[vinaydas]

Driving fast is something that many do although they do not accept it.
I honestly accept that i easily do triple digit speeds in city roads at times. But never at the risk of another persons safety.
A Good driver is not always defined by the way you change lanes/don't honk etc.
In Real world situations track records(previous incidents) are what defines a good driver. So Care has to be taken while being judgmental as the driver who you so call a moron might be a much safer/composed/well informed/better track record holding driver than you.




P.S you may see a spirited driver once in a while who likes watching people vanish in his RVM

[Thad E Ginathom]

the driver who you so call a moron might be a much safer/composed/well informed/better track record holding driver than you.

Frankly, and with honest humility: probably not.

Why? because the norms of "good" driving are fairly obvious, and even defined --- for instance in the teaching and tests of countries where they are done properly.

The track record thing: yes, the bad driver may have managed to get away with it more. They may even be more expert at controlling their vehicle, although usually probably not. Being able to control a vehicle outside the norms of good driving does not equal good driving.

[IronH4WK]

if the law says one is not to exceed 80km/h on a road and if one does 120km/h just because he/she feels like it, however experienced that driver might be, he's still a moron to me!

i've been driving for 22yrs. i know different styles of driving, but that don't mean i take on to the streets just because i'm confident about what i can do and do it safely. you never know how others react to your driving and that my friend is what makes the situation dangerous.

btw, this particular "moron" was doing those speeds i mentioned on the slope joining the Hosur road. there is a lot of traffic joining the particular section from below the BETL. if a car/truck/bus had clipped this guy, he would have easily ended up on the other side of the road - injuring many people with his "expert" driving.

so experience don't count when one puts other people's lives at risk. period.

[vinaydas]

A guy driving at 80 is almost at the same risk at a guy driving at 120. People do speeds in excess of 200 on the German autobahns does it mean they are all morons?

Now the question is reverted back to me saying that German autobahns are designed to take on such speeds.
I reply by saying certain roads in India are also designed to sustain high speed driving behavior.

Identify the limitations , whether it be the car the road the traffic or the people.

[ghodlur]

I spotted one such jerk riding an Accent today morning while driving to office. This guy was doing 60+ near the Mulund Toll and braked so hard to control over the couple of speed bumps. I was sure he would crash into the toll boths since the toll collecting guy was so scared to death that he flung himself inside the cabin. Luckily the Accent guy controlled his car and bobbed up & down heavily on the speed breakers and took off without even paying the toll.

I guess the toll guys also would have thanked the stars for being alive.

[RajaTaurus]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I forgot to mention that there was plenty of parking space available: that was what made it really stupid!

Here's another one: the guys that stop exactly outside a shop door, even though that means double parking and blocking the traffic, while the family gets in or out --- when they could pull in just a few yards further on. Probably often the arrogance and ignorance of those who employ a driver

No Saar, That is considered as a Status Symbol here in Chennai Saar.
Come to Anna Nagar, Saravana Bhavan, Balaji Bhavan, etc., you can see cars stopping right in front and family getting out happily and everyone that gets out holds his/ her high for few seconds, takes a panning look around and then slowly walks into the hotel. Then the driver moves. If traffic is jammed behind the car and hear horns blaring, the person is even more happy and beaming. And the pity is both these hotels are right after a traffic light and every time the traffic light turns green on this road, its chaos there. And the hotel guys are even more happy to have a 'traffic jam' in front of their hotel and never discourage the cars from stopping right in front.

[amitoj]

Count the number of bad drivers here:



When i confronted one such two-wheeler, he blamed the management for his lack of common sense

[IronH4WK]

i need to vent!!

our car almost got its right side scraped at Koramangala 5th block, after Microland and before the Ganesha temple, theres a road that leads down and joins the JNC road. i've put the right indicator and been waiting for around 30secs for people to let me turn (nobody wants to give way). finally i'm in the position to turn right (middle of the road but in my side of the road), theres a Big10 (bus) coming from the opposite side - 20ft away and has kinda slowed down to let me turn (i had flashed).

as i start my turn all of a sudden out of nowhere a dark blue Verna (KA-51-something) comes on my right, horn blaring and zig-zags between me and the Big10 and speeds away. the contents of that car looked like those executive types, with them lanyard around their necks and the idiot on the front passenger side was glaring at me as if it was my mistake!!

i let out a string of expletives as the car passed!! i mean, that guy could have badly injured or killed me ramming his car on to the driver door and for what? to get to his team lunch faster?

ok, i feel better now

Note from Support: Abusive language is not allowed on the forum, even indirectly.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by vinaydas

A guy driving at 80 is almost at the same risk at a guy driving at 120. People do speeds in excess of 200 on the German autobahns does it mean they are all morons?

