[venuraja]

In indian conditions there are many palces where road may be wide enough for three vehicles to pass ,though , technically it may be two lane road.
In these places , one must allow an oncoming overtaking vehicle in the opposite direction,by moving to left and giving enough room for the vehicle to overtake.
But many neo-rich people and perticularly new owners of cars would be arrogant enough and also get angry with oncoming fellow who is overtaking a vehicle.
They refuse to budge and the poor chap who is overtaking suddenly slows down and hide behind the vehicle he is overtaking. He is forced to do that.

This is totally wrong. Observe the professional drivers, taxi wallas or truck drivers , who may be coming in the opposite direction, they immediately move to their leftside as much as possible so as to give you enough room for you to overtake.

The accepeted practice is that when someone is ovetaking you from your behind , you must slowdown just enough so that the overtaking person, do complete his/her overtaking without getting into an emergency situation.
If you do not like that someone to overtake you ,
you can always indicate that the vehicle behind should not overtake and that it should wait a little time ,
but it is NOT acceptable at all if you also increase the speed , immediately after you allowed him to overtake him so much so that the poor chap would be simply running parellel to you. Such a situation can put you and him in a dangerous situtation perticularly when in the opposite direction a vehicle is coming and/or the road suddenly narrows down, or a road bridge comes etc.,

You can flash the head light during daytime also perticualry when you are overtaking a truck. The truck fellows are known to be very tired and may doze off swerving to the right while you are overtaking !!. So if you flash the light from behind, even during noon time, it would flash in his review mirror which alerts the truck driver.

[janitha]

Originally Posted by venuraja

The truck fellows are known to be very tired and may doze off swerving to the right while you are overtaking !!. So if you flash the light from behind, even during noon time, it would flash in his review mirror which alerts the truck driver.

Will it really alert the sleepy driver, especially during daytime?

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by throttleking

10. Do not drive in neutral or with engine shut on ghats just to save fuel, this will heat the breaks eventually resulting in poor / no breaking in no time, use lower gearing and breaks together to slow down.
12. if some driver is not driving properly or has done something wrong, dont look into his eyes.

10. Engine "shut" = no brake assist or power steering on most modern cars = full stop.
12. Don't look into his eyes? And pray, why not? And are we allowed to look into her eyes?

Eye-to-eye communication with the other driver is one of the big desirables for good and safe driving.

[bblost]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

It is not blood, it is education --- and, as some wise person once remarked, the world cuold be changed in just one generation with education. But it is true that people also have to care...

I have forgotten the details of such ratings, but I think that, rather like pressures, the highest would be so far in excess of anything practically safe that it should not be necessary to think about. In fact it might encourage people to drive to fast!

But that depends on what is considered practically safe.

This link has more info on how to read the Speed Rating Codes:

Tire Tech Information - How to Read Speed Rating, Load Index & Service Descriptions

[venuraja]

Originally Posted by janitha

Will it really alert the sleepy driver, especially during daytime?

YES, It is generally believed that it would alert the truck driver.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Eye-to-eye communication with the other driver is one of the big desirables for good and safe driving.

+1 to that! If we forgive and forget, how will that nitwit ever learn that he'd made a mistake?

[johnda]

A principle when we use the word 'Etiquette' is
"do unto others as you expect them to do unto you"
So if we want responsible drivers out there we need to be responsible first.
This is the first step in etiquette.

[Perakath]

Originally Posted by venuraja

In indian conditions there are many palces where road may be wide enough for three vehicles to pass ,though , technically it may be two lane road.
In these places , one must allow an oncoming overtaking vehicle in the opposite direction,by moving to left and giving enough room for the vehicle to overtake.
But many neo-rich people and perticularly new owners of cars would be arrogant enough and also get angry with oncoming fellow who is overtaking a vehicle.
They refuse to budge and the poor chap who is overtaking suddenly slows down and hide behind the vehicle he is overtaking. He is forced to do that.

This is totally wrong. Observe the professional drivers, taxi wallas or truck drivers , who may be coming in the opposite direction, they immediately move to their leftside as much as possible so as to give you enough room for you to overtake.

