[BoeingDriver]

we lack basic courtesy and think it's unnecessary and a sign of weakness. We lack respect for others' time because we don't even know what to do with ours. We lack civic sense because we're the first generation to see and experience all the economic machinery around us; our parents had no idea of civic sense and so did not teach us. We have colossal arrogance because blatant display of arrogance from the powerful is what India has seen since times immemorial.

skandyhere. Well summarized. The single biggest aspect I have learnt by driving abroad is courtesy. 95 out of 100 times people let you pass the moment you signal but in India its a completely different story. I guess when a lot of Indians were thought driving they were told braking means hurting your ego especially on the highway. I am not saying all drivers are bad but an unfortunate 95 out of 100 are. A sad state. The very first thing Indians need to realize is Roads are for every one to use and every body wants to get to their destination and every body have the right to do so. The average difference between driving at 100 and driving at 70 is only 30 minutes but safety margin is significantly reduced. So are you or your family worth the reduced safety margin ? No driver is a super driver. As experience grows on the road people slow down and dont bother to drive fast but rather drive safe. Also another crazy aspect about India is the fact that everybody thinks their car is a supercar. I was recently overtaken by a maruti 800 who was doing 110+ kmph with 4+1 pax on board. I could see he was pumping his engine. It only shows the lack of understanding about the vehicular performance, braking action, engine capacity and above all ones safety limitations. Patience on road is the beginning.

[classicselva]

Originally Posted by Enigmatic

Okay so here comes another side of the story .

My father is a bureaucrat and in one of his tours I decided to accompany him .
We were in an Innova driven by a driver and in the co-driver's seat there was a guard , while me and my father were in the back seat .

We were stationary at a railway crossing and after the gates lifted , the traffic started moving slowly . My driver who thinks of himself to be the most important person alive and in an effort to get in front switched on the hooter and raced ahead even though my father had warned him not to do any such acts. And in his stunt he scraped a Delhi registered WagonR on the right side .

Once it was evident that there had been some impact , my father told him to stop , but realizing his mistake he floored the throttle and to my utter surprise even the guard told him to do so !

Inevitably my father shouted at him and the car came to a stop , we backed up where the family in the wagonR was standing still shocked and amazed at this act of road rage . My father got down , personally insured that there were no injuries to any of the occupant's and apologized at the foolish act of my driver and paid them the rough estimate of the damage done .

Many a times it is not the fault of the person who is being driven but the mentality of the drivers is such that they think of themselves as VIP's .

P.S. As it turns out the first thing my father did after we came back from the trip was to transfer the Driver and the Guard.

It is very rare to see a bureaucrat like your father. You should be proud of it and my salute to him.
Thanks for sharing this.

[djpeesh]

Originally Posted by carfreak77

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.

The funny thing is that none of these guys pay toll. I've noticed that other than common people in common cars, nobody pays toll anymore. I've seen a friend wave his press badge and go toll free too, so it's not just politicos. At the end of the day, the toll booth collector wants to make it to the end of the day without being shot, beaten up or otherwise troubled. the system needs to change, before anyone even thinks of politicians stopping to think before treating the common man like scum.

O.T> : if you have a political connection, you can flash a special card that shows that you are exempt from toll. A famous restauranteur I know has one of these and I've seen him using it, so I know.

[carfreak77]

Originally Posted by djpeesh

The funny thing is that none of these guys pay toll. I've noticed that other than common people in common cars, nobody pays toll anymore. I've seen a friend wave his press badge and go toll free too, so it's not just politicos. At the end of the day, the toll booth collector wants to make it to the end of the day without being shot, beaten up or otherwise troubled. the system needs to change, before anyone even thinks of politicians stopping to think before treating the common man like scum.

I agree with you. I too have seen the same. These guys don't pay the toll. They just zoom ahead. Also they get impatient if there is a line at the toll and start honking/flashing continuously which is extremely irritating. Money can buy fancy cars etc but it can't buy you civic sense and manners.

[scopriobharath]

I Have encountered many "beacon-vehicles" especially around pondicherry.

