[FarPatel]

I have just shot off a complaint to the Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner about two of my long-standing pet peeves: HMVs driving on the right side of the roads and the continuous use of high beams by both, HMVs as well as many LMVs. Let's see what comes of it.
What I've started doing lately is, on overtaking an HMV driving slowly in the rightmost lane, shout out to him or his cleaner while I'm alongside on his left, pull ahead and gesture to him through my opened window to move to the left. I must say that at least 6-7 times out of 10 they move over as soon as they can, which makes me think that these guys are just plain ignorant of the rules. Though the local dumpers and ST buses refuse to let go of 'their' turf.

[sinharishi]

People in this part of the country has no patience at all. They just go nuts seeing traffic jams, even if its a short one!

[Tanveer_2558]

Originally Posted by nagarjun

I know the usage of high beam within the city limits has been menace and I am not sure if there is any practical way to prevent/control it.

Off late, I am finding that the XUV500 lights to be too strong and blinding for the opposite drivers. Being a popular car, I am seeing this quite frequently and the lights at a higher position also adds to this. Yesterday while returning from office, I was tailed by a XUV500 from zoom cars with high beams on. They were so strong that even in the night mode of my IRVM, they were quite bright. For some reason that guy was not overtaking me for a while and had to face this for few kms.


PS: No offence to the XUV500 owners, I think the problem is using the high beam in the city limits.

Completely agreed, XUV 500 being a SUV plus the high beam is really strong, The other sedan and hatchback users can completely get blinded, Just the other day i was in my Jetta waiting at a signal and on the opposite side of the road an XUV was waiting at the signal too with his High beam on, I asked a cop standing nearby to ask him to lower the light and so he did.

I Never ever use high beams permanently in the ON position ever, A normal one or two flash to make someone aware of your presence is fine.

[printh]

Likewise! I too never use high beams except at blind and dark intersections momentarily or to signal the opposite vehicle to dip. IMO, both vehicles in low beam means the visibility to both is perfect. I couldn't quite understand the reason why everyone love high beam. Just now came back after a short travel, but through a treacherous road with lots of two wheelers, cycles, mopeds and people walking in dark areas. Almost every vehicle had high beams on. I was completely blinded. Quite a few of them had extra 2/4 lights attached, completely blinding me. I was sitting ducks with my 60/55W. After sometime, I really fantasised about using 175/100W light force lamps and tearing the retinas of those idiots. Sigh.
Thanks to these guys and idiotic people on two wheelers, they made a "just 65 Km" travel seem tiring and long.

[john.gt]

Nowadays I've adopted a new technique for high beams. I bring my car to a complete stop to the left and cover my eyes. Its just not possible to make out whats on the left, especially on Bangalore roads, which behave like the staircase in Hogwarts, ever changing.
Some get the idea and dip their beams. Some look at me with an expression
My commute increases by some time, but what else to do? Indicating to lower the beam is ignored or not understood by the driver coming opposite

[pratyush6]

Another note on high beams in Bangalore: I feel the cabbies are permanently set on high beam and you really cannot argue with idiots. And now private cars too are following suit. I am like

I just don't know what to do about it. There is no escaping it - except maybe flash a couple of times in hope that the morons understand that its dangerous for the oncoming vehicle as well.

[biggrin]

Earlier I used to fight the oncoming high beam, by returning the favour. Some understood and lowered their beams, while others kept driving as if I am flashing for fun! This resulted in a rather tiring experience at night and would have probably led to the headlight knob giving up before time. What made it worse was that fast moving city traffic crossed me (and my beams) in a matter of seconds. So most of my actions went unnoticed.

Now I use high beam most of the time and switch to low beams as soon as I see a non-blinding car (which is very rare). I know I am bad, but one has to adapt. After switching to this habit, I see less people (with high beam) tend to come into my lane than what the case used to be when I was that sedate low-beam non-blinding driver.

I think the cars with a large reflector and chrome bezels (i.e. Santro, Ace, Swift, Innova) and high positioned beams (i.e. Fortuner, Sumo) have a blinding beam. Maybe government should try to make smoked bezels compulsory (like the New Polo's dual barrel - which isn't very blinding even in high beam) or seperate low and high beams. Low beams can be kept on the headlamp unit and high beam can have a seperate reflector fitted on the bumper (near air dam) on all cars. Cops can fine those who use high beams in city, easily by identifying the cars with high beams lit on the bumper.

I guess we already have a thread for a similar topic.

MODS Please move the related posts to this thread.

