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Old 28th September 2016, 19:31   #511
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Re: Unusual / funny / heartwarming experiences on the road

On a recent trip, we were driving towards Dhom Dam and reached Dhom village and were confused how to reach the dam as we only saw some narrow streets forking out on either side of the main road. We saw an elderly gentleman with a white Gandhi cap (very common in Maharashtra) and decided to ask him. First we tried Hindi and he blurted out something that we did not understand. Then another try in broken Marathi by another friend and he mumbled something yet again. Finally one of my friends who knows Marathi well decided to get down from the car and speak to the gentleman so he goes "Kaka.....<speaks in Marathi>" while we all watch from the car and the old man gestures with his hand pointing towards his ears to indicate he's deaf
After watching the sequence of events unfold, another person walked towards our car from the other side of the road and then helped us with the directions to the Dam
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Old 28th September 2016, 21:30   #512
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Re: Unusual / funny / heartwarming experiences on the road

This happened in August 1996.

We were headed out to my maternal uncle's home city in my Dad's Premier Padmini Deluxe BE. The road heading from Raipur to Jagdalpur then was almost like a single-lane road back then, with plenty of twisties and U-turns/S-turns.

There was a particular nasty S-turn just before Kanker, which was dominated by a single, unusually large and thick tree on the left-hand side, which made it difficult for incoming drivers coming from the Raipur side to see if any vehicles are coming from the other side, and vice versa. Also, on the left side on either side of the large tree, there used to be an overhanging slope with a very acute downward spiral of about 3 meters, dotted by smaller, thinner trees.

I remember it was a very dark, cloudy and ominous day. Small raindrops had started splattering on the front windshield as we approached the S-turn, with our Padmini doing around 70-75 kmph (don't remember the exact speed). The first turn was negotiated well by Dad by slowing down, but as soon as he entered the second turn, he noticed a Trekker taxi filled with local passengers coming from the other side at the last moment. The road was narrow and he was taking the S-turn in the middle of the road, so he swerved to the left to avoid the Trekker.

That's when it happened.

We might have been at around 50-ish speeds, but still our Padmini spun out of control, did a complete 180-degree turn on it's four wheels, rolled backwards and left the road and went straight into the steep slope beside the large tree!

I was seated in the back seat, and as soon as our car started spinning around, I had ducked my head behind the front seat, closing my eyes and fearing/bracing myself for the worst. Ma, snoozing in the front seat, had given a cry out in sheer surprise as she swayed and hit her shoulders with Dad's, in line with the car's loss of control.

Our car continued to roll backwards despite Dad's best efforts and thudded to a stop against a thin tree which stopped our backward roll, but it was the only thing which stopped us from falling to the rocky ground 3 meters below!

Meanwhile the rain, expectedly, had grown heavier and it had started pouring. Dad tried to crank up the 1st gear and pull our car out but the wheels spun badly on the loose mud on the ground, without any grip. It was useless.

And then the tree on which our Padmini rested started to lean backwards from the additional weight, creaking and possibly breaking slowly!

I had regained my senses and was in the process of grabbing the door to get out and push our car, and that's when I noticed what was happening outside.

At least 9-10 guys from the Trekker taxi (it had stopped, seeing what had happened to us) had run over to our Padmini, grabbed it from all sides amidst plenty of animated and excited chitter-chatter in their local language, and started pushing it quickly back into the road again. The rain was getting heavier by the minute, and they all sensed that they didn't have even a second to lose.

Within 4-5 minutes, we were back on the road.

Dad's hands were shaking badly, but he opened the door to get down and thank those local lads and hand them a few bucks out of sheer gratitude, but those guys hadn't stayed around after their fantastic deed. They ran back and piled into the Trekker taxi as soon as they had hauled us to safety, possibly to avoid the unusually heavy downpour which was unloading bucketfuls of rainwater upon all of us by then.

Last thing I remember, they were waving at us with plenty of happy smiles and cheers as their taxi disappeared into the S-turn.

Dad and me got back into our Padmini and he drove ahead through the downpour, at much slower speeds than usual. By the time we got to the bridge just before Kanker, it was raining so hard that it was impossible to see the road ahead. Dad parked by the side of the road and with trembling hands, lit one of his Wills Flake cigarettes to calm himself.

As for me, I shuddered to think about what could have happened if those ultra-heavy rains had rolled in a few minutes earlier and had hit us when we were stuck on the slope, or if those guys from the Trekker taxi hadn't stopped and ran over to pull us out of, something which was, if not death, an ordeal which could have left all 3 of us in the hospitals for a long, long time.

I have never forgotten that accident, and those wonderful guys in that Trekker taxi. God Bless all of them, wherever they are today.

