[arin_12]

The driver of a white Honda Civic car who shot at and injured a teenager from his air revolver in Sadashivnagar, remains elusive even 48 hours after the incident.

48 hours later, road-rage driver, car yet to be traced - The Times of India

Boy fired at in road-rage incident

[mobius 1]

I am afraid , it looks like alcohol would definitely be invoked in the incident !
People do stupidest things when they come near their vehicles drunk.

Thank God , it was just an Air Gun and not a pistol or revolver , else the results would have been far worse.

[Miel]

Such incidents are on the rise. However, they are just inevitable. Even some in Europe and US cities, which boast good roads and better traffic etiquette than India, road-rage incidents are commonplace. In our traffic-logged Indian roads such incidents should be no surprise anymore. We have access to the most modern machines, but majority of our roads look like those in a war-torn region.
That said, I condemn the action of the shooter, no matter how bad the victim's driving was.

[reswaran]

Nearly 6 months ago, I remember telling off bad drivers. Now I keep my big mouth shut and just inhale and exhale deeply. I don't want a bullet in my brain.

[mayankjha1806]

This is a much serious problem then what apparently looks like in the given situation. There has been too many incidents in the recent and distant past. Few days back i saw a few folks throwing punches at a signal over what seemed like a minor incident.

As someone above said, gives me more reasons to mind my own business on the roads, rather then try and educate everyone.

[speedsatya]

Originally Posted by mayankjha1806

This is a much serious problem then what apparently looks like in the given situation. There has been too many incidents in the recent and distant past. Few days back i saw a few folks throwing punches at a signal over what seemed like a minor incident.

As someone above said, gives me more reasons to mind my own business on the roads, rather then try and educate everyone.

Was it on bannerghata road on Sunday at around 9pm IST ?

[mayankjha1806]

Originally Posted by speedsatya

Was it on bannerghata road on Sunday at around 9pm IST ?

Oops, was there another one on Banerghatta road as well. This one was in Kormangla, near Madiwala. Looked like one guy had slightly scratched other guys car, and they were going ballistic over each others chin. Also i was at a distance hence did not make out but it did not seem like a major dent, just a scratch. Do love your cars but surely not more then someone else's teeth (or maybe life).

[mempheS.D]

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[mempheS.D]

I didn't want to start up another thread. But, 2 consecutive incidents last night definitely got me totally fueled up to throw a few punches if not pull a shot with an air-gun.

So, it was Feb 14, and I sneak my way out of the office earlier than usual for a dinner appointment with lady dearest. Dinner was good and I dropped her home, ensuring that she was back in her apartment safe. I leave, and then started trouble. Incident happened near e-city. I was safely driving past a local "WINE SHOP" that was soon approaching on my left side. NB: Although, we had a good dinner, I totally kept off alcohol since I was in no mood to make charity or express love to the BTP Donation Box on Valentine's Day. It's about 11pm IST and suddenly, out of the blue, a drunkard jumps in front of the car and I slam the brakes testing the ABS as there was loose gravel on the roads. He then hurls abusive words at me, gesturing again and again that he'd jump in front the car every time I tried to pull away. While all this is happening, I see another group of locals in front of the wine shop giggling and laughing at this incident instead of dragging him away. That in fact encouraged this hooligan to continue with his act. Considering the hour and the shady location, I thought to myself that it would be better if I retained my cool and stayed within the car and drive past. But, at that point, I "wished" I had an air-gun too! That's just me.

So, about 20kms away, and a kilometer before home sweet home in Koramangala, I stop at Krmla Sony World signal for a cup of late night tea at the roadside chaiwala on a bicycle. While I just started sipping the tea leaning against my car, and explaining the incident about 30 mins ago to my lady love who's already worried about my safe reach, 2 COPS on the 'tiger-like' bike pull over. He lashes out words and a baton across the face of the chaiwala screaming something in the local language that I couldn't really understand. The poor fellow drags away his cycle stall while I ran behind him to pay him for the chai. I didn't accept the balance he owed me although he tried to pull it out of his jacket pockets. Instead, I asked him what that freak incident was about? And he said, it's because the chaiwala did not pay the cop his usual quota of 100 Rs (since he had just come to that spot for the night and has not made enough collection yet) when the cops had come for rounds some time earlier because of which the cops had ordered him to run away from that place before they come on the next round only to find the same chaiwala there again. Sigh! I only thought to myself the plight of us citizens at the mercy of these 'supposed' men whom we depend on for security. As I walk to my car, and it's already past midnight, the cop who's riding pillion on the bike calls aloud to me, "OYYYEEE!". Guys in Bangalore know what I'm talking about... . He asks me to show him my license, and the papers of the vehicle, and my address. Thankfully all was clear and so I was confidently confronting his rude manner of checking. And then, out of nowhere when I least expected it, he says, "COME TO KORAMANGALA POLICE STATION". What the HECK??, I thought to myself. And I asked him WHY? He said, "YOU come to police station otherwise I will file PUBLIC NUISANCE case on you.". Errrrr.....WHY? For sipping tea at the strike of midnight at a well-lit junction?? Thankfully, he had returned all documents by now, which were all in my hands. Now, I can barely manage Kannada and if this guy tweaks the story for night at the poilce station, which I already see he is extremely good at, I'm DONE!

