[S2!!!]

This is the first time I actually visited this thread and found it really really pointless where people keep clicking pictures of the "defaulters" who are driving in the middle of the road or speeding and what not!
C'mon guys what is the point of this thread anyways. Seeing the rate at which this thread is being filled with snaps it will not be too far when we see are own cars in this thread snapped by some other bhpian for something we did unknowingly which he/she did not like. What are we going to do then? Not drive again? Change the way we drive?? Become more responsible? ==> Maybe/ maybe not. It could also be the case where once you were in a hurry and that is the reason you were speeding or changing lanes and trying to reach your destination. Its really OK. Everyone does it. No matter how much you are disagreeing with me right now, even you have done it. Accept it!!!
The best thing to do is to keep a cool head and follow the road rules and lane discipline at all times. Let others drive like maniacs, just ignore them and move on. There is no point in discussing every single incident you witnessed everyday of your travel. If that was the case all the Mumbai taxiwallas and rickshaw wallas and those tourist cab drivers would be featured here and this thread would have been overflooding with pictures.
This is just my opinion. I donot think we really need to continue discussing who just cut us in the morning or which car tail gated us in the afternoon or which donkey kept honking at us in the evening or what speed we touched in the night (and then debating upon that that why is that speed safe and what others are doing is not safe). I mean isn't it all pointless??
Drive and let drive!

also isn't what the bhpians who click snaps of others while driving doing unsafe?? They may see a bad driver or a possible scoop pic or an exotic or a wierd and whacky mod job beside them and pop their camera while trying to keep up with those cars to snap em. Is that alright? Or is that too justified??

[Thad E Ginathom]

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

That rather depends on whom "one" is. Many bad drivers can be spotted by the fact that they drive for 14 hours.

Taxi drivers often come in that category.

[RajaTaurus]

@S2!!! - 100% Agree with you mate. Me too don't see any point clicking (that too in the night) so called defaulters driving in a haphazard manner. Why click one in a thousand from the mad crowd? What we learn from it? I would rather discuss how to identify a rash driver from a distance and how to 'stay away' from him/ her, to be safe. And snapping while driving, well, a lot had been talked about it right here and me not commenting on that.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

That rather depends on whom "one" is. Many bad drivers can be spotted by the fact that they drive for 14 hours.

Taxi drivers often come in that category.

gururaj r, that response from me was unnecessarily sharp. Apologies.

I completely agree with you that driving at higher speed requires very much more concentration and reaction skills. What I should have said is that w should not under-rate the concentration needed to drive at any speed. We should also recognise that driving for long periods can, itself, be dangerous.

[S2!!!]

Originally Posted by RajaTaurus

@S2!!! - 100% Agree with you mate. Me too don't see any point clicking (that too in the night) so called defaulters driving in a haphazard manner. Why click one in a thousand from the mad crowd? What we learn from it? I would rather discuss how to identify a rash driver from a distance and how to 'stay away' from him/ her, to be safe. And snapping while driving, well, a lot had been talked about it right here and me not commenting on that.

Exactly my point.

[gururaj r]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

gururaj r, that response from me was unnecessarily sharp. Apologies.

I completely agree with you that driving at higher speed requires very much more concentration and reaction skills. What I should have said is that w should not under-rate the concentration needed to drive at any speed. We should also recognise that driving for long periods can, itself, be dangerous.

It is not that only taxiwallas drive for 14 hours. They do so regularly. As you could see from Mumbai Bangalore road condition thread, there are many fellow BHPians who drive for that many hours. It is the question of responsibility for yourself, family and for the traffic who go along with you. The mechanicals of the car would deteroirate faster when you continuously drive at higher speeds since you tend to ignore craters on the roads.

I drive always at sedate speeds. I never had the chance to open my engines of various vehicles whether it be 2 or 4 wheelers even after much mileage has been done. 80000 kms in a chetak or 90000 kms in Premier Padmini, the engine life is still good and kicking. Of course, maintenance is another aspect.

Drive Speedily but always safe!

[amitoj]

Originally Posted by IronH4WK

including you? just kidding!!

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

Hahahaa.. i said count the bad drivers, not spot the worst driver, ok?
Yes that was my car in the middle. Facilities claim to have taken care of the menace now, though i am not taking any chances yet by parking there.

[drive_or_die]

Driving over the weekend of Oct 30, 2010, I observed my driving skills and gut feeling to avoid some cars (drivers):

• People who tail gate you on highway despite the fact that the road ahead of you has been blocked by slow moving bus/truck. (I let them sneak between my car & the truck/bus ahead of me then I honk for couple of time to make person realise that s/he was wrong )
• Another set of drivers I avoid and maintain distance is the drivers who apply brakes (sometimes hard) even the vehicle in front is 100 meter away. These guys apply brakes even while overtaking (the car on left would be on extreme left with space for 2 cars to pass by, from right). These drivers may be new or lack confidence; it will help if they display "L" on their cars.
• Bikers without helmet on highway is big NO NO for me, I do not mind slowing down to let the biker pass and cover some distance

[CARDEEP]

Some tips on how to be a better driver, direct from the horse's (rather mare) mouth. Please refer the link below -

How to be a better driver

... I thought it is always better to share with fellows.

