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Old 16th March 2015, 09:03   #7351
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That's why I love those huge dividers in Bangalore main roads. I hate it when some guys who think they are clever and cut the lane, drive on the opposite traffic lane and then expect to be let back into our lane.
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Old 16th March 2015, 09:14   #7352
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Re: Bad Drivers - How do you spot 'em

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I have come across this behavior in toll plazas too. When others are patiently waiting for their turn to pay the toll, some ultra intelligent guys break away from the designated lanes and create their own lanes. End result-traffic jam at toll plazas.
I frequently drive on the Chennai Trichy part of GST road. In some toll plazas esp the one near Chengalpat and Vikravandi I at times fall prey to the "false queue" (travelling south to north direction). ie if there are 4 toll counters open, there will be six line ups each of about 30 of vehicles. Until you get closer to the toll booth, you won't realise that yours is a false queue and it becomes too late to retrieve.
Mistake is not mine but of that A.H. who overtook all and started the queue in the first place. Option left? I roll down the window and apologise to guys in the actual line up. Generally taxi / commercial truck drivers take a lenient view and let me pass. Owner driven cars? I find them arrogant and self righteous. They do not oblige to niceties and oblige only if their car may get hurt. Bus and sand truck drivers are also less obliging.
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Old 16th March 2015, 09:50   #7353
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Re: Bad Drivers - How do you spot 'em

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Originally Posted by alavandar View Post
I frequently drive on the Chennai Trichy part of GST road. In some toll plazas esp the one near Chengalpat and Vikravandi I at times fall prey to the "false queue" (travelling south to north direction). ie if there are 4 toll counters open, there will be six line ups each of about 30 of vehicles. Until you get closer to the toll booth, you won't realise that yours is a false queue and it becomes too late to retrieve.
This happens at attibele (bangalore entry from south) toll as well, especially during long weekends. With bigger trucks all over, it will very difficult to find the right queue when the queue is very long.
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Old 16th March 2015, 15:01   #7354
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Re: Bad Drivers - How do you spot 'em

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Originally Posted by suresh_gs View Post
This problem is there throughout in India. Lack of lane discipline or refusal to follow lane discipline.
What I'm talking about is not lane discipline. Lane discipline was never there in India. Lane discipline refers to changing lanes frequently your side of the road. What I am pointing to is a more serious issue i.e. using the wrong side of the road. Bikes and autos in Kolkata are using the RIGHT HAND SIDE of the road all the time and only pulling towards the left if a vehicle is approaching. This is a more dangerous issue. Imagine you are driving on the left hand side of the road and having to slow down for the Bike and auto to clear your path as they are on the wrong side of the road. This is happening in Kolkata even in major roads where the centre line is marked by yellow lines and even plastic poles. They are crossing the centre line and driving on the right hand side of the road. Occassionally I see a four wheeler imitating them and driving on the wrong side of the divider. This is serious divider discipline and no one is hauling them. Every now and then there are accidents because of this. Driving on the wrong side od the divider - what next.
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Old 16th March 2015, 15:32   #7355
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Re: Bad Drivers - How do you spot 'em

Unfortunately driving on the wrong side of the road has become increasingly common. I simply cannot understand people throwing basic safety principles to the wind to save a few seconds/minutes. In Mumbai in some areas traffic police have started catching these fellows, but alas ultimately should we all require to be disciplined like small immature school boys/girls.
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Old 16th March 2015, 16:34   #7356
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Re: Bad Drivers - How do you spot 'em

Using right hand side of road, and turning right around blind corners is common biker behaviour. It ought to take courage to do something like that, but actually it takes only ignorance.
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Old 16th March 2015, 20:24   #7357
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Re: Bad Drivers - How do you spot 'em

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Using right hand side of road, and turning right around blind corners is common biker behaviour. It ought to take courage to do something like that, but actually it takes only ignorance.
I would like to say that it is also arrogance and a death wish.
In Chennai, I used to observe bikers overtaking from any side, coming straight from behind you and then flip / incline and straighten the bike to over take a car. On Tambaram Velacherry road the other day, around 2.30 or 3 pm, I found one biker, about 30 or less, hit by a bus and lying on the floor, near the central divider, pretty dead, face looked ok but blood was just slowly spreading on the road tarmac from his fractured rear skull.. All vehicles were just slowing down, watching and proceeding. The city bus was stopped about 60 meters ahead and passengers were just getting down. What a pity, whose son is he, whose husband or brother and what kind of failed overtaking trick he attempted between the bus and the divider. The bike (number 0871 i think) and his one chappal was lying nearby. The next day i did not find a mention in the news paper even. What a waste of life. And no helmet seen anywhere around.
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Old 16th March 2015, 20:45   #7358
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Re: Bad Drivers - How do you spot 'em

