[sarmarishi]

I have been thinking about starting this thread for a long time but have just not found the time.

I have been noticing that a majority of the people who employ drivers do not teach them the basic etiquettes of driving. Its not neccessary that if your driver is good (meaning he has not scratched your car yet!) he also follows the discipline that is required to drive.

Some of the common things that I notice on road:

1) Driving in high beam all the time: This really gets me irritated especially when its the white hite beam of a Merc or a BMW or some C+ segment cars where the driver is driving. and the person is sitting at the back! I dont bother with the taxi guys cos they are uneducated and have got liscenses without ever knowing anything about driving.

2) Stopping without indication: They just stop wherever the master commands without bothering to check if there is anyone behind.

3) Honking unneccesarily or when a signal turns green: I am going to move when the car in front moves.. Why honk?

4) Weaving between lanes: Why cant you ask you driver to stick to his lane and if he has to move, indicate!

5) Getting off your seat to open doors on a busy street and causing a traffic jam: Dont people realise that it will be faster for one to get off and let the driver go ASAP so that there is no one honking instead of giving those deadly stares!

These are some of the observations that come to mind at this point in time. Feel free to add to the list.

So how many of you use a driver and how many of these things do your driver do? Have you corrected them ever?

Would love to understand your viewpoints in terms of whether they choose to ignore you or they actually change (to those who have taught their drivers)?

I ask so many questions cos I remember my dads drivers used to get fired if he was found not following any of the rules he has put down for him.

Not sure if this should be in this section or in the street experiences section. MODS please move it if it is not relevant!

[undead]

Good notice. But i have noticed even Educated people drive the same way as you pointed out . Driving sense is not according to one's educational level .. Its their driving practice on road for years , from whom they have learnt their basic driving etc .Driving is an art and can be mastered only with practice and not from rule books. I have driven with uneducated drivers driving disciplined on the roads. I have understood many driving techniques from experienced drivers . So kindly dont point only the drivers who are appointed by the owners. There are Self driven Educated fools too.

[iSpoke]

I think it also has something to do with emotions too, a driver being a driver and not the owner of the car cannot connect with the car the way an owner can. Please don't go into the rich-poor discussion, I believe even a poor guy who would brought up a second-hand cab or have passion for cars can maintain and drive it with all driving etiquettes. The thing is one should care for it like a living being. Well, its just one of the point and not the main cause for lack of etiquette among drivers!

[headers]

Originally Posted by sarmarishi

I have been noticing that a majority of the people who employ drivers do not teach them the basic etiquettes of driving. Its not neccessary that if your driver is good (meaning he has not scratched your car yet!) he also follows the discipline that is required to drive.

Excellent topic -The only sad part is that I've lost 5 drivers in 6 months trying to educate them on the basics..They have - Banged my cars, from front and back, got them scratched, screwed my ICE settings while idle, etc I also got scolded by the better half for employing that "idiot" etc etc.

Nowadays, I drive on my own

[cuboid]

The points you mentioned are all valid. But the so-called educated people themselves do all of these. So who would teach whom?

Most common signs are : driving on high beam, and not switching even when opposite car is flashing. AND taking a short right turn going into opposite car's way.

[alto99]

Many times I have seen/read/discussed blame being passed on formal education. Formal education does not and neither is supposed to teach "everything".
When it comes to topics which the "educated" has not formally learnt/read, he is as good as a uneducated.

[Judemayne]

I am looking after an IT Park in EPIP and its not the the hired hands that break rules but the owners. The fact that I mentioned IT Park with some of the more well known and top MNCs here shows the level of education. There are sign posts at every nook and corner, in all sorts of fonts, in regards directions, horning, speeds and you name it- its there.
Barring a minor few the rest horn away, drive as if the parking is the NH 8 and treat pedestrians with disdain. In the past two weeks two very senior Managers were hauled up for driving in the wrong directions, answers -"I did not notice the direction arrow or I did not see the No Entry sign".
Trust me after my three long drives , in the recent past, covering about 10 States the scene is the same every where. Crippling fines are the only answer. I was pleasantly surprised at the raod manners of the Sri Lankans-extremely good-pedestrians have right of way!!

