[acroback]

Here is a classic disaster recipe which almost turned into a head collision today evening.

I was returning from Palace grounds after getting my number plates affixed at Renault Showroom.

I stay near Kadugodi. If you want to avoid the Hope Farm junction traffic while coming from ITPL road, you can take a left turn before the signal which takes you from middle of a small dwelling straight to the road which takes you to Hoskote.

Since it was dark, every vehicle was driving with lights on. I could see couple of vehicles coming fast, so used dipper to warn them to watch out.

All went fine. Suddenly I see a Xylo coming from opposite side, well and good. When I am fairly close to Xylo I see there is a single light (i.e a 2 wheeler ) trying to squeeze from Xylo's right. Since distance between me and this 2 wheeler is not far. I use dipper to indicate and remove my foot from accelerator sensing trouble.

When the high beam fell on 2 wheeler, I was shocked to see that it was a indica taxi, with its right headlight non functional. I immediately stood on brakes. Taxi cab driver screeched to halt dead in my lane just a meter away.

I mean first of all he is in a hurry in a 2 lane road, and then the dude has a non working headlight, that too right side one.

For all long I assumed I can pass by the biker's right easily only to know at last moment that the moron is driving a taxi.

The idiot went ahead as if it was daily routine for him and nothing special happened.

Isn't traffic police supposed to stop such vehicles who pose grave threat to safety of their own life and others life on roads?

Also while going to Showroom a sleeping biker almost fell on my Duster near Phoenix City Mall.

The guy is going in left most lane, so I take ample space left on right and cross him. As I am in the middle of crossing him, the guy suddenly starts diagonally towards right perhaps lost in his thought process.

I realized it the moment he came in my left OVRM, when he was almost 2 inches to collision. I did not honk, as I know in such instances startled biker can actually drive into a car.

I just press accelarator and zoom ahead, missing him by milimeters.

When I suggested him in Rear View mirror, was he sleeping in his lane without a helmet, he had no remorse.

[voodoochild]

Originally Posted by IronH4WK

...i see a ANHC trying to overtake a Tata 709 which was not travelling too fast...

What would we have said/done if he had taken the 709 from the left, probably bulldozing the 709 into H4WK's path?

Lets put ourselves in the ANHC dude's chappals: He was stuck behind a wallowing vehicle in the RH lane. Needed to overtake. Probably honked and flashed lights at him. No reaction from 709 (probably blasting away the 'kuthu moojik' in his cabin). Now should ANHC overtake from left or right? Which is legal? RHS obviously. So he pulls into the oncoming lane (thats not illegal unless there's a solid double-line dividing the lanes) but oh woe, a H4WK appears from nowhere! So he plays that funky music at H4WK instead, as he's already begun his maneuver.

Now to me, it doesn't seem like the guy was out of line (pun unintended). I'm sure we've all overtaken an HCV like this in frustration. But when they do this at a speedbreaker when everyone has to slow down anyway, its different. I see this every single day enroute to work. And I do pretty much what H4WK does. Pull very close to the dividing line (but not into the opposite lane) and just ride very slowly. Works pretty well. And there's never any traffic behind me because I work where they live, and vice versa!

Cheers,
Rahul

[suhaas307]

^^ You don't seem to get it.

The guy driving the City was not wrong right up to the point when he decided to overtake IRRESPECTIVE OF THE FACT that there was on-coming traffic.

Attempting to overtake is not wrong. But attempting to overtake knowing that there are vehicles coming from the other side and that you'll be cutting it close if you go ahead with the maneuver is WRONG!

Yes, you're stuck behind a slow-moving idiot, you pull out into the opposite lane in order to overtake. The coast is clear and you attempt overtake. That's cool! But if you see vehicles coming towards you, you jolly-well get back into your lane and wait it out.

Is overtaking a slow moving vehicle more important than the lives of other people around you, not to mention your own?

[voodoochild]

Originally Posted by suhaas307

^^ You don't seem to get it.

The guy driving the City was not wrong right up to the point when he decided to overtake IRRESPECTIVE OF THE FACT that there was on-coming traffic.

Attempting to overtake is not wrong. But attempting to overtake knowing that there are vehicles coming from the other side and that you'll be cutting it close if you go ahead with the maneuver is WRONG!

Suhaas, I agree that pulling into the oncoming lane after seeing oncoming traffic is wrong. I wrote with a hypothesis that the guy sees oncoming traffic after committing himself to the maneuver. Depending on the traffic situation behind and ahead of him, he can either abort or hope that the oncoming vehicle gives way (easier for him if its a bike). Its a split-second decision made easier if ANHC knows what is behind him.

