[vina]

Originally Posted by kj302

Some random thoughts/questions came to mind

1. What is the reason by which overtaking from right is not right? At least in fourlaned roads in cities, where average speed is less than 30 kmph, practically can there be an issue?

I thought overtaking from right was the correct way, overtaking from the left was banned (except if you hold you lane in a multi-lane road and the guy in the right lane slowed - basically you didn't overtake - you just maintained your legal speed)

Normally in cities as well as highways you can break this rule without consequences. Sometimes it may be dangerous to follow some rules (rules are made to cover majority of conditions keeping majority of drivers' skills in mind - some cases need exceptions).

This is the reason law enforcement needs to use discretion - rather than a huge rule book.

Originally Posted by kj302

2. Speaking on mobile phones is rightfully banned, because you are half handicapped for driving, as only one hand is available for driving. But talking over a hands free device (while driving) should be permitted. Other wise even acts like talking to your co-passengers, listening to music (to which you are engrossed), viewing hoardings should be banned.

it isn't only about handicap - conversation involves mental effort which is then not available for driving. When a hazardous situation presents itself you'll take too much to react.

Talking to other passengers is a big no-no (though it is not banned - and it shouldn't be. The reason - such a ban wouldn't be enforceable) and listening to music is usually passive - most people are hearing it, not exactly listening.

Originally Posted by kj302

3. The max speed limit I have seen in any high way in India is 100 kmph. So why cant govt bring a legislation to electronically limit all vehicles top speed to 100-110 kmph?

Good idea, but very hard to enforce - I mean on a stop how would the police know whether you got rid of the stuff from your car? a lot of stuff that sounds very good is very hard to implement (without nasty side-effects like police extortion).

Cops with speed guns and heavy heavy fines are the way to go IMHO

Originally Posted by kj302

Friends, Please dont jump on me on these. I am not a representative of the hoards of "idiotic" drivers out there. Though I have violated the above stated rules at times, I consider myself (like all of you guys) as a safe and considerate driver, who thinks common sense as my best guiding rule.

I think most people will understand where you are coming from - no need to worry, nobody will flame you.

[Dieseldunk]

Originally Posted by kj302

Some random thoughts/questions came to mind

1. What is the reason by which overtaking from right is not right? At least in fourlaned roads in cities, where average speed is less than 30 kmph, practically can there be an issue?

2. Speaking on mobile phones is rightfully banned, because you are half handicapped for driving, as only one hand is available for driving. But talking over a hands free device (while driving) should be permitted. Other wise even acts like talking to your co-passengers, listening to music (to which you are engrossed), viewing hoardings should be banned.

3. The max speed limit I have seen in any high way in India is 100 kmph. So why cant govt bring a legislation to electronically limit all vehicles top speed to 100-110 kmph?

Friends, Please dont jump on me on these. I am not a representative of the hoards of "idiotic" drivers out there. Though I have violated the above stated rules at times, I consider myself (like all of you guys) as a safe and considerate driver, who thinks common sense as my best guiding rule.

+1 to Vina's reply

To answer your second question first any activity which eats into your mental faculty whilst doing something vital (driving is vital else it becomes fatal) is a strict No-No and moreover hearing to music is scientifically proven to soothe your mind and help you maintain minimal distraction from driving as it needs no higher mental faculty (unless you are trying to give A.R Rehman a competetion in composing)

Overtaking from Right is the legal form allowed under permissible conditions and circumstances (in fact in Tamil Nadu left hand drive vehicles are banned AFAIK)
On a lighter note some hoardings have been known to cause accidents and have been forcefully removed by the cops.(depends on which hoardings you are talking about)

Speed limit is behaviour driven and asking manufacturers to limit speed is akin to asking TV manufacturers to limit volume levels on the TV set.

All said and done there is no sense like common sense and we need to generously use it always in driving especially.

Cheers
Prasad

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by jeevmenon

Some of the pictures taken in this thread are taken by drivers (can see from the shadow on the bonets or close right-side A-pillars are seen in the pictures.) So they are as guilty as the offenders they are pointing to i.e you are concentrating on something other than driving which is unsafe on their part even if it is not in the law books.

So you're saying that the person who is trying to capture a traffic offence on his camera while stationary is as guilty as the person who is committing the offence? Ha.

Let me remind you that a person who breaks the law of the road is guilty. Period. The person who is trying to capture it on film is only trying to be constructive in his own way. As long as the car is stationary and not in any one's way, taking pictures is not wrong at all.

Originally Posted by jeevmenon

Just to post pictures on this thread please dont do such circus. There is a picture where the bike is in motion just in front-right-side. Holy crap! We love pointing mistakes made by others. Has any one taken time off to stop by, walk down and educate that guy (wherever possible)? To implement them and get it into their system will have to come from them. Not our headache. But atleast let him know one person found that behaviour offending. People, Lets be constructive!

Constructive criticism does not go down very well with people, in India, and generally, all over the world. People understand this as a form of insult and egos get hurt. "Who is he to tell me what to do and what not to do?" will be the first thing that pops into the heads of many who are given advice.

