[PhX]

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

2. Indicators..they mean specific things to specific drivers even though Its supposed to mean only one thing

You're right about this thing. So much so that I no longer have any clue as to whether the right indicator means "go ahead and overtake" or "hang on, there's a car coming from the front". I've just given up trying to guess, so I always peek out from behind and overtake when I get a chance.

As for the lane conundrum, I've also given up trying to overtake from the fastest lane. By default, I drive in the second lane (of a 3-lane highway). Whenever I'm coming up to overtake someone, I honk to let them know I'm coming and continue overtaking on the left. In my experience, barely anyone moves out of the right lane.

[hemanth.anand]

Originally Posted by PhX

...I no longer have any clue as to whether the right indicator means "go ahead and overtake" or "hang on, there's a car coming from the front"...

The first one is the alternative meaning that people have literally invented.
I learnt it a bit late and also found myself in trouble after I did that, because I was plain confused.

Frankly, I didn't know the second one till now (Thanks, I'll take care of this one as well in future)

But theoritically, the indicators don't mean either of these.
Indicators just mean "I'm turning right/left"

[PhX]

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

The first one is the alternative meaning that people have literally invented.
I learnt it a bit late and also found myself in trouble after I did that, because I was plain confused.

Frankly, I didn't know the second one till now (Thanks, I'll take care of this one as well in future)

But theoritically, the indicators don't mean either of these.
Indicators just mean "I'm turning right/left"

Logically, if someone turns on the right-indicator, it should mean:

• I'm turning right
• I'm about to enter the right lane

In either of these cases, you would have to be silly to try and overtake. Carrying this analogy forward, when a truck on a highway turns on the right indicator, it should ideally mean "Please don't overtake, there's traffic coming from the front". But like I've said, I've seen multiple times on the highway when a helpful truck driver (I'm not being sarcastic here...these guys are genuinely trying to help; the issue is that they have got the concepts wrong) turns on the right indicator to say "Go ahead and overtake from the right. There's no one coming from the opposite side."

(All of this is on 2-lane highways, of course.)

Bottom line: You cannot really take anything for granted. Just peek out gently and check for yourself before overtaking.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by su1978

... They will stop their car anywhere, anytime and open the gates full throttle. Once i saw that they had done just that and a poor biker who was at 40 kmph rammed into the door. Four of them moved out and that biker had a horried time.

Poor Biker ... but ... His lesson was not to pass so close, especially at 40kph. One of my instructors taught me the idea of a safety line, always keeping a distance from other vehicles, even parked ones.

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

In countries with disciplined traffic, you rarely come across this situation...

In UK motorway driving, when a jam is forming, it sometimes affects the right hand lane first, and you can even get a situation where vehicles in that lane are stopped, while cars to their left are still moving. Add to that the fact that drivers, looking ahead, will try to move to the lane that is still moving, and you get a sort-of right/left inversion. A traffic situation I hate and fear.

The movement of vehicles on UK motorways is something only wave theorists can understand: most jams are caused by ...absolutely nothing!

[GTO]

See where this idiot is waiting; to gauge just how much he overshoot the right spot, notice that my car is parked right at the zebra crossing. Worst part is, he made no effort to reverse back, instead choosing to coolly stand in the middle of the road.



Here's another one...obviously missed his parallel parking practice / course:

[amitoj]

Originally Posted by GTO

See where this idiot is waiting; to gauge just how much he overshoot the right spot, notice that my car is parked right at the zebra crossing. Worst part is, he made no effort to reverse back, instead choosing to coolly stand in the middle of the road.

LOL. Come to Bangalore. You'll find that you are the only one waiting at the zebra crossing, whereas everyone else has stopped where that idiot is. On closer observation you will find that no on has actually stopped. They are all crawling forward slowly but surely and steadily.

[amitwlele]

Originally Posted by GTO

See where this idiot is waiting; to gauge just how much he overshoot the right spot, notice that my car is parked right at the zebra crossing. Worst part is, he made no effort to reverse back, instead choosing to coolly stand in the middle of the road.

He is so far ahead that he will miss the signal when it turns green.

What is that structure coming up on the left hand side. Not another mall please at the already crowded junction.

[raj_5004]

Originally Posted by GTO

See where this idiot is waiting; to gauge just how much he overshoot the right spot, notice that my car is parked right at the zebra crossing. Worst part is, he made no effort to reverse back, instead choosing to coolly stand in the middle of the road.

Right outside Shiv Sena Bhavan!

I have noticed this many times in Mumbai, especially bikers & ricks/cabs do this. the problem is, they are so far ahead that they cant actually see the signal & when it actually turns green, these guys are still standing there blocking the traffic behind leading to unnecessary honking in an already over polluted Mumbai.

Sometimes, i have been sweared by motorists behind me for standing before the zebra crossing. they think ideally we should be standing adjacent to where the divider ends. so they keep honking unless i take my car foward by another 10 inches or so. I dont understand what do they gain by these 10 inches?!

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by GTO

See where this idiot is waiting; to gauge just how much he overshoot the right spot, notice that my car is parked right at the zebra crossing. Worst part is, he made no effort to reverse back, instead choosing to coolly stand in the middle of the road.

If you did that in Chennai, you wouldn't be able to back up, because there would be 15 bikers, three autos and a call taxi behind you

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by raj_5004

Sometimes, i have been sweared by motorists behind me for standing before the zebra crossing. they think ideally we should be standing adjacent to where the divider ends. so they keep honking unless i take my car foward by another 10 inches or so. I dont understand what do they gain by these 10 inches?!

It's a rat-race here my friend.

Driving in India is a rat-race. People always want to be ahead, even if they end up pulling up next to you at the traffic-signal 4 km later. It's an 'ego' thing, I believe.

[rajeev k]

In the first picture by GTO a bad pedestrian can also be seen crossing the road through the centre of the intersection. He is also ahead of the competition.

[Shubz]

Originally Posted by rajeev k

bad jeeper

He cannot be termed a Jeeper at all! That Jeep in all probability is being used as a mule to transport construction materials or something of that sort! He surely qualifies as a bad driver though!

[rajeev k]

Originally Posted by Shubz

He cannot be termed a Jeeper at all! He surely qualifies as a bad driver though!

True. If the clock is turned 10 to 15 years back this 'jeeper' would have been pulling a hand cart.

[suhaas307]

Saw this nimrod who overshot the Zebra-Crossing near Cambridge/Double-Road Indiranagar this evening.



I managed to click this picture just in the nick of time, as these two auto-rickshaws who seemed to be engaged in some sort of idiotic race pulled up right next to me and stopped a bit ahead of me, on the wrong-side of the double-while-lines that marks the center of the road, and in the path of speeding oncoming vehicles.

[mannubhai]

Another very common sight in Bangalore.

Look closely, the 2nd auto guy is pushing the 1st auto with his feet. The 1st one would have exhausted fuel and they would go all the way to the nearest pump this way.

Blocks the traffic on one side, and is a major safety hazard too.