Team-BHP - Bad Drivers - How do you spot 'em

Driving back home this evening, I encountered one of the most irritating experiences. A guy in a black Scorpio with PRESS written in big bold letters on the rear and front glass kept blocking traffic as the people inside (reporters) were trying to get a clean shot of the traffic pile up on the opposite lane of the divider peering out of the window.

It was very annoying because the road was narrow and had no place for vehicles to overtake from either side because this guy was in the centre of the road. No amount of honking and abuses from other motorists seemed to work as the driver just stuck to the centre lane. Finally, a few cars which were stuck behind him managed to squeeze in front at the signal! :Frustrati

The part solution to this problem of bad driving could consist of producing a multi-media trainer that can teach the elements of good driving practice; and supply it along with the learner's licence. After that require each applicant to clear a test in which the concepts of good driving practice are also tested, even before the actual driving test is administered.

A case in point is my own "nukkad" driving school where all I learned about driving was "NOTHING". Ah well, I could practice opening the car door, sliding into the drivers seat, adjust the mirrors, slip on the safety belt, start the car (very important), and then slide into traffic, go round a few blocks, and come back into the original park. Most of times the "ustaad" would manipulate the clutch and brakes; but I had the gas pedal to myself (hurray). But my particular "ustaad" was a better guy, and he gave me one funda: how much distance to keep behind the car in front. It depends on your speed, his speed, his vehicle type, etc.
Ah, and a word about aged people driving: they did their driving in the good old days when there were few cars on the road; and when driving was a royal thing, not an urgent thing.

Cheers and drive safe.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guna (Post 1419825)

I find it very annoying that some drivers do not put the head lights on when it turns dark, instaed they keep flashing the headlights to warn others about their existence, or probably scaring others to give way. Cab drivers are particularly found of this habit.

I used to face this problem many times on the old Tin factory road. Everyone now and then the drivers would use their high beams to make sure they were seen. The 1st time it happened, I was scared out of my wits. Riding my bike back home on that road, I was sure there was no traffic ahead of me,when all of a sudden one joker flashed his high beams and at that point I realized a car was actually moving towards me in the opposite lane! :Shockked:.Had to stop, and wait a while before I could continue riding back.

1) Cab drivers – They all are big fans of F1 apparently and try to practice their skills on the roads during their work hours. I am sure some of them can make it to the Force India team with little or no training. The amount of bravado exhibited by one single cab driver would be enough to put a 100 software engineers to shame. Considering that many a times their low flying aeroplanes sport the Tirupati Tread tyres.

No wondered they are the most revered species of drivers. Anytime at the Gurgaon toll I see a cab driver I solemnly bow down and step of the accelerator and let him exercise his unwritten right to be ahead in the queue than anyone else.

2) Truck/Bus drivers – Have u heard of the age old adage ’Bigger is Better’. Yes siree, show me a man who hasn’t been scared of a 6 liter engine right behind him in a bumper to bumper traffic and I will show u honest auto rickshaw drivers in Delhi. They are the mighty lords of the roads who refer to cars as maachis and dibiya. God save those who come in their path. Even if u alongside one such giant and happen to have your windows rolled down, don’t consider yourself safe. A little pressure on the accelerator and you can quickly feel yourself transformed into the gas chambers of a concentration camp.

3) We don’t need no ORVM!!! – This seems to be the anthem of some of the drivers on the roads who believe that if God wanted them to see whats behind, He would have given them eyes behind the head. Since this is not the case and medical science too is showing lack of interest in the same they shall fail all attempts by car manufacturers to see whats behind. They will just focus on the road in front and swing their heads to the tune of Himesh Reshamiya and keep those ORVMs shut all the time.

4) Pinky Aunty – Hello Auntyji!! Kaise ho? Main theek hun? Papa Mummy Babloo Sweety sab achey hain. Timmy bhi aapko bahut yaad karta hain. Kya chal raha hain auntyji? Maine na aapse chole bhature ki recipe poochne ke liye phone kiya tha. Achchaa car chala rahe ho.. baad mein phone karun? Achchaaji ..Wah wah aap to car chalate chalate bhi baat kar lete to. Tussi great ho auntyji!! Simple great!!

To be continued....

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guna (Post 1419825)

What I do in this situation is, overtake them, start flashing my headlamps at them. It gives 100% satisfaction. Same thing can be done for those who unnecessarily honk.

Three days ago, a cab driver was about to overtake on my right. Seeing an obstruction on my left ahead, he dropped back so I was clear to move out to the right.

This is what I call "reading the road". It is the most basic of driving skills, but I rarely see it here. It is usually subjugated to person impatience.

Yesterday, a cabbie overtook on my left and cut in between the car in friont of him to be in front of me. It was an action that should not be in anybody's textbok --- but he did it with such precision it was really quite admirable!

Not all cabies are bad --- but it is true that very, very many of them are.

Yesterday also, a motor-bike guy overtook me on my right (the road was wide and clear; heaps of room on the left) and cut sharply in front of me. So sharply, he was leaning. If I had had not braked sharply, or his wheel had slipped, there would be two dead guys and I wouldn't be sitting here now. The road ahead of me was clear; I could so easily have chosen that moment to accelerate.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gostel (Post 1419663)

Well, if only the authorities believed in doing their jobs even with a modicum of sincerity, would not India be a wonderful place? In most driving schools / RTO tests, the guy sits there actually with you and tells you where to click on the screen or which button to press. Gandhigiri is passed all around. After that rest is in hands of God.

They have a sticker calling themselves indecent stuck on the rear windshield of their Hyundai Accent.
Talk on a mobile phone and drive at less than 20 kmph on a narrow road.
Don't move when you flash the head lights.
Move only after you blast your horn continuously.
Then start honking when you cross them.

Then argue that they are innocent of being a traffic nuisance.

Met this jerk yesterday near the Sweet Nirvana (irony) at Madhapur, Hyderabad.

His decal describes him correctly.

Day before yesterday, at the Kothaguda Corss Roads, when I was taking a left turn to go to Hitech City, a Pulsar with 2 pillions which was in the centre lane suddenly decided to take left turn and to save him I had to turn the car so much that I was facing the Gardenia restaurant completely (means I was 90 degress to road). There was no traffic at all. And then this ****** sped away like his tail was on fire. Coming out of a big accident just 3 weeks back and getting the car only 3 days back did not help my mental situation at all. I decided to run him over, but then did not do so just not to ruin my bumper again. I love my car more than the pleasure I will get by kicking these stupids. I dont know how long can I hold myself against these stupids.

Quote:

Originally Posted by amitoj (Post 1420631)

Its quite easy to spot a bad driver. They do a lot of left-right, and very little straight march. I see plenty of them on IRR every day.

although left-right is bad, i think you are missing the bad drivers who are driving real slow (30-40kmph) in the fast lane on IRR and don't budge. This at times causes me to overtake bad slow driver 1 from the left only to end up behind an equally slow driver 2 on lane 2. So i overtake driver 2 from right and end up back in lane 1 behind slow driver no 3 on fast lane. With an empty road ahead, i have no option but to honk-light signal and go back to lane 2 to overtake driver 3 from left.
You can see how I have become a bad driver now doing left-right-left looking like a crazy zig-zagger, just because slow drivers on fast lanes, have an illusion of going fast (at 40kmph) and refuse to budge n move to lane 2/3/4 despite incessesant honking and lighting by someone at 60kmph stuck behind them on lane 1.