[jassi]

^^ no wonder indian licenses are not directly converted to licenses in other countries. A person arriving into Australia from US, UK, Singapore, etc. gets a license conversion easily with no tests. For Indians arriving in Australia, you need to prove your indian license is real (painful process), then give the learners test, then give a hazard perception test and then a full 1hr long drive test!!
Also in India you have to drive very defensively, watching out for idiots and jokers on every corner breaking signals and pulling stunts. Now when I drive here in melbourne, i can see how it has impacted me. i slow down at intersections even when my signal is green, flinch at roundabouts when someone comes from the left and this I have seen can cause confusion and accidents here. Have realized that those traits are much needed in India but here everyone follows rules and doesn't expect others to break em. Penalties if caught speeding or breaking rules are crazy and just not worth it. Even the most pathetic indian drivers I personally know, have come abroad and become excellent drivers. So I don't believe Indians can't improve, but its an entire system that has to make it happen. Now I am scared how I will re-adjust when i visit India and drive around

Even the most ardent rule followers in India, will find there is a lot to learn when driving abroad. Truly a sobering experience.
Hope someday our Indian driving conditions improve - but i feel it has to all start with a proper system, that is ensured from the licensing process and followed up with strict enforcement of rules!

[KiloAlpha]

Originally Posted by jassi

^^ no wonder indian licenses are not directly converted to licenses in other countries. A person arriving into Australia from US, UK, Singapore, etc. gets a license conversion easily with no tests. For Indians arriving in Australia, you need to prove your indian license is real (painful process), then give the learners test, then give a hazard perception test and then a full 1hr long drive test!!

Maybe but ... why prove that your Indian license is real if you are going to have to start from scratch - with a learner's license/permit?

[manjot1912]

Originally Posted by Dinesh_Malhotra

Still cannot believe my eyes.
Where was this happening ?

Right in front of me, in Bhubaneswar. Apparently, he had ear-phones hooked into his ears and was either listen to music, or talking over the phone. You can see the phone case hooked on the belt buckle.

[noopster]

Originally Posted by jassi

^^ no wonder indian licenses are not directly converted to licenses in other countries. A person arriving into Australia from US, UK, Singapore, etc. gets a license conversion easily with no tests. For Indians arriving in Australia, you need to prove your indian license is real (painful process), then give the learners test, then give a hazard perception test and then a full 1hr long drive test!!

Ironically it's fairly easy to convert your Indian DL in Singapore. All I had to do was clear the 50-question theory exam (minimum is 90% for pass) and I had my Singapore DL. You bypass the second theory test and final practical exam that others have to give to get a DL from scratch!

Back on-topic, today I was waiting to drop my child off to her schoolbus. The bus arrived and I stepped on the road to help her board it, when a couple of bikers coming in the opposite direction squeezed between us and the bus door. Picture this- it's a road with a divider and they are on the extreme right AND endangering a KG kid's life with absolute impunity.

I could have stopped them and created a scene but calmly allowed them to pass and then helped my kid aboard. Truth be told, I was quietly hoping that they get knocked over by some truck further down the road.

[lsp]

Originally Posted by jassi

^^ no wonder indian licenses are not directly converted to licenses in other countries. A person arriving into Australia from US, UK, Singapore, etc. gets a license conversion easily with no tests. For Indians arriving in Australia, you need to prove your indian license is real (painful process), then give the learners test, then give a hazard perception test and then a full 1hr long drive test!!

If an Indian citizen wanted to obtain an australian DL then would they insist on the above process or he/she can show the authorities their US/UK license and get that converted?

Just curious!!

[selfdrive]

Originally Posted by noopster

I could have stopped them and created a scene but calmly allowed them to pass and then helped my kid aboard. Truth be told, I was quietly hoping that they get knocked over by some truck further down the road.

NOM noop, but if we let this go then we will only see more of it. At the same time I refrain from getting into arguments with low lifes when kids are around. So I can see why you let it be.

