[Prowler]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

"M for Mirrors" is obviously not included in their "A 2 Z"!

May be they are fans of Alfred Hitchcock. Their M stands for murder - 'M - Murder'.

[Shubz]

And the award goes to ------

[raghu.t.k]

I have question to those who moved to Hyderabad and Bangalore as to how they adapt to the "local traffic culture".

I have recently started driving in Hyd. I started driving my own car in Gurgaon, and later in Chennai, with occasional visits to Kerala and Bangalore. Last saturday I was driving from Chandanagar to Begumpet. At the Alwyn Cross roads I slowed down to stop for the red signal, and was honked like mad from the traffic behind. The same happend when I was returning via Panjagutta and then to Road number 2. At the signal near the admistrative college, I intend to go straightm but stopped at the signal since it was red. As usual the honking started, and then one of the drivers wanted to what I was waiting for..

This really confuses me since I am really not sure where to stop and where not, and not knowing the local language all the more. I dont want to be a sitting duck for the guys to rear-end me or worse, at the same time to be on the right side of the law.

Regards
Raghu

[sohail99]

@Shubz - It appears as if the lancer guy cut from left?

-----------------

Are those drivers who constantly keep driving in the rightmost lane with no traffic on their left or front classified as bad drivers?

I try to follow rules and overtake from the right, but sometimes ppl driving in the right lanes just wont budge so I have to drive behind them almost all the way!

Then when other traffic approaches from behind, all of them overtake from the left of the car which again takes away any chance for the driver to give way to ppl in the right lane!

Situation here is literally chaotic.

[Capitalson]

Hi Rudra Sen & Iceman91,

I completely disagree with you 2 guys about your viewpoints about downplaying the importance of RVMs. Rather not realising the importance of them. You both are talking about 20 years back!!! And about the previous generation's driving style!!!

Sorry, mates. What was the traffic condition in the year 1991? How many cars were there? Heck, the latest model was M800 and may be a very few Standard 2000s and HMs Contessa. Any body remember Standard 2000? And i forgot to mention the Dolphin cars manufactured by Bangalore based SIPANI MOTORS? (Guess i got the name right). Twenty years back, only the real rich could afford a car. Getting a bank loan to purchase a car was an uphill task. Mostly you would have seen only Ambys and Premier Padminis. And, Boy! One could delightfully remodel a Premier Padmini.

Not like today. And during that period quiet a few models of two-wheelrs too. So, the road was much safer then. One really had to be either stupid or drunk to encounter an accident.

Not having RVMs didn't actually matter then. What about today? I leave the judgement to the rest of the Team BHP members.

[amitwlele]

As it is the rear view in the Ritz is limited and this guy has blocked it totally with 2 big bags. I am willing to give him the benefit of doubt assuming this was a stray case of carrying a lot of luggage.

[naveen.raju]

Here's another driver getting onto the wrong lane and passing the traffic. I was following the right most side of the lane and this guy takes the wrong lane. There was a large line up of cars and this guy went ahead and squeezed in to create another block.

[amitwlele]

Originally Posted by naveen.raju

Here's another driver getting onto the wrong lane and passing the traffic. I was following the right most side of the lane and this guy takes the wrong lane. There was a large line up of cars and this guy went ahead and squeezed in to create another block.

This is the most frustrating act for me. I experience it everyday while commuting back to home from office. In this pic you have an Indica, but i experience big company buses and tempo travellers doing this everyday along with regular IT professional (educated) drivers

[Damu]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

...One day, a biking friend asked me to imagine what it might be like for a biker to get a lit cigarette end in the face .

Thad, glad you mentioned this.

In 1995, I had a M800 and a Suzuki bike. One day on my bike, wearing a helmet without visor (1995, remember), a car guy ahead tapped ash out his window. The ash flew straight into my right eye. Now, the guy was perhaps a couple of car lengths ahead of me, but I can tell you it was still burning hot. I nearly fell off the bike, such was the agony and moreover as my eyes shut by reflex, I also momentarily couldn't see. I pulled off to the side of the road and it was awhile before I could resume. It took me a long time bathing my eye with water to relieve the pain. Fortunately, the doc checked me and said there was no damage to the eye.

