[arunkrishnan4]

Here is a confession for an incident that happened a year ago...

It was November 2012; just 3 months since i bought my first car (i10), and we (family) were returning from a temple visit on GST Road towards Chennai (my first highway trip). I was going at around 90kmph on the right lane. Somewhere close to Chengalpet, I noticed the town bus in front was slowly chugging alone on the right lane. I decided to over take on the left; noticed a mini truck slightly ahead on the left lane; enough space to accelerate beyond the bus and move back to right lane. Now, this spot had a slight elevation and there was a mirage on the road, so I failed to notice that the mini-truck was actually towing a very low base chassis. The chassis was not tightly hooked so it was dilly-dallying between the right and left edges of the lane. Suddenly, I was caught between hitting the chassis in the front and scrapping the bus. I decelerated quickly, checked the ORVMs and joined behind the bus in a quick swerve. A few moments later when the road was clear and I was back ahead, a black Swift came along my side and started honking. I thought he was trying to move to my lane, so I slowed down a bit; but he continued on his lane and honked. Then I noticed the driver throwing gestures like "What's up with you?" and sort of such and then sped off. I was amused as to why he reacted so. It took me a few minutes to assess what could have possibly happened.

Possibly, the Swift was behind the bus when I took the quick maneuver to the right. The Swift should have been in my blind spot hence I couldn't spot it on my ORVMs before swerving right. Anyway, it was my mistake!! Thankfully, it didn't get any worse. Since then, I am double cautious while overtaking on highways and especially on 2 laners.

I remember seeing a TeamBHP sticker on that black Swift( dont remember if it was VDI or ZDI); the driver was 30ish driving alone wearing a black T -shirt and coolers on a November afternoon around 2pm. So, if he is reading this, I would like to extend my apologies!

[jacs]

Originally Posted by arunkrishnan4

Here is a confession for an incident that happened a year ago...

Anyway, it was my mistake!! Thankfully, it didn't get any worse. Since then, I am double cautious while overtaking on highways and especially on 2 laners.

So, if he is reading this, I would like to extend my apologies!

Arun - Mistakes can happen but admiting the fault is worth a pat on back. Good. I am sure you are forgiven a hundred times by the Swift guy if he already read this.

[Warwithwheels]

Rowan Atkinson inspired truck driver

This shocking police video shows a driver brushing his teeth while at the wheel of an articulated lorry.

Filmed from an unmarked vehicle, it also shows a number of other distracted motorists, including one having a shave and a woman doing her make-up in the rear view mirror while on a motorway.

The worrying footage was shot during a five-day operation across the motorways of Hampshire and Thames Valley.

Full Article + Video:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news...torway-2353182

[MaxTorque]

Originally Posted by jaygeetee

Ha ha. Did you give him a lecture?

Not yet. But I am not interesting in giving a full length lecture. But I am going to tell him that "the root cause of those scratches is his habit of driving without OVRM".

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by rohanjf

Actually, he is not breaking any law. Left side ORVM not (yet) mandatory in India. Can we call him a bad driver, when law itself is not against what he does?

Keeping the L-ORVM open does not automatically make a person a good driver. Just as keeping it close does not make someone a bad driver by default. Keeping the mirror open is obviously a good thing as it increases rear/left visibility, but unless the person is actually "using it" to get inputs to aid his driving, there is no point. Also important is how well the mirror is adjusted to have the least blind-spot.

This is same as signalling. Signalling your intentions using the turn-indicators is obviously good, but that in itself is not enough. One should know when to signal, when to cancel the signal and more importantly prepare for the turn. What use is it if a person driving on the fast-lane suddenly turns on the blinkers and cuts across 2 lanes on his left to make a left-turn ? Instead if a person plans for the turn in advance, changes lanes gradually and with surrounding traffic in mind and is at the left-most lane by the time he reaches the point where he has to turn left, others would not even need him to signal - they would have got the message.

