[fiat_tarun]

Originally Posted by GutsyGibbon

Just curious, and playing the devil's advocate here. You knew he wanted to merge into your lane. You are blocking someone on purpose. Isn't that looking for confrontation? You could have let him go on, merged left and sped off...

Well like the saying hindsight is 20/20, looking back now I also feel the same way. I genuinely try to be patient accepting this is how people drive, however in this case it took me some time to figure out what was happening and that he was ticked off.

This is a highway (Hinjewadi bridge at Wakad for people who know) and it is a straight road from here. There is no right turn ahead that you expect people to stay in the right lane. This guy has no indicators on, has the lane in front of him free but still wants to come to the right lane then and there. Only when he later kept trying to block me did I realise what was happening and backed off. As he stared back at me, I just smiled and gestered to please cut in and go as he pleases. Anyway he stayed in the centre lane, got stuck and I happily drove off.

While this is no way close to what the OP went through, it's hard to predict what sets people off on the road and this is one such example. If it was one of the inner roads, maybe he would have tried stopping me just judging by his reaction. Better safe than sorry, so practice defensive driving as much as practically possible is all one can do I guess.

[fhdowntheline]

A very off beat sounding point, but relevant nevertheless- the youth of the country (perhaps the world over) need to undergo strenous physical work early in their life. That smoothens out any rough edges that they may have. Targeting people driving cars has become an easy picking, in addition to this, there is this phenomenon of damaging random public vehicles like parked cars, bikes over petty issues that is now rampant in certain parts of Pune region for example. Then there's mollycoddling by law enforcement agencies for the fear of violating human rights abuse or political interference. In the old days, a few whacks from the police danda were good enough to send the message across. Now, people may cry foul citing class, caste and what-not. And some activists are only happy to earn a living off this.

[roadrunner_nv]

The incident is alarming and it's good to hear that one of them has been nabbed. Such incidents of road rage are growing in almost every town. Reason? Large population, inadequate infrastructure, no governance and lawless culture.

Population most certainly saps all resources and with mass transport system being woefully inadequate, it is the roads that bear a warzone.
I just love it how Singapore studied the density of traffic vis-a-vis available infrastructure and banned new cars on roads. Such a step might be detrimental to our economy but I'm sure there are ways.

[Thilak29]

Update

Police has informed me that both accused are under their custody. I’ve been asked to visit station today.

[sub.g84]

Originally Posted by Thilak29

Update

Police has informed me that both accused are under their custody. I’ve been asked to visit station today.

It was quite shocking indeed to even see the videos at the way they attacked you. Glad to hear that you are safe. I pray for your speedy recovery.

Good to know that the cops were able to catch both the accused. I hope the culprits get the necessary punishment and this is going to bring in an early closure to the incident.

[VKumar]

Normally I am among the violent ones who come out of the car immediately with something from under the seat in the hand if anything like this happens. Sorry to hear about the ordeal Thilak, looks like a case of mistaken identity to me. If they wanted the laptop or something else from the rear seat, they had already shocked you enough to have quickly taken it out - the surrounding public was any way indifferent (That shows where the 'educated' society is heading).

Only once it happened that I decided not to lose my composure, amazingly that day I got it completely recorded on the dash cam. But in my case, another party had to go through probably 100x the ordeal they gave to me, thanks to some people who are seated at right places. Here it is, in fact it was a 50+ aged uncle and his similarly aged 3 colleagues; who wanted the road rage. Stopped their car in the middle of the road - and got challaned!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5mDeHc5Et0

[rakesh_r]

Originally Posted by Thilak29

Update

Police has informed me that both accused are under their custody. I’ve been asked to visit station today.

Glad to note,

A couple of years back I attended one of those Driving classes held by my organization. The trainer emphasized two points, very heavily-
1- Defensive driving
2- At any cost do not stare

It took me some time to practice. As someone mentioned couple of posts above, better to follow the "Law of the Garbage Truck".

[balenoed_]

Originally Posted by Thilak29

Update

Police has informed me that both accused are under their custody. I’ve been asked to visit station today.

Hurray! If you get a chance, please take a picture of them and post here.

Assuming they will be put on trial and punished as per law (too optimistic huh..? ) and will not close the case just with a handshake and tea.

[gkveda]

Originally Posted by Thilak29

Update

Police has informed me that both accused are under their custody. I’ve been asked to visit station today.

Great news ! ! and a big Applause to Karnataka police to catch those scoundrels within 2-3 days of the event.

My suggestion and sincere request is, at any cost, do not go for compromise.

Request to Fight out the case legally along with lawyer and show them a logical end of their behavior.

[SoumenD]

Originally Posted by Thilak29

Update

Police has informed me that both accused are under their custody. I’ve been asked to visit station today.

Sorry to hear about your ordeal Thilak. Hope you & the car get well soon.

