[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by McLaren Roxx

I've seen plenty of diversions that force drivers to do this, wherein a section of the opposite road is closed, directing traffic onto the oncoming lane. They then have to use the fast lane.

Thank you! One of those "one more example" why it is sensible never to stick to the median isn't it?

And I just said the same.

[Thad E Ginathom]

It is one of the mysteries of these wrong-side drivers: that they tend to stick to their left, which, on a road such as this, is the most dangerous thing to do.

it is not correct according to my British training, but on an empty multi-lane road, I prefer the middle, even though British motorways rarely have people or cows wandering from the left.

[self_driven]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

One of those "one more example" why it it sensible never to stick to the median isn't it?

1. Bikers/cyclists using small gaps in the median to avoid a proper U-turn gap 100 metres ahead. Common in smaller cities.

2. If you're (un)lucky enough, you'll also encounter a cool driver showing off divider-jumping-skills of his 4x4 SUV. Also watch out for his friends recording the entire thing from unimaginable places.

3. Cattle grazing on the median will end up in your lane if it decides to jump. You're also likely to miss small animals on the median that may jump in front or get hit while running across the road. Of course you cannot avoid this by using other lanes but at least you get a longer time to react.

4. Truckers, as explained by Parag already. They'll also leave behind stones and branches or place them close to the median and move on.

5. If some out-of-control vehicle on the other side jumps the divider, it is more likely to result in a brutal head-on for someone using the fast lane. I agree, there's no guarantee that using other lanes makes one immune from such accidents but still. Here's an example;

https://youtu.be/b5e2DR5FwoQ

6. Depending on their size and speed, vehicles on a waterlogged road splash loads of water on the other lane. Fast lane users suffer the most. Mind you, this is what I've observed first hand on an expressway.

7. In places such as Noida, all U-turns are part of the rightmost lane. So if you drive in Noida and prefer the lane closest to the median, you'll have to keep switching lanes every now and then if you want to go straight.

Us Indians will never run out of examples.

[benu9714]

This was way back in 1974 during the train strike. I was living in the YMCA at Byculla, Mumbai and driving an Amby Mark II provided by the office.

On a rainy morning I trudged through the water wearing chappals which got thoroughly soaked, got into the car and started off. First gear, then 2nd, and I reached an intersection with a main road on which buses ran.

I lifted my foot off the accelerator and stepped on the brake, meaning to cross the intersection in 2nd gear if there was no traffic. Unfortunately my foot slipped off the brake pedal and back on to the accelerator. The car leapt forward.

On my right was a BEST double-decker. It braked violently, so close that I remember seeing the treads on the front tire. I was petrified, expecting to be hit by 15 tons of bus.
Fortunately I made it through to the other side, or I may not have been here to tell the tale.

Since then I keep a large rag in my car during rains and wipe my shoes thoroughly before starting off. I have learnt my lesson from the near escape.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by self_driven

1. 2. 3.....6

Indeed we will never run out of examples. I had few years before quoted something similar:

Originally Posted by paragsachania

In simplest terms, I always use the fast lane to overtake.

Agree that we have too many slow moving vehicles around bypasses and urban sectors on the left lane and this is exactly where you need not always stick to the left.

When the path clears ahead, get back to the left lane. On dual carriageway with 3 lanes each side, I prefer to drive on the center lane.

There are a lot of threads and posts right here on the hazards of driving on the fast lane - Sudden break in the median, a stationary truck that's broken down on a right handed curve, water logging due to rains, cattle breeding right at the center of median, a cycle tire popping out to cross that road, a pedestrian stepping right in front of you from behind the bushes, the list goes on.

On the left lane, you always have additional space to react that you will almost never have when on rightmost lane.

I can go on and on with a lot of pointers but will try to search for something I had posted years before on similar lines.

And no, it's not my rule or a new rule

7. In places such as Noida, all U-turns are part of the rightmost lane. So if you drive in Noida and prefer the lane closest to the median, you'll have to keep switching lanes every now and then if you want to go straight.

True. This is mainly applicable to dual carriageways that are not up to NH standards, have too much of urban populations and misc traffic all the way and that means lots and lots of intersections and right turns. Something similar to Pune - Shirur stretch of the Pune - Nagar 4 lane highway where I have also explained why it is sensible to stick to the left lane:

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Only thing that came in handy here was my past experiences that made me stick to the left most lane every time I noticed traffic blocks ahead. This was mainly because the very reason for the blocks/crawl was due to Right/U-Turns while the left most lane kept heading straight.

[sanjaykk]

Originally Posted by Funny

He saw me initially but decided to ignore my car and accelerated away to glory. Morons like these who cannot wait for their turn should be put behind bars. My heart was in my mouth for a second there.