While all this is going on in my brain, lady love continues to call me on my cellphone and I can't pick it up considering the mess I seem to be in. Ignoring the whole discussion with the cop, I rush back to my car while cop riding pillion has already started lashing out the "OYYYYYYEEsss." & "HOOOOOIIIIIs". Trust me, I was afraid already with the way things had been happening that night and I momentarily hated myself for being born INDIAN wherein the first thing we need to do is learn to respect ourselves and then fight for respect in a foreign country. The cop riding pillion was running towards me, while I just shifted into FIRST, and was in no mood for discussion an PULLED AWAY, wishin once again that I owned an air-gun! That's just me.

Home at half-past-midnight. And although I'm happy that my lady love was not with me when all hell broke loose, I woke up this morning disgusted and crushed for no fault of mine. But, REALLY.. "IS IT ILLEGAL TO HAVE TEA by the ROADSIDE after midnight? How do you guys think I should have reacted??"

[Rajith]

@mempheS - Boss please learn kannada, half of your problem will solved by itself.

[mempheS.D]

Originally Posted by Rajith

@mempheS - Boss please learn kannada, half of your problem will solved by itself.

I am making a desperate attempt indeed with a lot of help from friends and colleagues and my lady, but I can't understand how learning Kannada would prevent a jerk from jumping in front of my car, or how having tea by the roadside past midnight makes it 'supposedly' legal all of a sudden, if what you say is true.

[vinair]

Don't think the shooting incident took place near Kormangala or Madiwala, it happened in Sadhashivnagar, near Bashyam Circle.
@mempheS - I strongly suggest you learn Kannada soon, trust me, you utter even a single word in Kannada, and there, you will be in control of the situation!

[aadithsince1980]

Originally Posted by reswaran

Nearly 6 months ago, I remember telling off bad drivers. Now I keep my big mouth shut and just inhale and exhale deeply. I don't want a bullet in my brain.

+1 to the above. During earlier days I used to confront imbeciles when anything went wrong. But confronting them only made matters worse, leaving me with my blood pressure shooting through the roof

Now days I prefer to keep my mouth shut and mind my own business, even if I am not at fault. I may not get compensation for the damage, but at least the damage would not get any worse!

[Rajith]

Originally Posted by mempheS.D

I am making a desperate attempt indeed with a lot of help from friends and colleagues and my lady, but I can't understand how learning Kannada would prevent a jerk from jumping in front of my car, or how having tea by the roadside past midnight makes it 'supposedly' legal all of a sudden, if what you say is true.

Dear friend,
Local language cannot stop a jerk from jumping in front of your car, or having tea by the roadside past midnight makes it 'supposedly' legal all of a sudden.But You can manage the situation more smartly and effectively. I have experienced it & done it many num of times. Learn good and be fluent in talking. These guys are just targeting soft spots.
Rajith

[reswaran]

Sorry for the OT:
Learning the local language works everywhere. I think its a bit unfair to single out Bangalore. I've personally had bad times in Delhi, Varanasi etc for not being able to pronounce like the locals do.

I can manage some Kannada, basic sentences and words, but trust me, when folks like auto drivers, bus conductors, cops etc see me making an effort conversing in Kannada, things are much simpler, they temper down.

Originally Posted by mempheS.D

I "wished" I had an air-gun too! That's just me.

Whatever maybe the situation, I don't think you or anyone else has the right to shoot anybody, air gun or real. I think what you did in those situations is what is recommended always. Keeping one's cool defuses these roadside situations super fast.