BTW, to put matters in proper perspective, I am a smoker and I used to smoke in my car (1995, M800).

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I never did it again.

Me too, never again, ever. Nor do I allow anyone to smoke in my car either.

Originally Posted by Capitalson

...downplaying the importance of RVMs. Rather not realising the importance of them. You both are talking about 20 years back!!! And about the previous generation's driving style!!!
Sorry, mates. What was the traffic condition in the year 1991? ...
Not having RVMs didn't actually matter then. What about today? I leave the judgement to the rest of the Team BHP members.

Capitalson, here is my own take, from the 1970's.

I am nearly 56 years old and learnt driving at 11 years (Morris Minor, driving inside our bungalow driveway, thanks to my Dad).

I started driving on the public roads in 1973, my Dad's HM Ambassador 1969 Mark II model.

Yes as you say, in 1970's there was hardly any traffic, and very few suicidal bikers. We could actually get parking on MG Road at almost any time of the day!

The Amby had only one RVM of course. But even with low traffic, this wasn't always enough. If I wanted for example, to move out of my parking onto the traffic lane, I would put the indicator, stick my head out and look back to make sure there wasn't any vehicle coming up behind, and stick out my right arm in the prescribed manner, (because you could never be sure any switch in the Amby would work), then make the move. This practice was drilled into me by my Dad, and it's one of the reasons why I am still accident-free.

In 1994, I bought my first own car, a M800. This came with drivers side ORVM only. This was so useful, that I immediately bought the left ORVM from Maruti. With today's horrendous traffic, with bikes zipping past on both sides, it would be trouble some without an ORVM, more so one on the left side, because of some totally careless bikers.

In 1974, I got my first bike, a used 1973 Jawa, presented by my indulgent parents. Our biking guru was my friend's elder brother who was a professional motorcycle racer in the late 1960's and early 1970's. When we got our bikes, he called us together and told us, "good riding is not fast or stupid riding. Racing is for the race track, keep it there".

Two rules he made compulsory:
1) helmet,
2) RVM.

Those days, helmets were not available off the shelf. We got them made to order by Capt. Cursetjee, owner of FibreFab on Church Street (Highgates Hotel in those days). He measured our skulls, (small skulls, because we had no brains! ), and they were correct fit.

RVM's were available in JC Road, but it was well nigh impossible to mount one on the Jawa's curved handlebar. Nevertheless, we eventually did get them to stay on, although ball movement was restricted and unpredictable too.

My trip down memory lane, hope it's not too boring!

[Capitalson]

Hi Damu,
Thanks for your post and i sure liked it. Trip down the memory lane is always sweet. Though we all have graduated to more expensive, powerful and latest model vehicles, nothing beats the happiness we experienced when we got our own first set of wheels. My first was in the year 1986, a used TVS 50 XL. Brown colored. Man, what joy did it give me! I spent about 30 to 45 minutes everyday wiping and cleaning it. Spent extra efforts and time at the steel rims.

And the traffic conditions, definitely there were no complaints but for the bad roads.

And Damu, let me share with you, we had a factory in Madiwala till 1988, and i used to commute from Sulthanpalaya to Madiwala and back everyday. I really enjoyed the ride. No pollution. No dust. No noise. No smoke. Hey guys, if you wanna call me old school/old fashioned, then so be it.

[naveen.raju]

Originally Posted by amitwlele

This is the most frustrating act for me. I experience it everyday while commuting back to home from office. In this pic you have an Indica, but i experience big company buses and tempo travellers doing this everyday along with regular IT professional (educated) drivers

This is not limited to cars alone. You might have heard that the "Local" bus drivers are famous for their driving here in Cochin. This particular section is really wide and there's a small bridge near by where the traffic is held up. I have had many cases where these buses overtake and block traffic. These maniacs come so close to the car and at times I even think they will bash the car. All I do is overtake them after crossing the bridge, stop the car right in front of them and drive off. I just managed to click this yesterday since this section is covered with cops and it's hard to take the phone and click this. But let's see if I can post even scarier images.

