Safety Dance (ReMiX) - Men Without Brains

[MrBoombastic]

These are few things I feel we Team-BHPians can do to make driving in India safer, better and pleasurable… I know almost 95% of the people don’t follow traffic rules in our country and yet here I am, asking/ begging/ requesting my fellow Team-BHPians to do so. There are two reasons for me to do this… 1. I think we, as petrol heads should be setting an example/ standards for other road users to follow and 2. A journey of a 1000 miles begins with a single step.

1. Maintain your vehicle:
i) Service your vehicle at the specified intervals from an authorized service center.
ii) Check your coolant, brake oil, windshield wash and all other fluids and top them up regularly.
iii) Check tire pressure at least once a week.
iv) Make sure your brakes are in good condition at all times.
v) Make sure all your lights are functioning and change the ones that are not immediately.
vi) Get your car battery checked from time to time.
vii) Make sure your wipers are working and working properly.
viii) Avoid using very dark sun control
ix) Keep your windshield and other windows clean for you to get good visibility under all light conditions.
x) For all those who do not have mirrors on their vehicles or have a side-mirror missing kindly get one fixed instead of spending on RPM meters, spoilers etc. before you get a side-mirror.

I could go on and on, but I guess this covers the basics.

2. Obey traffic rules: Short and simple without a choice... Obey all traffic rules at all times and if you are not familiar with traffic rules, here is a beautiful web site where you can learn more about the same.

3. Driving under the influence: This should be avoided at all costs. More can be read about this here and here.

4. Overtaking: Make sure you do not overtake on the left/ wrong side. Do not overtake other vehicles from the inside when they are turning/ changing lanes. Check your mirrors before you change lanes to overtake. Honk once or twice and flash your lights to warn the driver you are going to overtake. Do not overtake a vehicle and plonk yourself right in front of the vehicle you have just overtaken and drop your speed all of a sudden. Make sure it is safe to overtake before you attempt to do so and always keep in mind that the driver you’re overtaking might change lanes all of a sudden without warning, brake for no rhyme or reason etc.

5. Follow lanes: In other words, stick to your designated lane and do not cut across lanes at any cost. While changing lanes, show your indicator and make sure you check your mirrors for other motorists before you change lanes. Change lanes in a fashion that is safe for you and other motorists. Do not be a road hog and allow other motorists to overtake you in a safe way for you and the person overtaking.

6. Use your brain:
i) Never drive with your headlights on high-beam when there is traffic coming from the opposite direction... This can cause fatal accidents.
ii) Look before you reverse and make sure you don't dance around behind other vehicles that are reversing.
iii) Go and buy a handsfree for your damn mobile phone... You can afford a vehicle and a mobile phone, but not a handsfree? Reminds me of a bumper sticker: Would you drive better with that phone up your @$$? Also, when you park on the side to answer a call (or for any other reason), make sure you're not being a danger to yourself and/ or to other road users and don't forget to use your hazard lights.
iv) Do not park your vehicles in a way that makes the road unsafe for other motorists.
v) Do not drive without a valid DL.
vi) Do not use the road as a racetrack or a stunt arena. Remember, there are no animals, retards, on-coming traffic on the tracks and still crashes happen on the track. As far using the road as a circus to perform stunts goes, I've seen people fall doing wheelies even on empty roads... A guy was/ is paralyzed for life doing just that. Imagine doing a wheelie or any other stunt in traffic and falling or losing control... A car/ truck etc. will run over you before you can even attempt to recover from your fall/ bang into you before you can even attempt to regain control.
vii) Wear your seatbelts at all times and do not laugh at people who insist on wearing seatbelts (airbags will not work on most cars unless the seatbelts are on). For those who laugh at people who believe in safe motoring - Instead of laughing at people who are being sensible, go grow a brain and then try using it... assuming you're capable.
viii) If you ride a bike, wear a helmet for your own sake and make sure the helmet has an ISI mark on it if it's Indian. Worry more about your head on which you have hair than your hair... What good will your hair be if you don't have a head?
ix) Slow down at intersections and/ or while taking turns no matter how empty the road is.
x) Always maintain a good braking distance from other vehicles at all times.
xi) Always remember that there are scores of hollow heads on our roads... Right from people who think they are Ben Johnson on steroids and sprint across without any warning while crossing the road to morons who watch that "Traffic Cutter" and the "Bike guy more interested in watching his bike in a mirror while overtaking a truck when there is another truck coming in the opposite direction... Bajaj is it?" adverts and do just what is shown in those wretched adverts (that should both be banned) on our roads... Most of the time, the mistake won't be yours, but you will pay a price, so, always drive keeping that in mind at all times.

Again, I could go on and on, but I guess these are the basics one should follow. If I've come across as a boring freak who is constipated with thoughts of safety and value for life and limb, kindly forgive me and put me on ignore, thanks.

[Ashok]

Very useful and important advice - thanks for posting. Why does everyone in India drive with their high beams on all the time? It's crazy!

[streetlife]

hey dude thanks to you for so much of your time for other peoples sake
hope everyone follows it and about me!! DEFINATELY....

[MrBoombastic]

Originally Posted by Ashok

Very useful and important advice - thanks for posting. Why does everyone in India drive with their high beams on all the time? It's crazy!

You're most welcome and you would be dazed and amazed to know that even many petrol heads drive with their high beam on when there are vehicles coming in the opposite direction... Crazy is the right word.

Originally Posted by streetlife

hey dude thanks to you for so much of your time for other peoples sake
hope everyone follows it and about me!! DEFINATELY....

You're most welcome and thank you for being a part in making our roads safer.