[praful]

Originally Posted by alpha1

Did you manage to get a co-passenger last time?

Yes, but not through TBhp. But I did find another driver on Tbhp who was driving to Bombay the same day and we synced up once in a while.

[srag4568]

Hi - I'm planning for this trip leaving chennai dec 22nd and return journey maybe 26/27. Just wanted to check if anyone is having similar plans so we can batch / join. Regards

[HimuraKenshin]

Hiya!
I travel every weekeday fron Vashi, Navi Mumbai to Cuffe Parade. I leave from home at around 8.30 AM and leave from work at around 7 PM.
This is a regular carpool and i am looking for passengers.

[pc1686]

Hello Friends,


I am planning to do a road trip from Bangalore to Jaipur in my car. Dates are not yet fixed but tentatively around March 20-April 10, 2015.

If someone (passionate, enthusiastic and positive) is willing to join me on the same can please PM me and we can discuss further.

Thanks.

[Gannu_1]

There are bad drivers and there are bad co-drivers! Here's my pool partner watching a serial on his laptop with a pair of earphones:

Attachment 1348992

Alas, carpooling and the kind of people we have to deal with!

I would really expect my co-driver to help me navigate the road, give me proper directions after referring to the cellphone's GPS, keep me awake during night drives by conversing, spot speed bumps/dhabas/animal crossing the road etc. if I tend to miss them, help me with the change at toll booths etc.

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

I would really expect my co-driver to help me navigate the road, give me proper directions after referring to the cellphone's GPS, keep me awake during night drives by conversing, spot speed bumps/dhabas/animal crossing the road etc. if I tend to miss them, help me with the change at toll booths etc.

Don't you think it's too much to ask for while on a car-pool? I expect all this only from the people I am confident of handling these things. For the rest, I am prepared for most eventualities like those mentioned

Originally Posted by Dieseldunk

be happy that he is only keeping to himself without disturbing your driving. Many other co passengers will be a nagging mouth and make life miserable for the driver.

+1

[Gannu_1]

Originally Posted by silversteed

Don't you think it's too much to ask for while on a car-pool?

I did not mean that during our daily car-pool drives to work. Navigating using the GPS, night drives, spotting dhabas and all? Come on! That was a generic comment directed towards co-drivers.

[sachinpk]

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

There are bad drivers and there are bad co-drivers! Here's my pool partner watching a serial on his laptop with a pair of earphones:

One of the reason why I skipped this whole idea of "car pooling". I know my own idiosyncrasies and unique characteristics, and so figured out that car pooling was not a good idea for me. One, for me it takes time to actually strike a conversation with another person. And secondly 95% of the people I have met do NOT recognise the value of time. Car pooling works only when the entire group has got some thing connecting them. For me, the first thing which p-isses me off is people coming up late. I can drive the car, or contribute for the fuel etc. But if the plan is to leave a spot at 0900hrs, then I expect others also to be there by that time. Popping up at 0930 making every one else wait, and passing a crude joke to kind of take an excuse; that pretty much spoils the rest of my day.

The next thing, I have is constant speaking on the cell phone. Especially if it is a long drive and there is no one else in the car. I had the misfortune of taking one such character. Always on the phone, chatting away to glory. Finally when he finished he tried striking a conversation with me. I just ignored him, and I guess he got the message. That was one pathetic road trip I had.

[Gannu_1]

Originally Posted by sachinpk

Car pooling works only when the entire group has got some thing connecting them.

Absolutely spot on Sachin. Carpooling works purely on the basis of understanding. Let me share my day-to-day experience.

- Number of partners in the pool - a small car like mine may comfortably accommodate 4 whereas the Ertiga can sit 5. One day there were 3 of us in the rear bench of a Beat! I was in a corner and the other 2 guys who were fairly stout managed to squeeze the living daylights out of me! I had a real hard time! Usually in our pool, there are just 4 of us but sometimes we may accommodate one more when his pool is going to depart late from work.

- Departure point - we assemble at a common departure point and travel to the workplace thereon. We chose a convenient location so it is easy to pick up or drop the members and they have access to rickshaws or two-wheelers to head home thereafter. There are no issues here.

- Time management - 9 out of 10 times, all of us reach the spot on time. But we may get delayed by a couple of minutes on the odd occasion. I profusely apologise if I get delayed and inform them beforehand that I am going to be late. There are times when one of us may get delayed while winding up and may take 10-15 minutes more to wind up the day’s work - not all of them would be willing to accept it. Some are hell-bent on leaving the moment the clock strikes 5:45 PM whereas some others are willing to wait.

- Expense management - when there are 4 guys in a pool and all 4 of them have cars, each one of them would take their ride on an alternating basis. But in our pool, one guy does not have a car so he needs to pool in money which is shared among the 3 of us. We calculated the amount on the basis of 1 petrol car and 2 diesel cars plus their maintenance (just cleaning part not service expenses). I keep a calendar print out in my bag and note down who took the car on which day and at the end of the month, we share the expenses. There are no issues here.

