[Vijin]

Originally Posted by adi.mariner

An unexpected cargo on a truck on the Pune Bangalore Highway.

This is a very common sight on Kerala roads. Elephants here, in fact, have their own custom-designed carriage with their name emblazoned on the vehicle.
An example:

https://youtu.be/H9cfIIgR5PM

This allows owners to avoid missing busy temple festival seasons, and the high profits make these viable. There are also some legal restrictions for transporting elephants over long distances on foot

[condor]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

That style of pushing is common here too, with both autos and bikes.

Ah !

I have had my bike pushed by a scooter rider. But just once. It was on interior roads, but yes sir - Guilty as charged !

[anjan_c2007]

A flashback from 1995. My Maruti 800 was used for my daily commute to the office. I very rarely used its hand brake. As I had just a few days ago given it for servicing, maybe some garage mechanic had engaged it - they always do feeling its in fine working condition. While driving to office that morning, I heard some strange noises from one rear wheel. Being in a hurry, I drove on as the car was otherwise OK. The car was parked for the day and I was in for a surprise while going home. While starting to drive it that evening, the right rear wheel wouldn't move. It stalled the car. After some thinking behind the wheel, I engaged the reverse gear and discovered that the car was moving back without any hassles whatsoever. My home was 4.5 kms away and there was no way I could drive that distance in the reverse gear. Nor did we have teambhp on 1995 for starting a new thread to get many expert opinions.

Residences of some office friends and colleagues were near the office and the safest to park overnight, I found was at a distance of 0.5 kms. Because it was almost dusk and no way would the mechanic arrive fast to do the job. No mobile phones too back in the day.

Hence, I started driving in the reverse gear at a speed of 20-25 kmph, looking very vigilantly through the rear windscreen that had sun film though. Though I was trying to keep left the car would stray to the centre of the road. A Sardar on a black Kinetic Honda was approaching from the opposite direction keeping left though. Seeing my car moving in the reverse gear, sometimes on the left, moving to the centre he panicked as to whether if this car approaches in the reverse gear, he should be to the left or right. I stopped my car and allowed him to pass. He laughed at me and I too had a good laugh.

The car was parked and then my friend and colleague offered me the evening tea and snacks. He dropped me home in his Padmini. A garage mechanic came the next morning and opened the rear wheel drum. The two brake liners within the wheel drum had broken into pieces and were obstructing the wheel's forward movement. But reverse movement was no issue which appeared to be a miracle. After the car went to the workshop, the brake liner pair and brake cable were changed. I was told that the brake cable had rusted and had not properly disengaged after application - a chronic problem for non users of parking brakes.

[adisan]

This was several years back. Driving to Kanchipuram for the first time, we reached well past 10 pm. We had already booked rooms in a lodge and were about 500 metres away, but unable to find the correct road.

Found an auto nearby and asked for directions. He just said, 'follow me' and piloted us till the lodge despite having to go in the opposite direction of where he was headed. He accepted our gratitude, but not any money.


I have observed that people from towns which are pilgrimage centers are very friendly and helpful. Even when they find a vehicle being quite slow trying to locate some place, they are quite patient. Unlike our cities, they do not start flashing headlights nor sounding horn.

[gunin]

I am currently posted in Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh. My wife and 4 year old son had to travel to nearby Jonai town- a distance of around 35 kms. As I was busy at office, my wife took a front seat in one of those Tata Magics running regularly between the two places. It was a sunny day and my wife observed the driver looking at our now asleep son regularly. She kept wondering what was the reason and after some time the driver stopped the Tata Magic, took his jacket off and stepped off the vehicle. He then proceeded to place the jacket in the window in such a way that our son was shielded from the harsh sun and he could continue his sleep peacefully. No words were exchanged and very soon they reached Jonai

[saisree]

Originally Posted by anjan_c2007

I very rarely used its hand brake. As I had just a few days ago given it for servicing, maybe some garage mechanic had engaged it -

Driving in reverse. No way you can do this stunt in 2021. Did you disengage the handbrake when you took the car?

Originally Posted by gunin

He then proceeded to place the jacket in the window in such a way that our son was shielded from the harsh sun and he could continue his sleep peacefully. No words were exchanged and very soon they reached Jonai

Oh Wow!. Such a nice gesture.

[anjan_c2007]

Originally Posted by anjan_c2007

After some thinking behind the wheel, I engaged the reverse gear and discovered that the car was moving back without any hassles whatsoever.

Hence, I started driving in the reverse gear at a speed of 20-25 kmph, looking very vigilantly through the rear windscreen that had sun film though. A Sardar on a black Kinetic Honda was approaching from the opposite direction keeping left though. Seeing my car moving in the reverse gear, sometimes on the left, moving to the centre he panicked as to whether if this car approaches in the reverse gear, he should be to the left or right. I stopped my car and allowed him to pass. He laughed at me and I too had a good laugh.

Originally Posted by saisree

Driving in reverse. No way you can do this stunt in 2021. Did you disengage the handbrake when you took the car?

Thanks for going through my post. No, I didn't dare to tamper with the handbrake at all that day. It seemed to say to me "TOUCH ME NOT OR IF YOU DARE THOU SHALL REPENT".

As I said, I had discovered to my pleasure that the car was very freely moving in the reverse gear.

And regarding traffic, that area is still sparsely populated with some offices and some living quarters all around. So even now in 2021, such a drive could be attempted, but with some caution as instead of a single black KiHo (old short form for the Kinetic Honda coined by the late Mr Dilip Bam) a few more two wheelers and cars could appear on the RVM.

[adisan]

I had a very unusual request for hitchhiking, several years ago.

