[Sunny_7937]

Now when I think of it, it's really an intimidation. Normally I get irritated with any vehicle honking continuously be it a 2 wheeler as well.

But whenever I see private bus from a distant in my rear view mirror I give way to them just to prevent unnecessary honking of some song tunes.

Give way to the cars flashing excessively / unnecessarily. (Nothing to do with size or color). (Mostly alto 800s).

Same with autos. As their turn radius is something that can't be dealt with. I choose to let them overtake to avoid any unnecessary speeding.

just yesterday in bumper to bumper traffic, i was in a lane that's meant for vehicles going on free left, yet an auto made its way through road pavements etc with huge sound of honking and incessant flashing. I apologized and gave way by going towards the inner of the middle lane.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by nda992

Sir, it would be a pleasure to meet up with you & take a ride in your Gypsy someday!!

Anytime Sir.
Im PM ing you my number.
Im a regular visitor at ASC Bangalore.

[autobahnjpr]

The golden rule of driving is to keep calm and drive safe. You do not need to "feel" intimidated by anyone on road. If someone is driving rash, just get out of their way and let them be. If someone wants to overtake, allow them. On a single carriageway, if someone is overtaking and coming your line of sight, move left and allow them. Do not build an expectation on how others should behave on road. Then you will stop "feeling" intimidated or frustrated. If they want to win a competition, allow them first prize.

Just keep reminding yourself that you are going from point A to point B and it is important to reach your destination safely and securely. Everything else is a distraction. So, there is no need to engage yourself mentally with others idiotic acts. Just Let Go. All these feelings will vanish like thin air. Within 24 hours, you will even forget what happened. Enjoy the drive.

[ShreyG]

There would be a thin line between getting intimated and maintaining sanity. I for one do not prefer to get involved in any kind of road rage or intimidatory tactics. I have raised and protected my vehicles like a child and in no way will let silly things like ego get in the way and pose even a 0.1% chance of hurting my cars or its passengers.
If there is any honking and flashing driver / rider behind me, I simply assume that someone on his end is in mortal danger and the person really needs to get there on time. It really changes your perspective of looking at things and I let them go at the very first chance.
Trucks are generally respectful (and slow) and mostly don't get involved in such foolishness.
Less said about the buses, the better. State roadways are still somewhat sane but the private operators and intracity city (e.g. DTC, BMTC etc) simply would clip your mirrors and keep moving like nothing happened. So in old school terms, one arm distance to be maintained

[negi15]

My reaction against bullying by bigger vehicles irrespective of whether I am riding my 20 year old bike, my sober sedan or recently added SUV is same i.e. safety first, give way and enjoy your drive.

I have seen many big SUV's following good road manners, while several compact hatchbacks driving rash. I have come across several good traffic-aware truck/bus drivers also, who will give way to you even if you have not honked or flashed your lights. So, I would like to correct my opening statement little bit by replacing "bigger vehicles" with "any vehicle". I think key is identifying impatient and rash drivers on road based on accumulated driving experience till date. It would also be unfair to call them rash drivers as they themselves may not be aware about their driving habits.

So, what do I do when any speeding fast approaching vehicle is seen in rear view mirror -> Give way when it is safe. I do not check speed limits at such instances as 90% are not aware about speed signboards planted across the roads/highways. I don't think drivers can be entirely blamed for this as at many times these limits don't make sense on particular stretch of road.

Indian roads/traffic are a great leveller. I have seen instances where I have maintained normal speeds and was overtaken by same vehicle 3-4 times on a trip and we both have reached entry point of city at same time.

[asingh1977]

Yes.
Any white car here larger than a Creta/Brezza -- pushs man, weed, or animal around, with high-beam and incessant horn.

[neeravnaik]

I am very vary of aggressive Buses and Trucks. They sometimes make very scary approach and i try to make way quickly. Smaller vehicle it is more about driving to your situation. If someone else is driving recklessly I try to keep space and let them pass. It could even be an Alto driving crazily. When someone ignores risks they can hurt others too so you try to give a wide berth leaving your ego at side.

