[TorqueyTechie]

This zen fellow was driving in zig-zag manner. Jumped the signal by going across on the wrong side. Passenger in the front seat was carrying alcohol bottle and waving it outside the window (you can spot it in the pic).



One way drivers spotted today morning.

https://youtu.be/PTpr-8PQqNs

[Guite]

Originally Posted by raj_5004

As far as I know, hazard lights are only to be used when the car is stationary.

It has become a new trend now, as you rightfully pointed out, to drive with hazards on in foggy or wet conditions. But I feel this practice is incorrect.

Out on the highways, when you see a car with hazards on, you can immediately identify that the car is stationary and swerve out of it's way or reduce speed accordingly. When all cars are incorrectly driving with hazards, you will not be able to spot a car which is stationary and has hazards on. Such a car will easily go unnoticed in the herd of cars driving with hazards and is an accident pile up waiting to happen.

This is exactly my understanding and opinion too.

Originally Posted by gkveda

I think this is our assumption only. Hazard does not mean it needs to be stationary.

No it is not an assumption. It is standard practice in most countries of the world that hazard light is to be used only while stationary. I first learned this while reading the instruction manual of my first car. There are few exceptions, like emergency situations or hazard ahead.

During rains, due to low visibility, cars usually go slow compared to normal highway speed. If there are several such cars, then, it only means that there are several such hazards on Road and gives more caution to the speed drivers to drive carefully.

I do see your point, however putting on headlight (and tail lights) is enough to make your presence known to other drivers.

Once driver is careful, it does not make difference between slow moving car and parked car.

It makes a lot of difference. In low visibility conditions like night time and foggy morning it is very difficult to differentiate between a slow moving vehicle and a stationary one. If the car is stationary you reach it in no time, realising that it is not moving only at the last moment.

[harry10]

By personal experiences I can say that we should obey rules according to the people around us otherwise we have to pay heavily inspite of being on the right side of law. In our country we should observe what others are doing and adjust accordingly.

Like if 5 cars in front of me or the ones coming from the opposite side have their hazards on while it's raining or dense fog then I will switch them on too. Yes, I know hazard lights are supposed to be on when you are stationary while parked in a service lane or on the side of the road. But I know this, people around me don't. I don't wanna be the odd one out and risk getting rear ended or head to head. Adaptability and going off book can save you and your car more than simply following the preset rules and regulations. Sad, but true.

[selfdrive]

On the way to the Eon IT park in Kharadi Pune, there is a straight stretch of around 1 to 1.5km which is now dotted with speedbreakers at each intersection.

At this stretch, there are usually 3 lanes of cars/ temp travellers/ company buses. I was in the middle lane and almost everyone was doing around 30 to 40 kmph, slowing down for the speedbreakers and then trying to overtake a vehicle or three by switching lanes. Normally it does not make much of a difference, so I stay in the middle lane and let whoever is in a hurry to overtake me.

In the IRVM, I saw a black car in the distance desperately weaving in and out of the left and middle lanes. When he overtook me from the left during one of his speed bursts, I presume he would be doing around 60. It was a black Laura with LTD sticker prominently stuck across the boot lid. He continued on his merry way, braking late and generally getting the other drivers to abuse him. From where I could see the car, on one occasion he braked behind a small school van (yellow Omni); I was afraid there would be a hit. Fortunately, he swerved to the extreme left and moved ahead. When we reached the EON IT park gate, I noticed that he was stuck behind a couple of buses at the entry gate while the rest of us moved in. I do not think there is any emergency that warrants such kind of driving; and what emergency can there be at 9am other than getting late for work. This can be resolved better by leaving early or just saying sorry for getting late rather than endangering other lives/ vehicles on the road.

Sir, if you are reading this, please remove the LTD sticker if you intend to continue driving this way.

[luvDriving]

Another rant from another IT park in Pune. This time its magarpatta.

Everyone is in such a hurry that no one understands the purpose behind a round about. People push their vehicles in any way they see fit and in the end its people like us who understand and follow round about rules who suffer.

If the way people drive is an indicator of the mentality of a country then we are beyond stark raving mad !

Rant over - back to work.

[Guite]

Originally Posted by harry10

By personal experiences I can say that we should obey rules according to the people around us otherwise we have to pay heavily inspite of being on the right side of law. In our country we should observe what others are doing and adjust accordingly.

In Delhi and Noida, especially Noida many people:
1. Drive on wrong side just to avoid a detour to make a proper U turn
2. Jump traffic signal
3. Does not give way on traffic circles and end up creating traffic gridlocks

Sometimes it is very tempting to join these gangs. So should we elevate ourselves or dumb down?

[AltoLXI]

Originally Posted by harry10

In our country we should observe what others are doing and adjust accordingly.

Originally Posted by Guite

Sometimes it is very tempting to join these gangs. So should we elevate ourselves or dumb down?