Also some of us started driving at a time when cars did not come with L-ORVMs. Our 1985 M800 did not have it and what I did was to set the R-ORVM such that it covers all the right part, with the IRVM covering the rear+left and finally using the quick-look-to-side routine for final confirmation. Works fine for me even on the Baleno which has L-ORVM and none of the cars I drive have any scratches on the left that can be attributed to lack of open L-ORVM.

[saadat1992]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

what I did was to set the R-ORVM such that it covers all the right part, with the IRVM covering the rear+left and finally using the quick-look-to-side routine for final confirmation. Works fine for me even on the Baleno which has L-ORVM and none of the cars I drive have any scratches on the left that can be attributed to lack of open L-ORVM.

That's what i did with my Santro when the right mirror was knocked off! But, as you said 'using' the ORVMs is the thing! It gives you that extra bit of confidence when you keep both the mirrors open at all times! Very useful when driving through congested streets!

[guyfrmblr]

Originally Posted by Warwithwheels

Rowan Atkinson inspired truck driver

This may be a shocking news there but its normal in India. I have seen such kind of stunts in Shiradi ghats on the way to Mangalore many number of times. The drivers of bullet tankers brush their teeth, wash their face, have breakfast/lunch while driving up the ghats . If hot water is available, I think they will even take bath while driving.

[sohail99]

Is queue jumping considered bad driving?

This happened at the DG Expressway toll plaza -

http://youtu.be/fLU7WCx27Bs

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by sohail99

Is queue jumping considered bad driving? This happened at the DG Expressway toll plaza - http://Youtu.be/fLU7WCx27Bs

Of course. Queue jumping is an ill mannered and miserable trait. Very common behaviour in India, China and parts of South East Asia though.

[saadat1992]

Originally Posted by sohail99

Is queue jumping considered bad driving?

This happened at the DG Expressway toll plaza -

http://Youtu.be/fLU7WCx27Bs

Queue jumping is so frustrating! Happened to me on the Chennai - Trichy highway!
I was waiting at the toll plaza just before where the toll median for my booth began! A local bus came from no where and tried squeezing through! I kept my hand pressed on the horn pad long enough for the bus driver to stop and shout at me for honking! Funny thing is that he thought what I did was wrong but, never really had an idea of what he was doing! These morons should have their license cancelled(if they have one)!

[Warwithwheels]

Queue jumping at Toll Plazas is rampant across Chennai. Once a Tata 407 and an Ambassador collided with each other at Chennai TBM bypass. Finally they were the last once to pass thru' toll gate on that day!

[Guite]

Originally Posted by sohail99

Is queue jumping considered bad driving?
This happened at the DG Expressway toll plaza -
http://Youtu.be/fLU7WCx27Bs

OT
Is that your car? If yes can you kindly share details of your dashboard camera? If you have already posted details of it, please post a link.

[Dry Ice]

Originally Posted by sohail99

Is queue jumping considered bad driving?

This happened at the DG Expressway toll plaza -

Obviously it is. But here, chalta hai! The queue jumping is so deep rooted in our Psyche that it's only natural to see it on the roads as well. No one ever follows a queue unless we are shown a stick - after that we reluctantly fall in line. But even then, our minds are busy trying to figure out a way to somehow bypass it.

PS:

Originally Posted by Guite

OT
Is that your car? If yes can you kindly share details of your dashboard camera? If you have already posted details of it, please post a link.

+1. Please do share the details.

[MaxTorque]

Last week I spotted a Maruti Suzuki Zen on Old Mumbai-Pune Road (NH4). It was driven by a young man and he was like playing computer game. There were many vehicles on road and this guy was driving without any indicator/signal.

To my shock, the car was spotting a Team-BHP sticker.

[pahwa]

Originally Posted by sohail99

Is queue jumping considered bad driving?

This happened at the DG Expressway toll plaza -

http://Youtu.be/fLU7WCx27Bs

Appreciate your patience you still let someone join in ahead of you. I wish I had same level of patience

Some details about the DVR recorder please. The quality is superb.