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Old 15th October 2009, 11:18   #106
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When you are at the signal, please space equally from both sides, such a way that you dont allow 800s and Autos to squeeze through.

These Autos squeeze through and create havoc over ahead. The person waiting in line at the back never gets to see Green signal!

2 lanes mean 2 lanes, not 4 lanes !!

If there are 2 lanes, maintain 2 lanes, and the crowd behind you will tend to follow you also.
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Old 15th October 2009, 15:58   #107
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One of the habits of two wheeler riders is riding without headlights ON even after street lights are on. I suppose two wheeler rider can see the road just with street lights. But such two wheelers will not be visible to on-coming traffic, neither will they be visible in rear view mirrors. Very dangerous practice.
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Old 15th October 2009, 16:46   #108
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the lamps being used these days are really not FOG Lamps - they are driving lamps which help "floor visibility" and help avoid pot holes and other obstacles on the road.

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Originally Posted by jaaz View Post
FOG Lamps are supposed to be pointing towards the Road to have visibility upto the next say 10 mts. Since, the beam travels for a shorter distance, It also covers both the sides by atleast 1 metre. The same can be checked when they're factory fitted.

But, in India, the after market guys focus it as an equivalent to the High Beam.
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Old 15th October 2009, 18:02   #109
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Lately I've seen some scuffles on the road on account of traffic issues. Road rage is most certainly on the rise.

I can quite understand why tempers flare. Most motorists are being so blatantly discourteous and aggressive in their driving habits.

No one seems to fear he would get injured or his vehicle sustain damage if he abruptly cuts into another motorists' lane.

The other day I noticed a lady driving a scooter like a maniac, cutting in and out of traffic like she cared two hoots.

We all need to make a concerted effort to never abruptly cut into another motorist's lane. You have to turn on your indicator and wait to be allowed to cut in. That is the basic ettiquette required while driving
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Old 15th October 2009, 18:46   #110
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It happened to me yesterday. I was stuck in traffic when I suddenly heard a siren and looked in my RVMs to notice an ambulance to my left. There was no way that he could cut behind me and move to my right. The road narrowed abruptly a little ahead, so I moved just a little to my right and stopped dead, thereby stopping two lanes of traffic. There was a huge howl of horns behind me by impatient drivers who were objecting to me making way for an ambulance with flashing lights and siren blaring! The ambulance driver too was flummoxed and did not realise what I had done - I waved him ahead and he gunned ahead with much relief and nodded in relief and gratitude as he passed me.

This is not the first time I have seen people refuse to give way to an ambulance. On another occasion, I slowed down considerably and moved to the left lane leaving two lanes to my right for an ambulance to overtake but still heard his siren behing me, my RVMs showed what was happening - a Baleno was just behind me and was being driven in the middle of the two lanes - i.e. astride the lane marking line thereby effectively blocking two lanes, I quickly rolled my window down and waved, the ambulance driver guessed my intention and swung behind me, I quickly moved to the right and let him shoot ahead. Of course the Baleno did some crazy antics to overtake me, cut me off and pick a fight - seeing "ARMY" boldly emblazoned on his rear and the tell tale dog chain - I asked the man (can hardly call him a gent) for his name and rank and asked him to provide me with his C.O.s name and telephone number so that I could report that he had refused to make way for an ambulance. He muttered something under his breath and got into his car and drove away.

This happens in the city as well as on the highway. I drive faster than most ambulances can move but if there is one on the highway going in either direction - the only thing to do is move to the extreme left or onto the shoulder and give him enough and more room to go through. Ambulances travelling at a constant speed with everyone giving them right of way will reach the destination faster than any enthusiastic driving with occasional bursts of speed touching 200 kmph.

For anyone who has the question - Why do I do it for ambulances? My answer is - It could very well have been me in that ambulance.

Cheers,

P.S. I reluctantly give way to other "laal batti" + siren vehicles i.e. VIPs but then I quickly pull in behind them and enjoy the traffic free high speed zipping through city in his wake.
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Old 15th October 2009, 22:06   #111
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SafeSteer View Post
But such two wheelers will not be visible to on-coming traffic, neither will they be visible in rear view mirrors. Very dangerous practice.
+1 to that. Happens all the time in Chennai. I have nearly hit two bikers who overtook from the left on the Kathipara flyover, inspite of me putting left indicator while taking the exit to Guindy while coming from the Airport side. Even if a minor brush happens on that road, the person on the two wheeler will be history.
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Old 16th October 2009, 00:17   #112
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aerohit View Post
2 lanes mean 2 lanes, not 4 lanes !!
I have to confess that the squeezing-through thing is one of the things I like about Chennai traffic. It is frustrating, sitting in two neat rows, back in London, knowing that all those cars, in Chennai, would, long since, have found a way through.

However, my liking does not extend to zipping down a left turn lane, only to block it while waiting at the signal to go ahead or right. No way!
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Old 16th October 2009, 01:52   #113
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ravveendrra View Post
It happened to me yesterday. I was stuck in traffic when I suddenly heard a siren and looked in my RVMs to notice an ambulance to my left.
.
.
.
For anyone who has the question - Why do I do it for ambulances? My answer is - It could very well have been me in that ambulance.