Personally, I would have given way for him if he wasn't too rash and seeing that the 709 wasn't speeding anyway. But if its a Monday and I'm heading to work, I would hog my real estate and slow to a crawl and make him get back behind the 709

And I just noticed that H4WK posted that stuff 3 days ago ! Over and out!

Rahul

[kutts]

I was driving my Polo along the MG Road (from Overbridge to East Fort) at Trivandrum yesterday night around 9 PM. I was on the right side of the track and there was not much traffic. There was this guy on a bike (wife as pillion and a kid in front) who was driving along the middle of the road, parallel to my car (left side of my car).

I came to a junction (in front of the Ganapathy temple) where a U turn or a right turn is prohibited. I had slowed down at the junction when suddenly this biker just turned right into my car. He hit my front left bumper , somehow managed to regain his balance and in that hit my car again. And without stopping just crossed across to the other side of the opposite lane.

I did not stop at that juncture since he had already driven away but luckily the damage was minor - a small scrape on the bumber.

A complete idiot (more choiciest words to be applied). He overtook me from the left; crossed my car to take a right turn (when actually there is no right turn permitted); and did not even bother to see if there was any oncomming traffic in the other lane before crossing it. Indicators and helmet - Of course not.

Shouldnt this guy be tried for attempt to murder his child and wife ?

I have lodged a online complaint. There are CCTV cameras installed by the police at the junction - hopefully the traffic police may pick it up. Just managed to note down his last set of registration numbers as KL - XX - AS - 5568. Couldnt make out the value for XX ; but there are just a handlful of those.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Some of the recent conversation on this thread, as well as every-minute experience on the roads, makes me add this to the list:

• Bad drivers think they have a right to overtake.
• Bad drivers think they have a right to travel faster than the ordinary flow of the traffic around them.
• Bad drivers on fast, multi-lane roads, often form a knot of cars, all too close, all trying to get ahead.

[Oxy]

Originally Posted by acroback

Here is a classic disaster recipe which almost turned into a head collision today evening.

The idiot went ahead as if it was daily routine for him and nothing special happened.

....

When I suggested him in Rear View mirror, was he sleeping in his lane without a helmet, he had no remorse.

The first incident is plain suicidal! What was that moron thinking? Thank heavens that you decided to flash on the Indica!

Regarding the second incident, was this hero texting by any chance while riding? It's now very common these days, atleast here in Bangalore, to see morons texting while riding their bikes. These creatures don't have a clue about the traffic around them. Wonder what's so much more important than your own life!

By the way, I stay in Golden Blossom. We should meet sometime.

[acroback]

Originally Posted by Oxy

The first incident is plain suicidal! What was that moron thinking? Thank heavens that you decided to flash on the Indica!

Regarding the second incident, was this hero texting by any chance while riding? It's now very common these days, atleast here in Bangalore, to see morons texting while riding their bikes. These creatures don't have a clue about the traffic around them. Wonder what's so much more important than your own life!

By the way, I stay in Golden Blossom. We should meet sometime.

I stay a little ahead in Sobha Amethyst. Sure we can have a local meet of BHP'ians in and around whitefield.

[srikanthns]

Originally Posted by kutts

I have lodged a online complaint. There are CCTV cameras installed by the police at the junction - hopefully the traffic police may pick it up. Just managed to note down his last set of registration numbers as KL - XX - AS - 5568. Couldnt make out the value for XX ; but there are just a handlful of those.

Pl go to keralamvd.gov.in to find out. I did. Yes, it is a Hero Honda bike only. I do not want to put out the person's name here.

[carzone]

Another grand entry in this thread.
Witnessed not only a bad driver, but also bad officials yesterday evening.

This guy, had a grand parking bang in front of the gate, when I wanted to leave for a urgent work at a friends place.
Notice the pitch black tints, I had to knock on the door to make sure that no one is inside. Pitch dark ones all over.
Keep in mind, this road is a one way road as I mentioned some posts ago.

I go to a policeman who is standing some 25 feet away from the spot. He points me to a just arrived tow crane and tells me to ask them to tow it away.

I go to the tow crane, who are busy loading some bikes. I start looking for the traffic police who I later find is busy instructing the people to tow bikes and busy talking on the phone(people whose bikes have been towed, call up their contacts). I ask the tow crane driver to pick that car up.

He says, "saar, we don't pick up big cars, it might get damaged!" I was like, what the! Don't small cars get damaged? Then I see some rogues use a scale and breakopen in a santro parked nearby(well away from any kind of gate and away from the line of traffic). I go to the traffic police, who by now has finished talking on the phone and explain him my problem.

