[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by srikant

Friends i need help !! I am planning to drive Bangalore-Chennai-Cochin this week, and have a few doubts !!

1. My car is KL registered, would there be any problem at Hosur checkpost? (Heard of the problems faced by owners of outstation cars in Bangalore) Anybody did a trip recently from Bangalore towards Hosur side?

2. Which is the best route to take from Chennai to Cochin ? Planning to leave from Chennai early morning by 3am.

1. No issues at Hosur or all the way till you reach Kochi.

2. Chennai-Ulundrupet-Salem-NH47 - Cochin is in good shape, with high traffic past Coimbatore. You may look for Pollachi route, if looking for less traffic and smooth surface.

[sachinpk]

Originally Posted by srikant

1. My car is KL registered, would there be any problem at Hosur checkpost? (Heard of the problems faced by owners of outstation cars in Bangalore) Anybody did a trip recently from Bangalore towards Hosur side?

There was a recent drive by the Karnataka RTO to find out KL (and TN) vehicles which were being used in KA for a long time. And they were heavily fined, plus the tax dues from them collected. What you could do is to have a few fuel bills and and toll receipts from out side KA location kept in your vehicle. The RTO folks generally accept this as evidence that you have recently moved into KA, or that you are on a temporary visit.

[Amazingandy]

Hi fellow BHPians,

I am planning to doing the following road trip Bangalore > Ottapalam > Ooty > Bangalore during the middle of next month. I have driven a fair bit in Karnataka and TN but not very experienced driving in KL. I am planning to use the below routes on each segment of my trip

Bangalore > Hosur > Krishnagiri > Salem > Erode > CBE > Palakkad > Ottapalam

Ottapalam > Palakkad > CBE > Mettupalayam > Kotigiri > Ooty

Ooty > Gundulupet > Theppekadu > Gudalur > Nanjangud > Mysore > Mandya > Bangalore

I need your advice on the following,

1. How are the road conditions from CBE to Ottapalam and Ooty?
2. Have driven mostly on divided highways any pointers CBE to Ottapalam and Ooty as these are single lane roads
3 Are there any better options for routes you would suggest
4. Regulars on this route what are things to watch for while driving in KL
5. Would I be able to make it from Ottapalam to Ooty by 6 pm if I leave Ottapalam at 1 pm noon, conservative driving conditions.

Any further inputs or advice is welcome, thanks in advance

Cheers!
Andy

[binand]

Originally Posted by Amazingandy

Ooty > Gundulupet > Theppekadu > Gudalur > Nanjangud > Mysore > Mandya > Bangalore

Your ordering of towns is wrong here. Plus, Ooty - Gundlupet via Gudalur I know has pretty bad (at some points non-existent) roads. Most people recommend Ooty - Gundlupet via Masinagudi. So it would be:

Ooty > Masinagudi > Theppekadu > Gundlupet > Nanjangud > Mysore > Mandya > Bangalore.

Originally Posted by Amazingandy

I need your advice on the following
2. Have driven mostly on divided highways any pointers CBE to Ottapalam and Ooty as these are single lane roads
3 Are there any better options for routes you would suggest

I have driven a fair bit on single-carriageway roads (in MH/AP/KA/KL/TN) and have survived to write about it; and in my opinion the single biggest lesson you should keep in mind is this:

- Resist the urge to overtake. It is a misconception that you will lose hours if you were made to follow a truck doing 30 kmph for 3-4 kilometres.

- Overtake only if you can. This means:

a. You can accelerate to a speed that is at least 15-20 kmph more than the other vehicle (keep in mind safe speed constraints for the road),
b. You can see that the oncoming lane is devoid of traffic for sufficient distance to complete the maneuvre (ie, pull out, get ahead, back to original lane) - this often means straight stretches of several hundred metres,
c. At the first hint of things not going according to your plan drop your speed, and get back behind the vehicle you are overtaking. This also means that you have sufficient gap between you and the vehicle behind you when overtaking the one ahead of you. I usually let everyone behind me go ahead of me before attempting an overtake myself.