Snaps of the record I maintain:





- Some common ground rules we had jointly laid down:

1. Choice of music - car owner’s choice or radio or switch to in-ear phones. Simple as that.

2. No smoking - I am the only one who smokes in our pool but I don’t do it while traveling. No issues here.

3. No work related gossips. Especially during appraisal times!

4. No food and drinks inside the car and strictly, no littering.

5. AC is always ON at a comfortable setting - neither bone chilling nor too less.

6. Drive at a comfortable speed (70-80 kmph). Returns a good fuel efficiency and no risks involved.

7. Fill up fuel in advance and not while commuting. This will inconvenience the members.

8. Avoid speaking on the phone for a long time. And don’t be a chatterbox. Sometimes our rides are so silent and comfortable, I take a good 1 hour nap during both the journeys and reach the destination fresh!

9. Strive to be on time to avoid delays. Otherwise, inform the group that we may be late.

10. WhatsApp group - everyone must inform the group about any change in plans or schedule. Getting late, changing the ride, not coming to work etc.

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

Absolutely spot on Sachin. Carpooling works purely on the basis of understanding. Let me share my day-to-day experience......

to you if you manage to implement such meticulous planning, most people would faint just at the thought!

It's difficult to find people who'll follow even basic rules of courtesy (keeping times, not smoking, phone etiquette etc.), but if one does, it can be a real convenience, even a pleasure to commute with like-minded people. Given the state of our roads, pooling is a boon and everybody wins (with some adjustments, of course).

Thanks for doing your bit in taking unnecessary solo use cars off streets.

[Mahesh Prasad]

Originally Posted by sachinpk

And secondly 95% of the people I have met do NOT recognise the value of time. Car pooling works only when the entire group has got some thing connecting them. For me, the first thing which p-isses me off is people coming up late. I can drive the car, or contribute for the fuel etc. But if the plan is to leave a spot at 0900hrs, then I expect others also to be there by that time. Popping up at 0930 making every one else wait, and passing a crude joke to kind of take an excuse; that pretty much spoils the rest of my day.

Exactly my thoughts Sachin. Carpooling to work is virtually non-existent in the city I live in, due to smaller areas and lesser density of vehicles. But many times we have to share rides to functions, work sites etc, and the main thing that annoys me is poor time management. I for one in this situation will always try to be dot on time, but inevitably some times when the situation does not allow, I make a point that I call beforehand, explain my situation and apologize and make alternate arrangements if possible to make up lost time. But just like you said, most people simply don't care and make up those crude jokes after arriving late infuriating me further. Add to that, a friend of mine always shows up late then plans his routine so as that we have to stop en-route to let him finish his work and then proceed!!. Maybe that's why I prefer traveling alone.

The next thing, I have is constant speaking on the cell phone. Especially if it is a long drive and there is no one else in the car. I had the misfortune of taking one such character. Always on the phone, chatting away to glory. Finally when he finished he tried striking a conversation with me. I just ignored him, and I guess he got the message. That was one pathetic road trip I had.

Could not agree more. The same friend I mentioned above, carries 2 cellphones and is always on the phone during the drive. Also even if he is in the back seat, he will bend over and turn down the volume of the music on his own even if the music is low. It takes usually more than a couple of long, cold stares from me for him to understand the situation and put his phones away.

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

Let me share my day-to-day experience....

Excellent post Gannu. I guess you need to put up a separate detailed thread on car pooling. This post is far more valuable and informative and I fear it might get lost in this Bad Drivers thread.

[tharian]

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

Absolutely spot on Sachin. Carpooling works purely on the basis of understanding. .

Although not entirely related to car-pooling and its associated issues, here is a thread I remembered that had similar discussions.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street...-you-hate.html

[Turbo_Torq]

Anyone travelling from Bangalore to Mumbai next week or toward the end of the month? Need to hitch a ride on my way back since I'd be carrying a fragile item.

Could use Mumbai-Bangalore too.

[callvvijay]

Guys,
My flight from London to Chennai got cancelled and I've been booked on a flight to B'lore - reaching B'lore on 10th Dec (Thursday) early morning.

Is there anyone driving down (alone) to Chennai on Thursday or Friday?

Thanks!

[Thunder70]

Mod note: Thread already exists on similar topic, please use Search before opening a new thread. Thanks.

Majority of people suffering to get a ticket in Train/Bus at weekends/festival season. Here i have a suggestion to solve this by bhpians. Our community is the biggest one in India without any doubt. So if any one is traveling to other place and if they have vacant seat, can offer a seat at a reasonable price or without price. It’s happier if we have companion while driving. There is some who love drive alone, that’s not the case i am trying to say. This thread mainly for helping the travelers. You can mention here where you are going and from which location you are boarding. Let’s see this work or not.