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Originally Posted by alavandar View Post
I would like to say that it is also arrogance and a death wish.
In Chennai, I used to observe bikers overtaking from any side, coming straight from behind you and then flip / incline and straighten the bike to over take a car. On Tambaram Velacherry road the other day, around 2.30 or 3 pm, I found one biker, about 30 or less, hit by a bus and lying on the floor, near the central divider, pretty dead, face looked ok but blood was just slowly spreading on the road tarmac from his fractured rear skull.. All vehicles were just slowing down, watching and proceeding. The city bus was stopped about 60 meters ahead and passengers were just getting down. What a pity, whose son is he, whose husband or brother and what kind of failed overtaking trick he attempted between the bus and the divider. The bike (number 0871 i think) and his one chappal was lying nearby. The next day i did not find a mention in the news paper even. What a waste of life. And no helmet seen anywhere around.
This disease has taken tentacles in Trivandrum. A few posts back one poster had posted a video about a biker crossing in front of a car & giving stare for the benefit of car driver too!The bikers are taking all sorts of risks in the foolish confidence that somehow, 99.99% of the time, the carwallah will somehow brake & not injure them! About 0.01%? It is an acceptable risk , so it seems for the foolhardy biker!
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Old 16th March 2015, 21:29   #7359
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Re: Bad Drivers - How do you spot 'em

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Originally Posted by srikanthns View Post
This disease has taken tentacles in Trivandrum. A few posts back one poster had posted a video about a biker crossing in front of a car & giving stare for the benefit of car driver too!The bikers are taking all sorts of risks in the foolish confidence that somehow, 99.99% of the time, the carwallah will somehow brake & not injure them! About 0.01%? It is an acceptable risk , so it seems for the foolhardy biker!
Most of the college students in Trivandrum drive their bikes in the "S" shape even in a straight empty road. I've never been able to figure out why!

For the benefit of others who might be wondering what this "S" is, these guys start from left extreme of the road and zig-zag between the middle of the road and the side every 50m. Some idiots even zig-zag between both the extremes of the road on dual carriageways even when there is small amounts of oncoming traffic.
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Old 16th March 2015, 21:31   #7360
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Re: Bad Drivers - How do you spot 'em

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I would like to say that it is also arrogance and a death wish.
I used to think so: now I think that they do not even comprehend the risks that they take.
Quote:
... ... ... On Tambaram Velacherry road the other day, around 2.30 or 3 pm, I found one biker, about 30 or less, hit by a bus and lying on the floor, near the central divider, pretty dead, face looked ok but blood was just slowly spreading on the road tarmac from his fractured rear skull.. All vehicles were just slowing down, watching and proceeding. The city bus was stopped about 60 meters ahead and passengers were just getting down. What a pity, whose son is he, whose husband or brother and what kind of failed overtaking trick he attempted between the bus and the divider. The bike (number 0871 i think) and his one chappal was lying nearby. The next day i did not find a mention in the news paper even. What a waste of life. And no helmet seen anywhere around.
And the news report, if there is one, will say that the bus rammed the biker. And the poor bus driver may be arrested.

It has just occurred to me that almost all journalists and editors are bikers. I don't believe that they are capable of seeing the world through any other eyes. It is a very serious situation, especially in a city where the majority of vehicles are 2-wheelers.
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Old 16th March 2015, 22:31   #7361
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Re: Bad Drivers - How do you spot 'em

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It has just occurred to me that almost all journalists and editors are bikers. I don't believe that they are capable of seeing the world through any other eyes. It is a very serious situation, especially in a city where the majority of vehicles are 2-wheelers.
Even rural areas or high ways are no less. On last Sunday i was driving from Thanjavur-Trichy to Chennai. Near Trichy, Samayapuram, one bike with husband, wjfe and daughter (or may be grand daughter) on bike, on the high way, without any indication or show of inclination was veering from middle of left lane to extreme right of right lane without checking for traffic from behind. I had to hard brake and stop. Gentleman is about 50 plus, old and graceful but no road sense.

