[SaNdY_AR]

Originally Posted by Mahesh Prasad

Not most of the people. My brother in law thinks its wrong, and one should put on his left (!!) turn indicators as a signal to overtake !! This happened last week when I was riding shotgun on his new Bolero. I asked who on earth told him this, he said his driving instructor!! (He learned to drive recently).

Even I have heard of this while I started driving.

Please also do remember its India and the way that people drive here is not at the least organized as in many other developed countries. I guess the logic here in turning your left indicator on is to convey that I do not intend to move to the right and you can make your move through my right and I will oblige as overtaking always should be through the RHS. Of course it has a different meaning elsewhere but in India it is not completely unheard of.

[Traveller Nayak]

One of you is going to come after me saying, ‘stop putting up videos every day. We all know people jump traffic signals’.

Incidents from yesterday and today evening have made me think, ‘what do these people have in mind when they make that catastrophic decision to jump traffic signal?’ After all, in majority of cases it is a matter of 45 to 60 seconds of waiting time at a traffic signal. Why can’t people just wait 60 seconds? Is it that long a wait?

Does it ever occur to them by doing this they are putting themselves and other commuters at serious risk of injury or possibly death. Needless to say, there is a direct impact on the families too because of their reckless action. Or, do they do it knowingly?

Today evening I saw a boy with 2 girls on a gearless scooter, no helmets, go into the traffic crossing when the traffic signal was red for them. The driver swirled to avoid other vehicles that were correctly going through the signal. As I looked at the video at home, I noticed 1-2 cyclists also incorrectly followed the scooter by pedalling their way through the traffic.

Yesterday was a water tanker driver who wanted to muscle his way into oncoming traffic and today was a group of 3 young people on a scooter without helmets jumping a signal at a speed.

I sincerely hope better sense prevails on such individuals so that they save themselves, others and families from bodily harm and heartache.

I wanted to pen down my thoughts here. I will not put anymore videos of people jumping traffic signals.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pz0knWXGG7w

[KiloAlpha]

Originally Posted by Traveller Nayak

...
Why can’t people just wait 60 seconds? Is it that long a wait?

...
I noticed 1-2 cyclists also incorrectly followed the scooter by pedalling their way through the traffic.

Didn't you know? Cyclists have a divine right to ignore a red signal. It is perceived to be rampant in London - maybe someone could comment about Amsterdam?

See: http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/jump-red-light/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/10252...ed-lights.html

[saikatmandal04]

Originally Posted by KiloAlpha

Cyclists have a divine right to ignore a red signal. It is perceived to be rampant in London - maybe someone could comment about Amsterdam?
See: http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/jump-red-light/

Putting the article aside. I was in London over the weekend, and being on foot, I spotted a no. of cyclists on the road mostly commuting. But unlike India, each one of them were following the traffic signals, stopping before the stop line etc. Each one of them were respecting each other. This was a sight which is so different in India where a battle goes on between the motorist and the cyclist. The cyclist being looked down upon for obstructing the road.

The sight was very pleasing to the eyes and thought of mentioning this here.

[ashwin.terminat]

Originally Posted by Traveller Nayak

I wanted to pen down my thoughts here. I will not put anymore videos of people jumping traffic signals.

Don't stop!

These people need to be shamed on the internet. That is the only way these imbeciles will ever learn!

[balajird]

Its quite a simple logic as to why a triple riding bike goes through a red light, "avoid getting caught by cop", they know its illegal to ride triple on a motorbike, to avoid getting caught and pay the fine, they simply commit another illegal act of zipping through the red light as they know the cop will not come chasing behind them. Problem solved.

[vnidta]

Originally Posted by Soumyajit9

Welcome to la-la-land called Bangalore.
Here everyone drives as per their own rules and ideas and ideologies !!

You forgot to mention that they make their own way even if one doesn't exist. Foot path or the road-side pavement for example.

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Then there's the unconventional stuff used in India - flashing headlights, flashing hazard lights, flashing indicators, sticking out hands and legs, and all other kinds of signals that you would never see anywhere else. Blame the process of driver training in this country, but nothing is expected to change for the better in my lifetime (or yours). We don't have trained driving trainers, and for a few million drivers whose habits are rooted in driving all wrong, cannot be made to unlearn their habits and learn driving in pucca British style. Learn about those signals, and live with them.

And then, finally, there's the No Signal bunch. As well as the no lights group too! The less said about them, the better.

