[normally_crazy]

guys ,

on my vacation in europe , it was a shock to me when i travelled on their roads. there was no honking , lane cutting , or even scaring the pedestrians crossing the road. no road rage at all !!!!!

the situation is completely opposite here in our country. if you drive without a horn u get shouted at and stared by the drivers who overtake u !!

if u dont cut lanes , people wonder where u got ur license from !!!

and the less said abt the pedestrian/cyclist v/s drivers , its better !!!

and remember , those blokes abroad drive with buses having exclusive lanes and trams too...cyclist have their own lanes too !!!

so why is it that inspite of less obstacles on the roads , traffic here is much slower

the answer according to what i observed is lack of traffic education manners !!! agreed the population here is 10 times more than there but if the guys driving follow the rules to the T , i think the congestion and slow movement problem will be solved. most times it has been seen that the people who drive blame everyone from the govt. to the cops but seldom do they look at what they do and how they drive !! education plays a crucial role here ......and of course the rto has to step in and ensure that lincenses are not gifted away but earned !!

what are your views fellas ??

[Jaggu]

one more question to all of us, how many of us drive proper, i for one mess with decent driving twice a week at least lol, has decided on decent driving since last 2 weeks, feels better, hopefully it will stay..

no point in balming others but make the diffrence ourselves in whatever lil way..

[Tom]

Indian drivers cutting lanes are traffic illiterate.
They also dont fear the cops enough

[satish_appasani]

I once wanted to volunteer traffic education and tried to contact the Hyderabad traffic police. But nothing went through.

[ravi_28_8]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]They also dont fear the cops enough

this is all due to Corruption. We have on top of the mind that, if cop catches give him 20rs and push off. so it is we who have to start driving with sence, but i know its the difficult task. If we start following all those thing we will be left behind the traffic and listen to fellow drivers honks.

[SLK]

Like you said, they have different lanes for different types of vehicles.

Our traffic is mixed and totally incompatible with each other.

Cars Can't be driven with 2-wheelers.
Buses Can't be driven with cars.
And Autos can't be driven at all.

And.. then .. we have a speed limit of 50km/h. Can you follow that? (I am sorry I can't).

[normally_crazy]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]And.. then .. we have a speed limit of 50km/h. Can you follow that? (I am sorry I can't).

Impatience - another minus point on indian roads and this is becoz of all drivers cutting in and out , moving slowly in the fast lane , turning 180 degrees on the spot ( autos specially ) etc etc etc ..... and all this comes down to easy availability of licenses , corrupt cops and most important - no manners on the road - illeteracy...


hmmmmm.........im still thinking why r we like this ??

[lamborghini]

hmmm
intresting topic
i wish the govt. instead of buying their fancy cars and taking bribes would just go to europe and learn from thier govt.
not only in road improvement and all but about how to govern properly.
cmon guys
how many foreign parties cause riots in their home town .
huh
on a trip to turkry the finr there for smoking was some 14 000 rupees ......
the govt should impose higher fines and better cops and make a pact with them stating that they can get a part of the fine money as long as the dont take bribes and all the dishonest cops should be put in jail.
also at least improve road conditions.
man
india rulz
govt sux

[Sli_ce]

i am quite new to Team-BHP but have been browsing around the forums since a while.

i have been particularly hooked to the numerous threads which discuss topics like Lawlessness on our roads,total disregard of Traffic laws and rules, chaotic traffic in our cities, Road Safety, Accidents..etc etc because, just like most of the like-minded and sensible people on this forum,i too,very feel strongly about it.

Indians are considered to be one of the smartest races on this planet,even if it sounds a little cliche, we have people working for NASA, Noble Prize winners like Dr Amartya Sen or Dr Subramanian Chandrashkar, we Dominate the IT Industry by far, we come up with ideas like the Nano, etc etc and yet (a big bodied YET), when it comes to traffic Management, we manage to make our country look like a circus.A lot of times i find myself asking why do we lack patience, why cant we wait in a civilized manner? why do we lack basic disciplinary sense or for that matter, common sense? i always fail to find answers to such like questions.

Be it Bangalore, New Delhi or Mumbai, everyone has similar stories to share, all of which portray a very grim picture of the Traffic situation in the entire country.

i observed that despite of several suggestions, none of these threads and ideas have actually materialized into a solution to our Road/Traffic problems which can really be implemented by us, that is - the now 50000 strong Team-BHP community.

Just like everyone else, i too, feel like ranting and whining about the bedlam and the numerous incidents i experience and see for myself,everyday on the roads, but rather than going there, i would straight away want to jump to the point of "what can be done about it".

I completely agree to some of the replies to these threads which say "We ourselves should follow road rules religiously" or "We need to do our bit". but to be honest,i feel this is clearly inadequate. personally, i make sure to follow all the rules at any given location or time of the day, but i often find myself the only one doing so in a vast crowd of law breakers.

