[Geo_Ipe]

Cyberabad Police YouTube channel has multiple real life educational videos regarding road safety. Posting one which is apt for this thread. Extremely unfortunate that people have to lose their lives owing only to sheer carelessness.

https://youtu.be/CyLqFwZHufw

Maybe they should consider displaying videos like this on big screens at signals or busy roads.

[AZT]

What a coincidence. This was the headline Mumbai Mid-Day ran with today.

[Porcupine]

I was actually in Bangalore for a couple of weeks last month and was noticing how bizarre it was. But after that I started noticing it in Mumbai too (though not nearly as much). The problem is there's no real solution.

Laws can be enforced, but there won't be a cop everywhere to stop it. Cameras can be installed, but we simply don't have the resources or infrastructure to have them everywhere. Even in Europe and the Middle East, there are patches with no cameras where drivers flout the rules.

[mvadg]

LOL. This indiscipline has been carefully inculcated in Indian drivers by the police themselves. You need to ask why behavior modification experts are creating such people.

It's a simple matter to fix this and many other such issues, but without a clear directive from those who have the power to initiate this change, NOTHING will happen.

[RaghuVis]

I recently moved to Pune from Kochi and my god it's a pandemic of the largest scale.

First few weeks, I did not have a vehicle and was relying on Autos and I really thought that the service roads, especially under bridges were open for both ways. finally when I got into a car with a colleague and he took a longer route is when I realized I have been travelling illegally all this while. They don't even leave big flyovers or even bridges! And it's not just two-wheelers or autos. I saw a mini lorry on the wrong side of the flyover happily driving away with no remorse.

I have never seen such large-scale wrong side driving ever in Kerala!

PS: Blaming the government is the laziest thing to do here.

[mygodbole]

An international driving permit issued by the RTO can be used for right-hand-drive and left-hand-drive vehicles. In Pune at least, most people have an 'intentional' driving permit, issued by their own sense of entitlement. My way, or the highway?

On a more serious note, has any one ever had the gumption to challenge these morons? I did -- once. Was threatened with physical violence, and the coward in me prevailed; I apologised profusely and beat a hasty retreat. Never again, I promised myself.

[Arun Varma]

Generalization alert! We don't obey the road rules by and large!

The topic of this thread is driving on the wrong side, and the angst is justified, but if we step back and look big picture, I think violating traffic rules is pretty universal.

Some I can think of are driving over the speed limit, reckless (enthusiastic) driving, dangerous overtaking maneuvers (including on bridges/curves), lights, horns and exhausts that are outside of regulation, incomprehensible (fancy) number plates, bribes to get things expeditiously at RTOs and so on. I am sure I've missed out on many more.

I am not saying everyone breaks all the rules all the time, but I think if we are honest enough with ourselves, many would be guilty of doing some of the things listed above, at least some of the time. And these 'somethings at some times' (with due justifications, of course) add up, and with a country our size and population, it becomes widespread.

I think abiding by the rules should have no exceptions. If we have exceptions for ourselves for some reasons and on some issues, I am sure that others will find enough justifications for others.

Considering how powerful this forum is from both numbers and people with influence, if we can start by advocating and the practice of abiding by ALL rules, the needle will slowly but surely move.

Just a thought.

[livetodrive]

Opposite lane driving should result in immediate vehicle impound. I shiver in the thought when I join a junction to take a right turn. And I realise I should have checked my left before crossing the road !!! Means I need to unlearn and reprogram my brain everytime while crossing a road which is simply ridiculous.

Issue definitely is not confined to one city, I have worked in Pune Bangalore and Hyderabad extensively in past 10 years, the menace is everywhere.

I get pissed off and don't spare these fanatics who doesn't care other people's lives to save a minute or two. Many a times I simply stop my vehicle in front of them, it's my way and my road. If you want to drive , you can come reverse but you can't drive in opposite direction.

[bullitt1]

How about a cure like this.

The only way to bring some discipline is to hit a human being's weakness i.,e ego and money.

[Brumby]

This issue cannot be addressed unless the authorities resort to enforce strict penalties to each and every offender.

I fail to understand why they turn a blind eye to the rickshaws, taxis, food delivery guys and other two wheeler riders.

