[kaynmantis]

I too think, the thread should be "Good Drivers - How do you spot 'em". You need to try hard to spot them..seriously. Consider some of the daily events every time I'm on the road.

Just at the traffic light.

• Will honk as soon as they come to a halt as though to announce their arrival.

• Will start honking even before the light turns green. Including those right at the back some 100 meters away.

• Will start honking the moment light turns green as though its extremely crucial to get the timing right.

• Will simply zoom past since there are no traffic or no police.

• Most interpret the amber light NOT as 'slow down, light changing to red'. But as 'Speed up, light changing to red'

• Start edging forward even before light turns green. It just takes one person to jump and every one follows. I don't need to mentioned what happens if you are following traffic rules at this time.

• Always stop across the stop/zebra line.

• Some sees the traffic light as a quarter mile drag race lights. Only to be frustrated by those jumping the light, mostly two wheelers.

• Will block the "U-turn" lane.

• Will stop at the extreme right lane and start cutting across to take a left turn and vice-versa.

• When light turns green and just as you are moving, some jerk will zoom across you from the other side as he was hoping to get across before our side moves. As mentioned above about the interpretation of 'amber light'.

• Lastly, very common at traffic signals where one goes straight and the other turns right (or left). And the light is red for turning right. The traffic thats going right will hog up the entire road leaving little or no space for the traffic thats going straight. Never fails.

All these at just one stop, until the next stop.. couple of meters away. Huhum.

[Thad E Ginathom]

I saw a white BMW a couple of days ago. I'd guess it was brand new: it had that showroom-fresh shine to the paint. It looked so good that that I only noticed two things about it. The paintwork (not the model, 3-series I guess as it wasnot very big) and the fact that both orvms were folded.

Somebody is driving a car of this quality, and they do not even know driving-lesson-one safety rules. Very sad.

[AvonA7]

Originally Posted by baz_303

My 2 cents:

* Any yellow plated vehicle ( especially Indicas);
* Bikers ( far far too many in pune! and they drive really recklessly);
* ST Buses;
* Construction ( and other) trucks.
* Ladies driving with an 'L' board ( no offence meant here! Its just a practical problem I have experienced time and again - scrapped my car on more than one occasion.)

would like to add one more point -
have noticed, ladies riding scooty/activa, mostly will overtake from left side and most of them wears the duppata with the face covered fully except eyes - if by chance the knot becomes loose and eyes are covered then they will take somebody along with them.

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I saw a white BMW a couple of days ago. I'd guess it was brand new: it had that showroom-fresh shine to the paint. It looked so good that that I only noticed two things about it. The paintwork (not the model, 3-series I guess as it wasnot very big) and the fact that both orvms were folded.

Somebody is driving a car of this quality, and they do not even know driving-lesson-one safety rules. Very sad.

Come on, its a bmw, what if somebody hits the orvm, i`ll open it in the safety of my parking place !

On a serious note - once I asked one of my colleague when I was in Hyd, he (not only him there are many bike riders) used to fold his motocycle orvms inwards just above the headlight. In this position, no way he can see any vehicle approaching from behind. His answer was - if I don't fold the orvms it put scratches on other vehicles and also the orvms might break if get hits hard. So the primary purpose of the orvm is lost here.

I think we lack common sense.

[Shubz]

I was driving to work, and a Santro behind was continuously flashing from behind! I looked up the rear view mirror to see if he was trying to overtake anybody. But there was two car lengths of space between him and me. I was on the right most lane on the Domlur Inner Ring road. And our man goes on flashing. For a moment I wonder if my wheels are about to fall off or there is something to which he wants to me check on etc. Nevertheless I let him pass, hoping he'd make some sign to me about something on my car. Mr Flasher quietly passes by and continues flashing at the vehicle in front of him. Some CFD (Compulsive flashing disorder?)!

And the next best thing that I see on Bangalore roads, Cars/ mini buses / trucks/SUV's etc driving on neither lanes. 3 quarters of the vehicle on one lane and 1 quarter in the other. Best of both worlds?

It is dangerous to pass such vehicles from either right or left, for you never know when they would change their mind and come in your way... Who wants to get into a brawl in the middle of the road!!!

