[SS-Traveller]

Aristotle the legendary Greek philosopher said, “Man is by nature a social animal.” Man cannot live alone. He must satisfy certain natural basic needs in order to survive. He has to enter into relationships with his fellow men for living a life. No man can break the shackles of mutual dependence. (Link)

Driving safely is dependent on establishing relationships and communicating with your fellow road users as well. But the modern car only allows limited means of communication with others, using two basic modes:

1. Lights
2. Sound

In addition, we in India have improvised a few other communication methods that are not in use in the rest of the world, and I shall describe those at the end.

So how do we go about using these communication tools, as well as recognize when others are using them? And why do we need to communicate at all?

[SS-Traveller]

1(a) Lights: Your indicators

A vehicle is expected to go straight and follow its lane. Any deviation from that course needs to be communicated to others behind and ahead of the vehicle. The only means available to do so is the indicators on each side (and no, turning on the indicators on both sides, i.e. the hazard lights, does not mean you are going straight!).

Indicators should compulsorily be used both to execute a turn, and when changing lanes.

The minimum time gap between turning on your indicator in a particular direction to alert others in the vicinity, and actually changing direction should be at least 3 seconds, or 3-5 flashes of the indicator light.

Why indicate? Because it is necessary to announce your intention to turn or deviate from your path well in advance, so that others can take avoidance measures to avoid crashing into you. This does not mean that you ignore the necessity of checking your surroundings visually, including mirror checks and shoulder checks.

[SS-Traveller]

1(b) Lights: Your hazard lights

Much has been discussed relating to the use of hazard lights, and how people use them in situations where they are not to be used. In short, DO NOT use your hazard lights in reduced visibility conditions, such as rain or fog, while driving. Use them only when your vehicle is stopped in an emergency, or broken down in a hazardous position.

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

CORRECT USE OF HAZARD LIGHTS IN FOG:

DO NOT use your hazard lights in reduced visibility conditions while driving. Use them only when your vehicle is stopped, regardless of the weather conditions. The purpose of these flashing lights is to warn other drivers about the existence of your vehicle as a hazard to others driving past it, OR to warn others of a hazard ahead that you can see, but which may not be visible to them.

…

Also read: Avoid using hazard lights during fog.

In the situation that you have a car that is not equipped with fog lamps (and you do not wish to spend the paltry sum required to fix fog lamps anytime in the future), but you are travelling on a fog-bound road, you can switch on your hazard lights, only until you are sure that a vehicle coming up behind you has noticed you and slowed down sufficiently.

And why should we not use hazard lights while driving?

Under no circumstance should you continue to use hazard lights while another car is continuously following you. This may lead to "moth-effect", especially at night, and your vehicle would be the worse off if the vehicle behind you just happens to be a truck with an inebriated driver at the wheel (inebriated drivers suffer from greater "moth effect").

Also read: 'The moth effect' endangers motorists.

In addition, if you incorrectly activate your hazard lights, you are handicapped in your ability to signal your intention to turn and / or make lane changes.

[SS-Traveller]

1(c) Lights: Your brake lights

The most frequently used, most visible, most important, unknowingly used, forgotten, often not regularly checked for failure, and improperly used communication tool in your car are the brake lights. Every time the brake pedal is pressed, even lightly enough not to activate the brakes, those lamps light up.

Well, what's so special about them, you might say. If I brake, they glow, so everyone behind knows I'm braking.

Making the brake lights glow without actually decelerating your car sharply every time, warns the following vehicle to stop accelerating and prepare to slow down and stop if required.

The trick in using the brake pedal to "talk" to the car behind, is called the TFS technique.

T = Touch: When your foot comes off the accelerator pedal, it should always automatically move to the brake pedal and touch it every time, without pushing it in at all. Developing this habit, especially in automatic transmission cars, prevents panic acceleration and a runaway car crash. Read this - this was an automatic transmission car, where the driver confused the A- and B-pedals.

F = Freeze: Develop the habit of pushing in the brake pedal slightly and freeze your foot in that position, so that the brake lights are glowing, but the hydraulic system is not activated (and the car is not slowing down significantly). This is your communication to the vehicle behind to get off his A-pedal and prepare to slow down.