I guess what im trying to say is that even if collectively all Team-BHPians adhered to this, it would still be a negligible effort compared the mega mess which is out there, and by no means,i am suggesting that this is a wrong practice or we should stop following it, but rather, i think this is not a significant enough solution.

so again, coming down the whole point of this thread - what can be done?
I think,Rather than directing the dose education and awareness reaching us (Team-BHPians), it should be targeted towards the uneducated, uncivilized lot out there, which can consist of Auto-wallas, Call Center cab drivers, Bus Drivers, Rickshaw pullers, two-wheeler riders, private car owners, basically anyone who has no clue of concepts like queues, safety, patience or even "a system"


for eg: i reckon, TV has a much wider reach to the masses than internet, what if each of us contributed rupees 5 each, and raised enough money to make a TV advertisement which spreads awareness on the Importance of road etiquette, and the consequences of flouting the rules etc.

Maybe even raise enough money to start a NGO which is dedicated to spread awareness, and educate people on these matters?

these are just simple thoughts and i am sure there are many more meaningful and "doable" ideas out there which just need to be expressed.
we have some really smart people on this this website, i think we are fully capable of finding a meaningful solution, or at least an initiative

my two cents.

Mods - please move/merge this thread if posted wrong. and sorry if i did.

[rajtheindian]

Originally Posted by Sli_ce

i am quite new to Team-BHP but have been browsing around the forums since a while.

i have been particularly hooked to the numerous threads which discuss topics like Lawlessness on our roads,total disregard of Traffic laws and rules, chaotic traffic in our cities, Road Safety, Accidents..etc etc because, just like most of the like-minded and sensible people on this forum,i too,very feel strongly about it.

Indians are considered to be one of the smartest races on this planet,even if it sounds a little cliche, we have people working for NASA, Noble Prize winners like Dr Amartya Sen or Dr Subramanian Chandrashkar, we Dominate the IT Industry by far, we come up with ideas like the Nano, etc etc and yet (a big bodied YET), when it comes to traffic Management, we manage to make our country look like a circus.A lot of times i find myself asking why do we lack patience, why cant we wait in a civilized manner? why do we lack basic disciplinary sense or for that matter, common sense? i always fail to find answers to such like questions.

Be it Bangalore, New Delhi or Mumbai, everyone has similar stories to share, all of which portray a very grim picture of the Traffic situation in the entire country.

i observed that despite of several suggestions, none of these threads and ideas have actually materialized into a solution to our Road/Traffic problems which can really be implemented by us, that is - the now 50000 strong Team-BHP community.

Just like everyone else, i too, feel like ranting and whining about the bedlam and the numerous incidents i experience and see for myself,everyday on the roads, but rather than going there, i would straight away want to jump to the point of "what can be done about it".

I completely agree to some of the replies to these threads which say "We ourselves should follow road rules religiously" or "We need to do our bit". but to be honest,i feel this is clearly inadequate. personally, i make sure to follow all the rules at any given location or time of the day, but i often find myself the only one doing so in a vast crowd of law breakers.

I guess what im trying to say is that even if collectively all Team-BHPians adhered to this, it would still be a negligible effort compared the mega mess which is out there, and by no means,i am suggesting that this is a wrong practice or we should stop following it, but rather, i think this is not a significant enough solution.

so again, coming down the whole point of this thread - what can be done?
I think,Rather than directing the dose education and awareness reaching us (Team-BHPians), it should be targeted towards the uneducated, uncivilized lot out there, which can consist of Auto-wallas, Call Center cab drivers, Bus Drivers, Rickshaw pullers, two-wheeler riders, private car owners, basically anyone who has no clue of concepts like queues, safety, patience or even "a system"


for eg: i reckon, TV has a much wider reach to the masses than internet, what if each of us contributed rupees 5 each, and raised enough money to make a TV advertisement which spreads awareness on the Importance of road etiquette, and the consequences of flouting the rules etc.

Maybe even raise enough money to start a NGO which is dedicated to spread awareness, and educate people on these matters?

these are just simple thoughts and i am sure there are many more meaningful and "doable" ideas out there which just need to be expressed.
we have some really smart people on this this website, i think we are fully capable of finding a meaningful solution, or at least an initiative

my two cents.

Mods - please move/merge this thread if posted wrong. and sorry if i did.

I agree with you, however I feel a collaborative effort from public and the government is the only solution for this chaos.
Looking at some of the earlier comments, I would say we can't put the 100% blame on the government, alone they can't do anything. Govt needs to bring more stringent law, ensure that is enforced properly and the public needs to make sure that they follow the law, irrespective, you are an autowala or a IT techy or a politician.
I have driven in UK and US, and both countries it is the common public's attitude to follow the law and the enforcement agencies involvement keeps the roads safer. not just a one sided initiative.