Saturday evening near Club Solaris, a biker was honking continuously for overtaking me (in my Jazz) and the traffic was too thick for me to go anywhere. I took a left towards Mayur colony and I see him try to overtake me from my left. In my zeal to avoid hitting him, I swerved to the right and braked but could not avoid hitting the divider. Instead of being grateful the biker shook his head with a look that indicated that I didnt know how to drive. At that moment, my half evil mind actually felt like running over him. Thankfully better sense prevailed, but I was still mad enough to honk at him. Though I doubt it meant anything to him in any case.

[jassi]

Originally Posted by KiloAlpha

Maybe but ... why prove that your Indian license is real if you are going to have to start from scratch - with a learner's license/permit?

Well believe me this is not scratch - scratch process takes ages. All new aussie drivers, go through learners test and then they drive on L plates for a mandatory number of trips. They have to maintain a trip sheet which is signed by a fully licensed driver accompanying them. Infact in some states they have to take mandatory driving lessons to complete their trip sheet. Once they complete this L plate process, they then give the hazard perception test and drive test and are put on probationary (P) plates. They can then drive on their own, but rules are very strict for them, they can't exceed certain speeds, can only drive certain types of cars with specific engine capacities, etc. This process is long drawn as they have to initially drive on red P plates and then on green P plates for certain months! Only post this they get a full license. So it was much faster for me, as I skipped the L, red/green P plates process - i just had to prove I have a really indian license via Pune rto and melbourne consulate (lot of indians give fake lics to become taxi drivers) and give 3 tests for a license conversion. Its even easier for US/UK/singapore etc license holders as they don't have to prove their lics validity and they dont have to give any tests, just walk in and walk out!
But tell me now, a country like Australia, with such rigid traffic rules and criterias to decide who gets on the road, is bound to have good driving conditions. Agreed population is very low and hence they have time to do all this, but still it shows how seriously this stuff is taken here

Originally Posted by noopster

Ironically it's fairly easy to convert your Indian DL in Singapore. All I had to do was clear the 50-question theory exam (minimum is 90% for pass) and I had my Singapore DL. You bypass the second theory test and final practical exam that others have to give to get a DL from scratch!

I guess singapore is easier to get into then - but then again where is the place to drive there. you can cover the whole country end to end in under an hour

Originally Posted by lsp

If an Indian citizen wanted to obtain an australian DL then would they insist on the above process or he/she can show the authorities their US/UK license and get that converted?

Just curious!!

If you have US, UK, EU or lic from any approved country (listed here Overseas drivers - licences : VicRoads )then you get a direct conversion - they don't care if you are indian citizen, just what your previous lic was and your driving history thereby.

[noopster]

Originally Posted by selfdrive

NOM noop, but if we let this go then we will only see more of it. At the same time I refrain from getting into arguments with low lifes when kids are around. So I can see why you let it be.

This may surprise you but driving on the wrong side is not considered a serious offence by the authorities in Pune and elsewhere in India. I have seen cops turn a blind eye to motorists doing this in Hinjewadi as well as in the heart of Pune city, doubly so when they are bikers.

Also there were no cops around that I could appeal to, the local populace is more likely to support those goons rather than me and I was more concerned about my own kid than proving a point or sticking to principle.

If you tell these guys not to drive on the wrong side, they get aggressive and ask you, then WHERE do I drive? The nearest gap in median is half a km away!

[anilisanil]

Originally Posted by noopster

This may surprise you but driving on the wrong side is not considered a serious offence by the authorities in Pune and elsewhere in India. I have seen cops turn a blind eye to motorists doing this in Hinjewadi as well as in the heart of Pune city, doubly so when they are bikers.

Today morning, I stood on my brakes as I saw a police sumo driving into me, considering that I was on right side of the road I assume that the police could be on the wrong side.

The other day a cabbie picked up a fight with me because I did not (and could not) let him overtake from left. He also threatened to break my glass when I refused to roll down the glass and his usual heroics of opening the car door failed, thanks to central locking.

It took me 2 minutes of infinite patience and avoiding his eye contact to pacify him. If only my car had some nukes!!

