[libranof1987]

Here's what I have posted :

Originally Posted by libranof1987

Is the highway with a divider?
If yes, you could just move to the left lane only if and when feasible.

If no, you could blink your "left" indicator and/or wave your hand for him to overtake you.

Originally Posted by longhorn

There is only the hand signal where you move your hand in a semicircle direction from back to front for indicating to the guy behind that he can overtake. The indicator is to be used only to indicate the direction in which you wish to turn and for nothing else. In India, unfortunately, we have multiple meanings for blinking the indicator depending on which part of India you are.

Originally Posted by laxmanrk

Definitely agree with you on the indicator usage!

But, when I was taking driving lessons in the UK, I had asked my instructor on how do I indicate to the vehicle behind me to overtake. He simply said 'U dont'. This he explained is because it is upto the driver of the vehicle behind you to judge and drive suitably. (depending on his level of vehicular control/ speed/ road condition/ traffic restrictions etc). In India I suppose indicating with your hand is the only way out.

Another thing that is mis-used or rather has a different meaning in India is the use of the headlight. In the UK, you flash your light to ask another vehicle to go! Here, its who flashes first that has the right of way! I think the concept of 'right of way' is just not understood by many in India. This is one of the prime reasons we have most of the accidents.

I myself leave it completely upto the overtaking driver to decide when and how he should overtake. I signal only when I feel it would not be safe/appropriate to overtake.

I mentioned about the left indicator only because smrtdvl mentioned that he wanted to signal wannabe schumachers to overtake. It is only thes clowns who need to be told that they should overtake.

[neeraj.sinha]

Originally Posted by vina

I didn't get the sarcasm at first. Now that you have pointed it out, I feel it is indeed funny.

By the way - how do you avoid such drivers on the road?

Hey Vina,

When I see some reckless driver almost running over me from behind trying to find that extra space that he could use for breathing as well as for overtaking me, I simply give him way, usually by signaling him to pass by. I would prefer being a couple of minutes late than compete with a stranger to test if I reach Dairy Circle before him

Many a times there are children & people crossing a particular signal. In such cases, I just stop my car unless the people cross the signal. It then doesn't bother me if an idiot behind me wants to honk his way out because I am blocking way. I feel sad for those behind me that they couldnt drive as fast as they would want to and also feel it would have served them well had they just flown over me with their car

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by fine69

I don't think I've read something that good in a long time, way to go. By the way, did vina not get the sarcasm or you don't have that amazing sense of humour that I thought you did?

Big Blush from me too. Major sense-of-humour failure

[vina]

Originally Posted by neeraj.sinha

Hey Vina,

When I see some reckless driver almost running over me from behind trying to find that extra space that he could use for breathing as well as for overtaking me, I simply give him way, usually by signaling him to pass by. I would prefer being a couple of minutes late than compete with a stranger to test if I reach Dairy Circle before him

Many a times there are children & people crossing a particular signal. In such cases, I just stop my car unless the people cross the signal. It then doesn't bother me if an idiot behind me wants to honk his way out because I am blocking way. I feel sad for those behind me that they couldnt drive as fast as they would want to and also feel it would have served them well had they just flown over me with their car

I was talking about somebody coming from the front, not from behind.

today I was driving on a road without hard divider in a residential area, a guy overtook a truck and came straight at me - in my lane on his right side I swerved to my left sharply. The guy was driving pretty fast too. It was late and there was little traffic - otherwise I don't know what might have happened.

[Suess]

Originally Posted by amitoj

Here are a few tips for driving on highways:

1. Look out for big stones lined up perpendicular to the edges of the road, on the outside. Chances are there is a local variety speedbreaker between them. You will normally find them jsut before a village or a small town.

2. Look out for fallen tree branches on the road. Chances are that there was a lorry or bus or truck broken down there which has since moved on and there is a strong likelihood that a big stone is also lying there somewhere.

3. On highways, drive with your headlights on. I know i know that headlights are meant for night use only and all that jazz but your car becomes more visible to that villager nonchalantly crossing the road than otherwise.

Amitoj,
turining you lights on during is ok. nothing wrong in that. they are not meant for night only and to see things, they are also there to make you visible to others. so i use them without reservation day or night, they are always on.

[normally_crazy]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

but there is no good mid-lane technique.

Oh yes there is !! Ask any auto driver in Mumbai and he will tell you. The autos here keep their front wheel on the lane markers and drive - no better mid lane technique !

[Thad E Ginathom]

Oh, yes: Chennai auto drivers do that too!

Even on 3-lane OMR, which, despite actually being 40Kph-limit, everybody treats as Highway, some auto or mini-truck will be pottering along, front wheel glued to the line!

I've just had a frightening thought: maybe these drivers have really bad eyesight, and it is the only way they can drive?

[vina]

Originally Posted by normally_crazy

Oh yes there is !! Ask any auto driver in Mumbai and he will tell you. The autos here keep their front wheel on the lane markers and drive - no better mid lane technique !

There is a variation to this technique that I would like to call "death wish", followed mainly by motorcyclists:

drive to slightly to the left/right of the marker, leave enough space between you and a vehicle in the next lane (or between you and divider) such that a car coming from behind is tempted to overtake you, but can not unless it hits you.

