[Warwithwheels]

Originally Posted by lapsi

Btw, I prefer to carry water in the 600 ml soft drink bottles. Never in a big bottle.

Absolutely Lapsi, that's exactly the point am trying to drive home.

But using PET bottles for carrying water is not all that safe. They are not meant for reuse. So please switch over to a safe food grade bottle with similar dimensions.

[voodoochild]

Originally Posted by AbhishekB86

they stick their tyres on my bumper...
They like my side mirrors a lot.
...bikers to cut across between cars ...
They seem to be moving to another lane ... they magically reappear...

...bikers playing follow the leader invade space between cars...
99.9% of bikes DO NOT indicate/flash...

Abhishek, I fully agree with you on this misbehaviour by bikers. It really gets my goat when I'm thrown in with this bunch, just because my ride has two wheels too.

There are good/bad drivers both on bikes and cars. We need to anticipate their moves. I can look at a car or bike and assume safely it is a lane hogger. Turns out to be true every time.

In Indian cities specially Delhi the fast lane is the left lane and I agree with you. I do overtake from the left when I am forced to.

This is the only point I was talking about. Lane hogging.

...getting too close for comfort and climbing pavements. A because of the size they break every possible rule. If cars had that option they would too. I do not appreciate a biker overtaking me from the left on an inclined left blind turn. I have equal opposition for cars too but I am not as scared in comparison as I am with bikes around my car.

I have experienced the whole gamut of reactions from confused stares to full-blown mother-father profiling just because I was blocking a biker's access to a footpath, or a gap between cars at a signal. I have side-swiped wrong-side bikers. I have intentionally scared the bejesus out of blind-turn overtaking bikers. All this leaves them completely flummoxed as it comes from what they think is a like-minded biker. The jacket and gloves keeps them from getting confrontational I suppose

However, I think four-wheelers have this annoying tendency of wanting to run me off the road. Every office commute, there's oncoming traffic in MY lane, flashing lights for ME to move. At a speedbreaker. When everyone's supposed to be braking, not overtaking. I once brought a flying 407 to a screeching halt by just staying in my lane. Hancock, beat that!

Oh and when I drive in Bangalore, bikerboyzzz get no sympathy from me.

Cheers,
Rahul

[Thad E Ginathom]

[quote=SDP;3022408]

Originally Posted by voodoochild

TEG, do you move over (when you see it is safe) when a motorcyclist indicates that he wants to overtake?

Yes, I do.

As a general rule, I don't get out of the way of people who just want to bully their way through traffic that is moving slower than they want to. Yes, there's a touch of arrogance in my attitude there too. Guilty to not being perfect!

Otherwise, I move to left or right, as appropriate, to facilitate overtakers, because, if the traffic is moving faster than I want to go, I also don't have a right to delay others.

Mostly, I don't count the wheels of the would-be overtaker when making this decision, except, obviously it can easier to let a bike past. In slow or stationary traffic, I try to leave either plenty of room for bikers and autos, or no room at all. Anything in between is inviting uncomfortable moments, if not scratches.

In certain circumstances I obstruct left-hand overtaking by bikes. In the left-hand lane of underpasses and flyovers, I just do not want a biker on my left: he's going to die if I have to avoid an oncoming vehicle, and I really, really don't want to kill anyone . It is particularly this situation where I find tailgating bikers trying to force the left-hand overtake, even when they could easily and safely pass on my right. It's this that makes me wonder if they have been taught to do this.

One of my driving instructors used to say, always avoid being the meat in the sandwich. A biker between two vehicles, or between a vehicle and a wall, is absolutely, dangerously, raw meat in the sandwich.

[whitewing]

Originally Posted by IronH4WK

Anybody else got stuck at the mayhem after the ECity phase 1 toll this morning?

Yes, thankfully had taken the office bus. So, just got down and walked to the office :-)

[chinkara]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Logically, it shouldn't. Compare the UK rule, where overtaking on the right is mandated except when the traffic is moving in lanes, and the left-hand lane is moving faster. This really applies to city stuff, where it would be absurd for, eg, traffic going ahead to delay because traffic queuing for a right turn is going slow.

I always subscribe to the view that if someone overtakes me from the left, I am equally at fault. I was hogging the right / middle lane where I was supposed to keep left.

That is also what I tell myself when I overtake a truck from the left.

[voodoochild]

Drivers of heavy vehicles have different/worse problems than us piddly 250cc riders. Their beasts don't go too fast, yet take forever to stop. They have to keep eyes peeled for jaywalking morons and also make way for righteous right-side overtakers. Choosing the lesser of the two evils, truckers choose to stay in the right lane most of the time. Chances of ramming into something/someone are much less in the right lane. They actually expect you to overtake from the left and go on your merry way. Ever seen a truck without his left ORVM?

I personally have immense respect for highway truckers in India, though I'm always cautious to the point of hesitancy during a left-side overtake. I always wave after overtaking though. Maybe from relief!

Cheers,
Rahul

[vb-saan]

Some bad driving habits I observed in my recent visit to Kerala (two different drivers for airport pick-up and drop-off, and a couple of more short instances where I was a passenger) :

• Driving with one hand is cool. To make it easier, my BIL (who is the epitome of bad driving) had installed this ugly knob on the steering wheel of my car. My first action after reaching home was to remove that add-on.
• Stopping too close to the car in front. If the car in front moves 10 inches ahead, our driver will get 10.1 inch closer. Reason – if you leave space in between, motorbikes and auto rickshaws will fill in.
• While overtaking, go too close to the vehicle in front, and then a sudden steer to get in front. Cheap thrills probably.
• On the express way, occupying right lane, and not giving way for a fast moving vehicle behind. Reason – if they are in a hurry, they can overtake through left.
• Use of horn in straight roads, with no reason. Almost like a habit.