That is:

- Do not get into a race-like situation. Don't try to overtake a car doing 70 kmph just for the heck of it.
- Don't end up in situations where vehicles are three (or four, in KL) abreast. Don't overtake a vehicle that is already overtaking another one.
- Don't rely on your headlight-flashing ability. Most KL drivers ignore it anyway.
- Treat bikes, ricks, cycles etc. are full vehicles and treat them similarly when you overtake them.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by binand

Your ordering of towns is wrong here. Plus, Ooty - Gundlupet via Gudalur I know has pretty bad (at some points non-existent) roads. Most people recommend Ooty - Gundlupet via Masinagudi. So it would be:

Ooty > Masinagudi > Theppekadu > Gundlupet > Nanjangud > Mysore > Mandya > Bangalore.

The Masinagudi route may not be an option when coming back from Ooty. There are cops at the entrance of the road (near RTO junction at Ooty) who usually do not allow the vehicles going downhill. I think they do make exceptions for folks with reservations at resorts in Masinagudi.
One can try here and if not allowed, proceed via Gudalur, the road is a bit rough so need to keep to lower speeds. Couple of hair pin bends have almost no tarmac and a small section inside the forest just before Theppakadu is bad, from there on the road is just fine.
High traffic zones of Nanjangud & Mysore can be avoided too by taking Gundlupet-Chamarajanagar-Kollegal-Malavalli-Kanakapura-Bangalore.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by NPV

2 nicely plastered walls, one covering left half of the road and other a short distance away covering right half of road (like the steel barricades put up by cops to slow vehicles down) are being built on both sides of the narrow cauvery bridge (which is between Shivanasamudra junction and Talakkad/Somnathpura junction) on NH209

Originally Posted by VindyWheels

While returning from BR Hills last weekend, there was a traffic jam here due to the concrete barricades! The reason mentioned on the notices there is "weak" bridge.

Pictures of Ze Walls now painted white! (Kollegal-Malavalli)

First set of walls


Closer look at first set


Second set of walls

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by Amazingandy

5. Would I be able to make it from Ottapalam to Ooty by 6 pm if I leave Ottapalam at 1 pm noon, conservative driving conditions.

You may try Ottappalam-Nilambur-Vazhikadavu-Ooty as well. Traffic on Ottappalam-Vazhikadavu will be high but no issues after Vazhikadavu except for the bad stretch between Gudalur and Ooty.

If you prefer Coimbatore, take Kotagiri route from Mettupalayam, which is very good.

[v1kram]

BHPians,

I'm planning to visit Guruvayur from Coimbatore by July third week. I have done it couple of times via Walayar, Vadakkencherry, Thrissur but the roads we in very poor condition (especially Palakkad - Thrissur stretch).
Since it would be day time to and fro trip, need to avoid entering Palakkad.
This time i'm planning via Walayar - Alathur - Chelakkara - Wadakkancherry, any suggestions on the route conditions or alternate routes?

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by v1kram

BHPians,

I'm planning to visit Guruvayur from Coimbatore by July third week. I have done it couple of times via Walayar, Vadakkencherry, Thrissur but the roads we in very poor condition (especially Palakkad - Thrissur stretch).
Since it would be day time to and fro trip, need to avoid entering Palakkad.
This time i'm planning via Walayar - Alathur - Chelakkara - Wadakkancherry, any suggestions on the route conditions or alternate routes?

A better route would be Walayar-Kuzhalmannam-Kottayi-Ottappalam-Pattambi-Kunnamkulam-Guruvayoor

Google Maps route: https://goo.gl/maps/m66ly

CBE-Walayar is bad. Between Walayar and Kuzhalmannam along NH-47, expect quite a few diversions due to the 4-laning work. Be very observant, as there are many stretches where you'll find traffic flowing on either direction on both sides of the divider. And there are many sharp changes in surface levels, which can cause excessive strain on our spines as well as the vehicles' suspensions.

Kuzhalmannam-Kottayi-Mankara has very good surface. There are a few small towns on the way.

Mankara-Ottapalam-Pattambi is a SH with excellent surface and good signage. Watch out for those Interceptors with speed guns. One of their favourite spot used to be just after an S-curve after Mankara. Pattambi-Kunnamkulam-Guruvayur is again excellent surface. You'll find a lot of buses, as that's a popular bus route.

A colleague took this route a few days ago for his onward trip, and returned along Thrissur-Vadakkenchery-Palakkad-Walayar route. He found the former route better in terms of roads and traffic, and I find his observation pretty much normal.

