[dot]

Originally Posted by Bumble Beast

One thing I have noticed in Pune's traffic, its slow! Why I have no idea. Anyone interested to shed light on this?

I have on theory: it is due to.. traffic.

However if you compare traffic in many other cities, Pune is far far, I repeat, far far better. At least it mostly moves. Not like you switch off the engine and wait for hours. Ok, Hinjewadi folks might disagree, but that is the only part of the city which faces the maximum traffic on a narrow stretch.

[amitwlele]

Originally Posted by dot

However if you compare traffic in many other cities, Pune is far far, I repeat, far far better. At least it mostly moves. Not like you switch off the engine and wait for hours. Ok, Hinjewadi folks might disagree, but that is the only part of the city which faces the maximum traffic on a narrow stretch.

+1 to this. Pune the traffic moves and we are not at stand still. The traffic in Pune would be more streamlined if signals are followed, we have sane two wheeler and auto drivers, facilities for pedestrian crossing are provided.

Hinjewadi should be included as a case study topic in Transportation Management/Town Planning course of the University.

[F150]

Guys using koregaon park north main road, watch out for those drain holes. They are bang in the center of the road. Yesterday I was driving from the bund garden to kalyani nagar on the KP north main road, boy there was this huge hole, if you go thru it at say even 30-40kmph or anything above, I am sure your wheel will come off or your suspension will be damaged beyond repair. Watch out for this hole. It was some where near PREMS, IIRC.

[selfdrive]

Originally Posted by Bumble Beast

Sancheti: Where does the underpass open to? It seems it will take 5 more months for it to get functional.

I have been informed the underpass will open to the Sessions court side (Kamgar Statue). This is the road leading to the small bridge next to the rail bridge

Originally Posted by Bumble Beast

One thing I have noticed in Pune's traffic, its slow! Why I have no idea. Anyone interested to shed light on this?

Originally Posted by dot

I have on theory: it is due to.. traffic.

Traffic yes; but also due to the limited available width of the roads. In any case, Pune roads have been quite narrow. In terms of % of acreage/ area, the roads are around 40% of what should be there.
/begin rant
To worsen the situation, the pavements are non existent so all the vendors are sitting in the first left lane along with all the pedestrians and parked vehicles. In the centre lane we have "waiting" vehicles. These are technically not parked as the driver/ any random person may be seated in the drivers seat to indicate that it is about to move; even if it is in that state for 30 mins. This leaves 1 or 2 lanes open to traffic; which are also impacted by the in/ out of parked/ waiting vehicles.
Of course if there are no waiting vehicles or vendors on the road, we have people on the right lane wanting to left and those on the left wanting to go right; all exactly at the intersection. There is little sense of being in the correct lane BEFORE arriving at the intersection.
/end rant

Ergo, due to multiple blockades, speeds are lower unless a rare free stretch is encountered; which then looks like a straight on any F1 track so we all go zooming away

EDIT: and how did I forget the PMT buses, which have a free rein on what lane they should drive in or when they should change lanes. There are also garbage trucks and all sorts of assorted vehicles like office cabs which we keep our distance from (all gaps in traffic filled in with bikes, so no worries!). Till a few years ago we also had the best potholes that tax payers money could buy, though we have been granted riddance from this now.

[sajo]

As per the Pune authorities , the below are the rules for parking vehicles, as per Rules of Road Regulation , 1989 , Rule 15.

Vehicles are prohibited from parking in the below locations:

1. On Road crossings, chowks, on curves, on hill top or humpback bridges or anywhere near them.

2. On Footpaths.

3. On Pedestrian crossings or Traffic Lights.

4. On any main road, or any road designed to take high speed traffic.

5. Obstructing other vehicles or against the flow of other vehicles.

6. Double Parking.

7. Against the direction of the flow of traffic.

8. 15 Meters on either side of a Bus Stop.

9. In front of any establishment's (is this correct,translated from "आस्थापन" in Marathi) door.

10. Wherever a footpath starts or ends.

11. Wherever road signs will be blocked from view.

12. Anywhere where parking is explicitly prohibited.

At locations mentioned in points 1 through 11 , no explicit No Parking board is required.

I just translated this from Traffic Police's FB page.

[amitwlele]

Isn't it sad that eventhough most of the points are common sense but we require rules for it. And not that if rules are made, those are followed by the people.

[selfdrive]

Originally Posted by amitwlele

Isn't it sad that eventhough most of the points are common sense but we require rules for it. And not that if rules are made, those are followed by the people.

The crane service has been doing roaring business picking up cars in the Deccan area. Last weekend, there were so many cars parked wrongly that the cops had to resort to locking the front wheel with chains (as against clamps) and writing the mobile number with chalk on the driver side windows. I saw at least 5 such cars within 50 meters at the one way/ junction near Prayag hospital (opposite Deccan bus stand)

[Swanand Inamdar]

Originally Posted by sajo

Vehicles are prohibited from parking in the below locations:

9. In front of any establishment's (is this correct,translated from "आस्थापन" in Marathi) door.

All other rules are absolutely fine and well justified.
However, one rule I do not appreciate is the one mentioned above.

For how long are we going to follow age old methods? What I am referring to here, is the way those establishments put a metal block on the road, so that no cars/bikes can be parked. Specially in the narrower roads in the city area, this is a menace. If a person wants to go to a shop, he will, doesnt matter even if a bloody battle tank is parked in front of the establishment.

