[RunGaDa]

There’s no silver bullet dealing with unruly drivers in India. But there is one simple rule. Don’t get intimidated, no matter what. You are into this on your own. Aside swipe, corner hit or worse a straight hit is going to beat headache with police case, insurance company, getting fixed at the service center, their fleecing. To avoid all that Tia certain extent - which I believe is 90% you can keep cool.
Let the unruly have their way without you breaking the rule. Keep cool and in fact I suggest smile if you are faced with angry eye contact.
Let them be confused.
Your only intent should be to reach your destination safe and secure.

[rishi.roger]

This will sound a bit off-the book but Guess what I do ? I only take my car out on highways or open roads.
When it comes to City, I use public transport. Not only it helps with the traffic and sustainability but also with keeping the occasional expenses low. Mind you, driving any petrol powered car in city is expensive than taking a taxi.
I go out on my own car mostly when its 2+ people.
(1. In case of a fight, I will have someone to back me up.
2. Fuel efficiency comes into play.
3. Intimidating to other drivers who intend to pick on you.
4. Somebody is always there to help get out of difficult and tight spots and keep an eye out on mad drivers. )

I'm in Delhi from over a Decade and I think no matter how hard you try, if you drive daily..you are likely to get into an incident one day or the other. Too much rage out here. Its worth avoiding driving as much you can particularly in notorious areas.

Also, I honestly do not see a point why people would roam around with 2.5 ton vehicle for 1 user, but guess what, Money!!! Every one nowadays has those in reserve so it doesn't hurt anyone individually to drive a big fat SUV. It sure is getting worse everyday as the number of rich people who could afford a car is increasing. Can't imagine what Indian roads would look like when everyone ends up with one! ��
Public transport, at least for city!

[SatishChour]

I used to be one of those drivers who liked driving fast. Slow-moving traffic on an empty road really frustrated me and I would do my best to overtake such a car without causing trouble. However, many times, the very same slow-moving car would speed up when I tried to overtake, which would add to my frustration.

I moved to England last year, and even with 20 years of driving experience, I struggled to keep up with the traffic.
With 7-8 hours of driving classes and the process of getting my UK Driving license really helped me become a more mature and calm driver.
It has been more than 1 year of driving now, and I have never felt any anger, rage or frustration when driving.

Some basic things that everyone here follows,

• The road does not belong to me alone.

• The order of priority on the road is inversely proportional to the size of your vehicle i.e., Pedestrian > Cyclist > 2 Wheeler > 4 Wheeler. This list is the other way around in India.

• Everyone follows the rules, with no exceptions.

• The only way you can overtake is if you break the speed limit, as everyone is already driving at the limit.

• Everyone respects the other on the road.

I think the root cause for all the road rage in India is,

• Lack of training for new/old drivers, the process of getting DL should be revamped. For example, most of them in England learn to drive when they are 16-17, and they go through a minimum of 50 hours of rigourous driving sessions

• Bad roads - resulting in slow-moving traffic, adding to the frustration

• Bad traffic management

• No clear rules or markings on the road - results in lack of discipline

With the number of new drivers getting added to the roads without proper training, road rage is bound to keep increasing.
I think it is high time the Driving License process gets a major revamp with more strict theory and practical tests and better driving classes.

[vjbox]

Over the course of years, I have learnt to get adapted to reckless drivers on highways. You dont quite come across them often on city roads as they all move in an uniform pace in peak traffic but out on the free ways, its a different story with India. Its not the Big cars = Big Ego any more, its Small car = Biggest Ego. These guys come in the form of Altos, Swifts, i20s etc and are ready to prove you ( if you happen to drive a bigger car) that their vehicles are ready to race you and some how prove that their cars are equally if not more capable. The other day, during my routine return trip from Coimbatore to Chennai in our Kodiaq, we were relentlessly pursued by a guy in Swift Dzire and I kept calmly let him pass who had this grin on his face that his car and skills were a notch above. Its as though they are being given a medal in the next Toll Booth for taking on bigger/powerful cars. And you know what, these are the exact jokers who cause mishaps on highways. Since their brain is fully busy in constant risky overtakes, it only takes a second for a disaster to happen. Dont even get me started with some of those Jokers on Innovas and Fortuners plying their politico leaders. They are from a different league and I wont even touch them with a barge pole!