[SRK]

I have a different thinking.

Its not about being educated or uneducated.
Driving is a skill. It can't be taught and has to be mastered.

Also, shouldn't this be the job of the Training schools? But we know how they function.

1) Driving in high beam all the time:

Even I hate when some one uses it unnecessarily.
As far as the comment for taxi drivers. I think the light on the car itself is poor, it would not light the road ahead properly and hence they have no option other than going full beam, its not about being uneducated.

2) Stopping without indication: They just stop wherever the master commands without bothering to check if there is anyone behind.

This is entirely the owner's mistake. They actually command the drivers to do so and the poor soul has to obey his master.

By the way most of the time the owner stepping down in such a situation is a lady. No offence ladies.

3) Honking unneccesarily or when a signal turns green: I am going to move when the car in front moves.. Why honk?

This is something that comes naturally after driving for years in Mumbai Traffic. Happens sometime with me as well. My hand just moves to the Horn as the light turn green but it usually is just a light press.

4) Weaving between lanes: Why cant you ask you driver to stick to his lane and if he has to move, indicate!

Again, after-effects of driving in traffic filled roads.

5) Getting off your seat to open doors on a busy street and causing a traffic jam: Dont people realise that it will be faster for one to get off and let the driver go ASAP so that there is no one honking instead of giving those deadly stares!

Again its the owners mistake and not the drivers.


So overall the picture is that more than a driver its the owners fault.

I think the RTO should start some kind of campaign where the owners can enroll their drivers for getting some basic training about traffic manners.
What say members? Can such an initiative take place?

[selfdrive]

+1, I do not think this should be segregated on basis of education. After all being educated and/ or being literate are two different things
I do agree that drivers need to be told these things, but then as mentioned by @headers, the owners may not want to risk losing that driver. Something like if I dont keep the maid happy, then who is going to wash my utensils

[Captain Slow]

+1 with the above post of selfdrive. I have seen the so called highly educated individuals who own 5 series of bmers and jags but drive worse than some of our Auto and cab drivers.

A driver with good driving etiquetes and good manners doesnt come cheap.
majority of car owners are OK with just about anything behind the wheel as long as "it" knows how to drive and can carry them from point A to B.

[vkumars]

Good thread. Your points are all valid.

Only problem is that I haven't found much difference in driving etiquettes of owner drivers and employed drivers. Both could be equally good or bad. I have also found educated people behaving highly irresponsibly on the road and vice versa.

Certainly, if you are a good driver, you should teach your employee good etiquette. But, many people employing professional drivers seem to be woefully ignorant about what is right and wrong on the road, and do not seem to care as long as they get to places in time without incident.

Of all the issues, high beams and Honking also seem to be the most prevalent. This I have found most among drivers of commercial vehicles. I don't know, but I wonder whether one reason could be the amount of time they spend on the road and the road conditions they drive in day after day. They might also be under severe time pressure to stick to a schedule. Many might then resort to 'might is right' principle.

I normally am a very sedate driver and show maximum courtesy towards others. But put me in a traffic jam for a couple of hours in a highway and mix city and highway traffic for a few hours and then I find my courtesy vapourising. I would also find it difficult to suffer fools gladly. I then wonder about all those who are forced to do this day in and out. In most cases, I would have an option to take a break or call it a day, but they might not.

Of course, in most cases owners do not abuse the vehicles the way paid drivers do. For example, I haven't many paid drivers idling the engine for a Turbo diesel before start and stop. The way they tackle speed breakers and pot holes also makes me wince.