Initially he does not pay heed, and then says, how can they pick it up, they will have to block the traffic. I mean, isn't that car already blocking half the traffic parked on the road? According to what I saw(santro episode), towing takes only a minute and that much can be done if willing to.

More, the traffic person tells me, blow out all the tyres of the accord. He says, he will surely pick them up the next time.

And there I am lying with an urgent work on my hands and waiting for someone so that I can get MY car out on the road.

One thing I would like to mention, the way those chaps handled the santro, it made me feel pity for the car itself. Using a scale/rod, disengaging he handbrake and lifting the car with the hand to turn it(lack of space on the road), just shocked me to the core. I am not going to park my car in a no parking zone and let such people handle it.





I then have to borrow a friends bike. Thanks to him, or I would have been in some deep trouble.

This is the state of Mumbai traffic police, who is busy earning bucks, rather than looking after public issues.
Thought of complaining to authorities, but whom? Authorities present on the spot shy away from their responsibility, where should I go and complain? What is the proof that I could have arranged to stand my case?
This is the case in all the cites and just hope that it gets better.

[voodoochild]

Originally Posted by carzone

Another grand entry in this thread.
Witnessed not only a bad driver, but also bad officials yesterday evening.

Carzone, it looks like your building's entrance has become a "carzone" .

Jokes aside, photographs of the offence, the vehicle's plates, and if possible the details of the insensitive policeman are evidence enough to support your cause. Would it be possible to post those details here? I'm very sure there's somebody on TBHP who is connected enough in Mumbai to take up this matter.

Do the Mumbai traffic police have a website to register offences? Try to arrange a meeting with the DGP, IGP or whatever. Email him the pictures. Drag him to your building and ask him to bring your car out. Report to the local newspaper. Its frustrating to watch you suffer this nonsense in silence! Do something man!

[carzone]

Originally Posted by voodoochild

Jokes aside, photographs of the offence, the vehicle's plates, and if possible the details of the insensitive policeman are evidence enough to support your cause. Would it be possible to post those details here? I'm very sure there's somebody on TBHP who is connected enough in Mumbai to take up this matter.

Do the Mumbai traffic police have a website to register offences? Try to arrange a meeting with the DGP, IGP or whatever. Email him the pictures. Drag him to your building and ask him to bring your car out. Report to the local newspaper. Its frustrating to watch you suffer this nonsense in silence! Do something man!

Was in a bad bad urgency, so didn't wait and take the number of the car.
Have no details of the policeman too.
The reporting to the local newspaper need to be done now.
I don't know about any such page that records offenses about traffic, if anyone does, please share it here.
Meeting with the DGP or the IGP seems too high a stage, will try to get some attention over the issue.
Next time I see someone, all details are going to be up here for sure. And going by the trend, it would be too soon!

Originally Posted by voodoochild

Carzone, it looks like your building's entrance has become a "carzone" .

A good one there.
It indeed has become a "carzone". Time to change my username, eeh? If only it was permitted!

[SDP]

Place : Mumbai - IIT Powai entrance signal. Please note that its a T-junction

Date and Time : 11th Dec. Morning ~9:30



Please note that I am in the SECOND lane from right as the right-most lane turns into IIT-Powai at the signal.

Generally, there are not too many vehicles turning right at this signal and therefore once the right turning traffic clears, people use the rightmost lane to go straight as well. Now because of this smart gentleman, TWO lanes of traffic is blocked. With me blocked, people behind me start squeezing into the 3rd lane, causing more chaos behind.

[kutts]

Originally Posted by srikanthns

Pl go to keralamvd.gov.in to find out. I did. Yes, it is a Hero Honda bike only. I do not want to put out the person's name here.

Yes, I had checked it in the MVD site; But then both Trivandrum and Ernakulam registrations are Hero Honda bikes so cannot assume who was the one.

[S2!!!]

Originally Posted by carzone

A good one there.
It indeed has become a "carzone". Time to change my username, eeh? If only it was permitted!

Its been quite a while since you have repeatedly posting pictures of parked vehicles obstructing your gate. What I would suggest you is you along with other residents of your building purchase a couple of wheel clamps and slap them on to these trouble makers. Let them then take the trouble of finding you'll and apologizing or even paying a small fine. It is high time you'll take matters in your own hands. You could put up a warning outside your gate about the same. I have seen a couple of societies in South Bombay adapt this policy and have black clamps which the lock the wheels with.

The problem with our cities is that people have enough money to purchase a car but not enough common sense. Even the trend of having a driver waala gaadi has become a nuisance where the sethjis get dropped off and the drivers nicely park in no parking/ no stopping zones on busy streets and no one bothers telling them anything irrespective of the traffic being created by them.