Team-BHP - Road rage confession

Quote:

Originally Posted by humyum (Post 4382109)

No man, I showed the indicator and started moving to the left after letting a few cars in the moving traffic. Only when there was no space behind for the accent to pass is when I moved a lot more to the left and he put his car like an mm to my bumper to not let me through, I was not cutting him off.

Hi humyum,

Relax :). There is no exact correct or wrong way of driving. All a question of convenience, safety, respect for others on the road, responding to emergencies, swallowing your ego, defensive driving, NOT making eye contact with others that only triggers abuse and many more.

I am sure you are aware of all the above. Just remember to remember them when driving :thumbs up.

Any normal day, before leaving home for college, I would sit in my car, offer my prayers to the Almighty, driver her carefully out of the garage, start the music player and leave. That day it was no different. I have to cross our town for a total of 5kms till I am out on the highways. While I am inside the town, I maintain a strict speed of 35-40kmph or below that. Reason? Heavy traffic at 9AM where everyone is busy and in a rush, and the engine temperature needle reaches the half mark till I am out in the highways.

Yes I don't put a heavy foot in the A pedal till the engine temperature reaches the half, mental satisfaction you may say. That day, 3 kilometers away from my home there was a heavy traffic jam. Some trucks had parked in an ill manner (they always do that) by the FCI godown and the traffic jam line was as long as 1 km. While the cars were maintaining discipline and were in a single line, moving slowly, one Tata Magic decided to break the formation and move ahead. Well as it was to happen, he got trapped thanks to the oncoming traffic. In a move to squeeze between one oncoming car and mine, he scratched his front bumper in my car.

Seeing this, my blood boiled and I got out of my car, ordered him to park his by the side and snatched his keys and pulled the driver down grabbing by his hands. Well even though he was at fault, he was arguing with me in one of the most stupidest ways possible. By his side were some local boys who were also known to the driver. And there was the owner of the Magic also, who was also arguing with me at the same way as his driver was. Things were escalating quickly when fortunately my sister in law who was also with me that day took matters in her hands. She came out of my car, asked me and the owner-driver duo to calm down and that the owner should meet my Dad so that the they can discuss the matter.

Reluctantly, he went ahead with the plan as he had no choice since I was threatening him to take the matter to the police. He paid a total sum of 1000 rupees to my dad for the dislocated bumper.

Well now, could the matter have escalated to a fist fight if my sister in law wouldn't have been with me that day? Of course. Could I have handled the matter in a more calm and cool way? Of course I could have. But that day even my limits snapped.

I have been driving to the college and back for the past 2 years; a total distance of 63 kilometers. In these two years of leaving home at 9AM and returning by 3:30PM, peak hours of traffic, all the traffic rule breaks, stopping vans in mid-road, turning without using the indicators and what-nots that these magic, cabbies and e-rickshaw walas generally do created a volcano inside my mind which just exploded that day.

I am a firm believer of the fact that you should depress the accelerator pedal keeping in mind the horsepower that your car has. But who would teach these fools when they race their 16 bhp taxis against Scorpios and Safaris?

Quote:

Originally Posted by humyum (Post 4382109)

No man, I showed the indicator ..

Using an indicator to "change lane" itself is a big thing to do. Rarely people do that. Most of the people don't even do it while taking an actual turn.
Left turn >> is free, no indicator required.
Right turn >> Me turning, its the driver coming from behind's responsibility to spot me & take actions. :Frustrati.

But yes there are many responsible drivers who know how & why to use ORVMs & IRVMs; do take a glimpse of road behind to move ahead with lane change.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nalin1 (Post 4382109)

All a question of convenience, safety, respect for others on the road, responding to emergencies, swallowing your ego, defensive driving, NOT making eye contact ..

Totally agree & cannot agree more, with you - if at all it existed in most, if not all. Pardon my sarcasm. I am just another frustrated driver.

I have mentioned this in the "accident" thread, but is equally relevant here as well.
The "Me first" attitude. It is my general observation (my own experience & watching others) with few 2-Wheelers (NOM) & most of the cabs, as soon as you start flashing your indicator (to change lane(hats-off) or turn), the MotoGP or F1 driver inside them kicks in & they leave no stones un-turned to pass you before you could make your move; no matter how in advance you have started indicating.
Even more irritating part is when they accelerate, bridge the entire gap that was there earlier & start honking like mads; And boy the looks when they succeed to pass you, can put "priyanka varrier" to shame (NOM).

This happened last night at around 10 PM. I, along with my two friends had headed to Sangareddy. There was this Innova in front of me, that was zig zagging through traffic. I was in the left lane while the Innova was on the right lane. There was a state bus ahead in front of the Innova that wouldn't budge. By this time I was parallel to the Innova, and then the drive put on his left indicator and tried to cut me off by drifting to the left. Adrenaline pumped in, I shifted down to third and slammed the accelerator overtaking many two wheelers and cars from the extreme left. After the traffic cleared somewhat, I was back to my sedate driving pattern.