Last edited by RavenAvi : 28th September 2016 at 21:43.
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Old 30th September 2016, 16:30   #513
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Re: Unusual / funny / heartwarming experiences on the road

One more from a recent trip to Mahabaleshwar (forgot this one when I posted earlier couple of days ago)..

Day 2 of our trip and we decided to do our sightseeing in the Tata Safari and leave my Dzire back at the hotel, so we conveniently forgot to take the Garmin GPS device along!

After visiting Bombay point (it was deserted) and Lodwick point (it was closed), we headed back to the main road looking for signs to Arthur Seat - the sign in Hindi and the one in English were contradictory so we were wondering which one is right, then we asked a security guard at a hotel nearby and he pointed us to a road on the right. We took that and after a few minutes through some one ways inside Old Mahabaleshwar we found ourselves back where we'd started near the security guard

I then saw a cop at the corner so asked my friend to stop near him and take his help for directions. We stopped at the street corner making sure we aren't blocking traffic, then asked the cops. One of them immediately looks at us and I sensed he is checking if my friend is wearing the seat belt which he was. I was seated in the front passenger seat and was also wearing the seat belts so no issues on that front. Then, he asks if we have all "papers", we reply in the affirmative and start opening the glove box when he gestures it's ok. Now we ask him for directions to Arthur Seat and he looks around and says, take this guy along he is a guide. My friend asks the guide how much he will charge, he says Rs.250 for 4 points (4 places of interest) when the cop asks him to stop talking and tells us to give him Rs.450 as the regular rates are Rs.700 and upwards.
We were to see such a cop who was acting like a broker there but he did not realize we'd already heard the guide say Rs.250, so just ignored them and went ahead. It was another story though that we headed back due to the heavy fog without being able to see the sights at Arthur Seat.
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Old 5th October 2016, 19:42   #514
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Re: Unusual / funny / heartwarming experiences on the road

Guys, below is a Unique perspective about 'experiences' in Delhi and Bangalore. I have tried restricting the stereotyping and listed things I have experienced mostly. Take it in the light spirit.

Delhi
You are wowed by the infrastructure but realize that no matter how good the roads, you cannot maintain good speed due to the congestion.
Bangalore
Though finding a road devoid of traffic is rare, when you do, you never dare attain good speeds, fearing the hidden potholes and bumpy flyovers.

Delhi
You are proud of the Delhi metro. You ditch the car and take a ride. Soon you realize that you missed getting off at your stop due to the crowd. To make matters worse, you automatically get down with the crowd three stations later. You swear never to get into the Delhi metro again.
Bangalore
You decide to ditch your car and try the metro. Open google maps only to realize that the nearest metro station to your place and the nearest metro station to your destination are cumulatively 10kms away. You swear never to get into the Bangalore metro again.

Bangalore
The weather is just lovely. You roll down the windows to get some of it. Soon you are covered with dust.
Delhi
Thankfully the thought of opening your windows in Delhi’s heat never comes to your mind.

Bangalore
You are stuck in a terrible jam but don’t honk. You realize that your honk would not be heard in the already hundreds who are honking away to glory.
Delhi
You are stuck in a terrible jam but don’t honk. You realize life is precious and the person in front of you may get down of his car and shoot you.

Delhi
No locality is complete without its own Mother Dairy.
Bangalore
There’s a Nandini Cool Joint closer to you than you are aware.

Bangalore
You are proud of the Volvo bus services. You get into the Volvo bus, only to be suffocated by the crowd.
Delhi
You have never seen Volvo buses on Delhi roads and Marcopolo ones do not seem tempting enough.

Bangalore
You probably stay in XYZ Layout or near the Xth Cross of Yth Main.
Delhi
You either stay in a Vihar or XYZ-Puri.

Bangalore
You decide to overtake a Volvo bus which has stopped to pick some passengers. Soon, you can see it tearing down the road in your rear-view mirror. You think the intention of the driver is to mow you down.
Delhi
You decide not to overtake the red-bus in Delhi. Big mistake. It is the slowest creature on the road and is spewing black smoke onto your windscreen.

Delhi
It is easier to spot a Haldiram’s outlet than to find an honest autorickshaw.
Bangalore
You are never far from a Bakery. In fact, the chances are that it’s the best landmark for your home address.

Delhi
You have a sense of accomplishment if you complete 1 days drive without hearing any explicit word.
Bangalore
You begin questioning God himself if you find the route from place A to B same as B to A, devoid of one-ways and U-turns.

All these experiences may bring some stress into your life, so the last point is on stress reduction

Delhi
There are numerous pretty faces everywhere. In fact, if you look towards your right side, you are sure to miss a few walking by on the left side.
Bangalore
There are numerous breweries and pubs in Bangalore. I rest my case.