It was around 9 pm, I was on my bike, waiting at a T junction for the traffic signal. A man approached me from the left side. Clearly he was inebriated.
He said, 'I have taken a bus ticket. Can you drop me at place X?", while showing the ticket.
I did not agree.
The question and answer was repeated 2-3 times, before the signal turned green and I rode away.

Fortunately the man had enough respect to seek my consent for the ride. If he had just seated himself on the bike, I am not sure how I could have handled it. He was not in a state where I could have reasoned with him.

[CliffHanger]

Had completed an arduous work today with our very old lifelong family friend, thought of having some food before driving back.

Entered a small buzzing popular restaurant. Tired, just as I was folding down to my seat, my eye had a half glance/caught a pretty lady/girl trying to look at me, wasn't keen to analyse as I had a long hard day. Quickly got back my senses and as I took my seat I just looked at the seat diagonally opposite at about 15 feet, and again the girl(she was with her family) looked at me, and this time at that moment I caught her eyes. Her eyes were like Hey...! She quickly turned a little and put her head scarf(she was wearing a Purda) from her back. It was down till then.

A long hard day and an unknown pretty girl gives those hearts for a few moments is enough to make your day! Being in mid 30s, not bad I told myself It's been a while after Covid..

Covid restrictions and lockdown killed such beautiful life moments.. Anyways, had truck loads of these in my teens and 20s Consoling myself!

[Deeps]

Originally Posted by CliffHanger

Had completed an arduous work today with our very old lifelong family friend, thought of having some food before driving back.

Entered a small buzzing popular restaurant. Tired, just as I was folding down to my seat, my eye had a half glance/caught a pretty lady/girl trying to look at me, wasn't keen to analyse as I had a long hard day. Quickly got back my senses and as I took my seat I just looked at the seat diagonally opposite at about 15 feet, and again the girl(she was with her family) looked at me, and this time at that moment I caught her eyes. Her eyes were like Hey...! She quickly turned a little and put her head scarf(she was wearing a Purda) from her back. It was down till then.

A long hard day and an unknown pretty girl gives those hearts for a few moments is enough to make your day! Being in mid 30s, not bad I told myself It's been a while after Covid..

Covid restrictions and lockdown killed such beautiful life moments.. Anyways, had truck loads of these in my teens and 20s Consoling myself!

Imagine all the seductive glares you might have gotten from males as well around you but never noticed...

[condor]

While driving on the ORR in Banashankari 4th block area, I could not see the signal from behind a container LGV due to it's height. Was ready for it, and noticed the red just as I was about to cross the line. Braked, but ended up on the crossing. A Tata Ace was behind me. At the back of my mind, I was hoping he wont touch my Safari. On the contrary, he stopped sufficiently behind and waved to me to pull back so I am clear of the crossing ! An auto guy at my left helped me too, as I reversed that distance.

What makes this more remember-able for me is - It's been about 2 weeks or so since I got a ticket for stopping on the pedestrian crossing at a signal. I was at the Konanakunte signal, wanting to take right. As I reached the turn, the signal changed from Straight + Right, to straight only. I could not proceed with the turn since an Innova and other cars were held up on the right turn. A cop was there too. The cop made a killing there - the Innova, and 3-4 other cars including me :(

*

( Now this pedestrian crossing mark is Not marked correctly - since the crossing is marked straight into the metro pillar / road divider. The crossing needs to be clear of that divider. )

[ninjatalli]

Note to myself: Be nice to delivery guys. Things might not be what it seems to me.

After a long time, ordered something via Swiggy from a restaurant that's practically a km away. Delivery was picked up by a lady (the first time I saw one), and she weirdly went in the opposite direction to take a long u-turn (there's a u-turn right next to the shop).

10 mins later she passes our complex and keeps going ahead. About 2 kms and ~8 mins later, we start calling her. No response. Reach out to Swiggy help, and they also try to reach her. Finally, she realizes her mistake and turns back. It takes another 10 mins for her to reach our complex, but on the other side of the road (there's a divider). After seeing her stationary for 2 mins, we give her a call. It's been 30 mins since the order was picked up, I'm stark hungry. And angry. Thankfully, I give the phone to my wife.

She explains to her where the complex is and the access lane. 5 mins later the bell rings and I ask her to open the door (afraid I'll just explode ).

A gist of the conversation (as per my wife) between her and the young delivery executive:

Wife(W): What happened, you unnecessarily went ahead 3-4 kms.

She (S): I'm sorry, I am new to this. It's only been a day or two since I started this job and I'm still learning

She's quite embarrassed, and weirdly both find the situation at that moment funny, and start laughing at the same time.

--------

As for me, the food is still warm and I finally had my fill.
All's well that end's well.

[Thad E Ginathom]

This happened within last few days to a local auto driver who often takes my wife, and occasionally me if I can't take the car for some reason.

He had been parked up in a nearby street taking some rest. Then he decided to go and buy some petrol and do some work.

Stopped at the pump, he heard some bleating, and looked around. He couldn't see any goats, but the sound came again, and he looked more carefully. There, in the space behind the passenger seat, were not one, but two young goats!

He drove back to where he had been sleeping, and found a guy waiting, who said, "I saw the goats get in, and then you woke up and drove off. I thought you'd soon be back!"

This guy is quite elderly, must have been driving for decades. There's always room in life for a brand-new experience!

[neelkumar]

On my way to Bangalore from Hyderabad and I find this. Quite a honest impression of himself!

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by neelkumar

ORDINARY CITIZEN

That is one of the best stickers I've ever seen. One could say, "Sticking it" to the VIPs!