I do not think it is right to go with the crowd. Personally I would like to follow the rules to the hilt. What is the point in having the rules then if no one wants to follow them? I have been scorned at by others when I stop my two wheeler exactly behind stop line when signal is Red. I have been hit by the cars from behind for stopping at Red signal (they were assuming I would stop after the line). The only time when I jump the signals is when the traffic cops ask me to do so even when the signal is at Red

Take pride in following the rules. You will feel good not to be "one among them"

[Shanksta]

Spot the number of bad and impatient drivers in the video below.

https://youtu.be/Oc0g2-WQpIQ

This was today on my way back home. This is the service road below the Velachery flyover connecting to Inner Ring Road.

I stopped on my side of the road since there was a huge confusion and 'me first' war going on. I had to muscle my way out after patiently letting vehicles from all other side's move ahead for 3+ minutes. Most of them came head-on to take their right turn, towards the end it cleared momentarily and immediately there was a DZire taxi that came head-on followed by his herd.

The auto guy behind me was honking in long intervals wondering why a guy driving an Innova is giving way for so long. You can see him overtake me towards the end of the video.

My rant continues, driving in Chennai on any working day during peak hours is a game of 'how many close calls can you avoid?'. The impatient drivers in our city has increased exponentially.

[harry10]

Originally Posted by Guite

In Delhi and Noida, especially Noida many people:
1. Drive on wrong side just to avoid a detour to make a proper U turn
2. Jump traffic signal
3. Does not give way on traffic circles and end up creating traffic gridlocks

Sometimes it is very tempting to join these gangs. So should we elevate ourselves or dumb down?

I said- ADJUST accordingly, not follow blindly or break law on a whim. Where do you see in my post advocating all the things you have stated above? The discussion was about hazard lights and my point was about them only. Jumping signals, driving wrong side are not just against law but invitation to an accident.

[Guite]

Originally Posted by harry10

I said- ADJUST accordingly, not follow blindly or break law on a whim. Where do you see in my post advocating all the things you have stated above? The discussion was about hazard lights and my point was about them only. Jumping signals, driving wrong side are not just against law but invitation to an accident.

Correct usage of hazard light could have avoided a lot of the subsequent pile ups in the video below. The stationary cars should de flashing their hazard lights in all its glory. Pity practically none did, save one, and see how many more joined the tragic party. Btw, the version I received on Whatsapp has more cars piling up one after the other. In this YouTube video the later part has no continuity to the first half.

At the risk of repeating myself I would say again that wrong usage of hazard light is dangerous and can lead to accidents. People should know that hazards lights flashing means the vehicle is not moving. So using it while on the move creates confusion and misunderstanding.

https://youtu.be/lN4m_HPkwEM

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by Guite

the subsequent pile ups in the video below.

An object lesson in how to have "accidents." (isn't it silly that we use this word!)

And an object lesson in what "too fast" means too. Too fast to stop when you can suddenly see something right in front.

[vidyanand]

Originally Posted by Guite

The stationary cars should be flashing their hazard lights in all its glory. Pity practically none did, save one, and see how many more joined the tragic party.

Maybe Off Topic: I assume that most (I guess) Indian cars do not have automatic hazard after collision? If you look at YouTube Dashcam/collision videos (Russian and other), you will see that hazard lights start immediately after collisions. This does not seem the case with these recent piled up car videos doing rounds.

Shouldn't this be standard?

[VW2010]

This does not seem the case with these recent piled up car videos doing rounds.

Check closely. The innova, the swift dzire did have the hazard light blinking. There are some old cars which did not have this feature probably like the truck or the container.

In such a thick fog, except dedicated fog lights the hazard lights can hardly help(not that fog lights would have changed this scene). What helps here is using ones 1.3kg of their only useful thing in their body AKA brain and drive slow or stop till this level of fog clears up.

Unfortunately every car in the pile up assumed the road is free and safe and proved skills do not matter when common sense fails.

[asingh1977]

Originally Posted by VW2010

Unfortunately every car in the pile up assumed the road is free and safe and proved skills do not matter when common sense fails.

The speed at which those cars "entered" (our reference frame) no ways should they have been driving that fast in a fog so dense which is limiting visibility to almost 2-3'.

People are basically foolish and Indians are not yet ready for such high speed capable roads, because we drive like fools with a carefree nature.

For this reason I have never gone to Agra using this hyper speed stretch. I go from the Sohna -- Palwal route. And its close from GGN anyways.

[tilt]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

An object lesson in how to have "accidents." (isn't it silly that we use this word!)*SNIP*

I was taught in trucking school that there are no accidents, there are only crashes. The word "accident" implies that the crash was something that happened by chance, and was completely unavoidable.

An "accident" is when I shit my pants.

I was taught that no crash is unavoidable, and all crashes I am involved in are caused by me, full stop.

Cheers