[cos.sec]

Two vehicles (think Alto + Thar) side by side in different locations, about to move forward in a traffic jam:
- Delhi : Thar will move forward first
- Mumbai : Both move next to each other
- Kolkata : i10 will move forward first
- Bangalore : no one will move forward, they are stuck in a jam

[airguitar]

I have not experienced wanton bullying as a habit on the roads I have driven, which is generally south of Vindhyas. In general I'm wary of the below ( as they say in Hindi, "muh nahin lagta"). Some of them are not bullies, but just wreckless with scant regard to human life and property. And it's a huge list.

• BMTC AC buses (especially the Auto Transmission) in Bangalore. They are the biggest bullies in the city.
• KSRTC red and rajahamsa buses (only some). They're in a hurry always, especially on the ghats, I always give way. I have never faced issues with the Airavatas or other luxury services - they always seem to plan their trip well and are genial and generous as human beings too. That doesn't mean that I take them on on the road.
• Private short-medium route buses everywhere : It could be in rural Bangalore or anywhere else; These buses typically do a to and for trip a day ( 300 kms ish ) and are always in a hurry. Many buses are in a ramshackle condition and many are probably run by people with no proper licenses etc.
• At night: Tempo traveller drivers - almost definitely asleep at the wheels. And truckers that tail you aggressively at night - I keep away from them - their behaviour is an indication of being drunk. My front fenders were once smashed by a wreckless trucker merging from my left from a service lane at a speed far greater than mine, right into the fast lane, cutting through the slow lane. I'm talking about a small % of truckers here, majority of them are slow and stick
• Bikers, I offer superwide berths to them irrespective of if they are overtaking me or I am overtaking them, city or highways.
• Ambulances, these guys are under server duress all the time. For the sake of the patient inside and for my own safety, I keep a safe distance from them.
• Cars with Political Flags (especially in TN, where every other car has a party flag) and cars with govt badges (Police, MLA, MP, Govt Service) - I have not had any trouble with these, but I generally always give way, no matter what.
• Service vehicles : Tow trucks, flatbeds, cranes, earthmovers
• Lastly, when on my Thar, I certainly keep away from empty construction trucks that keep dropping gravel and small stones on the road. With a rightangle windscreen, it's pretty easy to have your glass cracked on the thar.

As far as if I bully others on the road, never. But I do stand up for myself and if it's my larger car, then every chance that the other fellow might feel that he/she was bullied. Examples :

• If you cut across the lane and try to squeeze into a rat's posterior sized space in front of me, no, I won't let you. I'll honk the pajamas off you. If you are a wrong side driver expecting mercy, ditto. If you are on a mobile phone and expect generosity, ditto. If you are jumping the line at a toll booth, ditto. If you are jumping the line at a manual railway crossing or taking the wrong lane causing hassel to other road-users ditto - won't let you squeeze in. Emergency situations are an exception.
• If you are dual-laning like an idiot for quite a while, I'll ensure you move to one of the lanes.
• I almost always do not yield to errant car drivers no matter the size of the car, no matter what place/city. Especially so in the city. On highways, considering safety aspects, I might yield without much fuss.
• I'm generally very idealistic as far as rules go, especially so when I'm alone in the car. I will go easy if my family is inside the car - then I wouldn't want a confrontation keeping their safety in mind.
• If we are on a narrow road and the oncoming vehicle is trying to browbeat me into getting of the tarmac, I do not. I only get the left set of tires off the tarmac if required and force the other person into doing the same. No free pass. Exception : when I'm on my thar, and alone and the oncoming vehicle is a smaller vehicle - I try to get off as much as possible/safe to let them have the road.

Additionally,

• I always let women pedestrian, children, aged pedestrians and animals have the right of way
• I let people in difficult situations pass through as well ( e.g., someone trying to merge in from a small lane into a main road where nobody is letting them merge in, learning drivers etc ).
• When I'm on my Thar and I do this, people are almost always shocked that a large vehicle stopped to let them go. It's not a feeling of vanity - but a feeling of satisfaction seeing them cross safely.
• I concur with shankar.balan on how it pleasantly surprises people.
• I feel more generous when driving my Thar and I don't compete with others when driving the Thar. A bit like the four-wheeled version of this ad :

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdZr-A8qWXk

Of course all of this is subject to traffic behind me, the safety aspects of me slowing down to let them pass etc.