Cheers,

P.S. I reluctantly give way to other "laal batti" + siren vehicles i.e. VIPs but then I quickly pull in behind them and enjoy the traffic free high speed zipping through city in his wake.
I know exactly how you feel. It makes my blood boil when jackasses decide that they are in more of a hurry as compared to the dying guy in the ambulance.

I remember once a Lancer was blocking an Ambulance's way (who the hell does that!) just because he was trying to overtake another car. Even after he had done that, he made no special attempts to let the Ambulance pass. I overtook the two cars between us and drove in front of him to push him to the kerb. We had a nice little verbal tussle, at least the ambulance got through.

There is a very busy intersection in Delhi on the outer Ring Road called Madhuban Chowk. There are two hospitals almost adjacent to the busy crossing and invariably people trying to turn right end up in the left most lane. I once saw a guy about 25-26 years old get down from an ambulance and run around crying and pleading to everyone to let the ambulance pass. I hate recollecting that scene.

Please give way to an Ambulance.
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Old 16th October 2009, 13:04   #114
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Enlightening discussion on ambulances. It makes me curious:- do ambulances have right of way at signaled intersections? If an ambulance comes and stops behind me at a traffic signal while it is red and I am on first row (sort of), should I make way for the ambulance?
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Old 16th October 2009, 13:16   #115
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Guite View Post
Enlightening discussion on ambulances. It makes me curious:- do ambulances have right of way at signaled intersections? If an ambulance comes and stops behind me at a traffic signal while it is red and I am on first row (sort of), should I make way for the ambulance?
yes you should. They are allowed to jump the red signal
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Old 16th October 2009, 13:18   #116
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My Fiesta have factory fitted fogs, and I use them when there is heavy rain. I never turn them on un necessarily.

I commute back normally around 7:00pm, and in the short 3km drive, I see at least a few cars with headlamp on high and fogs on. Sometimes HID in the fogs which physically pains the eyes.

Even bikes have HIDs these days, but that is another story.
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Old 16th October 2009, 13:26   #117
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The only way to drive some sense to people is to fix minimum fine to Rs 5,000. That is right, FIVE THOUSAND. In that case, the cop is not going to let him go taking Rs 100. He will demand Rs 3000, which will hurt.

This will also reduce the "pull over first, and then find a fault" type cop behaviour as well.
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Old 16th October 2009, 13:51   #118
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DKG View Post
I make it a point to stop at red. A few go by disregarding the red when they see no one in the oncoming traffic. A few stop seeing me stopped.
It's worse here. I stop at all reds.Pune traffic has degenerated so much that there's scant respect. Bikers just push off if there's no traffic constable. They are followed by auto drivers and then by indicabs and then even qualis, lorries.

Many have abused me for being an "idiot". Once an auto driver started to bang the boot of my car because, I stood in his way in front of a red signal. He wanted me to move ahead so that he could squeeze thru and take a right turn on a red light.
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Old 16th October 2009, 14:50   #119
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MX6 View Post
It's worse here. I stop at all reds.Pune traffic has degenerated so much that there's scant respect. Bikers just push off if there's no traffic constable. They are followed by auto drivers and then by indicabs and then even qualis, lorries.

Many have abused me for being an "idiot". Once an auto driver started to bang the boot of my car because, I stood in his way in front of a red signal. He wanted me to move ahead so that he could squeeze thru and take a right turn on a red light.

Aah, one of those! I run into such idiots often. My remedy for them is to put my car into reverse, let them know what I have done by moving back a bit - and then revv the engine hard and make as if I am going to pop the clutch crushing them under my rear wheels. The expression on their faces is priceless - most cannot believe it and think that they are dealing with a certified nut-case, (which suits me fine).

Once there was this Innova who was in the right most lane in jammed traffic and suddenly decided he needed something from the left so he uses his sheer bulk to cut aross 4 lanes - literally pushing smaller cars out of his way and is in the process of doing the same to my Palio, I roll down my window and give two hard whacks on his door with my fist - the Innova gives off a sound like a broken drum and stops dead. I congratulate the driver on his fantastic music system ("aapka stereo jabardast hai - dhol mast bajta hai"), pop the cluth and move ahead.

@ Guite: If the ambulance is behind you - move aside and let him go. If the ambulance is entering the intersection from another road and it is your turn (on green) - stop and let the ambulance through. Ambulances override everything else on the road.

Last edited by Ravveendrra : 16th October 2009 at 14:56.
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Old 16th October 2009, 15:07   #120
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Guite View Post
Enlightening discussion on ambulances. It makes me curious:- do ambulances have right of way at signaled intersections? If an ambulance comes and stops behind me at a traffic signal while it is red and I am on first row (sort of), should I make way for the ambulance?
Yep you should put on all hazzar signs and go ahead to make way for the ambulance, they have right of way at the signals, but this makes sense only if the ambulance is upto 4 car lengths behind you else, sadly you would have to wait for the guys manning the signal to change yours to green faster, the traffic police have a way of doing it, but somehow, have not seen even them showing any urgency for an ambulance.

An ambulance is even allowed to go in the reverse direction as the traffic or enter a no entry road.
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