Poor advice, my friend. What you're describing is often necessary to avoid a crash, but must not be considered 'etiquette' or a 'rule of highway driving' by any stretch.

A two-lane carriageway is a two-lane carriageway is a two-lane carriageway, period. The lanes are marked that wide because at high speeds a vehicle needs that much of a buffer zone around it for safety. 3 vehicles may fit side-by-side, but at least one of those vehicles will be stressed for space.

The onus is on the overtaking car to make sure that conditions are safe for him to overtake. The car being overtaken and cars coming in opposite directions are under no obligation to alter their position to allow some fool to squeeze through when by rights he shouldn't be overtaking at all.

Overtaking is not a fundamental right granted to drivers. It's allowed only when absolutely safe to do so. I can visualize the conditions you're describing, and they are not conducive to overtaking.

Merely because they drive for a living doesn't make a taxi driver an authority on driving. They may alter their position to avoid accidents, that's all.

Originally Posted by venuraja

The accepeted practice is that when someone is ovetaking you from your behind , you must slowdown just enough so that the overtaking person, do complete his/her overtaking without getting into an emergency situation.

but it is NOT acceptable at all if you also increase the speed , immediately after you allowed him to overtake him so much so that the poor chap would be simply running parellel to you. Such a situation can put you and him in a dangerous situtation perticularly when in the opposite direction a vehicle is coming and/or the road suddenly narrows down, or a road bridge comes etc.,

Again, no obligation on the car being overtaken to slow down. If the overtaking car isn't fast enough to overtake on his own, he has no business overtaking at that time. But you shouldn't speed up just because you're being overtaken, yes.

I often find such poor drivers driving parallel to me as you've described, because with the given road conditions they were not able to build up enough speed to get past me. I never slow down to let them pass unless absolutely required for safety, or unless I've observed that particular vehicle driving very rashly on earlier stretches (sometimes happens), in which case I let him by and hope that he meets his end sooner rather than later.

*Sigh* It all gets so adversarial..!

[Thad E Ginathom]

Yes, I agree; no vehicle has any right to be on the wrong side of the road, and should take that side only if it is empty.

Of course, when faced with an oncoming vehicle, it is better to get out of the way than to die making a point.

[Perakath]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Of course, when faced with an oncoming vehicle, it is better to get out of the way than to die making a point.

...which is what my folks tell me every time my blood pressure rises when driving

And I think that's what venuraja was trying to say as well.

[DileepKS]

Originally Posted by venuraja

In indian conditions there are many palces where road may be wide enough for three vehicles to pass ,though , technically it may be two lane road.

No. By all means it is a two lane road, and use it as such. Many accidents happens because people assume their own lanes (ie the lane is where I drive attitude)

In these places , one must allow an oncoming overtaking vehicle in the opposite direction,by moving to left and giving enough room for the vehicle to overtake.

Absolutely not. It is the duty of the driver who overtake to make sure that the lane he is using to do so is free and available. The vehicle coming from the opposite side have the right of way in that lane.

But many neo-rich people and perticularly new owners of cars would be arrogant enough and also get angry with oncoming fellow who is overtaking a vehicle.

It is nothing to do with neo rich or new ownership. It is road etiquette, and respect to rules. Obey the rules, that say you pass when the lane is available. Not when you think the other guy will take evasive action.

They refuse to budge and the poor chap who is overtaking suddenly slows down and hide behind the vehicle he is overtaking. He is forced to do that.

No, the adjective poor doesn't suit the chap. He is arrogant, demanding the right of way from the legal holder.

This is totally wrong. Observe the professional drivers, taxi wallas or truck drivers , who may be coming in the opposite direction, they immediately move to their leftside as much as possible so as to give you enough room for you to overtake.

They do that because of two things. One, to save themselves, two, because they would do the same break of rule and expect the other guy to do it. Doesn't mean that it is legal or advisable.

Read up the other threads, and see how much law abiding these drivers are!

The accepeted practice is that when someone is ovetaking you from your behind , you must slowdown just enough so that the overtaking person, do complete his/her overtaking without getting into an emergency situation.