What is do is -

• Engage left indicator
• Move to left lane
• Hand-signal the convoy to Move / overtake me.

I have followed the above on multiple occassions and never faced an issue with the Convoy / bodygaurd.

I Drive a Santro and No way I could overtake Innovas and Scorpios with my Santro.

[SmartCat]

Originally Posted by scopriobharath

I Have encountered many "beacon-vehicles" especially around pondicherry.

What is do is -

• Engage left indicator
• Move to left lane
• Hand-signal the convoy to Move / overtake me.

I have followed the above on multiple occassions and never faced an issue with the Convoy / bodygaurd.

Seriously, this is the most practical advice. If it hurts your ego to do that, it helps if you mutter some choicest curses (but with a fake smile on your face).

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by smartcat

Seriously, this is the most practical advice. If it hurts your ego to do that, it helps if you mutter some choicest curses (but with a fake smile on your face).

Very true. I indeed follow this rule for whoever is in hurry (whether the car closing in is of a VIP or not). And this helps to avoid the danger of anyone tailgating you.

[deehunk]

I remember my own experience with the vehicle of now an ex-CM during the 20-20 government days in November 2007 near Golden Palm resorts in Nelamangala, without any knowledge of the person inside the VIP car I overtook the vehicle from left side to take a left turn, the police inside the vehicle lowered the window and asked me "do you who is sitting inside", i told him on face that I am in a hurry with an important work and hence cannot wait for your vehicles to clear and then proceed. He did not react to my words but I think I was correct in conveying the message to him.

[amitoj]

Originally Posted by djpeesh

The funny thing is that none of these guys pay toll.

Not that I support this, but from security point of view, stopping to pay toll is a disaster waiting to happen. Remember Sonny Corleone? (no not Sunny Leon! )

[scopriobharath]

Originally Posted by smartcat

Seriously, this is the most practical advice. If it hurts your ego to do that, it helps if you mutter some choicest curses (but with a fake smile on your face).

Originally Posted by vb-san

Very true. I indeed follow this rule for whoever is in hurry (whether the car closing in is of a VIP or not). And this helps to avoid the danger of anyone tailgating you.

Yes - I agree - I too have my ego sometimes, but i feel this is the wrong place to show our Ego. If we show this ego, it we who would have to suffer.

Originally Posted by deehunk

I remember my own experience with the vehicle of now an ex-CM during the 20-20 government days in November 2007 near Golden Palm resorts in Nelamangala, without any knowledge of the person inside the VIP car I overtook the vehicle from left side to take a left turn, the police inside the vehicle lowered the window and asked me "do you who is sitting inside", i told him on face that I am in a hurry with an important work and hence cannot wait for your vehicles to clear and then proceed. He did not react to my words but I think I was correct in conveying the message to him.

Yeah - I agree - Police and In fact indian govt is not matured enough to think beyond tractor and agriculture. If minster is late by an hour, no would would question him. IF i am late by 15 mins to work, my Manager would thrash me and in today's recession probably trash me too . I really wish some educated people understand this and not always support politicians

[999]

Originally Posted by scopriobharath

Yes - I agree - I too have my ego sometimes, but i feel this is the wrong place to show our Ego. If we show this ego, it we who would have to suffer.

Yeah - I agree - Police and In fact indian govt is not matured enough to think beyond tractor and agriculture. If minster is late by an hour, no would would question him. IF i am late by 15 mins to work, my Manager would thrash me and in today's recession probably trash me too . I really wish some educated people understand this and not always support politicians

But in this case I think what was done by fellow member, is wrong . Every police officer have his own perception of threat. If a car overtakes a VIP car from the left, without any indication, for me it is a threat to be neutralized. How is does that is another question. But here I presume the car have a beacon and marking, of course.
Also if the minister is late by an hour for no explainable reasons, he should be ignored at the function/occasion. This is exactly what people did near to my place. The case point is an opening of a govt. subsidized grocery shop, to be opened by the food/supplies minister on a particular date. The venue was fixed, dates publicized and arrangements made. On the date minister fails to come, or to send his deputy/any other concerned persons without any explanation. Guess what the people did, the made a commoner who came for the function, to inaugurate the store and things went smoothly.
They very next day the minister was in spot with a bundle of explanations. I wish everybody treat them the same way.