Last edited by drive2eternity : 5th October 2016 at 19:43.
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Old 6th October 2016, 22:08   #515
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Re: Unusual / funny / heartwarming experiences on the road

Bangalore (today, 740pm): I was on outer ring road riding home. Just after JP Nagar 6th phase bus stop, there's an intersection leading to Puttenahalli main road.

For people who don't know, this junction is always manually controlled by the police.
I saw a policeman who had no mask and was coughing.

Me: Please wear a mask, it'll help you a little.
Policeman: Inhaling the smoke and dust is part of my job while serving the country. <pause> There are people protecting the nation in Kashmir who have more dangerous job.

I just felt like crying at that time. Makes me realise how many things we take for granted while driving our cars with windows rolled up.

Hope BTP can really find a way to eliminate (maybe seal the junction?) the need to manual policing at these junctions.
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Old 6th October 2016, 23:14   #516
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Re: Unusual / funny / heartwarming experiences on the road

Quote:
Originally Posted by landcruiser123 View Post

Policeman: Inhaling the smoke and dust is part of my job while serving the country. <pause> There are people protecting the nation in Kashmir who have more dangerous job.
I like his patriotism. But I don't understand his logic of not wearing the mask, though.

I really hope the government will take initiatives to avoid such manual policing at junctions or provide enough facilities to these policemen.

Last edited by ecenandu : 6th October 2016 at 23:17.
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Old 9th October 2016, 09:26   #517
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Re: Unusual / funny / heartwarming experiences on the road

Spotted this disciplined queue in Tenkasi(Tamil Nadu), it was surprising and pleasing to see. Maybe the two-wheelers stopped for shade, but still the cars decided to stop behind the two-wheelers instead for forming another queue which is the norm these days.

Although these town's 2W-riders can work on their helmet-wearing skills.

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Old 9th October 2016, 09:59   #518
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Re: Unusual / funny / heartwarming experiences on the road

Quote:
Originally Posted by arun_josie View Post
Spotted this disciplined queue in Tenkasi(Tamil Nadu), it was surprising and pleasing to see.

Generally, in most small towns I have traveled in Kerala/Tamilnadu/Karnataka - I have found that people follow traffic discipline very well, in spite of not having dedicated cops / monitoring mechanisms.

It is only in these so called civilized cities, that the mad rush and lack of patience can be observed and it requires cops/on-street cameras/etc to tackle the menace! Probably, this frenetically paced life in cities is the reason for poor health and tolerance level of the people in cities as compared to the folks in the villages.
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Old 9th October 2016, 14:11   #519
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Re: Unusual / funny / heartwarming experiences on the road

On Saturday, we were driving to Hyderabad. Somewhere around Anantpur, I was in the right lane and was preparing to overtake a truck in the left lane. I had noticed two women on the divider some distance ahead. Suddenly, one of the women (probably in her 20s/30s and dressed in a slower kameez) stepped onto the right lane waving a cloth in her hand. Thinking that there was some construction ahead (though I could not see anything), I started to slow down. She suddenly knelt on the road with her head bowed. I started honking, with the truck still in front of me. As I got closer, she got back to the edge of the divider and seemed to be looking and waving at the truck. Suddenly, the trucker took a 10 rupee note and threw it onto the road, with the lady smiling and laughing in response.

The last I saw of her was her waiting for the traffic to clear, before picking up the note.

Still scratching my head for an explanation.
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Old 9th October 2016, 15:17   #520
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Re: Unusual / funny / heartwarming experiences on the road

Don't we all love auto-correct?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Aiel View Post
Suddenly, one of the women (probably in her 20s/30s and dressed in a slower kameez) ...
That's what we need on the roads: more slower kameez

Thank you, Aiel. Or should I say thanks to Aiel's phone!
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Old 9th October 2016, 15:48   #521
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Re: Unusual / funny / heartwarming experiences on the road

Quote:
Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom View Post
Don't we all love auto-correct?



That's what we need on the roads: more slower kameez

Thank you, Aiel. Or should I say thanks to Aiel's phone!
Agree. Auto-correct can be both a boon and a curse at the same time.
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Old 13th October 2016, 13:25   #522
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Re: Unusual / funny / heartwarming experiences on the road

I daily drive to my office in ORR, Bengaluru from hosur road by taking the right turn below the silk board flyover. Seeing three or even four lines of vehicles waiting to turn right and creating bottle neck below the fly over is very common there. But today around 11:15 am, it was completely a different scene. All vehicles turning right followed the lanes and there was two full lanes for the vehicles taking left. For the first time I crossed the signal without worrying about vehicles inches away on both the sides.

Wish people follow this daily and make the drive even more enjoyable.
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Old 14th October 2016, 12:26   #523
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Re: Unusual / funny / heartwarming experiences on the road

Today I was a bit late to work, but had to stop at a medical shop for picking up a strip of Crocin. Generally there is no parking space anywhere closeby, but today surprisingly I found a empty spot. Many other cars were also parked diagonally. I parked, got out, went to the shop, picked up what I wanted and came back to the car. When I came quite close to my car, I noticed a pretty deep gash on the fender.