Had my own bad experience just a few hours ago. I was at this junction right next to NIMHANS Convention Center Bangalore where the road is fit to allow two buses at most. Here I was at the left lane, leaving a bit of breathing space (in case some motorcyclist likes to use it) and to my right was a BMTC Bus. Behind me was this idiot Autorikshaw fellow who was trying to squeeze into the space that I had left. The Bus driver decided to push me to the left so that he can take a wide right-turn at the junction. I was planning to use this breathing space to come left and all of a sudden, I hear this auto driver vigorously beating the C-Pillar of my car with his hands indicating that I might hit him. Since it was around 8:50PM and not too much of traffic anyway, I stopped to let the bus pass, move a bit to the right and let the auto come to the space made up, rolled the window down to have a word with the driver to let him know that it was unfair on his part to try and squeeze on such small place and especially when he was on the leftmost part of the road.

Now, here comes the funny/frustrating (however you guys interpret) bit. There was this lady passenger in her mid 40's (self-proclaimed social worker kind probably) who instead of advising the auto driver to drive carefully starts abusing me, and the below words are exactly what she said:

"Mister, don't fight. Stop arguing with the auto driver. Your behavior shows that you are not with the poor. You guys are always like this"

And I was like I wasn't able to say a single word after that and rolled the window up. It was a complete shock for me and I wasn't able to handle the situation.

How did the rich-poor thing even come up? I was trying to tell him about road sense and this passenger does not even assess the situation and speaks so senselessly.

The satisfactory part tough, I zipped my mouth, let the auto pass and followed him for about a kilometer. He was using the entire breadth of the road wherever feasible. This lady, she kept giving hand-signals when the driver decided to make those nasty turns That's when I understood what I was dealing with. Thank Heavens I'm still in one piece.

All these incidents keep reminding me that its high time I get a dash-cam.

[Traveller Nayak]

Originally Posted by vnidta

All these incidents keep reminding me that its high time I get a dash-cam.

Please do go ahead and get a dash cam. I had initially bought mine for the sole purpose of my Ladakh drive. However, with the kind of reckless driving in Delhi NCR, the dash cam has now become a must have for me.

There are detailed threads in the forum on dash cams. I am providing below link to a superb review by tsk1979.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/produc...e-pg-15-a.html

[dark.knight]

Originally Posted by vnidta

I was at this junction right next to NIMHANS Convention Center

That road is so narrow that one can't even define whether its 2 lanes or 1.5, much like most roads are in this city. This stretch needs adaptive driving & even though how you drove was perfectly fine, the above chain of events are bound to happen. In our extremely spacious 1.5 lane roads, the buses occupy the middle, thus leaving half a lane to the left and the other half to the right. Both the half lanes are freely accessible by the little brothers of buses (autos) and of course the omnipresent bikes. The privileged car people have to give way to everyone else - a fitting punishment for us spoilt brats.

Now these are the factors that have to be kept in mind before driving into the devil's mouth i.e Bangalore :

- Buses can pull to the left anytime, specially before or after signals to pick up people. Counter this by driving as much rightwards as possible.
- Autos will sneak in, no matter if you leave only an inch. Do not give them the inch and they will find someone else to tackle. Same with bikes.
- Use indicators liberally and in advance, saves a lot of headaches.
- Cars are always easy prey, even traffic police believe so. Discretion is the name of the game so don't even talk to anyone except to give a stern/amused look when you catch others breaking rules, believe me it irritates them.

My opinion is you don't need a camera unless you absolutely want to. Everyone who drives here faces the same things. The roads are no longer about reaching places, its a huge ego battle where the self-deprived feel the need to teach everyone else a lesson.

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by dark.knight

My opinion is you don't need a camera unless you absolutely want to.

I agree to everything you mentioned, except the quoted part.

I was waiting among the plethora of vehicles at St.John's hospital signal on Hosur road. A nincompoop who thinks all his intelligence and (non)senses are concentrated only on his elbow (because he had the helmet held there, and not worn where it should normally be), with his wife/mistress/girlfriend (definitely not sister or mother) riding pillion, was in front of my car. He turns to his right, and finds a small gap between the two cars in the adjacent lane, where he can squeeze his front tyre, perhaps. But he can't turn just like that, and has to roll back. I value my prized possession, and want to keep it undamaged - I give a short honk to make him realize that he's about to cause a scratch or dent on my bumper. The hero gets red with anger (can't complain, because his lady is with him and should be impressed with his macho attitude) and starts gesturing as though he'll throw the helmet onto my windshield. I merely point to the camera, when he made eye-contact. End of the drama. He's now quiet.

I don't know whether he did really have the guts to throw his helmet at me, but I did enjoy watching that clip many times before I finally formatted that memory card. This is just one such instance.