Not very rarely, the rest (and the bike wala) is history

[straightdrive]

Originally Posted by vina

........drive to slightly to the left/right of the marker, leave enough space between you and a vehicle in the next lane (or between you and divider) such that a car coming from behind is tempted to overtake you, but can not unless it hits you.......

I read your post and said to myself, "This guy must be in Hyderabad". Then looked at your details and there it was.

[selfdrive]

Originally Posted by libranof1987

I mentioned about the left indicator only because smrtdvl mentioned that he wanted to signal wannabe schumachers to overtake. It is only thes clowns who need to be told that they should overtake.

+1 to this; I use this only as preventive action. i.e. to prevent the clown from attempting to overtake from my left.

Originally Posted by vina

today I was driving on a road without hard divider in a residential area, a guy overtook a truck and came straight at me - in my lane on his right side I swerved to my left sharply. The guy was driving pretty fast too. It was late and there was little traffic - otherwise I don't know what might have happened.

Wow, thats scary. I have been in a similar situation. Just that I wasnt in the car you were driving. I was on a bike to the left of this car that veered me off, almost got thrown on to the divider. The worst part was the guys peeding in the other direction had to slow down as everyone else was waiting for the signal to turn green. Wonder what his hurry was to get to the signal

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Even on 3-lane OMR, which, despite actually being 40Kph-limit, everybody treats as Highway, some auto or mini-truck will be pottering along, front wheel glued to the line!

Maybe they misread 'staying in lane' as 'staying in line'

[libranof1987]

Got this as a forward. Unfortunately, but aptly summarizes the Indian traffic :

" Rules Of Indian Roads
Here in India, everybody make their own rules and not misses them. There are no traffic rules of the kind those are found here: Signals: used for littering; Speed limits: No body cares for them. These are listed below:

1. Rule of Mortality
"If you are afraid of Death, Better stay at Home."

2. Rule to Give Way
"Give way to animals, beggars, double parked heavy trucks, buses and cars. Don't hit them, just flow around them. Amongst the motorists, he who is the loudest has the right-to-way. On road, traffic entering a road from the left has priority. So has traffic from the right, and also traffic in the middle."

3. Indian Driver Mantra
""To slow is to falter, to brake is to fail, to stop is defeat". In observance of this rule three things are required of every licensed driver:"Good Horn", "Good Brakes" and "Good Luck". Most drivers don't drive; they just aim their vehicle in the intended direction."

4. Rule of Horn
"He who is the loudest wins. Use of a horn is mandatory, if you wish to pass anything, honk horn. If you don't have a horn, shout."

5. Rule for Accidents
"Never stop for an accident, "That's karma," or in the case of a big collision, "That's truckma". Truck drivers of India are licensed to kill."

6. Rules of Speed
"Speed limit is palpably ignored. Signs are ineffectual and traffic will move at the fastest speed possible."

7. Rules of Roundabouts
"India recognizes no roundabouts."

8. Rules for Overtaking
"Every moving vehicle is required to overtake every other moving vehicle, irrespective of whether it has just overtaken you or whether you are in a rush or not. Indian drivers overtake amazingly, especially where there absolutely no sensible opportunity exists."

[mb_jg]

LOL, that's an amazing compilation of the current situation on our roads!! Truly well done!
I think you should also include opening the door at signals, or even moving cars at times, to spit out GUTKHA. I personally had a packet of food flying into my windscreen on the Kolhapur highway, think it was dal, rice & I definitely saw bhendi subzi.

[prateekm]

I guess this is the right topic to ask this doubt. Suppose you are standing at a signal and you need to take a left. The signal in front of you is RED but when it turns green, there is no green signal for going left, just the straight one turns green. So would you take a free left even if the signal is red?

[blackasta]

Originally Posted by prateekm

I guess this is the right topic to ask this doubt. Suppose you are standing at a signal and you need to take a left. The signal in front of you is RED but when it turns green, there is no green signal for going left, just the straight one turns green. So would you take a free left even if the signal is red?

I presume you are talking about Indian roads. If there is no sign stating 'No turn on red',you can go ahead and make that turn after ensuring no vehicle is coming (from your right side). The left turn green signal only exists if there is a sign for 'No turn on red'. In US, its the same thing for right turns.

[laxmanrk]

Originally Posted by prateekm

I guess this is the right topic to ask this doubt. Suppose you are standing at a signal and you need to take a left. The signal in front of you is RED but when it turns green, there is no green signal for going left, just the straight one turns green. So would you take a free left even if the signal is red?

In most cases, turning left is free, unless otherwise indicated.

The simple answer to your question is 'YES' you can turn left at a signal where it is 'free' to turn left even when the signal is red for going straight.
But it is always required of the vehicle turning left to keep left or stay in the left lane before tuning left. Also it is compulsory to indicate adequately before the turn itself.

If in the event, you find yourself in the middle/ right lane at a signal and you want to turn left, then you need to indicate left and wait for the signal to turn red. Since you would disrupt more than half the people waiting at the signal.

One of the key things of driving is to 'Drive in such a way that you do not cause dis-comfort to fellow drivers on the road.'

In India, we take our fellow driver on the road for granted. This attitude needs to change and we need to understand that the road belongs to all.

The fellow commuter could be in as much an urgency to reach his destination as you!