I guess it is in their genes. Nothing can be done to correct that.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Is this inherited from auto drivers? they seem very fond of planting the front wheel on the lane lines.

Here's a bike speciality: use any curve or turn, especially a sharp one, to overtake, cutting inside the larger vehicle. Dangerous and stupid --- but common.

[anilisanil]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Here's a bike speciality: use any curve or turn, especially a sharp one, to overtake, cutting inside the larger vehicle. Dangerous and stupid --- but common.

You bet!!! I get so annoyed with this.

I have to take this sharp left into a service line, and every single day, repeat every single day since I started driving to office, a bike cuts me from left. I used to go mad initially, but now it is a way of life!! If someone pays me for the paint may be I will show the stupid biker what happens if I do not brake!!

[GTO]

Look where the idiot stops at a red light:


Heard of double parking? Here's TRIPLE parking. SX4 & Indica have conveniently taken up the 3rd lane. Result : Moving vehicles can use only ONE of the three road lanes:

[noopster]

^^ LOL did you shoot that from your house? Those guys were probably buying something from a shop or something. For some reason, some guys think it's OK to hold up traffic behind you if it's for "just five minutes". Idiots!

[raj_5004]

@ GTO:

I think the ONHC guy had the intention of jumping the lights but must have seen a cop ahead!

I dont understand, when there is space in the left lane to park, why the indica & SX4 is parked there???


A scary incident happened with me today. Was driving my mHawk & was at 80 kmph on the EE Highway. The godrej signal was appearing & it was green. I was in the middle lane as i was giving way to a white swift behind me whose bonnet was near my right rear tyre. I could see a black santro near the signal, on the opposite side waiting for a right turn (his signal was red) or a U turn. Something made me feel this car driver is behaving weird as inspite of the speeding highway traffic from the opposite side, he was inching forward to our side with total neglect to his red light, our green light & more importantly, a scorpio (mine) & swift coming in opposite direction at 80-90 kmph.

I flashed my headlights continuously to request him to stop there but i guess he had some other intentions. as soon as we (my scorpio & the swift trying to overtake me) neared, he zoomed into our lane, took a U-turn & bang into my lane, the middle lane. what did he think... my two ton SUV was fitted with brembo brakes???

I panicked when i saw him right into my lane, i could almost see my car's bonnet banging right into the santro's left door... I jumped on the brakes risking a rear collision... i was confused whether to cut to right or left as i was unsure whether the santro would move to the left lane or the right lane! I could not cut to the right as the swift (equally panicked) was now on my right & not surprisingly, the santro remained in my lane! I slammed the brakes, the ABS juddered, i downshifted to 2nd & the santro's rear bumper (and my front bumper) was saved by some mere cms...

my uncle sitting on the front passenger seat nearly got a heart attack! I got so furious, I overtook the santro (now in the right lane) from the middle lane, lowered my window & was surprised to see a girl driving. Now i cant even hurl abuses...

My uncle ordered me to stop that car. I requested her to move to the left lane & stop but she increased her speed. even i did the same, overtook her & gave her hand signals to keep left & stop but she swerved her car left & right dangerously & even narrowly missing the swift behind me. that made my blood boil, i blocked her way stopped her on the right lane itself. the signal behind us had turned red & no cars were behind us except the same swift.

before you guys pounce on me, my uncle's (& mine) only intention was to ask her the reason for this dangerous move & make her understand how ghastly the outcome could have been. but before my uncle could step out of my car, the girl again swerved to the left & accelerated hard. I somehow regained my senses, pacified my uncle to calm down as she is a girl & she maybe frightened too.

we continued our way back home, we could see the same car on the left most lane but this time, we stay clear of it! Madam, if you are reading this, if not road manners, please use some common sense atleast. Also, respect your's & other's lives... I have a lot to do in life, i am not yet married!

All in all, not at all a pleasant experience. and i thought driving manners in mumbai are better!

[noopster]

^^ Whoa Raj that some scary s hit man!