No. The accepted practice is to not speed up. Nothing more, nothing less. It is the responsibility of the passing driver to know the capabilities of his car, the speed and space requirements etc, and pass only when feasible under the current speed.

If you do not like that someone to overtake you ,
you can always indicate that the vehicle behind should not overtake and that it should wait a little time ,
but it is NOT acceptable at all if you also increase the speed , immediately after you allowed him to overtake him so much so that the poor chap would be simply running parellel to you. Such a situation can put you and him in a dangerous situtation perticularly when in the opposite direction a vehicle is coming and/or the road suddenly narrows down, or a road bridge comes etc.,

You can flash the head light during daytime also perticualry when you are overtaking a truck. The truck fellows are known to be very tired and may doze off swerving to the right while you are overtaking !!. So if you flash the light from behind, even during noon time, it would flash in his review mirror which alerts the truck driver.

This is the only sensible part in your post. Yes, one should not speed up. Flashing is a good idea, given the facts.

Coming back to yielding to the opposite traffic, It drives me crazy when someone comes into my lane and flashes me for right of way, expecting me to drive on the shoulder, or in some cases on the unpaved surface.

I will not budge, unless it is in my interest to yield.

[vineethvazhayil]

Originally Posted by Perakath

A two-lane carriageway is a two-lane carriageway is a two-lane carriageway, period.

The onus is on the overtaking car to make sure that conditions are safe for him to overtake.

Again, no obligation on the car being overtaken to slow down.

Completely agree to you on all of this. I also wouldn't let someone pass if he doesn't have enough speed to pass. It usually would be some over ambitious sumo or indica driver who has no patience to wait for a few seconds. It is no right granted to anyone, and the others need not adjust to someone's unwarranted hurry. The choice is with others, they can give or not give space, but the one overtaking cannot expect to be given space.

[Perakath]

Originally Posted by DileepKS

It drives me crazy when someone comes into my lane and flashes me for right of way, expecting me to drive on the shoulder, or in some cases on the unpaved surface.

I will not budge, unless it is in my interest to yield.

Hehe... I completely agree with you, Dileep. Except that as Thad said, sometimes we're forced to yield, or we die!

The one situation where it's safe not to yield is in slow-moving city traffic, when a hero decides that he can simply run past a lane of cars that are not moving for a particular reason-- by entering the opposite direction's lane, in which I am.

I always drive right up to him, so we're face to face, engage neutral and the handbrake, and glare at him. I don't mind holding up traffic and losing a few minutes of journey time (that I could have saved by moving out of the way a little) simply to embarrass the moron behind the other wheel.

Quite often I see buses doing the same when other heros think they can get by in the oncoming lane that happens to be free for a few minutes. It gives me great pleasure to see the defaulting car squirm as it wriggles out of the way of the advancing bus.

Originally Posted by vineethvazhayil

Completely agree to you on all of this. I also wouldn't let someone pass if he doesn't have enough speed to pass. It usually would be some over ambitious sumo or indica driver who has no patience to wait for a few seconds. It is no right granted to anyone, and the others need not adjust to someone's unwarranted hurry. The choice is with others, they can give or not give space, but the one overtaking cannot expect to be given space.

right on.

[tortoise]

Originally Posted by venuraja

In indian conditions there are many palces where road may be wide enough for three vehicles to pass ,though , technically it may be two lane road.

In NH47- there is a 5 km stretch from Perundurai to Avinashi ( curiously, whenever I have taken this route, I have not seen road markings indicating lanes ) which is wide enough and overtaking is relatively easy here compared to the Avinashi Coimbatore stretch

[Guna]

Originally Posted by venuraja

In indian conditions there are many palces where road may be wide enough for three vehicles to pass ,though , technically it may be two lane road.
In these places , one must allow an oncoming overtaking vehicle in the opposite direction,by moving to left and giving enough room for the vehicle to overtake.

Like many others pointed out, this is a wrong suggestion. If the vehicle attemting to overtake has come too forword and on is a collison course, yes you need to slow down and run out of the road! Otherwise flash your lights and make the guy to back off.