[Adorablejim]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WC2FUEmKEu8

I am not sure whether to post this video in a public forum like this. However, I am hard pressed to publicize this video as a protest to such irresponsible driving. A typical example of a skilled driver driving too dangerously. From overspeeding to zero lane discipline, ignoring barricades to steering too close to two wheelers; such rage should be considered as Culpable homicide.

I used the word skilled because he has a thorough understanding of how the vehicle behaves, its performance and how various systems incorprated to such modern machines aide his driving. Nevertheless none of these abilities justify this manner of driving.

Lets have an open discussion

(source : Travel with Subhajit 2.0)

[mygodbole]

Something my guru, who taught me how to correctly ride a bike at high speeds (circa 1982-84, yes Yamdoot 350), said to me: You may be an expert and can avoid a crash. Think, is the other person is equally skilled? Can he/she/they avoid crashing into a third party?

[--gKrish--]

I hope his skill doesn't kill anyone. His DL needs to be revoked before anything untoward happens. Absolutely reckless driving with no concern for anybody's lives. His mannerisms are also odd. I do not think anyone would be surpised if he is found to be on some sort of drugs.

Almost the entire stretch of roads shown in the video have sufficient width to allow smooth flow of traffic. Lane hoggers and reckless drivers like this guy here are the ones who make it dangerous.

It seems road infrastructure is not the primary problem with Indian roads.
Only hefty fines and imprisonment can improve our driving awareness and culture. Those barricades are a stupid idea and seems to defeat the purpose if those were put in place for road 'safety'.

[Abhinav6683]

Well I have seen the large Volvo buses driving and overtaking 3-4 cars in one go in Manali - Delhi mountain stretch. Who is to say they are ' Reckless' / 'Skilled'.
But yeah this guy seems Reckless

[revvharder]

There are a few such videos I've seen, and even I wanted to post one, but I wasn't sure whether I was wrong or they were. And i've finally come to a conclusion and I think it's insane that his license hasn't been suspended, some might call it skill.
I call it sheer dumb luck, why, you can see he is bullying his way on the road, one can clearly see vehicles moving out of his way and what would you do seeing a bus in your IRVM overspeeding and aiming towards you. We have got expressways and highways like other developed countries but drivers are still the same, driving tests are still the same.

Eventually, his luck will run out and he will be responsible not only for risking his own life, but also for other people's.

I also came across another youtuber named Mechanical something where he drove through the narrow roads of village at high speeds and comment section was appalling, people were praising him for his skills and were commenting how they would want to drive like him.

If you're a driver like this, my only suggestion is to post more videos so authorities will find you easier and suspend your licenses and if you have skills then book a track day for your vehicle and when on public roads leave such skills at home.

Also, if someone is on the fence whether these youtubers/drivers are right or wrong, I would ask you one thing, if he were in the US, could he drive like that and get away with it?

[condor]

Dont remember if these Volvo's have ADAS/ Collision avoidance systems. Will be kind of interesting if such a system gets activated when the driver least expects it.

[fhdowntheline]

Just goes to prove that we are an immature automotive society as a whole. It is only because of our new found wealth status (since last 20 years) that we are able to flaunt our so called prowess. It will take a few decades more for people to be enlightened enough to inculcate discipline. Or may be as someone said, we like to be in an organized chaos so we will never be able to achieve that self-discipline.

[Turbohead]

That guy is certainly skilled and knows the dynamics of his vehicle well but his driving is solely based on the assumption that every vehicle in his path will give way with certainty. By the time that assumption is proved wrong, it'll be too late - he might end up in jail but some family is going to lose their loved one forever.

High time driver training and testing is upgraded - we're loosing way too many people on our roads.

[crdi]

Originally Posted by Adorablejim

he has a thorough understanding of how the vehicle behaves, its performance and how various systems incorprated to such modern machines aide his driving.

His instrument of terror: The air horns!
He has a thorough understanding of the exact moment to use it, to maximize the impact. I wonder how these desperados would accomplish their feats without the aid of their 'weapon' of choice.