[Dieseldunk]

Originally Posted by raghu.t.k

I have question to those who moved to Hyderabad and Bangalore as to how they adapt to the "local traffic culture".

I have recently started driving in Hyd. I started driving my own car in Gurgaon, and later in Chennai, with occasional visits to Kerala and Bangalore. Last saturday I was driving from Chandanagar to Begumpet. At the Alwyn Cross roads I slowed down to stop for the red signal, and was honked like mad from the traffic behind. The same happend when I was returning via Panjagutta and then to Road number 2. At the signal near the admistrative college, I intend to go straightm but stopped at the signal since it was red. As usual the honking started, and then one of the drivers wanted to what I was waiting for..

This really confuses me since I am really not sure where to stop and where not, and not knowing the local language all the more. I dont want to be a sitting duck for the guys to rear-end me or worse, at the same time to be on the right side of the law.

Regards
Raghu

Well Raghu
may be we need to follow the adage of "While in Rome do as Romans do"

On a serious note compared to Hyderabad Chennai seems to be a bit better organized in that sense but Hyderabad seems to take the cake on this front. Infact I had a clip which showed hoe people cross roads in Hyderabad (will search and put it up) the very thought scares me to hell.
All the best and keep following whatever is the right thing to do as you have been doing.

rgds
DP

[DieselLover]

Originally Posted by naveen.raju

This is not limited to cars alone. You might have heard that the "Local" bus drivers are famous for their driving here in Cochin. This particular section is really wide and there's a small bridge near by where the traffic is held up. I have had many cases where these buses overtake and block traffic. These maniacs come so close to the car and at times I even think they will bash the car. All I do is overtake them after crossing the bridge, stop the car right in front of them and drive off. I just managed to click this yesterday since this section is covered with cops and it's hard to take the phone and click this. But let's see if I can post even scarier images.

Nice trick Naveen. I used to do this with Private buses running between Calicut and Thrissur. They honk like crazy and overtake from left and right with little or no consideration to others on road. I used to overtake them and stop right in front (at in incline if possible) then speed away

[Shubz]

Originally Posted by sohail99

@Shubz - It appears as if the lancer guy cut from left?

-----------------

Are those drivers who constantly keep driving in the rightmost lane with no traffic on their left or front classified as bad drivers?

I try to follow rules and overtake from the right, but sometimes ppl driving in the right lanes just wont budge so I have to drive behind them almost all the way!

Then when other traffic approaches from behind, all of them overtake from the left of the car which again takes away any chance for the driver to give way to ppl in the right lane!

Situation here is literally chaotic.

No sir. I was the bad driver in letting a gap in front of me as the esteemed Lancer guy was driving in neither lane with ORVM's closed and music blaring. I probably should've honked the hell out of my wits and not let him cut in front. Just that I was bad enough to safe guard his car from being touched by a lesser mortal of a Hyundai. And how can I not let him enjoy the hip hop number he was playing for the crowd. Just kidding. No offense meant Sohail bhai.

[straightdrive]

Originally Posted by raghu.t.k

.........At the Alwyn Cross roads I slowed down to stop for the red signal, and was honked like mad from the traffic behind. The same happend when I was returning via Panjagutta and then to Road number 2. At the signal near the admistrative college, I intend to go straightm but stopped at the signal since it was red. As usual the honking started, and then one of the drivers wanted to what I was waiting for..

In Hyderabad, there is a practice, encouraged by the traffic cops, that at signals/intersections where there is no turning to the left (i.e you can either go straight or turn right), only the right turning traffic stops for the red signal. Because there is no left, the "free left" becomes a "free straight".

It is not correct but like I said, since the traffic cops allow it, many people think the red signal does not apply at all to traffic going straight at such an intersection. It looks like you stopped at such an intersection both times.