Originally Posted by jeevmenon

- if its from a hands-free camera/on a view-screen, you are still viewing it for a couple of seconds and then click. Who does the click?
- if you are stationary on a signal you are clicking. Can you talk on your cell phone? No. So, similarly you cannot click.

Now this is quite harsh, don't you think? Human beings cannot be horses, with flaps on their faces directing them in only one direction. In fact, I'd say that it's cruel, even to horses.

Originally Posted by jeevmenon

- some stats on this thread and about 44 pages and a couple of years and there were just 2 snaps. Maybe no provision on t-bhp or people were better then. Just dos and donts of good driving. We should leave it at that. Not saying something like - "look at him. what a moron?".

Then what is the point of having a thread like this at all?

Discussion is a good thing. And people need to converse and exchange views and opinions. If it's a list of dos and don'ts, then this thread would be done and dusted after 2 pages. Dos and don'ts won't go beyond that. This is why the good folks here post pictures and talk about their experiences.

P.S. The tone with which you've approached this discussion suggests that perhaps someone on this forum clicked a picture of you breaking the law, or perhaps driving in a rash manner.
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Just kidding!

[supremeBaleno]

jeevmenon has a point. And a good one at that.

While I don't really snap bad-drivers in action, I do snap cars that are either exotics or done-up/modded or simply those that I happen to like. And have snapped them both when I am stationary and occasionally when in motion. The latter is indeed dangerous, as pointed out by him.

Even a simple thing like changing the radio-channel or A/c-setting takes our attention off the road for maybe only a second or so, but could be enough for us to have/cause an accident, especially in city traffic. So, using a camera, which needs more of our attention to focus, zoom (if required), frame and click, is definitely a hazard and like he mentioned, we are as much to blame as the bad-driver we are snapping away at.

BTW, how many of us can actually claim to be good drivers, who follow all the rules all the time and from the time they started driving have never broken a law, never jumped a red when cop was not around, never gone the wrong way in a 1-way lane etc etc ? Infact all it would take is someone following us while we drive/ride for just 15-20mins without our knowledge to make out a big list of all the bad-driving we do knowingly or unknowingly.

The thing is when we are wronged, we yell out, but when we are in the wrong, we dont even think we are making a mistake or even if we are aware, we ignore it. To give an example, every morning on my way to work, I have to take a right-turn from a smaller road onto NelsonManickam road which anyone familiar with Chennai would know as a terribly packed road during most of the day. When the cop is around, getting onto the road is easy. But most of the days there is no cop and so, I wait for a lull in traffic from my right and then try to get into N.M.Road. Ofcourse most motorists coming from left ignore those of us trying to get onto this road and continue driving at speed so as to cross the junction before us, leading to us having to negotiate carefully to avoid being hit. At this time, I am the victim and my thoughts go, "Why can't these morons slow down since they can see us from a distance instead of speeding up ?

Finally I somehow make it to N.M.Road and trudge along the road which has other smaller roads merging into it. There guys like me earlier have waited for a lull in traffic before making it to the middle of the road, only to stop there because they see me (now the bully) speeding down at them. He must be having the same thought as I had earlier - what a moron?

The change in my attitude did not even take more than a minute or two. From a victim, I became the bad-driver - not intentional, but with the flow of traffic, the urge to reach office quicker, the urge to travel at speed etc being reasons. Most days I would not even be thinking of myself as the wrong-doer in the 2nd instance, but sometimes your conscience reminds you.

So, as was said, "Those among you who has not sinned, be the 1st one to take a snap. Oops "cast a stone".

[Torqy]

Originally Posted by vina

Talking to other passengers is a big no-no (though it is not banned - and it shouldn't be.

Its a big NO-NO for me. That explains the eerie silence while i drive.


-- Torqy

[msdivy]

IMO, the takeaways from this thread are,
1) Driving education by highlight what is wrong. Once people are aware what is wrong, they have the option of not repeating them.
2) What others on road feel about bad driving.

[MandarMax]

Originally Posted by Dreadnought

Nice graphics Mandarmax. Usually the red car wont be so polite to wait!!

Thanks. Hope you meant the orange car.

I agree most people in our cities won't stop and give way, but people like you and me find it extremely frustrating when you stop to give way only to find out that it was all unnecessary.

[Shivank]

Nice thread! This is the first time I am viewing this.

Actually in a day I spot a lot of bad drivers.Rather,I think good drivers are hard to find these days.By good,I obviously mean neat driving.The thread should be re-named as 'How to spot good drivers?' That's because I think there's a good number of bad drivers and a bad number of good drivers on road.Don't you think?

I have actually seen some of the 'bad drivers' with team-bhp stickers on their cars.I know,these are wannabes who come here to improve their so called car knowledge and while going back they pick some stickers.What they do is install loud free-flow exhaust;with xenon and led treatment all over the car and then try to drift their 'FWD' cars.Mostly seen in basement parking lots of the multiplex after late night shows.

[jeevmenon]

Originally Posted by suhaas307

Let me remind you that a person who breaks the law of the road is guilty. Period. The person who is trying to capture it on film is only trying to be constructive in his own way. As long as the car is stationary and not in any one's way, taking pictures is not wrong at all.

