[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by scopriobharath

If the guy wants to create problems, They could note down the registration number of our car and get all details from the RTO / Police and then harrass us.

That's exactly what I'd said.

If they want to, they can make our lives a living hell. They're fully capable of hiring a few gundas who'd be more than happy to arrive at our door-step with weapons and rough us up.

It's high time something is done about this. Unfortunately, you can't change some people. Their tails will wag in the direction they've learnt and had been trained.

[benzinblut]

Originally Posted by PPS

Do these security agencies even do a background check on the guards that they hire? Some of these guards even have past criminal records!

Background checks??? Believe me, you will find these guards to be gentlemen when compared to the records of the VIP they are protecting!! Well, in most cases.

[Akshay1234]

Guys before you start dealing with them, do understand that many people keep these bodyguards because they have to. Sure they may not need that many, but if your life is at risk and you have the money you certainly will want more than you need.

If the car is a police car, or has a light/siren etc, its better to just move aside and let them pass if they are moving quicker. If you come across an open stretch where you have enough of place then overtake.

If bodyguards etc are private, you don't need to give way, and many times these cars are driven much better and with much less ego than police escort cars. Now do remember the bodyguards have been hired to protect the person, and the escort cars have to stick to the main car. In the process of trying to stick together they end up cutting someone or going close. (what happened to the thread starter sounds different though). Anyone who tries to mess around (like cutting them back) will be perceived as a threat and the situation could get unpleasant.

Now this is my observation for Mumbai. Why have an ego about letting a few cars go by?

[gthang]

Originally Posted by akshay1234

Guys before you start dealing with them, do understand that many people keep these bodyguards because they have to. Sure they may not need that many, but if your life is at risk and you have the money you certainly will want more than you need.

If they had any common sense, and a real desire to keep them protected, keeping a low profile would be the smart thing to do. Why let everybody, including potential assailants, know where the VIP is?

That's the reason you dont see much of this in developed countries where they know that being incognito is the best defense.

So, are these "Hired Thugs" really protecting the VIP's or boosting their ego's?

Cheers

[raycers_honda]

I think its more of a show game.They want to show that they are more important than they actually are.More money than brains.They also think they own the road.If their bodyguards behave in a crude rude manner you can just imagine the low mannerless,uncultured person they are protecting.
A person needs such protection only when they have done something wrong,or have harmed someone.Why else.
I have seen these thugs drive down our roads and push,cut and even abuse any vehicle in their line of path.

[apachelongbow]

Originally Posted by born_free

This reminds of the recent incident on my kashmir trip.

We along with a group of 10 were being driven on a Tata Winger vehicle on road from Srinagar to Pahalgam.
We encountered an army convoy consisting of Gypsys and other SUV's. There must be at least six army vehicles moving back to back on a two lane highway.

As soon as our driver tries to overtake the army vehicles, an army jawan on gypsy pointed fingers signalling not to overtake and we have continue tailing them slowly until we found a stop to take a break.
Did not see the army convoy for rest of journey.

This has nothing to do with VIP movement and everything to do with security. Its easy for a terrorist/s to use a bus/winger, overtake a army convoy and lob grenades/fire rockets or guns as they pass by. So not allowing you to overtake is a simple and effective security measure. I dont have any issues with this

[madnish30]

You did the right thing by not giving out your details, since the car was not marked - you have no obligations to give way to the car.

Just control your temper a bit more in such situations, not all of these "bodyguards" are so forgiving.

Of course if a car with siren and large fleet of cars around it is behind you, don't think twice before giving it way and staying away.

[ricky_speed]

Originally Posted by Screwdriva

At the next stop light, a man dressed in a safari suit started tapping on my car and asked me to pull over.

Originally Posted by asr245

Living in NCR, I would try to avoid an altercation on the road any day of the year - VIP or not.

I did the mistake of cutting off a SWIFT which cut me very badly. At the next light, he shouted and when I didn't respond, banged his left ORVM into mine. I realized what many in the forum have suggested - pulled open the ORVM again and drove on. It's not just the VIP's, you don't mess with anybody on the road. So when somebody banged into my driver's door late night near the Purana Qila red light, I checked and I drove on happy that everyone in the car was out of harm.

Originally Posted by raj_5004

The reputation of Scorpio MAY have helped in this case. If I was driving my Punto, I would not have argued with them...

Sure helps - When driving my old Santro, People tend to voice their opinions about how I should have let them pass even when the Right of Way was mine. I am the same driver - but nobody ever came up to me in my Corolla. (A stupid girl driver came on my carriageway in a road without a driver because of a stopped bus on her carriageway expecting me to drive on the mud to let her pass - she dared to roll down her window and comment even when she should have waited for me before passing the bus!)

Originally Posted by mayankk

He very gently lowered the barrel of his automatic in my direction.

Brother, there is nothing that can wipe out anger like an automatic pointed in your direction.

LOL - these are, at best, scare tactics. I am sure that guard wouldn't have fired from that gun ever. He probably wouldn't have any guts to use the weapon. This is not Afghanistan where you bomb off vehicles nearing more than x miles in radius !

Originally Posted by raycers_honda

I think its more of a show game.They want to show that they are more important than they actually are.More money than brains.

Originally Posted by AbhishekB86

We live in a society where we constantly look down on others. We're such an insecure bunch as a society, nothing in life makes us content. Its a shame.

My neighbor keeps a bodyguard and has another car follow him when he drives his S class. He's no VIP! Abhishek summarized the state of the society perfectly.

Originally Posted by Screwdriva

My question is simple: I know things could have gotten worse for me but I want to know if there exists any mechanism to protect yourself against these sorts? How would you have reacted?

Yield and apologize - give that small victory to the other guy - though it's easier said than done!

