[asingh1977]

Originally Posted by FarPatel

I had gone to Delhi yesterday to attend a meeting at Noida,
...
...
what I experienced in Delhi and Noida.

Sorry to say, I was actually smiling when I read your post. Your observation as an external observer are smack on for the driving culture in the NCR region. Mumbai is far better it seems. There is some sense at least. NCR is 0.0000% sense. Come to GGN next time, and be more shocked. Why: the roads are wider, less traffic density. So, people goof off at higher speeds and more frequency. Due to not being held back by a swarm of traffic. Plus GGN is the land of SUV's, you can guess what happens. All the road sins possible in all manuals are committed daily in NCR. Be it drinking ----> incorrect parking. You name it.

[asingh1977]

Originally Posted by lordvader

Sorry for the rant but we are just not getting anywhere when it comes to good city driving.

It is getting worse day by day. NCR has reached a point of no return. Nothing can correct it, or show reprise. Way too late now. People still ignore seat belts and helmets. It has probably been 10 years ago they were made mandatory. Rest is a joke. No value of life here.

[ankurchaturvedi]

Originally Posted by FarPatel

So, in spite of all my cribs on Mumbai traffic I'd much rather be here than there.

The cab driver was a former tractor driver in UP, just arrived in Mumbai 10 days back, had no clue about the roads and had the driving skills of a, how shall I describe it, yes, a former tractor driver.

Well sir, i quite agree with your sentiments and i feel the same. I am originally from UP, Bareilly to be exact although i was born and brought up right here in Mumbai. The thing which irks me is that whenever i visit my native place, people always comment that i am "chicken" driver and i don't have the guts to drive fast. According to the people in my native place (not generalizing here) good driving is driving like you own the road!

[gabrielthomas]

I trust the starting point for most of the drivers including me is a driving school where we were taught "to drive" but not "how to drive". I believe if driving schools were to first teach the etiquette of driving for the first few days before allowing the students to grab the steering wheel on the first day itself, we would be be having at least 60% less bad drivers in our society than what it is today. This is apart from the so called written test that we don't even write and get 9/10. :-)

just my opinion guys...

[lordvader]

Originally Posted by gabrielthomas

I trust the starting point for most of the drivers including me is a driving school where we were taught "to drive" but not "how to drive". I believe if driving schools were to first teach the etiquette of driving for the first few days before allowing the students to grab the steering wheel on the first day itself, we would be be having at least 60% less bad drivers in our society than what it is today. This is apart from the so called written test that we don't even write and get 9/10. :-)

just my opinion guys...

True, but the question is how do you get hold of such trainers? Anyone and everyone is a trainer nowadays. In NCR, I have seen driving schools mushrooming in every nook and corner. They charge minimal in comparison to the better driving schools, say a maruti for that matter. I paid 5000 to learn at a Maruti driving school and the other schools were asking 1800 for the same duration. To be honest, even the maruti guys were not up to the mark in terms of teaching basic driving etiquette.

Nonetheless, I would attribute a lot of what I have learned in terms of etiquette to Tbhp and the various you tube videos driving videos. And that is because I wanted to and often, if not always, that is the missing ingredient. And therefore, I wonder if maybe we direct the new learners in our circle to such sources besides get trained at local schools, we can may be claw back some sanity on our roads.

Sorry for the off-topic rant!

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by gabrielthomas

I believe if driving schools were to first teach the etiquette of driving for the first few days before allowing the students to grab the steering wheel on the first day itself, we would be be having at least 60% less bad drivers in our society than what it is today.

First the person must be receptive to such ideas. They must be a person that has consideration and courtesy for others. This is not stuff that people learn in driving school: it is stuff that people learn from their parents.

From the beginning, even if she has never, ever even sat behind the wheel, Mum is the most important teacher of all.

[asingh1977]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

First the person must be receptive to such ideas. They must be a person that has consideration and courtesy for others. This is not stuff that people learn in driving school: it is stuff that people learn from their parents.

From the beginning, even if she has never, ever even sat behind the wheel, Mum is the most important teacher of all.

True. Basic manners and being civil is totally lost to the Indian public en masse, unless it is a religious festival and/or a wedding. See how rude and ill-mannered Indians have become in the past 15-20 years. It is shocking. There was a time when people used to speak nicely to each other. It is over. On the road this is aggravated, because everyone is in their mini world -- inside their car.

