[nileshch]

Another day, another place. This time it is outside Hyderabad at the Medchal - ORR junction. I was in a line of vehicles taking the right turn towards the newly opened ORR stretch between Shamirpet and Patancheru. A truck and a bus approaching from the opposite direction did not bother to stop for me to complete the turn and continued inching forward. I had to turn back a little and let them pass.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTeZSCN5o9s

(OT: If you hear closely, the navigation software is clueless about the new ORR and asks me to take a U-turn to take a different road into the city! )

[vineethvazhayil]

Originally Posted by nileshch

Another day, another place. This time it is outside Hyderabad at the Medchal - ORR junction.

Is there a traffic light at that intersection where they should have stopped to let you go? I didn't see any, in which case, they do have right of way, don't they?

[nileshch]

Originally Posted by vineethvazhayil

Is there a traffic light at that intersection where they should have stopped to let you go? I didn't see any, in which case, they do have right of way, don't they?

There is an orange flashing light you can see on the divider but no traffic lights. I was the last person to take the turn at that moment and they could have waited for a few more seconds. Does right of way have to be forceful and so close?

[mallumowgli]

Originally Posted by vineethvazhayil

Is there a traffic light at that intersection where they should have stopped to let you go? I didn't see any, in which case, they do have right of way, don't they?

More important than right of way is courtesy on the road, in my opinion. If someone is already into a turn (a legal one at least), why not stop for a few seconds to let the chap complete the turn?? The above incident posted by nileshch is just show of might by the heavy vehicles!!

[vineethvazhayil]

Originally Posted by mallumowgli

More important than right of way is courtesy on the road, in my opinion. If someone is already into a turn (a legal one at least), why not stop for a few seconds to let the chap complete the turn?? The above incident posted by nileshch is just show of might by the heavy vehicles!!

You expect courtesy in India, good luck :-)

[KiloAlpha]

Originally Posted by nileshch

Another day, another place. This time it is outside Hyderabad at the Medchal - ORR junction. I was in a line of vehicles taking the right turn towards the newly opened ORR stretch between Shamirpet and Patancheru. A truck and a bus approaching from the opposite direction did not bother to stop for me to complete the turn and continued inching forward. I had to turn back a little and let them pass.

(OT: If you hear closely, the navigation software is clueless about the new ORR and asks me to take a U-turn to take a different road into the city! )

My personal opinion - the share auto in front of you ought to have stopped and given way to the truck and bus. Also, all of you taking right in that line have broken the right-turn rule as per the motor vehicles act - trust me, I passed a full Indian driving test first time without giving a bribe (much to the frustration of the RTO inspector ).

Originally Posted by vineethvazhayil

You expect courtesy in India, good luck :-)

+1 to that. I have frequently been glared at for being courteous. But also found that being courteous makes for a very calm journey. Another cause of India's notoriously high heart disease rate?

[mallumowgli]

Originally Posted by KiloAlpha

My personal opinion - the share auto in front of you ought to have stopped and given way to the truck and bus. Also, all of you taking right in that line have broken the right-turn rule as per the motor vehicles act - trust me, I passed a full Indian driving test first time without giving a bribe (much to the frustration of the RTO inspector ).

Sorry, I cannot subscribe to your view. When there is a line of vehicles taking a right turn the truck and the bus was supposed to stop before the break in median itself and let the vehicles pass. Both the vehicles were not even near the junction when the vehicles were turning right

And IMV act does not say clearly who has the right of way in this specific case

My experience at least in Kerala : RTO inspectors in Kerala rarely demand bribe and you can pass the Indian Driving test if you answer the on-line test and the H test. But the test itself is not a very comprehensive one - few mundane questions and drawing a H pattern on the road does not qualify anybody

Yes am expecting a bit too much when I expect courtesy on Indian roads. Even my wife asks me why I give way for everyone!!

[nileshch]

Originally Posted by mallumowgli

Sorry, I cannot subscribe to your view. When there is a line of vehicles taking a right turn the truck and the bus was supposed to stop before the break in median itself and let the vehicles pass. Both the vehicles were not even near the junction when the vehicles were turning right

+1 to that.

Originally Posted by KiloAlpha

My personal opinion - the share auto in front of you ought to have stopped and given way to the truck and bus. Also, all of you taking right in that line have broken the right-turn rule as per the motor vehicles act - trust me, I passed a full Indian driving test first time without giving a bribe (much to the frustration of the RTO inspector ).

What is the specific clause in the law are you referring to? -- moving to the center of the road on which you are turning to??

Well, there is another law that the truck broke before I was forced to the right -- giving way to the existing traffic (especially on RHS) when approaching an intersection.

Originally Posted by vineethvazhayil

You expect courtesy in India, good luck :-)

Expecting courtesy on Indian roads is not a bad thing. If I were to give up hope completely, I would stop driving on that day!

[KiloAlpha]

Originally Posted by nileshch

What is the specific clause in the law are you referring to? -- moving to the center of the road on which you are turning to??

Dunno the specific part of the law, but this is what I was tested on during the driving test before I got my license:
When turning right, the vehicle must be positioned in such a way that it always remains to the left of the intersection of the centre lines of the two roads.

I remember this from 23 years ago, because when the driving inspector realised I knew this, he almost had a heart attack!!

[nileshch]

Originally Posted by KiloAlpha

Dunno the specific part of the law, but this is what I was tested on during the driving test before I got my license:
When turning right, the vehicle must be positioned in such a way that it always remains to the left of the intersection of the centre lines of the two roads.

