ࡱ> VXU#` Fbjbjmm .J# rrrr$ ('''''''$*h->(((MMM'M'MMA$h}% NDr9$'(0($@-@- }%}%@-s'"M"((7(   DN $   N    Driving on Indian Highways my view In last 5 years, driving environment on Indian Highways has changed drastically as compared to what it used to be earlier. This can be credited to increased traffic, high speed vehicles running on road and poor speed/lane discipline. So even before one embarks on a long trip through Indian highways we should surely understand few aspects and then proceed to drive long hours on highways especially when accompanied with our near and dear ones. It is very important to follow the basic traffic rules and not lose your patience as it is not just your safety but its also for the safety of people driving around you. Follow the rules and enjoy your high drive and safeguard yours and other life. Driving on most Indian highways is not frightening but we should do adequate preparation to ensure a hassle free trip. Basic preparation kit for any long trip Car check(brakes, oil, alignment/balancing tyre, underbody check, stephney, wipers, headlights and brake/fog lights, horn, music system and central locking system) Tyre pressure pump or, puncture repair kit(if possible), one spare tyre/tube Basic eatery material based on your liking(digestive biscuits, chips etc) to help you stay intact in case of long waiting in road blocks Atleast 2 litre mineral/filter drinking water Window cleaner spray(if possible) or, newspapers for cleaning LED torch in glove box Medical Kit(Band-aid, Dettol, Pain killers and other relevant antibiotics) Personal cash not to be all carried by the driver and can be distributed within the elder family members travelling. Some part of it can be hidden in car itself for emergencies Your service advisor number and other emergency numbers to be duplicated so that its not just in one person s mobile but is with all or, a hard copy of such numbers kept elsewhere for easy reference Travelling maps/GPS with basic advice from experts on the route conditions and good eatery joints PUC certificate and original Xerox of RC book with insurance, car manual Carry a mix bag of cash denominated to lowest numbers so that you don t waste time at toll booths struggling with exact cash or, while buying a local eatable stuff/item from a local highway vendor Above are some of the general tips but there are few more from my view point to understand our personal strengths and limitations while driving long/short hours. Endurance has to be built with time and one should exploit the road challenges with his strengths and refrain form over stressing in most occasions possible. Day/Night driving conditionsare totally different and so is hill driving to gauge the capabilities of the vehicle to be driven and limit your aspirations accordingly with respect to driving speed and style to always remember that every individual is different in his/her own way so there isn t any competition or, comparison on your journey times it is good to aim for a descent driving time target set by an expert or, a frequent travelers on same route but every day/night is different and so is every road turn. Hence the exact travelling times cannot be ever predicted. All you have been advised is an indicative time dependent onvarious factors have a good sleep before driving and ensure you are in a good mind frame(positive) ensure fuel top up as soon asthe fuel tankreaches to 25%. Avoid tyre pressure checkup in between drives unless absolutely essential no harm in leveraging a good driver if you believe the driving time and road conditions are bit too unpredictable and you are in a rush on road route advice/help should be carefully managed. Generally route experts help you with relevant knowledge on the upcoming terrains. So apply their experience along with your common sense to decide appropriately. Remember, not all Indian highways have been correctly mapped in GPS so you can get misguided. Dont hibernate with GPS help! Few of the above points may sound bit philosophical but thats what I observed and learnt with mistakes in last few years. Indianhighways today are very unpredictable in all senses but with basic controls and checks in place you should be able to get out of a problem situation faster and smoother. You cant plan for what is out of your control but surely can be prepared better. Take experts view on the recommended journey start time and then decide as per your comfort limits and personal circumstances (children, elders). Understand from experts the average possible speed range in the different road stretches in your road trip with any applicable speed limits. This will help you vary your travelling speeds within safety limits and also optimize your fuel efficiency. Prior knowledge of good eatery joints with basic sanities is very vital information if travelling with full family. Few key recommendations Overtaking: If the way is clear, blink