The Ola/Uber drivers and rickshaws are a menace on the road. The people who write, "Keep Safe Distance" refrain themselves to do so

Once I confronted a swiggy guy coming on the wrong side and the reply was, "Company petrol ka paisa nahin deti" (company is not paying for the petrol), I was like, if you cannot afford to fill fuel in your bike why do you even have it. Since my 15 yr old son was with me and he kept on saying, "papa let it be, leave it, let's go", I had to control myself and move on.

I am really frustrated while driving these days. I have seen traffic police ignoring these offenders probably out of concern for the passengers in taxis/rickshaws and really do not know the reason for letting go the two wheeler riders.

Hope things get better soon.

[DicKy]

Originally Posted by Arun Varma

The topic of this thread is driving on the wrong side, and the angst is justified, but if we step back and look big picture, I think violating traffic rules is pretty universal.....Some I can think of are driving over the speed limit, reckless (enthusiastic) driving, dangerous overtaking maneuvers (including on bridges/curves), lights, horns and exhausts that are outside of regulation, incomprehensible (fancy) number plates, bribes to get things expeditiously at RTOs and so on. I am sure I've missed out on many more.

Wrong is a wrong. But there is some difference between wrongs. Killing is not equal to bodily harm even if both are crimes. On another thread it was shared that some countries have different penalty levels for red light running. Crossing a red light within 1 second of the light turning red is less of a crime than crossing the redlight after 1 second.

Ofcourse, wrong is a wrong. But riding/driving in the opposite flow of traffic is the most dangerous of all. We can all agree that even if our roads are chaotic, the one thing that is universal is driving on the left. What if a person starts driving on the right? That would be far more dangerous than driving 5km/h over the speed limit or having an aftermarket loud exhaust.\
My 2 paisa.

[luvDriving]

It's not a pandemic anymore here in Pune. This behavior has become a part of every (bad) driver's DNA which is passed on as their young children watch their parents drive atrociously.

Once someone reaches the main road from his/her lane, if they need to go right and there is a divider which means they either have to turn left and take a U turn at the next break or signal - they simply turn right, go against the flow and cross over at the first opportunity.

Two wheelers, school buses/vans/rickshaws, goods vehicles - no matter how big the vehicle is, this is exactly what they will do. Earlier I used to stop people, reason with them, block their way, etc but now I have realized that all such actions only cause grief for me and they proceed merrily on their way.

[am1m]

Riding in Bangalore after being elsewhere, mainly in smaller towns for about 8 months. It's like a video game! Already getting back in the groove, but the first few days, felt really unsafe (and that's after 20+ years of using the bike in Bangalore!). Breaking the rules and lack of common sense is just too common. I've even given up getting in to arguments, just let it go, it's all over the place and too commonplace now.

The saving grace is working from home, so I can avoid venturing out during peak hours and usually plan my visits to places around metro stations. But even that short ride to and from the metro station and home, so many violations I see and just have to get used to. It's crazy. The car I take out perhaps once a month in Bangalore, don't have the patience to drive here anymore.

The cops have done a great job cracking down on drunken driving. I remember having a couple of drinks and riding back home quite often in the early 2000s without any fear of getting stopped (I was also an idiot back then for doing that!). Past 5 years, there's no way I would take that chance- almost certainly going to get stopped at at least 2-3 places on the way back home for checks. So enforcement when done strictly and consistently works. Hope they crack down on the next most serious offence in the same manner - wrong side riding. Then red light running, footpath riding, obstructive parking.

[Kapany]

Originally Posted by am1m

So enforcement when done strictly and consistently works. Hope they crack down on the next most serious offence in the same manner - wrong side riding. Then red light running, footpath riding, obstructive parking.

Completely agree with this. Anyone saying that we can’t blame authorities should note how quickly most people stopped drunken driving and started wearing seatbelts when cops started to crack down on these two things. Same resolve to punish is needed for driving on the wrong side. Unfortunately a lot of people react better to fines and penalties than to courtesy and roadside manners.

[Meph1st0]

What is wrong with the service roads near Nagasandra. I drove there this weekend and was shocked to see traffic moving entirely on the opposite lanes (like in US) on both the service roads. Feels really weird and scary to drive especially at night.