Just read both the posts above you and what sB says. 100% attention is needed. A lapse in concentration for even a couple of secs could be fatal. Instances of people crashing due to it exists and I have talked to them.

Originally Posted by suhaas307

Now this is quite harsh, don't you think? Human beings cannot be horses, with flaps on their faces directing them in only one direction. In fact, I'd say that it's cruel, even to horses.

They have to be while driving. Not for you mate. Do it for me who is also sharing the road and am at risk every other sec.

Originally Posted by suhaas307

Then what is the point of having a thread like this at all?

I continued my search through these pages. Came up to 90 pages. So as I said it just had 2 snaps in 44 pages and then each page started to have one. Then suddenly in the late 50 pages the circus started. Continued mainly by a couple of people. The title of the thread is to "how" to spot them? By mannerisms. Closed mirrors, driving on the dotted line etc. However the pictures prompted one member to even say that this is dedicated to spotting of wierd driving pics/videos!!

Originally Posted by suhaas307

and dusted after 2 pages. Dos and don'ts won't go beyond that. This is why the good folks here post pictures and talk about their experiences.

So be it. But it looks like you want some nice masala like "san sani khez" in Aaj Tak channel or something like that. Experiences?? Not at the cost of driving with one hand on the click button of your camera.

Originally Posted by suhaas307

P.S. The tone with which you've approached this discussion suggests that perhaps someone on this forum clicked a picture of you breaking the law, or perhaps driving in a rash manner.
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Just kidding!

I dont know what should I comment on this. Sounds kiddish. But only advice is please dont take pictures while driving. Thats all. It should not set a bad example and soon we have many who do that for thrills.

[anilisanil]

Jeevmenon has a point.

Clicking when driving is dangerous. Which is why I assign clicking to my better half when she is around or just keep quiet. And no one talks to me when I drive, and if someone do I ignore.

I guess let's cut it at here. No use going on and on about this now!

[Kamal]

Friends this thread has had a very enthusiastic response (2456 posts, till date).
Perhaps we Indians love to see the faults of others!
Don't you think we should have a thread that details good driving practices,collective words of wisdom that all of us could strive to put into practice on a daily basis?
What is a model driver like?

[JoeMichael]

Originally Posted by jeevmenon

But only advice is please dont take pictures while driving. Thats all. It should not set a bad example and soon we have many who do that for thrills.

I am with Jeev on this - Also what are we trying to prove by clicking a pic.

I mean , its a known fact that every 100 metres you would find a bad driver in this country. And I am sure all of us in this forum would have appeared a bad driver to some one else , atleast for once.

Yes if something extra ordinary happens, and we are at a totally safe position, go ahead take a snap. But taking eyes of the road and hands of the wheel ,to click someone talk on mobile while driving or trying a bad overtaking move- dont think that makes sense.

At this rate soon we would see a pic of someone taking a pic while driving here.

[Dieseldunk]

+1 to what has been told. May be we are going gung ho since this thread is being followed with great enthusiasm and fondness.

On second thoughts there are rules for life and limb and rules for any other purpose.
It is easier to deviate in the second instance and get away but for the 1st one the result is immediate. To illustrate standing in a Q is of the second kind you may decide to deviate (no harm to others but may land up with hefty abuses being hurled) but if you were to travel on the wrong lane the result is disaster for both the parties.

The intent is more critical than the act.

For example was standing near the Soorya hospital signal for a right turn from Arcot road(near AVM) to Arunachalam road and a MTC bus guy went on honking behind me to go ahead (though initially i did not heed other followed his line and started honking, even my wife asked me to go ahead )with no choice had to do it.


On many occassions the guy on my left side starts moving right without a hitch and decides to teach me how to take the roundabout(near the ESI hospital in KK Nagar) correctly!? Well am involved in the act and as guilty as anyone and am embarassed but then if it is preventing me from being harmed by the other guy well there goes my will.

In the end as it is said "The human mind is very queer it seeks justice when wronged and compromise when in the wrong"

To sum it up the intention of this thread is not to spite venom but to instead find solace by venting the emotion to a very matured and understanding populace. Let us keep the thread as realistic as possible and be very constructive in our views and replies and which we all are currently doing may be we can make it even more educative.

Cheers
Prasad

[sumathindra]

I think the whole thing is being blown out of proportions. Yes taking pictures while driving is defiantly dangerous however the intention must be not to just post pictures but to ensure that people get educated and reformed.

Taking pictures from a stationary car probably cannot cause any harm however i have seen at times people do object when you are clicking pictures!

Finally in Bangalore the traffic police have a facebook section where such pictures can actually be used to punish the guilty!

[amitoj]

So.... If at a red light i take picture of a guy who stops beyond the zebra crossing, i am the bad driver??

Also i dont think one can compare talking on cellphone while driving with talking to someone in the car. The passenger is atleast aware of traffic around you and can act as an early warning system whereas the person on the other end of the phone has no idea what kind of traffic you are going through.

I'd like to give more credit to tbphians and benefit of doubt that when they click a pic, they ensure they dont put anyone else in danger.