[scuderiamania]

Well, I should mention here that although highway traffic in the state of west bengal isn't the best in the country, I'd say its not that bad actually. This is especially true for NH2. NH6 does see a few tractors and trucks going in the opposite direction. But on NH2, truckers give way to cars moving faster than them, usually stick to a lane[mostly the middle one] and follow general driving etiquette.

Then again, you do find the odd monkey driver at 100+ks in the opposite direction once in a while.

[rbp]

Apart from tractors in the past couple of years I have been pi**ed of with TATA ACE's, most of these vehicles are over loaded and the damm thing will not go beyond 30 or 40 kmph and on top of all these I find this so called baby elephant on the the extreme right lane[Fastest lane]. They are a real pain to over take the driver's of these vehicles are least bothered. I keep cursing TATA for coming up with such a slow vehicle .

[anujmishra]

Four laning itself not solving problems. During my recent trip to Nagpur, I had to watch out numerous opposite oncoming traffic on the lane on which I was driving. At one such point, I and truck going side by side and suddenly a bike owner entered in my lane, without looking it me. I had to squeeze my car between bike and truck somehow to to move.

These are morons and could not understand value of life. There were numerous black colour tractors, Tata Ace, local trucks who used to use wrong lane and making discomfort to all vehicles who are following lane rule.

[mgh]

Problem is that residents of the area, through which these roads pass are not provided alternate roads. Service roads running along the highways on both sides, and underpasses at regular intervals connecting service roads on both sides, are a must, to avoid forcing locals to use the wrong side of the highway.

[Selective]

Originally Posted by mgh

Problem is that residents of the area, through which these roads pass are not provided alternate roads. Service roads running along the highways on both sides, and underpasses at regular intervals connecting service roads on both sides, are a must, to avoid forcing locals to use the wrong side of the highway.

Agree, we need service roads too along the four/six laned highways. As an example the NH4-GQ from Dharwad (in Karnataka) till Maharashtra border has service roads on both sides and bridges and bipasses for almost every town (there are few exceptions) and that eases lot of two wheeler traffic. And anyone who wants to merge to highway can use the bridges! This is working very well, and you will see the difference right after you enter Maharashtra or Hubli-Bangalore section. You will feel that there is more traffic in these sections where there is no service roads. Attaching a pic from this section...

[deathwalkr]

for a person stuck in a state where four lane roads are a dream, that photo looks like heaven

[Blue_V]

I would like to point out a major hazzard on the Bangalore-Mysore road. Between Mandya and Baburayanakoppal there are unmarked speed breakers, one of which caught me off guard. There is a long left turn that dips as we go, I cant see whats on the road after the dip, I was travelling 80 to 90 km/hr, just as I exited the corner i see a patch of darker tar 100 meters ahead. Its took me another sec or two to realise its one huge hump. Slammed the brakes and hoped for the worse. The car made it safely without braking anything. We all nearly hit our heads. From there on so many unmarked humps. Who ever put these humps are buffoons playing with lives.

The amount of police barricades on Bangalore-Mysore Road is also maddening.

I dont know why they didnt by pass the towns when they built such a big project?

[sgiitk]

Two things. Except for Mumbai-Pune the rest are just dual carriageways (so nicely termed as duel carriageways by the British motoring press) and not express-ways. So everybody has access and right of way. Also, our leaders ill advised method of upgrading existing roads, leaving no toll free alternative has further aggravated the problem.

As for following the law, this is India and the law is an a... Of course the hazards of Indian roads will be different from those of foreign roads. Gujarat is much better developed so the behaviour of all road users is also better. Often it will be the same truck driver who behaves in Gujarat who will be the big hazard once out of it.

[Zed]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

Often it will be the same truck driver who behaves in Gujarat who will be the big hazard once out of it.

Thats an interesting observation and there is evidence to support the 'monkey see monkey do' theory. During our first roadtrip to Goa my friends and i found that the use of horns there was appreciably lower. (This was way back in 2000, dont know if things have changed since). As a natural consequence we found ourselves following the same pattern.

Perhaps a large percentage of erring drivers will fall in line if they are driving in a place where most motorist follow the rules. There will still be a few nuts that will serve as exceptions to prove the rule.

Our 4 lane national highways are merely four lanes of mayhem instead of the usual two. As you rightly pointed out there maybe certain stretches or regions where the level of discipline is higher. Would be interesting to study the patterns and try and replicate the same across the network.

[chandrda]

Who ever thought of growing some flower bushes on the divider of a four lane highway covering the entire view of the other side. People, cattles, trackers, autos and everything on earth will just appear from no where giving me a heartattack everytime.

And why I am not on the left side, its blocked by
Trucks parked in Dabha
Car parked in Hotels, Cafes
Private buses waiting for Passengers
Passengers waiting for buses
Govt Bus blocking the private bus
Vehicles moving in one way
People have lunch after long drive
People pi**ing after long drive
Tender Coconut, mangoes, jackfruit.. sellers
Carts with Sugarcane
Carts with no Sugarcane
TATA aces with coconut shells
Two wheeler who thinks its fun to take his girlfriend in oneway with light on
Labourer who walk on the edge of the road

Please feel to add

Bad, I cant fly

Regards

[rtandon]

Originally Posted by chandrda

Who ever thought of growing some flower bushes on the divider of a four lane highway covering the entire view of the other side.