[avingodb]

to the folks with experience of many miles: how to deal with the drivers who forget to swithoff their turn indicators and keep driving?
I tend to drive carefully believing that they are about to turn but they never do!
plus after that people behind you start honking because they want you to follow a car with turn indicators on with matching speed

[_raVan_]

Originally Posted by guyfrmblr

It was an eventful day:

1. I was going to office near old airport road in the morning and a biker riding without helmet in front of me spat pan/guthka onto the road which also got splattered on my entire bonnet and windscreen. I overtook that guy and signalled him to stop and showed him my car which was decorated with his pan. The guy gave a casual look and said that "these things are common in India (!!!) and I have to adjust with such things (?!)". These words made me lose my cool and gave him a bottle of water and asked him to clean with his shirt. He refused to do so. By then a small group had gathered and everyone were on my side. Finally we forced him to remove his shirt and made him clean my car and hence I got a free windscreen and bonnet wash.

Wow, now thats something. I wonder how you guys "forced" him to do the cleaning act? He deserved it You could have ended it by telling him that the "Cleaning is common in India too and kindly adjust to that!!!"

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by avingodb

how to deal with the drivers who forget to swithoff their turn indicators and keep driving?

How many of us have never done that?

I cannot hear the ticker-noise alert, and sometimes find myself guilty of this.

How to communicate it? Difficult, in either of the countries in which I drive. I followed a guy with hazard lights on for while, once. Pulling up alongside, I waved and pointed. Passenger lowered the window, but we didn't have a shared language. I turned my indicator on on their side,a did a bit of miming, resulting in, "Ahhh..." and smiles all round.

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by noopster

This may surprise you but driving on the wrong side is not considered a serious offence by the authorities in Pune and elsewhere in India. I have seen cops turn a blind eye to motorists doing this in Hinjewadi as well as in the heart of Pune city, doubly so when they are bikers.

Also there were no cops around that I could appeal to, the local populace is more likely to support those goons rather than me and I was more concerned about my own kid than proving a point or sticking to principle.

If you tell these guys not to drive on the wrong side, they get aggressive and ask you, then WHERE do I drive? The nearest gap in median is half a km away!

You couldn't be more correct.

Today, while on my way to college, a nitwit on a two-wheeler cut me off and stopped me while I was doing a cool 40 km/h.

Now this may not sound serious, but let me paint you the entire picture.

I was driving on Richmond Road, which happens to be one of Bangalore's biggest and widest two-ways. It's a very busy road and connects several residential areas as well, like Shantinagar and Richmond Town.

Now as I was driving on this one-way road, this man swerved his motorcycle right into my path. It's only when I had to come to a sudden halt that I realized that he came from one of the by-lanes that connect the residential area (the CCD-Baldwin Girls' road).

And to top it off, when I uttered a few insults under my breath and expressed my displeasure by showing him 'the hand', he had the dirtiest look on his face. He had absolutely no feeling that he's committing a grave mistake. In fact, he had the audacity to scream at me, as if I were in the wrong.

My blood boiled for a good 20 minutes.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by noopster

If you tell these guys not to drive on the wrong side, they get aggressive and ask you, then WHERE do I drive? The nearest gap in median is half a km away!

Like, a short walk!

It's a wonder these people ever bother to take stairs. Quicker just to jump out the window

[Shubz]

Yesterday: Outer ring road - after the Hebbal fly over towards Manyata tech park - the service road after Lumbini gardens - a mess in the evenings. It was nothing different yesterday - grid locked. a honda city behind me is going on honking - there is no way to go - vehicles are crawling to move on - but this chap just honks and honks - i stop the vehicle - get out to check if he is trying to draw my attention at something - nothing wrong - i ask him - whats up? he shakes his head saying nothing - i notice the sticker on his windshield - he works for the same company as I do - i ask him why is he honking - he has no answer.

Today: Bannerghatta road - Opposite Spar/Hyundai show room - there is a little gap in the median for vehicles to take a U turn. am going towards accenture. There is a bike, rider without a helmet, coming the in the opposite direction (wrong side), wants to get into the median gap to go towards Bannerghatta - almost perpendicular on the road - trying hard to squeeze in - abusing an auto driver for blocking his path - auto driver bewildered as to why is he being abused.

Bad driver/rider - in my opinion.