Park gate.

Couple of things to note,
-There guys are will-ful offenders who know perfectly well that they are breaking the rule.

Wow not just this car, there was another car behind this plus bikers who were coming in wrong direction (including biker without helmet!!). This is so normal on not just this but other one-ways too.
I too get agitated when vehicles break one way to save few minutes and have done blocking myself (including blocking truck and tempos!). Once when I blocked a truck, another cab coming behind the truck did a u-turn and followed the one-way! Ofcourse I generally only do this to waste their few minutes which they had hoped to save and then let them go in the hope that they will remember this and won't violate one way next time

You can get vehicle details from vehicle database and still post the owner details and this video on BTP FB page (preferably via your anonymous account). Name & Shame is another effective tool when fines do not work

[Sree73]

Huge traffic block at HP signal at Electronic City on Hosur Road.. Traffic pile up from Hosa Road signal towards Hosur. Moved around 100 meters in last 20 minutes.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by Sree73

Huge traffic block at HP signal at Electronic City on Hosur Road.. Traffic pile up from Hosa Road signal towards Hosur. Moved around 100 meters in last 20 minutes.

The pile up ends at a point 500 meters beyond EC Phase 1 Signal (HP) as seen on Googlemaps traffic.

It means, there is some accident or some incident here due to which traffic is gridlocked.

[RaguHolla]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

The pile up ends at a point 500 meters beyond EC Phase 1 Signal (HP) as seen on Googlemaps traffic.

It means, there is some accident or some incident here due to which traffic is gridlocked.

I didn't see any accident. My only conclusion is its police manning the signal. A month earlier we had Police manning the signal from 8:45 on wards, hence jam starts at that time. Now police reach junction at 7:45. By 8:30 they successfully create a huge jam with their skills. I was stuck at toll booth of NICE road! Traveling EC phase II took 1 hour!

[Rahul_]

Originally Posted by landcruiser123

I hope you weren't physically abused.
The lawlessness in India is alarming.

Yes, the lawlessness is up definitely. Read the other news from today which concerns people questioning people for driving in wrong direction on a one way.

Similar Incident from today in the newspapers

Yes,I was physically abused by the guy. But, since I was reluctant to take this to a physical level and refused to come out of the car it was limited, didn't want to stoop to his level and I love my peaceful life. However I still managed a couple of bruises from his nails and a broken shirt button, whatever he could do from a partially open window.

One ways have been practically non-existent for the yellow boards, its only recently that the white board vehicles and well educated folks are picking up this culture as well. I only mind them coming in the opposite direction when they have blocked the traffic going in the correct direction. Also, its become a daily thing. There are days where I lose 30-40mins on these narrow one-ways because everyone on the road is trying to "Adjust" to these will-ful offenders. Obviously, their number continues to grow and so is the arrogance and right of way.


One such older example can be seen in picture from the same road where I was stuck for 40mins and free enough to click the picture below. My dashcam witnesses such traffic insensitivity on this road for 10-40mins daily depending on the number of morons on road on that given day.



The truck seen in this picture is coming in the wrong direction. The school bus in front of me is blocked because there is another offender trying to overtake the stuck truck in the wrong direction. And there were atleast 10 more four-wheelers behind this stuck truck,counting the two wheelers would be waste of time.On the bright side,these people in the wrong direction are courteous enough to alert us via usage of hazard lamps, headlamps so that we can start the process of "adjustment".

I just hope something "miraculous" happens and this gets corrected soon. Hoping against hope ! I know

[srishiva]

I have been in such situations where it had gone out of control. You realize after, that you shouldn't have taken it to extreme. It doesn't matter if you are local or migrant.

Working in Cessna I see this everyday too. I did stop one IT couple who were doing the same in a Swift and the guy was still arguing with me even after realizing that he was wrong.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by srishiva

I did stop one IT couple who were doing the same in a Swift and the guy was still arguing with me even after realizing that he was wrong.

It's useless, there is no empathy, no ethics and no principles on our streets
Best is to de-escalate a potential road rage situation and move on with your precious life. It is simply not worth getting into an argument with imbeciles. It's becoming a way of life for morons on our streets to completely disregard common & civic sense and not follow traffic rules.

If one has a dashcam, the footage/stills can be uploaded to the traffic police page but again don't expect anything drastic to happen (to book the offenders).

[meples]

@Rahul, I can really empathize with what you must have gone through. I've been through the same thing. However, even though things escalated pretty quickly, I believe you did the right thing by standing your ground. Eventually that moron had to move out of the way (nonetheless, creating inconvenience to a lot of other drivers on the road). Next time he drives in the wrong direction again I'm sure he'd at least think once. The point is, we ease off or relent so much (fearing things) that we make breaking rules easy for these willful offenders. My only advice is, stay calm, stay put and don't roll your windows down

[naveenroy]

I didn't watch the video and this may sound preachy but let me say it nonetheless. I've been there, done that - blocked vehicles coming the wrong way because I had the right of way. I've bad mouthed bad drivers, shown them "the finger". But I am VERY lucky to have come away from all that unscathed. In the beginning, I used to get this unholy satisfaction after reaching my destination, I used to shout with glee inside my helmet and feel so happy that I added to that "rule breakers" misery.

There came a point when I realised that it just isn't worth it. Not at all. It wasn't just the fear of getting beaten up on the roads that changed me - I just went cold turkey on getting angry at road road rule breakers. I still get mad at them but I concentrate on my riding more than anything else. I follow the rules, I stop at the line at stupid traffic lights and never ride on the footpath or the wrong way.

Oh and another thing - this friend of mine also used to get so pissed off at traffic rule breakers. For years, we have cursed them together. Then, he bought a car. And on my first drive with him, I saw that he wouldn't go a longer distance to take a U-turn and took an illegal one. I was like

Take a deep breath the next time, count backwards from 73 and hum your favourite song - even if the song is about the apocalypse. Good luck!

[audioholic]

Though I have not taken things to a physical level till now, some people argue and try to return your words. After that, when I realised they are hell bent on justifying their deed, I now give them a really disgusting look when passing by, as if I am looking at a piece of crap or a dead rat on the road. They might not learn from one such occurrence, but a few repeated incidents will definitely make people think before they break rules again. One advantage is that I would have already passed them, and secondly, you are not directly confronting anyone which is safer.

It was a surprise that the guy was educated and knew english and still tried to prove his ground. Hence, there is no point in fighting with these people. Of course, guilt is definitely unavoidable for any person no matter how powerful or influential one is, and this guilt will definitely do the job of correcting such attitude. Another thing is, these people will definitely get to the receiving end some day, and thats when the guilt will give a hit behind the head.