[tanwaramit]

Originally Posted by motomaverick

Forum Mall is notorious for these kind of parking. I see most of the cars not parked in a straight line in the middle of those markers. I fail to understand how someone cant get the direction right despite having those markers. Once I had a tough time getting into the drivers seat because some moron had parked his car very close to mine.

Sometimes its due to someone else on the other side due to the other car has to park so close. But not always, some people donot care much and park closeby only.

However, in such situations when its so tight. One can also release the gears on the car and manually push back the car to a comfortable position 2-3 feet back and then get in. I try it rather than trying to squeeze hard to get inside the car.

[asingh1977]

99% Indian drivers think "high-beam" is the normal way to drive. Many times I have sat with passengers who after a while tell me: Why are you driving with such low lights. It is dangerous. Put it on "normal beam". So high beam == normal beam in India. I am sure a lot of people do not even know how to put it into low beam.

On a funny note: Once a biker was behind me -- as usual on high beam. He was flashing me non-stop at an extremely high frequency. There was tons of space on the right for him to overtake. I thought, maybe I have a flat or a door is open. All seemed fine. So I gently stopped the car and signaled him to stop at my window. I asked him for the non stop flashing. He said he was not. Then he told me: his headlight unit is wobbly. I told him to get that corrected, cause it is extremely intrusive to people in front. He understood and we both parted ways...!

[rajivr1612]

Originally Posted by asingh1977

I am sure a lot of people do not even know how to put it into low beam.

This is so true. I was once traveling in an Ola cab in Chennai. Was seated next to the driver. Saw that high beam blue light was on. Since drive was within city I told him to switch to low beam. He asked me, saar how to do that? I explained him the same and he was thankful for the newly gained knowledge.
So it is clear that people think the blue light on dash means lights are on.

[Arkanile]

Originally Posted by rajivr1612

So it is clear that people think the blue light on dash means lights are on.

unfortunately that is so true, what with the current demand for drivers by the these cab co's UBER/OLA etc there is absolutely no check on how much experience the driver has and whether he is qualified enough to take the responsibility of other lives that board the cabs.

Heard this incident in Jaipur, was working there for some time back. In 2008-2009 a lot of IT companies had set up shop there in Mahindra SEZ and as per the norms they had to provide pick/drop facilities to their staff.
Now this is completely true, one of my friends who was taking the office transport found the driver to be driving very weirdly, when he questioned him it came to light since there was such huge demand for drivers, the people from villages who drove tractors did a quick 1 week course on driving Tavera's and were onboarded to drive staff around.

[IshaanIan]

Originally Posted by biggrin

Now I use high beam most of the time and switch to low beams as soon as I see a non-blinding car (which is very rare). I know I am bad, but one has to adapt.

That is exactly what we should NOT be doing. What if you encounter someone else who is employing the same tactics as you? Both of you will see the other with their high-beam on and bash on regardless. This is the kind of adaptation that has to be culled. Before you know it the entire nation would have learnt this technique instead of the right one, and everyone will just continue on their way with their high-beams on not bothering to dip their lights because the other guy is also blinding them

[msdivy]

It isn't the case of extra cautious driver - he doesn't have a windshield

[CAPTAIN REX]

This happened yesterday.
Chennai - Kottivakkam.
The idiot in the Terrano comes up on the wrong side of the road to take the turn. I stopped well inside so that he has enough space to make his way. But this joker does not. He signals me to go back. I put the vehicle in neutral, pull up the hand brake and take my foot of the brake. This guy, seemed to be some local politician, with a picture of his political hero up in front on the dash board, keeps flashing and signalling me to move back. The passenger who was sitting next to him had some sense, and I could see him gesturing to this idiot to go the right way.
Finally when he sees that I was not going to budge, he moves to the right and passes trying to keep the distance between us too close for comfort, but did not make contact. Wonder what these sort of drivers think ? That they own the road ?
Silver Nissan Terrano - TN07CA8042.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWDDTaKzuH8

[biggrin]

Originally Posted by CAPTAIN REX

This happened yesterday.
Chennai - Kottivakkam.
Silver Nissan Terrano - TN07CA8042.

That crumpled front fender is enough proof that this fellow has had some serious judgement disorder since the beginning.

I guess there was enough space for him to move to the right end of the road and complete the turn without getting dangerously close to your car. Another point to note is that he is almost on the opposite side of the road when he reaches the turn.

A friendly advice I would give is to make way for such people (when he was about to hit your car while making the turn) as a self-defence act to protect *your* car from damage and yourself from the after-effects of such damage. You could have moved to the extreme left end and let him pass. Maybe you did the same, but the footage ended just before that point. Messing with such people is simple and clear waste of time, mental piece and, in some cases, money also.