[vnidta]

Originally Posted by dark.knight

My opinion is you don't need a camera unless you absolutely want to. Everyone who drives here faces the same things. The roads are no longer about reaching places, its a huge ego battle where the self-deprived feel the need to teach everyone else a lesson.

I had been feeling the need for a dash-cam to be on the safer side. Who knows, anything can happen anytime given the chaotic roads. Just to quote an incident that happened day before yesterday at the junction where Old Madras Road and Ulsoor Lake Road (D Bhaskaran Road) join. It was around 8:30PM and I was moving towards D Bhaskaran Road and I had a green and kept moving normally. This guy in a two wheeler (without helmet and headlight of course and with a pillion) decided to break the red signal on his end and moved like a moron right in front of me. I literally stood on the brake to stop the car on time and avoid the pain of being a murderer I do not wish to afford such situations due to ignorance of others. So, yes.., it's high time I get the dash-cam.

Originally Posted by silversteed

I merely point to the camera, when he made eye-contact. End of the drama. He's now quiet.

That is exactly why I need the dash-cam. Better safe than sorry.

[Quarter Mile]

A dash cam looks like a must have these days. Every single day has its own hideous situations and some deserving to be captured on Cam. Cant we share these with the Cops for them to take action? Can these also be shared with news channels? Some can even profit out of those extremely stupid videos! Does the dash cam also come with a mike

[IronH4WK]

Originally Posted by Quarter Mile

A dash cam looks like a must have these days. Every single day has its own hideous situations and some deserving to be captured on Cam. Cant we share these with the Cops for them to take action? Can these also be shared with news channels? Some can even profit out of those extremely stupid videos! Does the dash cam also come with a mike

Yep they do. But one has to be careful what one says in the car. It records everything

[TwentyDeewar]

Originally Posted by Padcot Prakash

I thought indicators are used to indicate where you want to go rather than asking another vehicle where and how to go ?

Am I being stupid here or was something wrong with the black car guy.

Can someone please help understand.

But I have seen this happening a few times with me. Quite confusing.

Originally Posted by Soumyajit9

However, in India, many truckers use this convention to let others overtake. For example, when I see that the road is free ahead, I switch on the right or left indicator (depending on which side you are) to indicate you to overtake me.
This is incorrect.

Originally Posted by Padcot Prakash

Yes, truckers do these. This completely changes the meaning of the word 'Indicator'.

Originally Posted by Mahesh Prasad

Not most of the people. My brother in law thinks its wrong, and one should put on his left (!!) turn indicators as a signal to overtake !!

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Unfortunately for even those of us who practically know the Highway Code and every other driver manual by heart, we STILL have to cope with the two systems... err - make that four - of signalling while driving.

There's the conventional system, recognized internationally.

Then there's the unconventional stuff used in India - flashing headlights, flashing hazard lights, flashing indicators, sticking out hands and legs, and all other kinds of signals that you would never see anywhere else. Blame the process of driver training in this country, but nothing is expected to change for the better in my lifetime (or yours).

There is another "unconventional" system of using the indicators on our roads which I found quite interesting. This happened a couple of years back when I was in Patna for a friend's wedding. Having ample time on our hands, we decided to hire a cab and do a trip to Gaya - it was a single undivided carriageway with one narrow lane on either side. It got dark on our way back, when suddenly the driver of our cab switched his right indicator on. There were no vehicles immediately in front, and for a minute I thought he was going to take an exit on the right somewhere, but he just kept driving straight. So out of curiosity I asked him if the indicator was stuck or something, and he said he had kept it on so that the oncoming traffic knew exactly where our right side was . It was then I noticed that almost all vehicles travelling on either sides had their right indicators on!!

Methinks this indicator usage thing is quite specific to which part of India you are in. We probably need a separate license for every part of the country with their own peculiar set of rules to "follow"

[Soumyajit9]

Originally Posted by TwentyDeewar

........when suddenly the driver of our cab switched his right indicator on. There were no vehicles immediately in front, and for a minute I thought he was going to take an exit on the right somewhere, but he just kept driving straight. So out of curiosity I asked him if the indicator was stuck or something, and he said he had kept it on so that the oncoming traffic knew exactly where our right side was . It was then I noticed that almost all vehicles travelling on either sides had their right indicators on!!

Whaaaat ??
Really !! This one is absolutely new for me ! Never ever have I seen this "Indicator rule" !!
This is EPIC and should be reported to the Discovery channel producers. They should do a show in India about Indian traffic rules and legacies !!