If your manager trashes you if you are late, he is doing his job. He can't be blamed for that. If a minister is late, then it is the job of his/her boss (CM) to take him/her to task. If not that is his incapability.

Regards

[Optimus7]

When it comes to dealing with a convoy, I agree with what most members have told. Goto the left and give way. This is how public should react to a convoy, this is because of the security parameter involved.

But what is unacceptable is the arrogance shown by individual cars/autos with party flags in front of them. They show respect to no one in the road, don't obey traffic rules and is a threat to all in the road.

[Born 2 Be Wild]

For everyones benefit let it be known that 80% of burly musclemen in safari suits with motorolas in their hands outta the car windows yapping away to glory tailing german cars are nothing but plain jane hired security ex army paramilitary and police. Sadly the irony in our country is that some have money and no power and some have power and no money so in scenario 1 what you do is simply hire power lol the going rate for a pso with a .32 bore pistol for 12 hour shift in delhi is 40 grand for ex paramilitary and police and 50 grand for ex army and ex nsg. In most cases they are simply hired for showing of and nothing more though i guess there will be genuine cases as well, but mostly what i do is i know the genuine convoys from the fake rich daddy syndrome convoys that plagues north india like they say here " mehngi a jameena khula bapu kol cash " translated in english it means the land is expensive and daddy has got a truck load of cash hahahha.

So when i see a pilot with a beacon on top i quitely move to the left and when i see yelping hands outta the window with motoralas and no beacon on the gypsy i give way only if its convenient.

There was a lotta hoopla in the media sometime back about a car dealer fraud involving unpaid duties and tax evasion the kingpin of the said syndicate has digested close to 50 crores in fraud. The gentleman moves around in his crore rs car with 2 scorpios tailing him witb 8 hired thugs in safari suits so theese are the noble people who need security hahahaha.

[rajeshchand]

Originally Posted by carwatcher

One point also to be noted that the 'chamchas' and the support staff create more trouble and in most of the cases drive the vehicle rashly even though there is No VIP inside.
Now even the most educated and well off people are scared by these low lifes. This says a lot about the pathetic state of affairs of our country.

This part is very true, the politicians though might not be from a very great background, but with consistent contact with people in status they tend to develop good status or at least they show it that way, it is their chamchas who are bound to be that way through out their life, tries to show off the power of their bosses from their shoulder. Don't take it lying down, at least you can be polite and give it back. It happened to me at the Gurgaon toll plaza, if guys from Gurgaon read this they will know how the VIP vehicles siren blast right behind you, when they very well knows that you cannot give them any way in bumper to bumper traffic, but they will keep blaring the siren. On one such occasion, i had my nephew sleeping in the car and one of these siren blasting VIP vehicle was right behind me and blaring it at full throttle when there are at least 30 cars in front of me and all vehicles stacked up together, i waited for couple of minutes thinking that these guys might switch of their siren, they being them, did not bother to do that, i just got out of the vehicle, approached the VIP car and saw an old man sitting behind the Toyota Fortuner, i just asked him in 'shudh hindi' whether blasting this siren would help clear the traffic, he promptly asked the driver to switch off the siren and i gave a smiling thank you and walked back, of course i am not quite sure whether me driving a BMW made any difference.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by amitoj

Not that I support this, but from security point of view, stopping to pay toll is a disaster waiting to happen. Remember Sonny Corleone? (no not Sunny Leon! )

Yes. What a scene. He was shot to doll rags in that. Brilliantly picturized.
The age of the Robber Baron is upon us in India.

No law can stop this. It has to come from within. This can only be achieved over maybe the next four or five generations through education and civilization.
I don't think that I will live long enough to see this clean and positive change happen in India.