Depends on the circumstances and (although I can't claim to drive within speed limits always) the law.

Trouble is, the idiots don't know when it is safe. Worse: the morons think they know when it is safe.

Did you know that if you hit a pedestrian at a speed of 30MPH there is a good chance they may survive: if you hit them at 35MPH they are likely to die.

I guess 30MPH converts to about 50Kph. Consider that carefully, and then consider city speeds of 120 kph.

Take two Chennai roads: Anna Salai and OMR. Both have speed limits of 40Kmph. I don't consider the guy who is doing 80, on OMR, to be a moron, if his driving style is appropriate. If he is doing that on Anna Salai, even at 2.00am, when it would be perfectly possible, then just by virtue of the speed, I call it bad driving.

[IronH4WK]

Originally Posted by amitoj

Count the number of bad drivers here:

including you? just kidding!!

btw, isn't that your car in the middle?

Originally Posted by amitoj

When i confronted one such two-wheeler, he blamed the management for his lack of common sense

of course it is the management who is responsible! they should provide each employee with parking space near their cubicles! it should be part of their pay package i say!

when will people learn!?!?

[vinaydas]

My friend was tailed by a black swift which lead to a chain fender bending session.
He was waiting in a signal...

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by vinaydas

A guy driving at 80 is almost at the same risk at a guy driving at 120. People do speeds in excess of 200 on the German autobahns does it mean they are all morons?

Well, as you've stated, the roads are made for cars to be able to do such speeds. And also, remember, the faster you go, the longer the time you'd take to react to something. Your ability to react to something in a split-second gets hampered. It's always safe to stick to the speed limit on the highway (80). After all, there is a reason why there is a speed-limit.

Attempting to exceed the speed-limit up-to you. One should know their limitations and try not to do go very fast even if they think they can handle it. I'm not saying that it is absolutely mandatory to stick to the 80 km speed-limit all the time. Basically, one should know where to draw the line.

Originally Posted by vinaydas

Now the question is reverted back to me saying that German autobahns are designed to take on such speeds.
I reply by saying certain roads in India are also designed to sustain high speed driving behavior.

Identify the limitations , whether it be the car the road the traffic or the people.

A combination of everything, perhaps?

We as a family have driven from Bangalore to Goa every year for the past 10 years, and we've driven to several parts of Karnataka over the years. The new Golden Quadrilateral is probably the only piece of tarmac where you can dream of doing speeds in excess of 100 without feeling the need to slow down. Some stretches are arrow straight and there are some curves/banks that require you to ease off the gas-pedal.

However, I shall safely say that I do not have the cojones to try and tickle anything higher than 140 km. And that's because of the people around. In India, you're bound to find various animals on the highways accompanied by people who seem to have suicidal tendencies. Add to that truck drivers who have alcohol flowing through their veins and possibly, banned substances. Not to mention the NWKSRTC buses who actually 'own' the road and cabbies/other private vehicles driven by people who are actually, quite frankly, a little mad.

And attempting to drive at silly speeds (anything above 100 anywhere in India is silly) knowing very well that there are plenty of risks involved is just blasphemy.

[rajeev k]

I parked my car at Statue junction, Tripunithura and came this bloke in an Alto parked blockingly and went off. I had to take back and forth for a couple of time to get out of this tangle.


A very selfish and very bad driver.

[Recompose]

Originally Posted by rajeev k

A very selfish and very bad driver.

And even left his lights on.
Its happened to me as well a couple of times and is so frustrating when you make the effort of parking perfect and some incompetent driver parks it in 2 spots/blocking your way.

[gururaj r]

Driving between 80 to 100 is not tiresome and one can drive all through the day or for at least 14 hours.

If one drives at say 120 or above, it requires more concentration and this driving makes you tired quite soon. In many of the long journeys, we have almost matched with the guys at some point ahead. Driving at more than say 100 kmph is not advisable - though I have touched 200 kmph Mumbai - Pune expressway in Mercedes but a one off thing.