S = Squeeze: This is the time when the hydraulic system is actuated, the brakes are applied, and your car is slowing rapidly. Practise squeezing the B-pedal gradually with incremental force, rather than jamming your foot hard on the pedal at the onset.

Why follow TFS and not just apply the brakes? An early warning of a few seconds to the vehicle behind to slow down saves you from being rear-ended.

When stopped at a traffic light without any vehicle behind you, hold the brake pedal to keep the brake lights lit up - this tells the car coming up behind that there is a car stopped ahead, and not to try to rush through even if the light has just turned green. At night, with another car stopped behind you, take your foot off the brake pedal and hold the car on handbrake, because the glare from the brake lamps is bright enough to hurt their eyes - a little politeness & courtesy never hurt anyone.

[SS-Traveller]

1(d) Lights: Your headlights

Apart from lighting up the path ahead in times of darkness, the only communication your headlights are supposed to perform is to announce, I am here! As is obvious from the photo above, a vehicle driving without headlights in heavy rain or fog is almost invisible to another driver, compared to those that have their headlights on. DRLs in most newer cars mitigate the invisibility factor to some extent in adverse weather, but it is always wiser to turn on the headlights (and simultaneously the tail lights) when the weather is poor.

Headlight flash: Flashing your headlights at another car conveys certain messages. When coming up behind a slower car, one or two quick flashes are supposed to convey the message of Please let me overtake. However, asking for passage to overtake is not a formal signal any more, and it is dependent on the decision of the driver of the car ahead, whether he can allow you space to move ahead. If he does not give Similarly, a wave of the right hand, indicating You can overtake me is also not a legal signal any more around the world, because the decision about whether you can overtake safely or not, rests entirely on you and not on the vehicle being overtaken.

Internationally, a quick flash of the headlights to an oncoming car also means You can come forward, I'm waiting for you and giving you way. This is not the same message conveyed in India, where repeated flashes of the headlights tells the other person Give me way, get out of my way, or else suffer the consequences! Very rapid repeated flashes (along with continuous honking) by a tailgater attempting to overtake indicates a driver who is not in full control of his vehicle, who is driving full throttle and unwilling to brake.

https://youtu.be/m1kjJbwKnZ0

Rarely, a quick headlight flash from an oncoming car on the highway also conveys the message that there is a police speed trap ahead of you.

[SS-Traveller]

2. Sound: Your horn

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

The horn is perhaps the most abused component of a car in India. Around the world, use of the horn is considered impolite; in India, being impolite is a way of life! While a short beep of the horn as a warning to unmindful pedestrians and cyclists to announce your presence is quite acceptable, holding down the horn button continuously is an expression of anger & frustration. For many, upgrading their OE horns to a louder set is a primary requirement immediately after buying a car, as if they need to convey the discontent & annoyance at home or work, by screaming at every other unknown road user.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LaIJTlHgGs

[SS-Traveller]

Unconventional Communications Specific to India

Hazard lights on in fog/rain: I might crash and burn, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Hazard lights on at a crossroads: I am going straight.

Hazard lights on when parked: I am blocking the road but pretending to have broken down.

Usage of tree branches, plants, bricks & rocks to demarcate a stationary vehicle: My car has really broken down!

Right indicator on highway without junctions: You can overtake me.

Left indicator on highway without junctions: Pull in behind me, there’s no space to pass; or you can overtake me from the left.

Knowing & understanding the signalling language that other drivers use is an advantage, and can help you to drive in a low-risk and safe manner. However, using such signalling can confuse other drivers, if used randomly. It is therefore preferable not to use unconventional signalling except in the rare situations where not using them may compromise your safety.

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[sumeethaldankar]

Awesome thread. I always believed that driving is 60% skill and 40% communication. The horn, lights, the hand signals, road signs, lane markings etc are methods of communication to other drivers. How many times you have may have read/heard "without any warning" the vehicle did this and that on forums or in news channels videos etc. Many of the accidents happens because the driver did not paid attention or was in no state to heed to warning signs like dangerous curves ahead, speed breaker signs, no overtaking lanes markings, brake lights etc. Sometimes disaster happens because of the absence of such warnings especially in India.