Like in work, and like in families, so on the road too, there is enough for everyone to be happy, safe and content. But it rarely happens due to ego, false sense of importance, bad planning, false sense of urgency, bad communication and mistrust. Your behavior on the road, as they say, is a reflection of how you approach life and your fellow beings.

[Tassem]

This is 100% my experience in Bangalore.

When I'm in my Isuzu - an all black menacing looking cutie with a lift kit, nobody cuts me off. Nobody. It's all peaceful and calm and we're all nice to each other. Including buses and trucks.

When I'm in my E350, I'm not as welcome on the road, but people are nice for the most part maybe because it's all black and looks a bit mafia? No? Ok. But not buses. Oh no sir. They show me and my shiny bumpers their place in the food chain. And I oblige.

What takes the cake however is - recently I drove my colleague's i10 and have never experienced bullying like that ever. Of course part of the mistake is mine. I was driving like I'd drive the Isuzu. My eyes still saw the same things ahead of me. But the auto driver next to me was looking at a dude in a maroon i10 and he had other plans. Even motorcyclists didn't bother. A particularly aggressive Swiggy dude almost had me turn around to go get the Isuzu. A terrible experience overall to be honest. A lot of people are nice because they have to be. Not because they are. That was sad.

Originally Posted by GTO

It's amazing how the behaviour of other road users changes based on the car that I'm driving. And to be honest, my own driving style is different too.

[shamanths3]

I follow myself 2 rules while driving my i10 and NEV MAX.
1. On i10 I always am pedal to the metal. So only faster cars cut me irrespective of their make and model.
2. On Nev Max I drive more calmly around 90kmph and drive on the middle lane unless I am in a hurry. Then I follow point 1.

Most importantly : All of this goes for a toss when I see Fortuner or Innova white boards and I just move away . I never know when I will hurt their Ego and God forbid you know who is sitting inside, I don't want to risk the safety of my family. I am sorry for being a stereotype but after seeing too many instances I am forced to follow this rule. I am sure most new Fortuner owners are gentle professionals and businessmen, but still I won't take the risk as it maybe 1 in 10 chance of encountering someone who has a big ego.

[rakesh_r]

I have both an SUV and a humble beater hatch, so i guess I am in a good position to comment. On my beater hatch, a humble Wagon R, I am bullied left and right by anything on wheels, right from an Activa to the Fortuner. The entire scenario changes when i drive my Gurkha. I never bully anyone and give way whenever someone honks or flashes his/her headlights. In some cases, when people try to act smart, I try to "Muscle" my way out.
With the Gurkha, people at the back neither honk nor flash their headlights, they just stay behind, or whenever they see me coming from behind, they give way.
I am the calmest and always feel safe when i drive the Gurkha, its that feeling called "Zen". But while driving the Wagon R, my BP hits the stratosphere.

[silverado]

I own the smallest car in our country and i am well qualified to tell my side after 12 years with Nano. Generally at intersections people expect Nano to stop and let them go, but it depends on your actions as well.

If you are carrying speed your intentions are clear, you will get your way.
I have a creta horn fitted in my car and many a times people are disappointed when a Nano overtakes them.

It was very evident in initial years but now the car has got acceptance and its life as usual.
I have become calmer version of self and i do not let my Ego take over even when i am driving a bigger car.

Its best " not to get" intimidated and bullied, rather just let things go and stay calm.

[speed79]

I don't get intimidated by size of the vehicle on road. It is related to how the vehicle is being driven and which car I am driving. An aggressively driven Royal Enfield (assumed to be indestructible by most of its riders) intimidates me while I am driving Punch, but doesn’t when I am driving Vista or Hexa. But an agressively driven bus intimidates me irrespective of the car I am driving. I have given up riding bike 6-7 years ago, as i used to feel to be the most vulnerable in sea of vehicles and pedestrians on road.

[shankar.balan]

I forgot to add. I ve put a complete halt to my cycling. Even though I have a fat cycle with handlebar mirrors there is a lot of danger on our roads even in a residential layout. Buses, School Vans, Lorries, Mini Trucks etc. All of these drive dangerously and very fast even in our narrow streets. And I m not interested in becoming a statistic and being scraped off the road on account of someone else’s hurry.
Bangalore roads are an obstacle course at best, with plenty of hostiles all around.
A great training ground for Urban Guerilla Warfare techniques I think.