If this is one kind, the other kind is where the same guys pull those expensive overtake maneuvers on two way roads where you end up slowing down considerably for them to pass form opposite. No offense to some of those smaller cars but they just don't produce enough grunt to pull off those overtaking safely especially if they need to cover a trailer length distance. But in their mind, they will be feeling like a Hero in such circumstances.

Whats my solution ? Keep clam and listen to music ( the reason I prefer my cars to have top class audio setup) The music drowns me and I am no more irked by such clowns. Of course when you have the right company, conversation and humor makes it all the more better! Like someone rightly pointed out, its not our job to teach these clowns a lesson, they will hopefully get punished in someway, some day. But its our responsibility to ensure we are safely driving and watching out for anyone close by.

[speedracer05]

Poor road infrastructure + overpopulation + bad road manners = Horrible driving experience in cities. This is our reality, we got to accept that.

Having said that, I do a few things to minimize my stress in traffic -

• I avoid driving during peak hours and rely on delivery services and drivers whenever I can.
• I try to find establishments with good road connectivity and parking for errands, restaurants, shopping, etc.
• I have always rented flats that have good road connectivity. Some areas are particularly bad in terms of road infrastructure and driving manners, I very consciously avoid driving through them.
• I have always prioritized an automatic car with good seats and interiors (current stable consists of City AT and Octavia DSG). I absolutely do not mind being stuck in bad traffic listening to music or audio books in my Octavia
• Practice defensive driving (generously expanding the term here) -
  • Let the aggressive drivers pass, even if you hold them off for a bit, they will eventually squeeze through.
  • Expect the worst - buses are bullies, cabs don't care, two-wheelers will always cut you off, many will turn from the wrong side and cut you off, etc. I just expect them to happen and factor them into my cautious driving.
  • Always allow enough space (>120%) or too little space (<70%) for overtakes. If there is 90% space, they will try to squeeze you out and overtake. I sometimes consciously take up a little more space in the lane to discourage a tricky overtake by eager drivers behind me.
  • Always keep enough time buffer, a bit of delay due to traffic jams or bad driving will not stress you out.

[silverado]

I am a mumbaikar who has settled down in pune since last 10 years. Initially when i came to Pune, it was very difficult for me to accept the driving pattern. Wrong side driving was ( and it still is ) rampant, two wheelers riders were careless etc etc.

I used to lose my temper at every wrong side driver!
Eventually i realised i cant fight with everyone and this behaviour of mine was strongly not accepted by my family.
There were times when i would block the wrong side driver deliberately, but act like a fool to make him feel i did it by mistake.

Now i do my best to stick to my driving and not get upset about way others are behaving. MY MENTAL PEACE matters the most to me now!

If ever you want to send a message across, its best to do it politely and with a smile. It works most of the time.
No one todays wants to be coached about driving by a stranger, so its best to gulp down your ego and move on.

[svsantosh]

Originally Posted by sumeethaldankar

...I like to play a little mental game....

Sharing this post in all my whatsapp groups. PS - I do a similar mental thing, I think all those guys are either 1 second from peeing in their underpants or poop! I imagine Peeing for car driver in their chilled out AC, and #2 for the bikers and their left/right body balancing techniques trying to control their final 2 sphincters.

Originally Posted by Small Bot

For comedic effect, you can try mooing too. Helps to put your mind in a better place. Repeat after me: Moooo.

My car windscreen right above my eyelevel is getting this sticker soon (in a small print enough not to distract me)...

'Calm down and say Mooooo!'

[BusCar]

I can closely relate to this thread. Be it driving a 2-wheeler or 4-wheeler, it is difficult to remain calm. Sometimes even Family members get stressed due to irrate driving by road Users, behaviour of walking people.
Being a sedate Driver, i try to think that i am a Elephant who can move at certain pace. Sometimes counting numbers helps.
Giving way to people for overtaking, and oncoming vehicles on small roads, also helps. But still i am in the Learning curve.
There are Memes stating that in certain places you will by default have Good thoughts, and while Driving, bad words will come to mind inadvertently.
Members have given good suggestions. Will try to use some of them as well.

[hortons15]

Originally Posted by GTO

When I'm driving the 530d or Superb around Bombay (especially the haphazard suburbs), everyone + their dog + their uncle cuts me. No one gives me right of way.

