[Kestrel5915]

I don't think there's any need to spot the bad drivers given the fact that they constitute a huge percentage in India.

It's usually very hard for me to find a good driver who also knows and follows the road manners and rules.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

When I spot such loony guys, I increase speed so that they cannot cut me off, and then slow down beside the slow-moving auto or car for a few seconds so that they are left with no option but to follow. Such morons need such lessons.

I agree that there is some satisfaction to be had from the giving of such lessons; I feel it too. However, my wife is right, when she tells me that such people are not going to change, so better I do not indulge in attempting to teach.

More important. I try to put both my ego and my feeling that I am here to save the world from bad drivers (probably the same things anyway ) to one side and remember this: I am safer with such people in front of me than I am with them behind me.

[mohanaj]

Date: 14Mar2017 14:17
Kanakapura Road, Bangalore

https://youtu.be/J25memsTjRw

An innova took a U-turn expecting opposite vehicle to apply a sudden brakes.

Luckily I could stop in time (from 30kmph to 0) and my car was not rear ended

When he was talking U-Turn, the driver was on phone. After the turn, he slowed down to tell me that he flashed the lights, which he probably did after coming perpendicular to my way. When I said, what if I could not stop in time, then he said sorry. We moved on

He probably would have realised his mistake after taking the turn.

[srinih75]

Originally Posted by GeneralJazz

Two fails in one minute!

Mate, though a bit off topic, I saw the water splash back to your windscreen and it wasn't clearing it well. May be just the dashcam was very close to the windscreen it was making it difficult to see, but you may need to consider replacing it.

Originally Posted by mohanaj

When I said, what if I could not stop in time

You are saying what if I couldn't stop in time - its like you are accepting you still have a chance to control the outcome. The point I used to make to such people is "what if the brakes had failed!" when people encounter me in such scenarios. People have a feeling that "you are driving a big car and we poor people are struggling to make our lives and now you preach me". Since then I have stopped talking to people on the road, I don't intend to correct anyone as probably my neighborhood is a little edgy one. When autowalas or anyone honk me more than two times behind me I just give way. It saves me from building up stress, the aggression on bothsides and I continue to move on to my destination. But I am glad your co-road user was friendly and in accepting mood.

[Lalvaz]

Originally Posted by harsh79

The next entry was less than 100 metres ahead. 'Routine' and right are two different things altogether. There's no such thing as reversing 'cautiously' into oncoming traffic. It's simply not supposed to be done, there's always an alternate entry further; if not, go around.

Reversing on a expressway/freeway/autobahn is seriously not done. However I'm unaware of any traffic rules prohibiting reversing on minor roads or city streets. If I'm mistaken, please point me to the rules where it's mentioned that it's not supposed to be done.

Harsh - the alternate entry is really for an access controlled road, not a minor road as in this case.

[lordvader]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I agree that there is some satisfaction to be had from the giving of such lessons; I feel it too. However, my wife is right, when she tells me that such people are not going to change, so better I do not indulge in attempting to teach.

I wholeheartedly agree with the point that such people will not change. I have tried to give such lessons but it just doesn't matter. These bad drivers then go a little further and do the same stunt. They just keep comin' like zombies.

On that, I happened to meet one yesterday while coming out of mall parking. I had stopped on the incline while waiting for the queue to move forward. The cars behind me were keeping a little too big a gap due to the steep slope. And then suddenly, from nowhere a Maruti swift comes from the left side, driving parallel to the queue. Since I was on the edge of the slope, he slowed next to me.
I rolled down the passenger window and asked what he was trying to do by breaking the queue. This guy shoots back that he is driving since there was space and what's wrong in that. And on top of that, he suggests that this is how it works and dared to go ahead. Since he had already blocked my path I could not. I swallowed my pride and let him do his thing. Back on road, he again performed some of the antics (driving in and out) to confirm that he is one of the many who feature on this thread.

[harsh79]

Originally Posted by Lalvaz

Reversing on a expressway/freeway/autobahn is seriously not done. However I'm unaware of any traffic rules prohibiting reversing on minor roads or city streets. If I'm mistaken, please point me to the rules where it's mentioned that it's not supposed to be done.

Harsh - the alternate entry is really for an access controlled road, not a minor road as in this case.

The road in question is Lala Lajpat Rai road, it stays busy throughout the day and at even at night there's constant vehicular movement.

He clearly wanted to enter Defence Colony and missed the left turn, the distance to the next turn and what he ended up reversing are almost the same.

I'm quite surprised that one would condone such behaviour. That too coming from someone who drives in Bombay, the roads are just too narrow to be pulling off something like this (which you seem to not have a problem with).