[v1kram]

Originally Posted by silversteed

A better route would be Walayar-Kuzhalmannam-Kottayi-Ottappalam-Pattambi-Kunnamkulam-Guruvayoor

Google Maps route: https://goo.gl/maps/m66ly

CBE-Walayar is bad. Between Walayar and Kuzhalmannam along NH-47, expect quite a few diversions due to the 4-laning work. Be very observant, as there are many stretches where you'll find traffic flowing on either direction on both sides of the divider. And there are many sharp changes in surface levels, which can cause excessive strain on our spines as well as the vehicles' suspensions.

Kuzhalmannam-Kottayi-Mankara has very good surface. There are a few small towns on the way.

Mankara-Ottapalam-Pattambi is a SH with excellent surface and good signage. Watch out for those Interceptors with speed guns. One of their favourite spot used to be just after an S-curve after Mankara. Pattambi-Kunnamkulam-Guruvayur is again excellent surface. You'll find a lot of buses, as that's a popular bus route.

A colleague took this route a few days ago for his onward trip, and returned along Thrissur-Vadakkenchery-Palakkad-Walayar route. He found the former route better in terms of roads and traffic, and I find his observation pretty much normal.

Thanks for the suggestion, i would take it as advised.
Is the Coimbatore - Walayar stretch so bad? I would be driving a Honda City ZX with five onboard, so ground clearance will be really an issue.

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by v1kram

Thanks for the suggestion, i would take it as advised.
Is the Coimbatore - Walayar stretch so bad? I would be driving a Honda City ZX with five onboard, so ground clearance will be really an issue.

I did this stretch couple of days back. Nothing to worry about ground clearance. Road is patchy.
And I also bypassed palakkad using the route silversteed mentioned above. Highly recommended. Saves time, beautiful roads and typical palakkad countryside. From kuzhalmannam within 15-20 min you are at mankara and half way to ottapalam.

[RajeshK]

Friends, need help in planning a Vagamon trip from Bangalore during next month.
I will be travelling with wife and 2 kids (above 5yrs) in Xylo. I have collected the below route options from google, please help to decide which is the safest and best route. Please guide if there is any other option better than listed below.

1. Bangalore - Salem - Dindigul - Periyakulam - Cumbam - Kumily - Anavilasam - Upputhara - K-Chappath - Kolahalamedu - Vagamon

2. Bangalore - Salem - Dindigul - Periyakulam - Cumbam - Kumily - Vandipperiyar - Peerumedu - Kuttikkanam - elappara - Vedikuzhi - Vagamon

3. Bangalore - Salem - Palakkad - Chalakkudi - Moovattupuzha - Muthalakodam (Thodupuzha) - Aanakkayam - Nallathanni - Vagamon

4. Bangalore - Salem - Palakkad - Chalakkudi - Moovattupuzha - Thodupuzha - Erattupetta - Vagamon

I am planning to start around 4.30 - 5am from Bommanahalli. Considering the monsoon, I wanted to avoid any foggy evening while driving as the terrain is not so familiar to me.

Thanks
Rajesh

[ampere]

Originally Posted by RajeshK

Friends, need help in planning a Vagamon trip from Bangalore during next month.
I will be travelling with wife and 2 kids (above 5yrs) in Xylo. I have collected the below route options from google, please help to decide which is the safest and best route. Please guide if there is any other option better than listed below.
2. Bangalore - Salem - Dindigul - Periyakulam - Cumbam - Kumily - Vandipperiyar - Peerumedu - Kuttikkanam - elappara - Vedikuzhi - Vagamon

I think Vandiperiyar/Kuttikanam is the best option.

I am planning to start around 4.30 - 5am from Bommanahalli. Considering the monsoon, I wanted to avoid any foggy evening while driving as the terrain is not so familiar to me.

It would be pouring now with monsoons setting in. Is it a good time to go now?

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by NPV

Pictures of Ze Walls now painted white! (Kollegal-Malavalli)[/ATTACH]

Those walls create the illusion of a closed road, from a distance

I got confused as to whether the LHS wall or the RHS wall was placed further away, and my partner had a small jolt when I had to make some steering corrections to locate the gap.

[RajeshK]

Originally Posted by ampere

I think Vandiperiyar/Kuttikanam is the best option.

It would be pouring now with monsoons setting in. Is it a good time to go now?

Thanks Amp... Any idea about the route Muthalakodam (Thodupuzha) - Aanakkayam - Nallathanni - Vagamon...?? Some times I may go to Ernakulam and stay there for a day before going to Vagamon. Going to Vagamon for attending college get together..!!