[Thad E Ginathom]

I just got back from a week in Singapore. I'm sure many BHPians have been there, and will be aware of the incredible discipline shown by the majority of road users.

One thing struck me, though, which was that even there, there is a tendency to drive too close to the vehicle in front. Also many bike drivers overtake between two vehicles (being the meat in the sandwich) instead of waiting just a moment.

[IronH4WK]

on my way back home, on 13th Main Indiranagar (coming from 100ft road), i've put my indicator to turn left about 20ft from the turn before NPS. its been raining and there is droplets on my ORVM and the left window is a little fogged (had rolled up to take a quick call) - in essence, left side visibility is less. when i start to turn, a young couple on Activa try to squeeze in through my left. i had just enough time from squishing them against the tree in the corner. i roll down my window and ask the guy in Hindi "i've put the indicator, couldn't you see the it?" (indicator lagaya hai, dikhta nahi hai kya). he replies sarcastically in Hindi "i don't see much" (mujhe zyada dikhta nahi hai) and just rode off!

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

One thing struck me, though, which was that even there, there is a tendency to drive too close to the vehicle in front. Also many bike drivers overtake between two vehicles (being the meat in the sandwich) instead of waiting just a moment.

Thad,

They see the advantage, they take it! I'm not trying to undermine two-wheelers. All I'm saying is that it would be nice if they respect other road users and avoid putting themselves in a situation where something could horribly go wrong!

Originally Posted by IronH4WK

on my way back home, on 13th Main Indiranagar (coming from 100ft road), i've put my indicator to turn left about 20ft from the turn before NPS. its been raining and there is droplets on my ORVM and the left window is a little fogged (had rolled up to take a quick call) - in essence, left side visibility is less. when i start to turn, a young couple on Activa try to squeeze in through my left. i had just enough time from squishing them against the tree in the corner. i roll down my window and ask the guy in Hindi "i've put the indicator, couldn't you see the it?" (indicator lagaya hai, dikhta nahi hai kya). he replies sarcastically in Hindi "i don't see much" (mujhe zyada dikhta nahi hai) and just rode off!

I've lost count on how many times I've faced this sort of a situation. Ironh4wk, there is no point trying to reason with them. They will continue to do so. And learning the lesson the hard way, one would say, is the only way they would learn. But that's something we just keep repeating to ourselves and hope that that's how they'd perceive it. But no. They don't.

After one incident, they probably back-off for a few weeks till there rattling nerves settle down. And then they go back to hitting the apexes religiously and pretending that there isn't anything on their side. Untill it hits them again.

[kd7202]

I normally commute to office and back on my bullet and I drop my wife off to her office on my way to mine.

The other day I was about 10 feet away from the traffic light at the New BEL Road / Outer Ring Road junction when the light turned red. I immediately slowed down and was about to stop when I saw a Volvo city bus in my RVM hardly twenty feet behind me. He was coming at full clip and I could see that he had no intention of stopping. And I was bang in his way !!

I immediately accelerated, went right thru the red light and took a right on to New BEL Road, to avoid being hit by that monster, and he was right behind us. The cops caught me at the railway bridge a little ahead. Gave me a earful and let me go when I explained. I suppose people riding bullets are given the benefit of the doubt .

I have seen these Volvo buses being driven so fast in city traffic, they have scant regard for traffic rules and get away most of the time. I am yet to see a BMTC bus being challaned.

[silversteed]

Of late, I've noticed many bikers going on the wrong side of the road WITHOUT their headlights on, at night. I don't understand what these people save by not turning on the lights.

They are a menace to people waiting to cross the road at Zebra crossings too. On a divided road, a pedestrian's attention would be on the vehicles that are supposed to be moving in the correct direction. These morons create a confusion and a commotion ensues.

[raj_5004]

Was in my scorpio with a bhpian friend at amar mahal in chembur. we are waiting at a red light when the cars in front of me started moving. I too followed them when suddenly i realized the signal is not green yet. Immediately applied the brakes & stopped well within the limit but the other vehicles beside me continued.

From the opposite side, came a spanking new bimmer 5 series whose passenger seat was occupied by TV star Jay Bhanushali! his car had to turn right (their signal was green) but had to abruptly brake because of a rick & biker who chose to break our signal & move ahead. He gave them quite an earful, of course, in sophisticated english & moved on!