[ghodlur]

As SRK said its the skill that cant be taught and has to be mastered. When someone employs a driver, it is based on his experience of driving and not basically on the driver's degrees. How often does one employ a driver after going for a test ride? Many a times a driver is employed based on recommendations rather than on the driving skill which later is realized to be something else than thought of.
Aren't the owners themselves to be blamed if they find the driving etiquettes of the drivers they employ not matching their requirements, why blame the poor soul.

[Suess]

Originally Posted by SRK

I have a different thinking.

Its not about being educated or uneducated.
Driving is a skill. It can't be taught and has to be mastered.

Also, shouldn't this be the job of the Training schools? But we know how they function.





Even I hate when some one uses it unnecessarily.
As far as the comment for taxi drivers. I think the light on the car itself is poor, it would not light the road ahead properly and hence they have no option other than going full beam, its not about being uneducated.


This is entirely the owner's mistake. They actually command the drivers to do so and the poor soul has to obey his master.

By the way most of the time the owner stepping down in such a situation is a lady. No offence ladies.



This is something that comes naturally after driving for years in Mumbai Traffic. Happens sometime with me as well. My hand just moves to the Horn as the light turn green but it usually is just a light press.



Again, after-effects of driving in traffic filled roads.


Again its the owners mistake and not the drivers.


So overall the picture is that more than a driver its the owners fault.

I think the RTO should start some kind of campaign where the owners can enroll their drivers for getting some basic training about traffic manners.
What say members? Can such an initiative take place?

I beg to differ SRK. Driving is skill but it's about driving, it is more about knowing the traffice rules and following them and above all it's about common sense9or let's say traffic sense!)

what skills it takes to give indicators when trunning, changing lane or moving out of parking? what skills do you need not to honk everywhere and anywhere? people honks even in premises where honking is clearly forbidden!

In case of the high beam i don't see any reason of keeping the high beam ON even on well lit city roads. no excuse period. on highways, one shouldn't be speeding above your visual range with low beam.

[dot]

Personal experience of employing drivers has been very limited and for a very short duration. However I noticed that if you tell them nicely what to do and what not to do, they tend to follow. The drivers with so called low levels of education, understand the difference between right and wrong, good driving practices and not so good ones. I dont think education has anything to do with it. It is a just good communications. After all everybody is from the same planet.

Having said that I have a personal grudge against the "educated folks" sitting pretty in a call center cab and enjoying the antics of the driver. Why cant they step in and prevent the driver to stop rash driving, or using high beam or other offences.

I tell you, they are just enjoying.

When I have employed taxis I could not sit quietly if the driver was doing some mischief. A simple question usually works. It may not work with everybody, but if it works with half the population, our roads will become better.

[Suess]

I would like to add some more points here which i have noticed in last couple of months of driving in Chennai(so, it might be particular for Chennai, but nevertheless exteremly annoying and sometime highly dangerous):

1. Car drivers going far left side of the road to take right turn and vice-versa.

2. Car drivers stopping or slowing down in front of you immediately after overtaking you!(sometimes they just want to stop on road side but they will overtake first nevertheless.)

3. Not stopping on stop lines. going further down in the crossing lanes.

4. When taking turns, cutting the way or turning from wrong side.

The next are more about following the rules:

5. Jumping RED/AMBER lights. for Almighty sakes please, people don't do that!

it could be you who can get hit by someone like you jumping the traffic lights.

6. Overtaking/Speeding/Honking in building(offices/library/hospitals/parking lots) premises where these activities are forbidden.

7. I think there is no "Right of Way" concept in India but why they don't have at least little courtesy and respect towards kids/elderly/cyclist etc. crossing the roads on zabra crossings.

In my opinion, as we don't have any formal way of teaching driving, we come to think that traffic rules are annoyence and are created on whim. so, we need a formal system which tells us that every sign borad/speed limit/traffic light/rule serves a greater purpose and is there for you safety.

Aapki Seva me janhit me jari! Happy and safe motoring!