Actually, that is a good thing for night drives. If there are flowers/barriers on the divider or the two sides are on different level then the headlights from one side will not "blind" drivers on the other side. I always prefer such highways in the night.

Originally Posted by chandrda

People, cattles, trackers, autos and everything on earth will just appear from no where giving me a heartattack everytime.

This is a different issue and has to do with access to local population - to cross roads. Look I'm not saying that is the right thing to do but if you do not provide alternatives to people then they will "encroach". Assumption: civic sense is not an issue.

[megazoid]

Strict test for licenses. Failure rates have to be really high. This is where you learn and imbibe a sense of seriousness. There is no merit in the point that one has to be educated about lane discipline and using mirrors etc. Like every other system in place in this country, we have learnt to beat this one as well. Isn't this the same in schools & colleges where we learn to beat the system. Its just that this one has repercussions that may be a lot bigger than just being a moron out of college.

Equal punishment (enforcement) for pedestrians and people who flout rules on the road. Be it the bullock cart, the pedestrian or the rash driver. If police start enforcing rules strictly, with these kind of roads itself we would see a drastic reduction in accidents and travel time.

[chandrda]

Originally Posted by rtandon

Actually, that is a good thing for night drives. If there are flowers/barriers on the divider or the two sides are on different level then the headlights from one side will not "blind" drivers on the other side. I always prefer such highways in the night.

The disadvantage is more than the advantage of bushes on the divider. The divider should be simple steel barricade or concrete barricade and line clear marked next to the divider to maintain the distance from the divider.
I am not trying to say it should be done, but imagine when you are doing 80-100 KMS 3 feet from the divider with bushes and some one with cattles jumps on to the road right in front of you.

Originally Posted by rtandon

This is a different issue and has to do with access to local population - to cross roads. Look I'm not saying that is the right thing to do but if you do not provide alternatives to people then they will "encroach". Assumption: civic sense is not an issue.

Not sure if I agree, I am trying to highligthing civic sense as an issue. If you travel from Bangalore to Mysore, everytown has a bus station, but most of the buses stops on road. There are lost of hotels & cafes, where cars are parked on road. People travelling in one way as a shortcut instead of long U turn..

Regards

[_abhishek]

Originally Posted by chandrda

The disadvantage is more than the advantage of bushes on the divider. The divider should be simple steel barricade or concrete barricade and line clear marked next to the divider to maintain the distance from the divider.
I am not trying to say it should be done, but imagine when you are doing 80-100 KMS 3 feet from the divider with bushes and some one with cattles jumps on to the road right in front of you.
Regards

The same thing happened to me on NH4 last week. It was dog in my case! We were travelling back to Bangalore and just crossed Chitradurga. We were in the right lane next to the divider, travelling at 100. A dog just jumped from the divider right in front of the car and by the time I applied brakes, car had hit the dog. There was a major damage to the car. Apart from the front bumper, the radiator, AC condenser and fan all were damaged. I couldnt start the car since radiator coolant started leaking. Finally we had to tow the car all the way from Chitradurga to Bangalore.

Govt thinks that planting trees on the divider will reduce the glare of the oncoming traffic at night. This is actually true, but with a downside - cattles/dogs/cycles/pedestrians crossing.

Anyways, apart from the divider issue, all the National Highway which are coming up now are all well laid. There is a separate service lane. And all the dhabas, road side shops are accessible only through service lanes. So the 2/3 lanes which are available are all free from parked traffic. Its a pleasure to drive on these roads.

[AlphaKilo]

Originally Posted by Zed

Thats an interesting observation and there is evidence to support the 'monkey see monkey do' theory.

but true!

Originally Posted by sgiitk

Two things. Except for Mumbai-Pune the rest are just dual carriageways (so nicely termed as duel carriageways by the British motoring press) and not express-ways. So everybody has access and right of way. Also, our leaders ill advised method of upgrading existing roads, leaving no toll free alternative has further aggravated the problem.

Well said sir. I believe, we have a system of State highways, national highways and one expressway. Not sure about the Chennai-Bangalore Expressway project, but in anycase, rules in NH cannot be as strict as in a Expressway/Motorways. But, it is the essential duty of the planning dept. before laying the dual carriageways to read the conditions and put barriacdes to avoid pedastrians and animals encroaching the highways. I know that they have put up barriacades and steel side ramps to stop encroachment. Again, the basic road sense and knowledge is lacking. As ZED said, if the mass tends to behave in a pattern, I am sure, the things will change.
Moreover, I am not pointing out at our fellow bhpians but I am sure, they know it. The speed limit in our NH is 80 and if you go at 100 and complain on the authorities, who is to be blamed? Well, we TBHPians dont follow it, then how do we expect the other public to do it? Can any of us, including myself, say that "yes, I follow the highway rules, no matter what and not exceed 80-90 always?". Moreover, can we say that "I always overtake from the right and no matter if the truck/vehicle doesnt give me the way, I will wait till he does?". Even I dont have the patience to do it! But, by doing so, arent we ourselves breaking the rules and then blame the others? Why cant we wait? No one in india has the time and patience. Moreso, we are more concerned about ourselves and what the other does, doesnt matter attitude!
IMHO, following rules and touching 100 in india is as good as not following it and driving at 100! simply because, if 1 in 100 does not follow the rules, there is a chance of 1 in a 100 to a accident, but if 99 in 100 dont follow the rule? Do the maths yourself!
Better to be safe than sorry.