[mayankk]

Originally Posted by ricky_speed

LOL - these are, at best, scare tactics. I am sure that guard wouldn't have fired from that gun ever. He probably wouldn't have any guts to use the weapon. This is not Afghanistan where you bomb off vehicles nearing more than x miles in radius !

Hell, I knew he wouldn't have fired it.
An "espirit" jeans, "eduhardy" body hugging tee around a paunch, 6 footer 5th fail on hire, maybe, but not a blackcat.
Thats not the point.
Its such an unencountered threat that it worked.
Personally, I feel, worked for my good.

[ricky_speed]

Originally Posted by mayankk

Hell, I knew he wouldn't have fired it.
An "espirit" jeans, "eduhardy" body hugging tee around a paunch, 6 footer 5th fail on hire, maybe, but not a blackcat.
Thats not the point.
Its such an unencountered threat that it worked.
Personally, I feel, worked for my good.

I have seen those folks in Delhi. I was under the impression he was a proper govt guard trying to scare - my misunderstanding. The profile you mentioned wouldn't think twice before hurting anybody! Though maybe not in that area (but who knows these days!)

[nomadabhi]

Talking about VIPS... well come to Mumbai Suburbs or Thane Suburbs and you will see such incidents with lot of locals who have political flag on plates and have ample of land to sell and buy SUVs with no so smart driving sense. They dont have bodyguards but sure have connections to offend.

[StrangeWizard]

I have seen 3 types of these VIPs:

1) Official VIPs like ministers etc. These people usually have cars with red beacons and police cars following them. Whenever I see such a convoy I always give way.

2)VIPs in unmarked cars- These are people who travel in some expensive car with another vehicle (mostly Scorpio or Innova) filled with bodyguards following the car. These type of cars are driven quite sedately mostly but the other car always has to stick to the main car so sometimes they cut your lane or maybe jump a signal. I generally don't give way to these people but I've never seen them honking unnecessarily.

3)Local politicos- These people travel in SUVs with dark tints and Marathi number plates. The car is always followed by the politico's "chamchas" in other suvs or sometimes even 3 people on a bike! All these vehicles are unmarked but they still keep shouting and honking to clear the lane. I NEVER make way for such people. These happened few months back when there was such a convoy behind my car and they were continuously honking but I didn't let them overtake. So one "chamcha" parked his bike right infront of my car on the road and came to my window and shouted "Itna horn maar rahe hai tum hatt nahi sakte kya?" (Cant you move I'm honking!)
So I didn't give any reply and kept looking ahead. Then he came to the passenger side window and told my friend "This is XXYY's car, Move your car!" My friend was like "Who is XXYY ?!?! Bhaiya aap raaste se bike hatao late ho raha hai!" (Move your bike out of the way we're getting late). The look on that chamcha's face was priceless

[surgeon278]

An incident at Chennai:

Basically hailing from southern tamilnadu, i have found chennai hard to live in and an incident that took place a week ago furthers my claim that southern tamilnadu is probably the best place to live.

it was around 11:30 pm and i was driving with my friend in mount road and i just took a left at spencers when an AUDI SUV came in the wrong direction. i applied brakes to prevent myself colliding with him and as a result, i was hit on the rear by another car and my bumper was damaged. gutted, i went charging towards the AUDI driver who was coolly waiting as if he wanted me to confront him. i asked him what the hell was his problem to which he replied " look if you wanna lodge a complaint, go ahead. i am kinda in a hurry (he actually was nowhere near being in a hurry). and i raised my voice and suddenly the rear window was lowered and i could spot 2 well built men with liqour bottles .one of the guys said " hey mister, why are you creating such a scene as if you are driving a foreign car?? for the soap box kinda car that you got, you are doing too much" AUDI SUV+ wrong attitude + 4 well built men with liquor = do the math. obviously hit men. all i could do is to drive back embarrassed and helpless. thats india for you mates.

[carfreak77]

Today I was driving at night on the sea-link doing about 60kmph in the left lane when I see a black S class speeding in the lane to my right. Suddenly, I hear him honking like mad and flashing his highbeam continuously at the car in front of him. Since that car refused to give way, he came behind me and started his same honking and high beam flashing. I just continued at steady 60kmph while the maniac behind was going nuts. We reach the toll and he is in the toll lane to my right. I notice a gypsy trailing him closely. There was quite a bit of rush at the toll due to it being rushhour traffic, but this guy was as impatient as can be. Suddenly I see one of his bodyguards in the gypsy climb out of the gypsy and stands on the step of the car. He starts yelling at the toll collector to collect the toll fast so that this dude can pass through. They sound their loud siren. Suddenly the gypsy driver surges ahead with a jerk and this bodyguard falls off the step onto the bonnet of an Alto behind. He then starts yelling and abusing the gentleman in the Alto while beating on his windows. A fellow bodyguard then came out and pulled him away but he too was making gestures at the gentleman.
After the toll, I saw the S class speed away and expected the gypsy to follow too. Instead the gypsy was driving slowly until the Alto cleared the toll and then he rammed the brakes. The poor gentleman in the Alto swerved to the left to avoid hitting the fools and narrowly missed those people who sit on the left side of the sealink at the bandra end. (Why do they sit there anyway?) The old gentleman then just floored it and went away while these goons were laughing away in their gypsy.

This is the sad state of affairs in our country. I am sure the gentleman was over 70 years of age and look at the way he was treated for absolutely no fault of his. By the way the S-class number was MH04**007.

[idofsuresh]

Originally Posted by Screwdriva

My question is simple: I know things could have gotten worse for me but I want to know if there exists any mechanism to protect yourself against these sorts? How would you have reacted?

On a lighter note, continue doing all good things but join a political party. That way you will get some political contacts even if you are not a VIP.