I believe this is the Battarahalli signal on Old Madras Road towards Hoskote.
The green signal for straight going traffic is never a guarantee of free passage here.
First, the traffic intending to take a right here always occupies more than the rightmost lane. Then you have morons like this one inching into the other available lanes for straight going traffic. You have to tread cautiously for your own safety!

[saisree]

Originally Posted by Funny

He saw me initially but decided to ignore my car and accelerated away to glory. Morons like these who cannot wait for their turn should be put behind bars.

Incidents like this always wanted me to install something like the one in Bahubali movie. No, I don’t want to be a bad driver with a contraption taking lives, but, instil some fear before anyone think of cutting across. I’m worried looking at our peoples mentality, road manners and no amount of awareness is changing them.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

It is one of the mysteries of these wrong-side drivers: that they tend to stick to their left, which, on a road such as this, is the most dangerous thing to do.

it is not correct according to my British training, but on an empty multi-lane road,

If only the driver had the brain to realise that going in the wrong direction on an expressway of all the roads is suicidal, expecting him to use some sense in deciding the choice of lane is a different world. Somehow these people are totally in their own world of sense and understanding. Haven't they at least learnt their lessons from being at the receiving end and realised what a risk. Or maybe they feel its normal

[Singh09]

Hello Everyone,
Just wanted to share an incident that happened with me 2 weeks ago. I was returning from Delhi to my home (Moradabad). I was driving my XUV 5OO and the speed must have been around 90-100 kmph. There was not much traffic on the road, and it this was my first trip (business and rakhi) after lockdown. I was driving normally, with not much traffic and light music. I was driving on the right hand side lane. And about a few meters ahead was a bus on the left lane with a Wagon R behind it and a bike with 2 people trailing the car. And all of a sudden what I see is, the Bike rammed into the Wagon R, lost its balance and came right in front of me and I was like
I slammed the brakes, could feel the ABS doing it's work and thanks to my stars and excellent braking of XUV the car stopped right in time otherwise things would have gone really bad.

Sharing the video recorded by my DashCam.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuMZXeNyH-E

[WhiteSierra]

Originally Posted by Singh09

And all of a sudden what I see is, the Bike rammed into the Wagon R, lost its balance and came right in front of me and I was like
I slammed the brakes, could feel the ABS doing it's work and thanks to my stars and excellent braking of XUV the car stopped right in time otherwise things would have gone really bad.

Sharing the video recorded by my DashCam.

Looks like the biker is totally at fault. Even after hitting the wagon R, he did not try to control the bike and swerved it into your lane which is very dangerous. Things would've been catastrophic for him if there's a bus or a lorry instead of your XUV.

You are lucky in 2 aspects here.
1. You braked in time and your car responded well with ABS kicking in.
2. looks like no one is tailgating you, you did not get rear ended.

I'm also contemplating on buying a nice dash cam. More than a want, it is a need these days with morons plying on roads endangering their lives and others lives too.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Phew! Well done to the brakes, and well done to you for being fast with the foot.

Big lesson for the tailgaters there. Will they learn it?

[Nalin1]

Originally Posted by Singh09

Hello Everyone,
Just wanted to share an incident that happened with me 2 weeks ago.

Very well stopped by you and the XUV . You showed 100% alertness.

Why on earth did those two fall? It was a bright day and a beautiful road with not much traffic.

[N.A.GTC]

Originally Posted by Singh09

Hello Everyone,
Just wanted to share an incident that happened with me 2 weeks ago. I was returning from Delhi to my home (Moradabad)....
And all of a sudden what I see is, the Bike rammed into the Wagon R, lost its balance and came right in front of me and I was like
I slammed the brakes, could feel the ABS doing it's work and thanks to my stars and excellent braking of XUV the car stopped right in time otherwise things would have gone really bad.

Even though I've had my own share of real life near-miss experiences, I still got a mini heart attack of sorts just watching that. Good job being alert and braking on time! I want to say the biker was an utter idiot, but then mistakes also do happen, so I don't know. Regardless, goes on to show importance of dashcams (in case you would have rammed into them) as well as risks of tailgating (especially for two wheelers).

[Yieldway17]

Originally Posted by Singh09

Hello Everyone,
And about a few meters ahead was a bus on the left lane with a Wagon R behind it and a bike with 2 people trailing the car.

Tailgating the car with inches to spare on a wide open road, some people never learn.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by N.A.GTC

I want to say the biker was an utter idiot, but then mistakes also do happen, so I don't know.

Tail-gating is not one of those mistakes that do happen: it is a bad and dangerous habit. Sadly, too many people consider it normal driving.