I use the turn signal even no when no vehicle is behind me so that even pedestrians are aware that I am making a turn. Communication is for all and not just vehicles. A short chirp of the horn to warn walkers/vehicles around that I am coming for behind keeps them alert. Whenever I want to pull over from the middle of the road to the side, I open the window and hold up my hand with a one minute like gesture (forefinger, my unconventional method) for the vehicle behind so that it can allow me to slow down and stop. Has worked for me 99% of times.

[Chetan_Rao]

Thanks for an informative read.

An 'indicate before you move', not 'as you move', mindset shift alone will make Indian roads noticeably safer.

That comes after people adopt a 'bothering to indicate' mindset first, of course .

[ron178]

Excellent thread and very interesting for a new driver like me.

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Right indicator on highway without junctions: You can overtake me.

Left indicator on highway without junctions: Pull in behind me, there’s no space to pass; or you can overtake me from the left.

This one has always confused me. If someone signals right to change lanes and it’s misinterpreted as “overtake” it seems like it could end very badly.

[vimalvittaladas]

In busy traffic, my way of driving is

1. Keep safe distance with the vehicle in front
2. Drive slowly on an average moving speed
3. Never ever honk unless and untile it is required(Till someone cuts you suddenly where I am forced to honk due to my natural reflection)
4. No flashing of lights
5. Follow lane(preferably right lane as it avoids two wheelers on left lane and congestion in middle lane)
6. Dont rush as all are already affected by the traffic
7. No cutting or changing of lanes as you merely save any time at the end

On highways, my way of driving is

1. No honking(bare minimum rather). Actually I will get irritated by others honking unnecessary.
2. Drive in allowable limits on right lane.
3. If any slow moving vehicle ahead I use flash light(no honking). If he is courteous enough to give way I will pass otherwise I will overtake him safely
4. Use ORVMs and indicators to change lanes
5. Use headlights instead of hazard indicators during heavy rain

I had been driving approximately 50000 kms on an average in past 6 years and currently owning a Creta and a Thar.My current place of residence is Mumbai and I follow the same rules in my driving within this city. I occassionally (four times a year) drive to Kerala and on these highway trips also follows same rule.

[Vikash Kumawat]

I was watching Gagan Chaudhary's travelogue of South Africa, where I found an interesting communication between two drivers on road, as Gagan told in the video, if you are driving on a 2 lane road and a vehicle approaching you from behind and asks you to give him the pass, and if you give him the way to overtake, then he will overtake you and to say thanks he will flash the hazards once or twice, in return you flash your headlights to say Welcome.
Gagan was driving his rental Polo, while a 7 series asked him for the pass, he gave him the way, in return the 7 series flashed hazards twice to say thanks, and Gagan flashed headlights to say Welcome -

Video/Image Courtesy - Gagan Choudhary

[PrasunBannerjee]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Unconventional Communications Specific to India

Hazard lights on at a crossroads: I am going straight.

I also came across a weird usage of hazard lights in NCR outskirts last year by a lot of vehicles which loosely could be translated to "be watchful, I may turn right or left anywhere suddenly, (hence flashing both my indicators) don't say you weren't warned". It was around NH-SH junctions / or beginning of SH.

Don't know if anyone else faced something similar too

Also, a foriegner once gave a good comparison of honking habits in India vs US. He very well summed it up, saying in US we honk asking to give way. Here in India, people honk to let other people know of the presence, much like a Sonar's functionality. Which is fairly acceptable overall looking at rural or smaller town roads which are almost never a straight line and full of random intersections. I used to not honk as much as possible but since on Indian roads the bigger vehicle is always a culprit, be better safe than sorry against the two wheelers by honking in tight spaces etc 'I warned you'! I am not an irritant honker but use horn little more generously than I used to earlier.

[Mechanto]

This is excellent!

Primary reasons behind the traffic chaos in India are:

1. The lack of standards
2. People ignorant of the standards
3. People know the standards but not following them

All basic standards and protocols of road safety should be made mandatory for obtaining a drivers license (I guess it already is, but nobody follows). Until people understand the standards, every road safety standard / rule should be included as part of school curriculum and hope in 20 years from now better road sense will prevail.