I don't think what you did was completely unreasonable- trying to get the other driver to stop so you could give her a piece of your mind. But please consider that the other driver who probably realised her mistake probably panicked and may have caused even more damage under the added provocation of you chasing her. I know it's galling but sometimes it's better to bite the bullet and accept that there's only this much that one can do.

Having said that am glad it was you and not your Uncle who was driving. Have a feeling the story may have not ended there!

[Thad E Ginathom]

before you guys pounce on me, my uncle's (& mine) only intention was to ask her the reason for this dangerous move

No pouncing. I hope you would have had the same intention only towards a male driver, and I don't see any reason not to make your feelings plain, and perhaps give some education to a female one.

If she got freaked out because she saw two guys in a big car chasing her, I can't say anything other than she deserved to be freaked out. Let's hope that she saw her own fault, simply because, if she does that sort of thing again, she may not even live to get freaked out.

If she wasn't freaked out, then she was behaving like a thug, and a female thug is no better than a male one.

[raj_5004]

@ noopster: No, I dint give her a chase or anything! When i asked her to stop, she dint. I overtook her, tried blocking her way & make her stop but she swerved left & right. Somehow made her stop. I thought i would ask her to park in the left lane but by the time my uncle could remove the seatbelt, she again cut left, accelerated hard & zoomed off. I dint give her a chase after that as i realized even she must be panicked & as you said, if i give her a chase again, the situation can worsen. so i left it at that...

If my uncle would have been driving, it would have been a sure shot collision. Thats because after driving the mHawk every day for the past 2.5 years, i know how it stops & how to control it in such emergency situations. my uncle drives a civic & I guess he wont be able to stop or control the scorpio in such narrow situation. whatever be the case, GOD was on our side... and the girl's too.

@ thad E Ginathom: If the santro was driven by a male, he would have got the same treatment... infact, even more.

Because somewhere i feel, girls break rules or drive rashly because of plain ignorance or lesser concentration. But not so with men!!! men drive rashly because of over confidence & heroism...

[Rastapopoulos]

No particular incident to narrate but I just have lost my patience trying to deal with people who drive with the mobiles to their ear or even try to send smses.

Not at all bothered to the line of cars awaiting behind them to speed up or give way as they drive cars/bikes in the right most lanes. A few also ignorantly trying to overtake and bully other vehicles as they speak into the phones.

I overtook one such gentlemen who had been obstructing the right most lane for a large 2 minutes. I lowered my window and put out my hand and instead of showing him a finger I angrily gestured him that he needs to hang up his phone!

He seemed not to be bothered and carried on with his conversation as i drove away. I am sure the day isn't far when I might get down and give such drivers a piece of mind.

[rki2007]

Public transport bus drivers-(Called as BMTC Buses in Bangalore)- I should say that these people are the worst drivers ever seen on the earth.

Their wonderful characteristics are:-

They never care for anyone.

Don't mind whether moving from left to right or right to left.

keep on coming on the opposite direction and suddenly take a left or right turn.

Never bother to give any signals.

Even though there is a bus stop, just stop the bus right in middle of the road and cause hurdles for others.

When already a bus has given a stop in the bustop, just overtake that bus and give a stop in front of that bus making that already standing useless fellow to overtake.

Here in Bangalore we consider the BMTC bus drivers as the REPRESENTATIVES OF YAM DHARMARAJ. So we are always careful with these uncultured, uneducated stupids.

Second- Our great Autowallahs- offcourse there are good auto drivers but majority are idiots. Jumping between lanes and driving without even the basic traffic rules are familiar.

Third- The White Indica and Sumo Stupids- I observe these Cabs drivers especially the Indica and Tata Sumo - Call centre drivers doing all sort of non sense on the roads.There performance will be more when there are female passengers.

Two wheeler- majority two wheeler drivers are good except few. The major mistake with the two wheeler people are they don' t show any signal. They just keep on jumping between lanes, Drag racing,overtaking in left, puking into small lanes, dancing in small spaces between the cars in the traffic signal.

[rki2007]

@ Avon A 7 ---I agree with you. But indeed the two wheeler guys will knock down the mirror.
When i am driving my manza i will always have both the mirrors in use. And in i10 i keep only the right mirror for use and fold the left one which is not required.