[GeneralJazz]

Originally Posted by srinih75

Mate, though a bit off topic, I saw the water splash back to your windscreen and it wasn't clearing it well. May be just the dashcam was very close to the windscreen it was making it difficult to see, but you may need to consider replacing it.

The dashcam sits behind the IRVM and I hadn't used the wipers for a few seconds, thats why the glass was covered with water.

Some more bad drivers:

Switch on the right indicator and turn left. Dyslexia?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbmxL8reMPA

Need to overtake? How about knocking the other vehicles off the road?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgckmbOgKuY

I can only think of two reasons for this:
1. He's being chased by the devil himself
2. He's got a bad case of diahhroea

Either case I hope he made it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YUOCDRLj3o

There was no space for the bus to go unless I moved ahead slightly left. Then this guy comes and blocks the road!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haAEVhqyosk

Same traffic jam, a few minutes down the line. Theres an Innova coming up from the left side road, then this moron decides to try to squeeze through. Thankfully the Innova guy decides to move to his right to make room. The Jetta gets the hint and moves ahead.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nauBynj6fA

[Lalvaz]

Originally Posted by harsh79

The road in question is Lala Lajpat Rai road, it stays busy throughout the day and at even at night there's constant vehicular movement.

He clearly wanted to enter Defence Colony and missed the left turn, the distance to the next turn and what he ended up reversing are almost the same.

I'm quite surprised that one would condone such behaviour. That too coming from someone who drives in Bombay, the roads are just too narrow to be pulling off something like this (which you seem to not have a problem with).

I'm just asking you to point me to the rules where it says that reversing is not permitted on minor roads. If such a rule exists, then it will be an eye opener for me. With all due respect, the driver was giving adequate warning and appears to be driving in a safe and sedate manner. Hence I disagree with him being tagged as a bad driver.

[harsh79]

Originally Posted by Lalvaz

I'm just asking you to point me to the rules where it says that reversing is not permitted on minor roads. If such a rule exists, then it will be an eye opener for me. With all due respect, the driver was giving adequate warning and appears to be driving in a safe and sedate manner. Hence I disagree with him being tagged as a bad driver.

If you insist..

One-way violation/Driving against the flow of traffic - RRR 17(1)177 MV Act and 184 M.V.Act.

Fine - 100/-& 184 MV Act 1000/-, Subsequent fine amount - 300/- & 2000/-

[Lalvaz]

Originally Posted by harsh79

If you insist..

One-way violation/Driving against the flow of traffic - RRR 17(1)177 MV Act and 184 M.V.Act.

Fine - 100/-& 184 MV Act 1000/-, Subsequent fine amount - 300/- & 2000/-

That's a one way violation. It doesn't say anything about reversing on a minor road. You've interpreted it to suit your convenience.

[harsh79]

Originally Posted by Lalvaz

That's a one way violation. It doesn't say anything about reversing on a minor road. You've interpreted it to suit your convenience.

Going by your previous responses, I knew this was coming.

Not going to bother with it though.

[Lalvaz]

Originally Posted by harsh79

Going by your previous responses, I knew this was coming.

Not going to bother with it though.

Ok, let me ask you this: In your opinion, is it legal to reverse on any city street? I'm specifying city streets since most Indian city streets see vehicular traffic 24/7.

[Thad E Ginathom]

The UK Highway-Code take on this controversy is do not reverse in the face of oncoming traffic. That means, reverse, fine --- but stop and wait for vehicle coming behind you to overtake. This would, practically, make it hard to impossible to reverse on a very busy road. There are different rules for motorways: reversing to a missed exit is no-no.

In any situation where it is not specifically illegal, there is nothing wrong with reversing, as long as it is done with due consideration for other drivers. It is not a "legal" way to go the wrong way on a one-way road.

[srinih75]

Originally Posted by Lalvaz

is it legal to reverse on any city street?

If we split technicalities then yes, it is legal. But driving reverse on a busy street because I missed a turn so I need to get back is plain stupidity. Imagine a scenario where 10 people do that to us on a street at the same time. All 10 are legally right, but then the road will be choked. In my view what that driver did was dumb. He could have knocked a person down without knowing it and seriously hurt if not killed a pedestrian.

In fact, I have seen bikers push their motorcycles when signal is red using pedestrian crossing lines and then go on their bikes once they are done crossing the path. It is technically correct to, so may be I can push my car to another side and claim I am a person on foot with a car as my luggage!

Well, I am not going to debate on this much as I have seen articles and documentaries of people specialized in driving in reverse, but he drove in the direction of traffic.