Apart from getting cut off and squeezed into tight situations by almost all vehicles, it's the "turn-back and stare" that gets me. When you're in a nicer, bigger car it's like an expectation for you to immediately give way to scooter-uncles/aunties, RE riders, bike-goons, autos and smaller cars (in a hurry to get to their appointments way more important than mine), and I get the "get out of the way you joy-rider" look - but all these problems automatically disappear when I'm in a Creta/MG Hector/Fortuner and there is mutual respect all around But this happens mostly in smaller towns in my experience.

[drive.helios]

I could sum up my experience of dealing with this chaos for Last 20 months in a small poem.

In the realm of roads, where chaos unfolds,
A novice driver, tales to be told.
Just a year and a half behind the wheel,
Yet holding a license, a decade's appeal.

Guiding a brother, a duty to bear,
Motherly instincts in the traffic's lair.
"Slow down," I say, let rivals pass by,
No need to compete, let road wars die.

But there emerge, morons untamed,
No sense of safety, no road rules claimed.
In most cases, temper I'd quell,
Let them pass, slow music's gentle spell.

Yet on a journey 'neath Bengaluru's sky,
A Honda city driver, antics awry.
Honking, passing, slowing with glee,
My patience waned, words set free.

At a pit stop, our paths aligned,
Words exchanged, frustrations combined.
Another night, post-movie's glow,
Overtaking a Scorpio in a midnight's flow.

Middle of the road, a sudden stop,
I navigate left helplessly ,through the dark I hop.
Flashing dippers, brights on display,
Mother mode woken, I found my calm back

Special breed, oblivious and bold,
Wrong lanes chosen, their stories unfold.
No low beams, just blinding light,
Dreams of Wings on my car, an unrealistic flight.

Thoughts of flashing beams, torching bright,
But mother mode kicks in, a peaceful night.
In the chaos of roads, patience I find,
Dealing with unruly drivers, a journey defined.

[true_sedan]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

I was in no mood to act like a saint for this rogue. He may have never learnt a lesson but for sure he may realise that at times you just cannot get away with whatever you please. He didnt even spare the school bus that was planning to turn right at the railway underpass.

What the seltos driver did was wrong but strongly disagree with what you did here. Please never try to teach someone driving rashly on road a lesson. Because to teach him/her a lesson you automatically turn into that aggressive driver. Blocking the road, speeding up to not allow the rash driver from overtaking and honking are some of the symptoms. These only enrage the driver to drive more rash and endanger everyone around them. Always keep calm and let the madman pass.

[Daigo T]

Originally Posted by BrakeDancer

Yeah, sorry. I don't really buy into 'drive the SUV and watch everyone get disciplined suddenly'

I agree with your first paragraph. If I have enough space I try to let these guys overtake me. I do not want to confront them and disturb my peace of mind.

[Sandegov]

Sharing this video that I came across sometime back and completely agree with

https://youtube.com/watch?v=tVTyrKnQ...njzPZfPEyS5R3K

[pg2003]

When at road i always follow the philosophy "Jaane walo ko kaun rok saka hai" if some moron wants to overtake me, I give space if available, otherwise let them do so on their own vehicle's merit.

Just today had an idiot in celario who jumped the traffic signal and sped through a miniscule gap from left between my Aura and an E rickshaw of all things, and just like i20 of earlier, became 'model' driver as soon as he squeezed in before my car.

Was driving with better half, and she was like jaane do jyada jaldi lagti hai isko.

[rooster.ram]

Originally Posted by sumeethaldankar

I pretend the reckless driver is actually an ambulance speedster on a mission to save lives. As for those zippy two-wheelers, in my imagination, they're the dedicated kidney couriers, determined to deliver life-saving organs to the hospital in record time . It's my way of finding humor in the chaos of the road.

Exactly my thoughts, I always say to my co-driver that these Speedsters have to reach to hospital ASAP.

However, more problematic is to deal with slow drivers in the fastest lane on highways. I am regular commutant on EEHW (Mumbai) where daily someone would be driving at the same speed as the bus in the adjacent lane, that too when lane ahead of him is available for good speed. This happens on the Mum-Pune EW too. Phew, you are stuck watching vehicles passing on your left even when you are in fast lane. Lane discipline is important for heavy and light vehicles alike. There is no other way to deal with this than to keep patience and shift lanes when you have enough space.