My experience on Chennai - Trichy -Thanjavur stretch is, it is a pleasure to drive between Tindivanam and Perambalur and then from the toll plaza on try-tj road to Thanjavur. On Trichy outskirts one has to watch out for fool hardly guys (opposite lane driving- not only two wheelers but at times bus, trucks, loaded tractor trailers, tempos etc).
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Old 17th March 2015, 10:11   #7362
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Re: Bad Drivers - How do you spot 'em

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This happens at attibele (bangalore entry from south) toll as well, especially during long weekends. With bigger trucks all over, it will very difficult to find the right queue when the queue is very long.
Yes. And what I generally do is:-
1. On a long week end, I do some checks before reaching the Thoppur toll booth (on Google Maps, and by reaching out to friends). If I find that there is a traffic block out there, I predict that it would be worse in Krishnagiri and even more worse in Attibele. In that case, cross over to the Palacode, Rayakottai route.
2. In any crowded toll booth, I just keep the extreme right. Because ultimately, we all have right hand drive vehicles, and there would be a toll booth on the right. No provision for any other vehicle to go more "right" than me. The queue may be slow out there, but it moves and I will be able to pay the toll and move on. Much better than be on a very fast queue, only to realise that it was a "false queue".
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Old 17th March 2015, 10:54   #7363
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Re: Bad Drivers - How do you spot 'em

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Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom View Post
Using right hand side of road, and turning right around blind corners is common biker behaviour
And these bikers thinks that they are absolutely right in doing this.
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Old 17th March 2015, 12:08   #7364
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Re: Bad Drivers - How do you spot 'em

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Yes. And what I generally do is:-
1. On a long week end, I do some checks before reaching the Thoppur toll booth (on Google Maps, and by reaching out to friends). If I find that there is a traffic block out there, I predict that it would be worse in Krishnagiri and even more worse in Attibele. In that case, cross over to the Palacode, Rayakottai route.
Thanks and any idea how bad is Attibele (is it after Hosur entry to Bangaluru?) at about 6 am? We need to travel from Chennai to Bangaluru Kempe Gauda International Airport to catch a flight at 11 am (check in at 9 am) and it would be a tuesday and on a 12 seater hired van. I will appreciate your advise.

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Originally Posted by sachinpk View Post
In any crowded toll booth, I just keep the extreme right. Because ultimately, we all have right hand drive vehicles, and there would be a toll booth on the right. No provision for any other vehicle to go more "right" than me. The queue may be slow out there, but it moves and I will be able to pay the toll and move on. Much better than be on a very fast queue, only to realise that it was a "false queue".
The false queue does not move fast, to the extent I observed. That is also equally slow.
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Old 17th March 2015, 12:13   #7365
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Re: Bad Drivers - How do you spot 'em

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Thanks and any idea how bad is Attibele (is it after Hosur entry to Bangaluru?) at about 6 am? We need to travel from Chennai to Bangaluru Kempe Gauda International Airport to catch a flight at 11 am (check in at 9 am) and it would be a tuesday and on a 12 seater hired van. I will appreciate your advise.
When coming from Chennai to Bengaluru, your first catch point would be the Krishnagiri toll (where roads from Salem side and Chennai side, meet up). Krishnagiri toll is before Attibele toll. So if you see that Krishnagiri toll is all messed up, then expect pretty much the same condition at Attibele. Where as in Krishnagiri I have seen the TN Police do try to jump in and fix the problem, if the crowd is too much. Expect NO such move by the Karnataka Police at Attibele.

Tuesday, I don't see any major rush. But please note that 6:00AM is also when lots of the inter-state private buses (from Kerala and parts of TN) start arriving at Bangalore. So you may not seen an empty toll booth, but you may also NOT find too many smaller vehicles trying to cut queues, or forming up "false queues". But once you get out of the toll, you may be able to just cross through Bangalore city, as traffic (to various IT parks) start picking up only after 0730.

Last edited by sachinpk : 17th March 2015 at 12:14.
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