[GeneralJazz]

This isnt skill, its just plain reckless. Look at how the driver stares down the vehicles that took more than 200 milli seconds to make way for him!

I sincerely hope no one from KSRTC sees this video, they'd pay a kings ransom for this guy!

[Raghu M]

To be frank, my blood boils when I see these videos. They are just idiots who don't even buckle up and just floor the accelerator and drive at high speeds. That to me is no skill at all. They not only put everyone on the road in danger but also risk the passengers lives who trust them. These videos and the ones that show drivers doing mindless snake cuts on ghats. Then you see comments to these videos praising these drivers. All these people should be barred from driving for lifetime.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by Adorablejim

...a protest to such irresponsible driving.
...such rage should be considered as Culpable homicide.
...
Lets have an open discussion

It's difficult to generalize about all bus drivers in India based on this one video. While this bus is certainly driving recklessly and at speeds well over the designated speed limit, the confidence that no penal or disciplinary action would be taken against him lets him drive like that. Add to it the facts that
- he is driving against the clock to reach his destination within a very short time;
- the passengers like this videographer egg him on to drive like that, for the thrill of it;
- the bus has no speed limiter;
- buses like the Scania and Volvo can perform in an outstanding manner, bettering the acceleration and braking ability of many LMVs;
- the driver isn't held responsible for accidental damage to the bus, nor does he pay for it out of his pocket;
- he gets paid more for a greater number of trips per day...

...and we know the reasons why many Indian bus drivers drive like they are on a racetrack.

OTOH, the Volvo / Scania / Mercedes buses that ferry foreigners between Delhi - Agra - Jaipur are some of the most sedately and well-driven buses that one can ever see on our roads. The passengers there would not tolerate any form of compromise to their safety, they pay well, and their blacklisting such a bus operator would mean a huge loss of revenue to the bus fleet owner! Indian concepts of safety, especially road safety, are very different from those of people from First World countries.

[GhostGrid]

It doesn't matter how skilled we are; it only takes one bad day to throw us, along with others, between a well and a ditch. Many of the best programmers, for example, make mistakes, but that doesn't mean they aren't the best. The problem is that they aren't risking people's lives just because they unintentionally made some mistake. There are places where we need both skills and certainty to avoid scr*wing up, but as a believer, I know that sometimes it's not up to us but our fate, which we can't deny or avoid. The thumb rule here is that all we have to do is not 'play' (with an overconfidence of 'I can do anything') with our skills, especially when people are around, whether it's a driver or a pilot or any other field.

We can't deny that there are drivers who have done wonders with their driving skills, but why take risks when other people are involved, especially since we have been losing too many lives in road accidents?

[asmr]

Is it possible that several of these drivers are "encouraged" to show-off their "skills" because they are on camera? It is quite logical to imagine that as a factor that influences such behavior. We can assume that a good portion of them being just bad, high risk taking drivers and we won't be wrong. But even the seasoned folks do tend to show-off, even if it is for a phone camera.

Technically, what he is displaying is not rage, but audacious recklessness.

Seeing the video of a bus accident from Pakistan, where a single motorcycle cutting across sent the bus (which not even going that fast, I believe) to dive down in to a culvert, it is very likely that a fraction of a second slip-up in this type of driving will be extremely bad for everyone in the vicinity of the such an incident, when it transpires. So it is a disaster waiting to happen.

Also, I wonder. How long will these drivers be able to keep up this "edge" and concentration? This would surely be extremely fatiguing on the mind and body. Is this also why I see many of these drivers use some form of gutka or some powder material under their lips etc?

[askakhr]

Its simply unacceptable to drive any vehicle this rashly.Here, this being a bus its a crime to drive like this. There is nothing skill about being reckless, Indian roads can be crowded, congested, and often lack proper infrastructure, making driving a challenging task by in itself. This driver's license must be cancelled and appropriate legal action should be initiated.