Originally Posted by voodoochild

I always wave after overtaking though. Maybe from relief!

Excellent! That kind of courtesy gesture is always good.

[selfdrive]

Originally Posted by vb-san

Driving with one hand is cool. To make it easier, my BIL (who is the epitome of bad driving) had installed this ugly knob on the steering wheel of my car. My first action after reaching home was to remove that add-on.

All inlaws are epitomes of bad driving. I am sure they say the same about us!
So I dont sit in a car they drive. But then they sit in my car when I drive and I have a lot of backseat drivers. I have learnt to nod without listening to what they say.

Inlaws should really be outlawed. Again I am sure my inlaws have this same opinion about me

[IronH4WK]

Originally Posted by selfdrive

All inlaws are epitomes of bad driving. I am sure they say the same about us!
So I dont sit in a car they drive. But then they sit in my car when I drive and I have a lot of backseat drivers. I have learnt to nod without listening to what they say.

Inlaws should really be outlawed. Again I am sure my inlaws have this same opinion about me

Aye aye!

The first time I sat in my father-in-law's (with him driving), I almost died of heart attack!

[a*ed]

The other evening was going on IRR from Ejipura towards Domlur, i was in the middle lane doing 40 km/hr and there were bikes to my left and an auto on the extreme right lane. This black Swift (JH registered) comes behind me flashing his lights and tailing me so closely. I accelerated and gave him space to overtake and the guy gestures at me with his hand as if to indicate i'm the moron for not giving him way immediately. Surprisingly it had the Team-BHP stickers.

Originally Posted by IronH4WK

Aye aye!

The first time I sat in my father-in-law's (with him driving), I almost died of heart attack!

And i'm sure your father-in-law would've had his heart in his mouth when you whip out your bazooka on those spotting missions with him sitting next to you.

Sorry for the OT.

[IronH4WK]

Originally Posted by a*ed

And i'm sure your father-in-law would've had his heart in his mouth when you whip out your bazooka on those spotting missions with him sitting next to you.

Sorry for the OT.

i tend to keep it out of sight when he's around

[Soumyajit9]

I had a bad experience today. Horrible I would say. Why ? Because a "Lady Biker" caused it.

I was passing through Koramangala. The signal next to St. Johns signal towards Lemon Grass signal, towards Agara (B'lorean's would know this). The road is a narrow passage due to some stupid work going on the main road. I guess its' the bloody Metro work.

I am in the extreme right lane. Reason: Bikers squeezing in on the left lane and footpaths has made me stop at signals on the right lane (unless I have to take a left). So I have to go straight when the signal turns green. There is a huge transformer on my right and dangerously protuding iron rods out of it. A baby cycle could go under it only.

Suddenly I look into my Right ORVM and I see a lady....no a young girl on a Honda Activa (I hate that scooter) trying to squeeze beside my car and the transformer. Then I see that she stops. Ok, good Lord saved my car from her scooter, and herself from the transformer.
Traffic turns green and I inch to the left to let her go from right as per her wish, when suddenly I find her missing from my Right ORVM. I slowly inch forward with the traffic. I see to the left car, not to scrape against him. Holy mother of god !! That girl is now in between my car and the left car, almost about to kiss my Left ORVM, rather my entire left doors !! I slowly move right to let her go from left, she kisses my Left ORVM and takes immediate right and hard brakes in front of my car !! Why ? Because, the signal turns Red again.

Now, I cannot walk out and show finger to her, pointing to my Left ORVM. That would amount to harassment and thanks to Indian laws, I can end up in jail. So I live with it, with a heavily broken heart.

A scratch after a long gap of 6 months :(
(The last scratch on the left rear bumper was by a Activa rider again, who was tailgating me and in a desperate attempt to overtake me, scratch my bumper and sped away)

Here's the pic of the lady's Activa - KL 11 X 7597. Anybody knows this lady biker, please convey my wishes to her for a long life !!!

The Crazy Lady:



1st Scene:



2nd Scene:



Note from Moderator : Please refrain from name-calling as its against the decorum of the forum. Next time Infraction. Thanks for heeding.

[Warwithwheels]

Originally Posted by Soumyajit9

I had a bad experience today....

Looks like she is from a different state.

Not used to driving in the mad B'lore traffic, perhaps?

[Soumyajit9]

Originally Posted by Warwithwheels

Looks like she is from a different state.

Not used to driving in the mad B'lore traffic, perhaps?

Yeah... KL registered. But I can't give her credit for "not used to". There is nothing as a "not used to" in driving !!!
Its general driving sense. What precious thing she would have lost if she would have tailed me. I was anyway giving her space on the right itself. Once I crossed the transformer, she could have sped and overtook atleast 3 cars from the right.
It's the long distance vision which was missing.

[saadat1992]

3 days on the highway and i got to know the behavior of different drivers.
*The worst drivers on the highway are the Buses and mini lorries.
They see you in their mirror but still change their lane abruptly without any indication, even when you are approaching them at triple digit speeds.

* The next worst drivers are taxis and the over enthusiastic ones. They tailgate you even when you are overtaking another vehicle and keep honking at you to overtake or move out of the way even when there's oncoming traffic. They also cut across you at high-speeds, risking their life and others' too.

* The truck drivers are surprisingly good on the 4 lane NH. They keep their lane and let you pass when you flash your lights. But, the most annoying thing is when one slow moving lorry tries to overtake another. They block both the lanes for at least a minute.

* According to me, the most disciplined drivers are the ones that drive the petrol tanker trucks.
They overtake a slow moving vehicle and switch over to the left lane immediately. They maintain the left lane throughout their journey. All the tankers i saw did the same. Good to see them stick to the road manners.