P.S: If by establishment, they mean any building premises that has an entrance/exit for vehicular traffic, then the rule is absolutely justified. Not otherwise.

EDIT: Ojas, thanks for the compiled information .

[RemingtonSteele]

We received this notice yesterday about affected areas due to Palkhi in Pune.

The Palkhi (Palanquin) procession this year is scheduled to start from 23 Jun 11 and would follow the below route while in Pune till 27 Jun 11.
This year the procession is staggered and the impact on traffic spreads over five days from 23rd June To 27th June 2011 (Thu to Mon).
Sr. Date & Day Traffic Restriction Remark
1 23rd June 2011 (Thu) Dehu To Akurd Dehu Palakhi
2 24th June 2011 (Fri) Akurdi To Dapodi Dehu Palakhi Procession
3 25th June 2011 (Sat) Dapodi To Nana Peth / Alandi To Bhavani Peth Dehu / Alandi Palakhi Procession for Halt in Town
4 26th June 2011 (Sun) All Peth Areas connecting to road Camp Dehu / Alandi Palakhi Halt in Town (Nana Peth & Bhavani Peth)
5 27th June 2011 (Mon noon)Satara Rd, Sinhagad Rd, Town, Camp, Solapur Rd Departure Dehu Palakhi / Departure Alandi Palakhi from Peth Area

Refer attached document and use this information and plan your movement accordingly

[selfdrive]

Originally Posted by Swanand Inamdar

P.S: If by establishment, they mean any building premises that has an entrance/exit for vehicular traffic, then the rule is absolutely justified. Not otherwise.

Swanand, your assumption is correct. AFAIK, it is only for doors (read gates/ entry points) where a vehicle is/ can be parked inside the building. I share your grievance about those metal/ wood things that shopkeepers put up in front of their shops.

Ages ago, I remember putting one up vertically on its end to park a couple of our bikes. One of the comments from my friends I remember was something like "Puneri paati daara var shobhtey rastya var naahi'. The shopkeeper was not impressed, till we tried to move it away altogether. Of course, we didnt trust him to leave our bikes unscathed so a couple of us stayed back to argue with him while the rest of us finished our work and returned.

Unfortunately, I dont seem to have the time, support or the inclination to get into arguments with these people now.

[rahul_sinha]

The situation at Baner road is even worse. Firstly it is being built since last 5 yrs and still to be completed. Secondly, there are no roundabouts within the whole concrete road to provide U-turn opportunities. And thirdly and worst of all, there are a lot of 'cuts' within the road for providing turning facilities to vehicles, which can either choke the traffic or even worse be accident-prone. Also, the road dividers are hardly visible on a rainy night, proving hazardous for many vehicles. There seems to be an acute lack of planning by PMC.

[selfdrive]

One situation which crossed boiling point yesterday.
Auto rickshaws and two wheelers competing to overtake each other at speeds between 10 to 20kmph while climbing the Paud road flyover

The approach road to this flyover itself is a mess with vehicles coming from Hotel Nisarg merging onto Karve road. Then on Karve road itself, there are vehicles in the rightmost lane that want to go left to continue on Karve road towards Karve statue/ Warje/ Mayur colony etc. And there are others in the left/ middle lanes that want to go right and climb the flyover to go to Paud road.

At the beginning of the flyover there were two auto rickshaws competing to overtake each other at speeds of 10 & 12 kmph respectively. Then there are two smart girls on a Scooty trying to overtake both autos at around 15kmph and another girl on her Scooty type vehicle trying to overtake the other 3 at around 20kmph. This procession carries on up the flyover with each of them varying speeds and taking turns at overtaking each other.

Now, I am not the kind of person who uses the horn much at all. However, this entire drama really pushed me over and I literally stood on the horn. The Scooties werent willing to let go and the rickshaw drivers could not. A Pulsar and an Innova went dangerously close enough for them to take note and move to the left lane.

Why, pray why does anyone think they can occupy the middle and right lanes of any road in a Scooty at 20kmph?
/end rant

[mmxylorider]

You used the 'h' word (horn) - you will soon figure in the bad drivers thread.

On a serious note, I've faced the same problem many times at the same spot. And giving a nice 2 second burst on the horn does work.

Another tendency I've seen is for vehicles (2/3/4) to try and move behind a biggish truck or bus taking a U turn. This while you are waiting for the u-turn to get completed and you can get on your way. Frequently observed at the Kothrud Bus Depot signal.

[selfdrive]

Originally Posted by mmxylorider

You used the 'h' word (horn) - you will soon figure in the bad drivers thread.

On a serious note, I've faced the same problem many times at the same spot. And giving a nice 2 second burst on the horn does work.

Another tendency I've seen is for vehicles (2/3/4) to try and move behind a biggish truck or bus taking a U turn. This while you are waiting for the u-turn to get completed and you can get on your way. Frequently observed at the Kothrud Bus Depot signal.

I know, especially seeing the interesting turns that thread is taking, I am sure some of us will definitely be featured there sooner rather than later!

As for Kothrud bus depot, its a free-for-all situation there. Dont be surprised if you spot me somewhere among that confusion.

[Swanand Inamdar]

I actually wanted to do a mass circulation of the following in TOI or such papers in Pune.

"Dear Two/Three Wheelers. Using your thumbs to press the indicator button wont lead to arthritis. The lack of it may. So for the benefit of your fingers (if not others on the road), please start indicating when turning".

EDIT: Selfdrive: You could most likely find me in that mess most of the evenings.