[sunishsamuel]

While coming back after a short vacation from Goa, we decided to take the Amboli ghat road to Hyderabad. Since ghat sections have less choices for food, we decide to have lunch at a restaurant at the goa border. While we were waiting for food, a black scorpio with two families land up for lunch. Pune registered car, two middle aged men at the front, two ladies, four 8-10 year old girls, one teenage boy at the back. They get down, settle at the next table to that of ours. All kids are glued up to their phones and not bothering about ordering food etc.

The men decide to order liquor, they order two glasses of whiskey, one bottle of beer (starters) and some food. One of them says that he is tired and desperately needs the alcohol before they reach Goa (another 1-1.30 hrs drive) He also says proudly that in Goa everyone is drunk so the cops do not bother ! The two glasses of whiskey now becomes 4 and they are still enjoying the drink. In between conversation goes to the max speed he did on scorpio, how relaxed he feels after couple of pegs and alcohol helping him concentrate on driving.

The kids are obviously listening and seeing the bad example in front of them. And assuming that the dad's turn lucky and escapes a police check, would it not be encouraging for the kids to do similar stuff in future ?

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by sunishsamuel

... ... ... And assuming that the dad's turn lucky and escapes a police check ...

Or an alcohol-induced accident that kills all of them.

That is a shocking scene you describe. Those guys are absolutely ignorant of the fact that alcohol increases confidence but decreases reaction and skills. Sadly, there are millions of such people,



.

[ankurchaturvedi]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

That is a shocking scene you describe. Those guys are absolutely ignorant of the fact that alcohol increases confidence but decreases reaction and skills. Sadly, there are millions of such people

+1 to that, there's actually a quote-"Children learn more from what you are, than what you teach". Well in this case, i fear that the children may have learnt that driving and alcohol are a good cocktail. This then begs the question-How do we as a society prevent this to the maximum extent possible?

[landcruiser123]

Originally Posted by sunishsamuel

And assuming that the dad's turn lucky and escapes a police check

I think you should have called the police- reported what you saw in the restaurant (just the quantity they were drinking) and told the police your location (and the road the driver would head if you could guess.)

The Goan police wouldn't have had too much trouble finding a black MH registered Scorpio.

[ajayclicks]

Originally Posted by sunishsamuel

The kids are obviously listening and seeing the bad example in front of them. And assuming that the dad's turn lucky and escapes a police check, would it not be encouraging for the kids to do similar stuff in future ?

Not just this, but every morning, on my way to work, i come across countless two wheelers where dad/mom are without helmet, and are breaking signal or going the wrong way in order to drop their children to school. I wonder what kind of two wheeler riders these children will become when they grow up.

[sunishsamuel]

Originally Posted by landcruiser123

I think you should have called the police- reported what you saw in the restaurant (just the quantity they were drinking) and told the police your location (and the road the driver would head if you could guess.)

The Goan police wouldn't have had too much trouble finding a black MH registered Scorpio.

Hindsight, i should have done that. Will keep in mind if at all i encounter such situation in future, only worry is if the cops will end up ruining my day too (have had enough bad experiences with cops so slightly bitter here)

Originally Posted by ajayclicks

Not just this, but every morning, on my way to work, i come across countless two wheelers where dad/mom are without helmet, and are breaking signal or going the wrong way in order to drop their children to school. I wonder what kind of two wheeler riders these children will become when they grow up.

Even my neighbor does it. I tried discussing with him during a casual chat, he seems pretty cool about it. Yaar, its just 2 kms, nothing will happen.

I keep repeating, our cops need to be super strict on the traffic violations and no mercy. Else we will encourage another generation who thinks violating the law is cool and getting away after an incident is just about paying some money.

[sunishsamuel]

Kindly merge my posts if possible.

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

While browsing the net, happened to see this video. Please watch from 12:00 minutes.

I like Suresh Oberoi for his acting but isnt he encouraging and doing something very bad ? I understand the love for children/grand children etc. But unsafe driving practices ? And that too in the name of god ? In between you can actually see the little kid holding steering for a short while.

We endorse such unsafe practices and then get really defensive when things go wrong. Without even an iota of regret !

[Prodigy07]

How do you react when you spot a bad driver in your office campus?

Few examples that I keep spotting daily.

a) Overtaking when you are about to enter the office gate
b) Don't care to slow down while taking turn in the stilt parking
c) Don't bother to switch on headlights in the stilt parking
d) Loud honk when you are reversing your vehicle demanding us to let them pass through

The list keeps increasing. Phew!