I remember this from 23 years ago, because when the driving inspector realised I knew this, he almost had a heart attack!!

I'd think, that would be applicable if the road that you are turning to is a two lane road. The road I was turning to was split with a triangular island in between the two lanes, if you get what I mean.

So I still think no law was broken in the strict sense before the truck forced me and the auto to the right and even then it barged ahead.

[amitoj]

Originally Posted by nileshch

So I still think no law was broken in the strict sense before the truck forced me and the auto to the right and even then it barged ahead.

Originally Posted by mallumowgli

And IMV act does not say clearly who has the right of way in this specific case

Oncoming traffic always has right of way, unless there is a traffic light. You should have waited for the oncoming traffic to clear when you saw the truck and the bus approaching. Also, the road you were turning into had not completely cleared to accommodate you when you attempted the turn. Had the truck and bus stopped to let you go, you would have momentarily blocked the traffic on the road you were crossing.

EDIT: And here is the link from Chandigarh RTO about rules to follow at a T intersection:
http://www.chandigarhtrafficpolice.o...way1.php#test5

If the driver is turning right from the continuing road into the terminating road, the driver must give way to: (a) any oncoming vehicle that is travelling through the intersection on the continuing road or turning left at the intersection; and
(b) any pedestrian on the terminating road at or near the intersection.

[mallumowgli]

Please note that this applies only to vehicles travelling through the intersection - the truck and bus were not at the intersection.

the driver must give way to: (a) any oncoming vehicle that is travelling through the intersection on the continuing road

As an example, IMV says that at a junction, the vehicle from the right has the right of way. But that does not mean you need to stop at the junction for any vehicle that is visible at the right. All these rules need to be applied with common sense.

Traffic to the right had already started at the intersection in the above case and the truck and bus, as you can see, was not even at the junction when the right moving vehicles started their turn. I would say that the truck and bus should have stopped since they reached the intersection much after the vehicular movement had started and hence cannot claim right of way

[amitoj]

Originally Posted by mallumowgli

Please note that this applies only to vehicles travelling through the intersection - the truck and bus were not at the intersection.



As an example, IMV says that at a junction, the vehicle from the right has the right of way. But that does not mean you need to stop at the junction for any vehicle that is visible at the right. All these rules need to be applied with common sense.

Traffic to the right had already started at the intersection in the above case and the truck and bus, as you can see, was not even at the junction when the right moving vehicles started their turn. I would say that the truck and bus should have stopped since they reached the intersection much after the vehicular movement had started and hence cannot claim right of way

The truck and bus are traveling through the intersection only. Not above or below it.

The rule for vehicle from right having right of way applies to a 4 way intersection, not a T junction. I hope the difference between a T crossing and an intersection is clear to you. If not, please refer to the diagrams in the Chandigarh RTO website link that i have posted. And Nilesh is at a T crossing, not an intersection.

Yes traffic rules are written with a common sense only. We only need to follow them. And in this case, the truck and bus have the right of way. Nilesh could not even see the bus behind the truck. Had the truck stopped, Nilesh would have been creamed by the bus. If not, then he would have blocked the traffic on the main road because the traffic on the turn he is taking has not cleared yet.

[amitoj]

Sorry about back to back posts.
Here is another link, this time to KSRTC:
http://ksrtc.tripod.com/id11.html

At T-intersections the vehicle travelling on the road that ends must give way to any vehicle travelling on the road that continues (unless otherwise sign-posted). The give way to the right rule does not apply to T-intersections.

[APT]

Originally Posted by KiloAlpha

Dunno the specific part of the law, but this is what I was tested on during the driving test before I got my license:
When turning right, the vehicle must be positioned in such a way that it always remains to the left of the intersection of the centre lines of the two roads.

I remember this from 23 years ago, because when the driving inspector realised I knew this, he almost had a heart attack!!

Good to know that there is such a rule, but this is what most good drivers follow intuitively, I guess. But I come across many many drivers who do it the wrong way everyday to my work in Bangalore. In fact, without knowing that such a specific law exists, I had made a diagram to post a "seeking info" post in t-bhp (attached at the end). I believe the green line gives the correct trajectory to turn, but many use the red trajectory. And morons use the orange one.

Originally Posted by mallumowgli

Please note that this applies only to vehicles travelling through the intersection - the truck and bus were not at the intersection.

Of course, they were.

Originally Posted by mallumowgli

As an example, IMV says that at a junction, the vehicle from the right has the right of way. But that does not mean you need to stop at the junction for any vehicle that is visible at the right

Of course not. But one needs to stop for any vehicle on the right, if continued at its current speed, is likely to reach the intersection before you have fully passed through the intersection. Of course, the question of common sense as you mentioned.

Originally Posted by mallumowgli

Traffic to the right had already started at the intersection in the above case and the truck and bus, as you can see, was not even at the junction when the right moving vehicles started their turn. I would say that the truck and bus should have stopped since they reached the intersection much after the vehicular movement had started and hence cannot claim right of way

Traffic to the right was not one single long vehicle - there were four vehicles in the line. The first two had started before the truck reached the intersection. The auto hadn't and should have stopped for the truck to pass. Of course, it is an auto - it stops only to let passengers in/out or when the ignition is turned off. So, it chose a wrong trajectory to complete the turn. But at least our esteemed member should have stopped. He didn't do that, and worse, he is fully convinced that he was the one who was wronged against!

As I see this: the truck was already past the intersection when the auto started the right turn, and of course second before the car started. Both should have waited for the traffic to clear. Autos wouldn't, but at least tbhpians should!