[vasudeva]

Originally Posted by normally_crazy

guys ,

on my vacation in europe , it was a shock to me when i travelled on their roads. there was no honking , lane cutting , or even scaring the pedestrians crossing the road. no road rage at all !!!!!

My brother has been on vacation in London since 2000, and in 9 years of driving on UK roads, he has suffered a grand total of perhaps 1 dent and a few scratches (enough output for 1 month on Delhi roads). He also says that when his fellow colleagues (mostly British) come to India, they are amazed at the fact that there are so many gaps that exist through which Indian drivers zip through.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by Sli_ce

I guess what im trying to say is that even if collectively all Team-BHPians adhered to this, it would still be a negligible effort compared the mega mess which is out there, and by no means,i am suggesting that this is a wrong practice or we should stop following it, but rather, i think this is not a significant enough solution.

I started a thread with the same sense of anguish. And some one here has made a passing remark on corruption and if you read what I have posted on that thread, state of road safety in India, just today, you will find some more on the corruption as the root cause thinking,
To the quote above, I will say that you are underestimating the change that a community as large as this can bring about, given tenacity and time.
A very true teaching is to never underestimate the power of one - and here, there are a lot more than one. But do I want to be the change I want to see in the country? If you think about it, that is the only change that one can bring about - in oneself. Patience and time can then accomplish a lot more.

[Sli_ce]

Originally Posted by rajtheindian

I have driven in UK and US, and both countries it is the common public's attitude to follow the law and the enforcement agencies involvement keeps the roads safer. not just a one sided initiative.

Yes,I completely agree with you, ive driven all over the US, UK,Australia as well and i think besides manners and courtesy being a part of their culture, people in these countries believe in the system and recognize its importance, they understand that the systems are in place only ensure free flow and efficiency and consequently curb frustration, its not rocket science to figure out that going on the wrong side of the road is not only dangerous and unlawful, but that it can end up being the root cause of a jam.

Also, the incredible presence and fear of the law in these countries makes you think a 100 times before you go about breaking it, when you know that you will end up in jail if you DUI, and no power talk or bribe can change that, you will simply refrain from doing it.

[Need4Spd]

This is my personal observation - might upset people - but here goes.

The majority of bad traffic on our roads is caused by two main factors:
1) Poor civic sense amongst Indian road users - every body wants to do some "jugaad" and slip thru every available gap at all costs i.e. lookout for yourself and every one else be dammed.
Every single day I observe this over and over - if traffic is backed up in the right most lane as people are waiting to turn - soon there will be a huge number of people queuing up on the LEFT side and then CUTTING across to the right rather than waiting their turn in the RIGHT Lane. Similarly driving on the wrong side of the road to sneak into a turn, so on and so on - in India the "jugaad" is much prized - think of some dumb, illegal, and dangerous loop-hole to get out of the queue.
In western countries, these kinds of stupid actions will get you arrested (or killed in an accident) very quickly. So, what is rewarded here ("Jugaad") is punished everywhere else for a very good reason.

2) Two wheelers follow very different dynamics when compared to Cars. they zig and zag, slip into and out of gaps, and do not follow lanes. They have different stopping distances and maneuverability needs.
Auto rickshaws drivers do not follow any rules of any kind. They will turn when they want, stop where they like and cruise along slowly on very busy roads looking for fare. They will park wherever it is convenient for them.

Combine all this with the horrendous state of Indian roads and you have all the ingredients necessary for a terrible, soul crushing ride every single day.

[Sli_ce]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

I started a thread with the same sense of anguish. And some one here has made a passing remark on corruption and if you read what I have posted on that thread, state of road safety in India, just today, you will find some more on the corruption as the root cause thinking,
To the quote above, I will say that you are underestimating the change that a community as large as this can bring about, given tenacity and time.
A very true teaching is to never underestimate the power of one - and here, there are a lot more than one. But do I want to be the change I want to see in the country? If you think about it, that is the only change that one can bring about - in oneself. Patience and time can then accomplish a lot more.

Sawyer - I agree with you completely, the change should start at home (in this case Team-BHP members) and no matter if we are a handful compared to the millions out there,i am not underestimating the power or the change that we can provoke.
but at the same time i think that we are not the "real culprits" here. Judging by the threads and posts i've seen on this website i think(and assume) that we are the more enlightened ones here, which means that the dose of education and awareness should actually be directed towards the real culprits which is the uneducated, uncivilized lot out there,it consists of the Auto-wallas, Call Center cab drivers, Bus Drivers, Rickshaw pullers, two-wheeler riders, private car owners,etc basically anyone who has no clue of concepts like queues, safety, patience or even "a system"
this is exactly why i figure that we need a medium to reach out to the masses, for eg a TV ad which spreads awareness.