It was then that two guys on a Honda Unicorn started honking and tried to catch up asking me to pull over to the left. I did, rolled the left window down halfway and he started saying something in local language. He then asked the usual questions like "who gave you license" and "give me the keys I'll show you how to drive". I knew it was my fault and politely said sorry. The other person took pictures of my number plate and was talking to someone mentioning the registration number (I have JH plates). I was sincerely hoping a PCR comes up. I could feel the "local" guys wanted to release their frustration on that spot and probably trying to make some bucks. The first guy then cooled down and decided to let go off the situation.

It was after years that this instinct triggered me, and I really feel bad about it. I didn't have the ground to counter those guys, who I'm sure were on the lookout for some entertainment/money.

Drive safe!

Got side swiped by a rickshaw today. Many rickshaw's have a metal protection on their rear bumpers jutting out. The gentleman managed to scratch my 15 day old Swift with that. I manage to get next to him, an old man and ask him whether the metal parts to cause damage and loss to other people's vehicles. He at first feigns not having knowledge as to what I am talking about. When I said he hit me and drove away he blurts that I am the one who hit his vehicle. Hearing this I lose my cool and am unable to control my language. I hurl a couple and move on expressing my displeasure. I did later realize and did feel a bit bad that he was on old person and I should have chosen my words but the fact the car is less than a month old and getting blamed for his mistake made me lose my cool. I plan to be even more careful while driving from now on. I am yet to assess the damage to the car which at first seem to be scratches. The morning light will reveal more.

This incident happened with me today on a one-way street in Indiranagar. The one way had both lanes with slow moving traffic due to the bad condition of the road and residents cars parked in the streets. A man with his school going child and lady on an Activa or Access approaches from behind and starts honking. As I had to take the next left, I kept to the left side. The man overtakes from the right and approaches to my car window and rudely commented that I should leave some place on the left. I ask him "for what?". And the reply is it's "common sense to let 2 wheelers pass from the left". He further adds "that you are the only one in the car and being educated you should have common sense". All this at crawling speed and this got me furious. The best part was neither the rider nor the pillon wore a helmet. I gave a mouthful to the rider and continued by taking the left turn.
A few metres away, saw the man drop off his son at a nearby school. In hindsight the situation could have easily escalated. I probably should have just ignored him and not reacted in the presence if his child.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sumeethaldankar (Post 4572002)

Ha Ha

You may plan to drive carefully but how about hundreds and thousands of those who have no such plans ? You may not be hitting someone but others may be targetting you. Yes, the first scratch on a New Car is actually on the owner's heart. After that, Aaah!!! Just Another one. :Frustrati

I have a confession too. It happened a long time ago. I was riding alone in a Royal Enfield Bullet in Coimbatore. I had recently moved from Madras at that time. A Maruti Zen over took me and in the process almost brushed past me very close.

Something snapped in me and I was seething with rage - that I could have been hit by that car. Most of the time, I am at peace with the world and I must say that I am a careful rider/driver. I wore a full face covering helmet and leather gloves as usual on that day too.

I pulled the throttle and accelerated close to the Zen whose driver realized that I am chasing him with fury. I edged close to his window which came down just as I drew abreast.

I hurled expletives at him - called his ancestry into question. It was an educated man with his wife with him. He calmly replied - " I said I am sorry Friend. You don't need to be so rude".

If he had hit me at that time , I wouldn't have been floored. But his polite behavior even in the face of provocation hit me quite hard. My jaws opened wide and no words came.

They moved on. This time I raced again and drew parallel. He lowered the glass again. I told him - " I am sorry sir. I apologize for my bad behavior. " Whipped closed my face cover and peeled away in the traffic.

A lesson learnt - never foul mouth anyone. Some times even quiet sane behavior can hit you harder than bad language.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prowler (Post 4681089)

I
If he had hit me at that time , I wouldn't have been floored. But his polite behavior even in the face of provocation hit me quite hard. My jaws opened wide and no words came.
Some times even quiet sane behavior can hit you harder than bad language.

agree:

I can literally picture you there straddling your bike with an open mouth because the same thing happened to me many years ago.

I had just joined my first organization and I was returning home on my newly purchased pulsar. The road was a single lane and a santro suddenly zoomed past me brushing by me and almost clipping my front tyre. That was it ! I lost my temper, eyes red and I gunned the pulsar and chased him till the signal a few metres ahead where he was waiting in line.

Just as I came alongside him, he drew down the window and with folded palms (literally) asked me politely - sorry sir - are you ok ? I did not know how to react to such politeness so just said - ahem, just drive carefully in future - with as much sternness as I could muster and went drove away (thankfully the signal turned green). My temper had vanished in a second.