high beams of your car, blow horn and avoid overtaking from left side of the front vehicle. Many of the highway drivers consider it as a personal offend when somebody overtakes their vehicle and immediately get into the mood of anger. So need to take cautious steps when overtaking. Patience is the key to overtaking safely. Dont indulge in road rage and avoid displaying your cars muscle power as much as you can. Speed Limits: Most Indian highways and train/river bridges today do not have any strict regulations around the prescribed speed limits but its wise to be vigilant and be observant of the parallel vehicle speeds. I mostly observe the driving pattern followed by adjacent cars with a local registration number in an unknown territory. It is not being defensive here but ensuring that you are not penalized to shell extra money on driving faster. Best driving lane: While driving on Indian highways, it is hard for anyone to recommend a particular driving lane because the situation changes based on your driving time and driving speed. Six lane highways have tons of space so you can decide based on your speed and the prevailing road traffic conditions. On two lane regular highways, I would say driving on the intersection marked line between left and right lane is the best bet. It protects you from any sudden traffic entrances on marked/unmarked intersections and also a better driving control especially driving fast Humps: One has to be ext%& V W   V X d   "."PR^dfrrt  &>ıııııııııııııčı%hUk hUk B*CJOJQJaJph!hUk hUk B*CJPJaJph%hUk hUk B*OJPJQJ^Jph!hUk hUk B*OJQJ^Jph)hUk hUk B*CJOJQJ^JaJph)hUk hUk B*CJ!OJQJ^JaJ!phfff7%& V W V Pdr  @ d^`gdUk dgdUk $d@&^a$gdUk F>@BNdfr> ? "" "!"""%%%%'ȷȷȷ췘wbbOb$hUk hUk >*B*OJQJ^Jph)hUk hUk B*CJOJQJ^JaJph%hUk hB*CJOJQJaJphhB*OJQJ^JphhUk B*OJQJ^Jph!hUk hB*OJQJ^Jph!hUk hUk B*OJQJ^Jph!hUk hUk B*CJPJaJph%hUk hUk B*OJPJQJ^Jph%hUk hUk B*CJOJQJaJph@d? "!"""%%%%%''''@)B)$d^a$gdUk d^gdUk $d^a$gdUk dgdUk hd^hgdUk & Fdgd d^`gdUk '''''@)A)B)+++<n=o=@@@{D|D5F6FLFMFNFFFî××Õî×îîqYqY.jhUk hUk B*CJOJQJUaJph%hUk hUk B*CJOJQJaJph!hUhUk B*OJQJ^JphU,hUk hUk B*CJOJQJ^JaJphy()hUk hUk B*CJOJQJ^JaJph!hUk hUk B*OJQJ^Jph)hUk hUk B*CJOJQJ^JaJph333,hUk hUk B*CJOJQJ^JaJph333y(B)U)++n=o=v=@@5@{D|DD5F6FFFgdUk $d^a$gdUk $d^a$gdUk dgdUk remely careful when ever there is a hump/speed breaker on highways, do not overtake abruptly at this place until the vision is clear from the other side. Moreover, drive slowly on humps as there might be a car ahead of yours which may break more than you anticipate based on his ground clearance and driving style. This is not a casual breaking spot so be cautious. Halts: Driving for long hours can cause lethargy and exhausting. Hence take break in between and always remember to park the car at a safe corner and away from the main highway. Make sure that the car is parked in safe place, with out hindering other vehicles. Plan your breaks at places where you see a crowd and take break at regular intervals based on your endurance limits and personal circumstances. Do not leave valuable items in your car and ensure you carry them along. Ensure you do a quick tyre, lights/horn and fuel check before you restart. Try making your phone calls during halts and refrain from any heated discussions/thoughts. Enjoy the food and the halt time. Sharing the Road with Trucks: Trucks need a long distance of about 100 yards to stop as they weigh up to 80, 0000 pounds. So always maintain a good distance with trucks as they cannot stop abruptly. Do not try to enter in between the trucks, as they are dangerous. While overtaking them use the rear view mirror, give a wider room or space, and dont cross behind a truck that is backing up. Use horn always and be cautious of long lorry vehicles as you have to plan overtakes thoughtfully with them especially at night and on a two lane highway. Use low beam at most times and avoid trying high beam with oncoming trucks from other side as they have double the lights these days and you are virtually blind when they come closer. Most of the truck drivers are disciplined and follow basic traffic rules. Best is not to try car muscle power in terms of lights and risky overtaking with heavy vehicles especially on single/two lane highways. Discount them for their ignorance on not listening to your horns and dippers at times as they are driving really long distances each day and it happens. They are also humans like us! Use Hand/Light Signals: While changing lanes or, taking a turn use hand or light signals at least 100mtrs before the turn. Also, have a look at the road behind you before taking a turn. Vehicles that are coming from the other side may sometime miss the obvious blinking because of driving exhaustion. Also sometimes at night the surrounding vehicles may not have their lights functioning properly. Be extremely careful especially at nights. 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