Kudos to Bangalore police for nabbing them in 2-3 days. Not to mention dash-cam had a vital role to play. Am sure they had no idea of it(the cam) being present & would have thought they can do their thing, get some sadistic pleasure and vanish in the vast population as always.

While at the cop-station can you try and check what's the reason that got them triggered that way? I have seen people often being hyper on roads (not just bangalore but Kolkata, Pune, Mumbai etc as well), but that's usually restricted to verbal confrontations unless something serious has happened. Here is it a case of 'mistaken identity'?

Lastly, please don't settle for any compromise. They need to learn a lesson strong enough, that they & folks in their circle don't dare such heroics anymore.


Edit :

Originally Posted by bvasista

Instead of stopping, the auto was slowly scratching my left rear view mirror and then he stopped finally. .

This is so common everywhere in India and I had faced in my earlier car. That's the reason I made it a point to have electric mirrors on my new vehicle. Now I often end up closing them on the go when such idiots come too close. They usually don't hit the body, but mirrors have no respect in their eyes

[bvasista]

I have been following this thread keenly and glad to know from Mr. Thilak that they have been caught and now under custody. Hope you a speedy recovery and as many people mentioned, this could be a isolated bad incident that you have faced.

However defensive we may drive, there would be some instances where things can trigger us especially when something happens for no fault of ours.

Couple of days back in Chennai - Mount road, I was waiting at a traffic signal and beside me was a city bus. There was space between us convenient enough but definitely not for an auto. I was watching in my left rear view mirror an auto squeezing through gaps and closing in on to the space beside my car and bus. I know that it is impossible for him to make through between the bus and me, and was waiting for him to stop. Seeing him coming much closer and not in a mood to stop, I was already honking to get his attention and signal him to stop. Instead of stopping, the auto was slowly scratching my left rear view mirror and then he stopped finally. I was really pissed off, did not open my window, I only signaled by giving a hand gesture - why? He started shouting at me to move forward since I have some space ahead (usually I will leave a little space between the car ahead of me and do not stop inches before the rear) as though I did some mistake here. I wanted to yell back at him in my broken Tamil and in my mind started searching for the words to frame a sentence. I realized after staring him for a good 10 seconds that:

1. No point of shouting back at him in my broken Tamil - it may trigger something else if he comes to know that I am not a local even though I drive a TN registered car. By the way, I am living in Chennai by now for almost 2 years. I would still be considered as a non local if I cannot abuse/shout fluently in local language.
2. There would be no difference between him and me if we shout at each other. I read in this forum once in a thread - a father of BHPian advised while BHPian was driving that if the other guy had the same maturity as we did, there is no reason that his aggression would have showed up and would have driven sanely.
3. In addition to my existing front dash cam, probably I should invest in multiple cams (?!!) to record all the sides of my car.

Spinelessly, without saying a word, turned my eyes towards the road and inched forward while the signal being still red. He crossed me and waited just ahead to the left of me. After the signal turned green, even with my normal speed, I crossed the auto in a second. I do not what what he conquered after making through the gap.

Note: I can never understand why majority of the road users have the itch to squeeze through the gaps, inch forward and conquer the tiny spaces to the maximum extent and also cross the stopping line sometimes hindering the flow of traffic coming from the opposite side.

[Nempuguru]

Good to hear this. They have taken action very quickly.

Also, must appreciate you for handling the situation calmly and providing the proofs to authority. This made all the difference.

Be safe for some more days and avoid traveling alone if possible.

Saw this news coverage in today's local news paper (Udayavani main edition).

Originally Posted by Thilak29

Update

Police has informed me that both accused are under their custody. I’ve been asked to visit station today.

[charanreddy]

Please make sure to engage a good lawyer and fight it. Chances are police will engage a public prosecutor who will be least interested in punishing the accused and will be very impressionable with the right incentive ($$). These people will try to get bail from the court at the first hearing only. Make sure to get your lawyer file strong objections at every juncture. Also inquire if this is a repeat offence. Please also make sure police dont water down the case in their Final Report.

One of the reasons people commit repeat offences with impunity is that they know courts and law can be manipulated. What they dont know is that if the complainant is strong, then its really tough to catch a break.

[svsantosh]

Originally Posted by Thilak29

Update

Police has informed me that both accused are under their custody. I’ve been asked to visit station today.

Broken glass is 'misdemeanor'

Broken hand is 'Attempt to Kill' - Section 307

Please let us know if we can crowd fund your (very able) public prosecutor and teach all road-rage heroes a lesson!

Chapter.01 : '......Upto 10 years'

[tazmaan]

Originally Posted by Thilak29

Update

Police has informed me that both accused are under their custody. I’ve been asked to visit station today.

Thats great news. With this incident being in media cops were swift and will hopefully make a proper report.

OT: I do have dash cam but now with these types of goons realizing that we have dash cams what will stop them from adopting and snatching/destroying the dash cam from the car.