Huh? That wasn't there yesterday. Did it happen in office parking yesterday and may be I didn't notice as it was pretty late and dark?

I bent down for a closer inspection. Not really a dent. Something sharp like the rear of a small tempo must have caused this.

There is a small red tempo always parked in front of my building. May be he did it last night. Bloody *#!$%.

Then I noticed scrape marks on the wheel arch. Paint had peeled off and the white underneath was visible. Touched the portion to assess how bad the damage was. Ughhh! Muttered a few more expletives under the breath and was just getting ready to get in the car and drive off. Then I looked a bit up ...at the windshield. I was confused.

Where's my office-parking sticker? Where's "I drive Safe" ?

...and then it struck me like a lightening bolt. This is not MY Alto!

Quickly glanced around if anybody was observing a random guy closely observing and touching somebody else's Silver Alto. Thankfully no-one! Quickly got into my Alto which was parked 2 cars ahead and vanished from there!

Last edited by SDP : 14th October 2016 at 12:43.
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Old 14th October 2016, 13:05   #524
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Re: Unusual / funny / heartwarming experiences on the road

Quote:
Originally Posted by drive2eternity View Post

Bangalore
You probably stay in XYZ Layout or near the Xth Cross of Yth Main.
Delhi
You either stay in a Vihar or XYZ-Puri.
LOL. I will add some for Gurgaon as well:

1. You will find newer routes/roads which are newly laid and butter smooth (and a bit lengthy than the regular routes) and make it your regular path to office. Within 10 days, either the road will crack or will be flooded with vehicles, just like the regular roads. And then you will find some new road again.

2. You will find numerous road side "ahaata/machaan" adjoining liquor shops, which are much cooler, well lit and decorated, have better in-house bands, and hip places for hangout than the upmarket pubs. And equally unsafe for late nights

3. The pavements along the roads (for pedestrians) are atleast a foot tall, but 2 wheeler commuters easily climb and ply on them.

4. You will find more "empty" malls here than anywhere else in India.

5. Home delivery is available for everything. And nobody cook dinner at home on fridays

6. A T-point is called "Takkar" (collision in english)

7. Nobody waits for the signal to turn green. conservative, law abiding people take free left turn, a U-turn and again a free left turn to continue straight. The more adventuring ones just honk and move ahead.

8. Dents and scratches on bumpers does not bother anyone. People expect to keep getting them once every week.

9. No other metro city has got pigs on roads. I mean, the real (animal) ones.

10. Gurgaon has got the slowest expressway on earth.
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Old 17th October 2016, 00:12   #525
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Re: Unusual / funny / heartwarming experiences on the road

About a year back, I along with my parents was attending a get together in a resort in Uttan beach. At around 11:30 pm I and my mom decided to head back home. One has to pass through a very narrow and secluded road, into a village which then opens up to the main road. As we navigate through the dark and narrow roads in the car, I see 2 boys on a bike riding slowly in front of me. I overtake them and find a lady in a burkha walking ahead. It is pitch dark. I always keep a watch on my surroundings and have a habit of constantly checking my rear view mirrors. I overtake the lady, slow down a bit and look in the rear view mirror. I stare into the darkness behind me and after a few seconds notice the bike stopping near the lady. One boy gets off and grapples her. They get into a scuffle. It was tough to judge if their intent was to rob her or do something even worse. Wasting no time, I immediately stop the car, put it in reverse and slowly head towards them. They boy quickly leaves her and gets on the bike. They slowly pass me, staring at me. I ask the lady if she's fine to which she doesn't respond as she is quite scared and terrified by now. I tell my mom to ask her to sit in the car and offer to drop her ahead. She quietly sits at the back seat. I and my mom try to inquire if she's fine and requires any help. She does not respond much and tries to control her tears. We reach a well populated street in the village where she gets off, thanks us and leaves. My mom is surprised as how calm i was and used my presence of mind. I feel proud . We head home and have a good night's sleep.

There were many possible solutions to help her out and maybe even catch the boys but I couldn't think of a better solution other than slowly reversing the car guessing their reaction would be to quickly flee the spot which is exactly what happened. Assessing the situation I was in with responsibility of a lady (my mom) sitting beside me, I didn't think raising an alarm or honking would be helpful as it could have aggravated the situation resulting in them trying to attack me. I had my doors and windows locked keeping us safe as they passed, neither did i try to interact with them as any aggressive behavior could easily spark a fire. One thing I was ready for was to ram my car into the bike if it came to that. Can't risk getting out of the car and fighting 2 thugs who could be carrying any weapons.
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