[Neo.]

I am one person who looks at my safety first. For all you know after you stop the other car you might end up in a verbal scuffle which might lead to something else like the guy trying to hit you or panic and do something stupid or even ram into you if the car is stolen or if he doesn't have a license and stuff.

There are enough anti-social elements who dare to take a gun and shoot at you. Or if there are enough people in the car they might even hit you black and blue. There are lots of things that might go wrong.

All this trouble because you cant control your road rage. It's not my idea of peace of mind.

The reason i called it bollywoodish is because obviously most people dont dare to try such stunts on the driver of a taxi cab or a rickshaw driver. Why is that is it because they are really good drivers or is it because you cant predict what those uneducated guys may do to you?

I guess in Luke's case he knew it was an engineering college student. But in general it's just not safe nor is it right. If something goes wrong the first thing the police is going to ask is why did you stop his car. You also need to know that the other guy doesn't need to stop.

If you are a rich kid how do you differentiate a guy who is robbing or kidnapping you from someone who is trying to give gyaan.

Please don't tell me the statistics on kidnapping and robbery have dropped drastically enough in Bangalore to presume everyone is a gentleman.

[Neo.]

Originally Posted by Boom Shiva

By scaring the kid, for all you know, Luke saved someone from serious injury a few kms down the road.

By the way when did an engineering student become a kid? He would obviously be 18+. He is definitely not a kid and should be responsible enough on his own.

I think a good driver should not lose his temper or try being a super cop trying to set the world right.

Read any article on road rage and you will see what has to be done when someone chases you or tries to stop your car. So just avoid road-rage don't be under the impression you are doing the right thing by stopping every offender on the road.

If you really want to do something be a part of the numerous organizations which go to colleges and have workshops on road safety.

[sharathjeppu]

Originally Posted by jango

Yes you are right. b'lore is full of kids who just rip throught the traffic w/o any Licence nor any concerns towards the public. The cops need to take some strict action on these kids. The best thing is seize their bikes, call up their parents and make the pay for it.

Talking about traffic cops in Bangalore, do read this that I happened to read today http://my-bangalore.blogspot.com/200...t-hell_04.html

[Neo.]

I always thought police were within their rights to do that. What do you expect them to do wait at a red light while the criminal gets away. they would have got a wireless message asking them to be somewhere, or a million other reasons.

If i was the ACP i would have put him in jail for obstruction of justice.

This is what i mean, there are just too many mis-guided citizens thinking they are upholding the law.

[irulee]

hey what exactly is the problem with under age driving sure their are some crazy cool riding lunatics but like every coin there are 2 sides some are good and some are bad. And talking about underage driving dont tell me no one here has done it. And come on when you are breaking the laws most of the times u have to be very scared and hence drive carefully. Infact talking about cops here in Mumbai they have a habit of calling everyone an underage i have been stopped at check points and have been asked for my age verification and all that happens is me arguiong with the cops that i am an adult thus forcing me to use some of my contacts to get me out of unwanted trouble even though i am an adult i have had 2-3 accidents in which i am going through a green light and having accidents just due to some arrogant oldies and have been trying to convince him that i am an adult.
if Underage driving has to be stopped then the laws need not change as if the official driving age is brought down to 16 very soon 12 year olds will be driving hence resulting in an unstoppable chain. And Besides i know many people who have a liscense and they are 16 so if it needs to be changed then the whole liscence thing should be completely computerised and 2 liscences having common names of the same address should be banned.

[sharathjeppu]

Originally Posted by Neo.

I always thought police were within their rights to do that. What do you expect them to do wait at a red light while the criminal gets away. they would have got a wireless message asking them to be somewhere, or a million other reasons.

If i was the ACP i would have put him in jail for obstruction of justice.

This is what i mean, there are just too many mis-guided citizens thinking they are upholding the law.

I don't know about the rules in India. But abroad, the traffic rules don't apply to the police and emergency vehicles only when they are using the siren and flashing lights. In a regular situation, all these vehicles have to comply to the traffic rules.
Do let me know if the Indian Motor Vehicle Act explicitly or implicitly specifies that a police vehicle does not have to follow traffic rules. Or is it just an unwritten law.

[Mistakenguy]

You are right Sharath . the traffic rules don't apply to the police only when they are using the siren . But here i don't think that was the case .

[Boom Shiva]

Originally Posted by Neo.

By the way when did an engineering student become a kid? He would obviously be 18+. He is definitely not a kid and should be responsible enough on his own.

I think a good driver should not lose his temper or try being a super cop trying to set the world right.

Read any article on road rage and you will see what has to be done when someone chases you or tries to stop your car. So just avoid road-rage don't be under the impression you are doing the right thing by stopping every offender on the road.

If you really want to do something be a part of the numerous organizations which go to colleges and have workshops on road safety.

You can't go through life being scared of every kid, woman and cab/rick driver who cuts you bro. You don't have to be a super cop, but you can exercise your discretion to deal with the situation.

I've read plenty of articles on road rage. The one thing I can say for sure is that nothing is in black and white. Which is why, as in all things in life, you have to exercise your own personal judgement. Sometimes it's better to just drive on, and at other times, for you own personal peace of mind, you have to get out and take a stand.

[Neo.]

Originally Posted by sharathjeppu

I don't know about the rules in India. But abroad, the traffic rules don't apply to the police and emergency vehicles only when they are using the siren and flashing lights. In a regular situation, all these vehicles have to comply to the traffic rules.
Do let me know if the Indian Motor Vehicle Act explicitly or implicitly specifies that a police vehicle does not have to follow traffic rules. Or is it just an unwritten law.

Give me a break. Have you ever called up the police to report something. Cos i have, when my uncle's house was broken into, when a few guys had a field time at my dad's factory breaking the glass facade during the recent riots and many other times. You think they switch on their sirens when they come to your place in a hurry.

I doubt if some of those mahindra jeeps even have sirens. To be honest i have never heard a police siren to this day in bangalore with the exception of ambulances/ fire brigade / VIP vehicles and their personal gaurds have the flashing red lights.

So does that give you the right to stop a police vehicle? This sounds just over the top. Just my 2 cents.

[nitrous]

This has already been discussed before because of an under-aged member in our forum who got involved in an accident.

To be honest, i started driving since i was 15. Today, there is a whole lot of difference in my driving style compared to my 'fast and furious' style when i was a lot younger.

More than age, its the maturity of the mind which matters. Thats why, i'm with the 18 year rule.

[Lukeskywalker]

Originally Posted by Neo.

By the way when did an engineering student become a kid? He would obviously be 18+. He is definitely not a kid and should be responsible enough on his own.

I think a good driver should not lose his temper or try being a super cop trying to set the world right.

Read any article on road rage and you will see what has to be done when someone chases you or tries to stop your car. So just avoid road-rage don't be under the impression you are doing the right thing by stopping every offender on the road.

If you really want to do something be a part of the numerous organizations which go to colleges and have workshops on road safety.

Well, opinions seem to be divided on what i did, honestly, i did not know who was in the other car (dark tints), and i really did not loose my temper, it was not an act of rage, i signalled him to stop and he did, then i parked my car in front, i would have had a chat with anyone and would have given him a piece of my mind and if he did call the cops all the better, and by the way neo, i was a special police officer in the very same locality and this was a designation given by the commissioner of police himself for cooperating with the cops in dealing with such individuals, i gave up the title as i found that the cops were helping me to only please me and not because it was their duty, so i was not doing the 'super cop' bit

[vincentt]

Every dog will have his day. these kids will surely come under heavier wheels one day. There are many factor contributing to this.
1. Not their car, its their pop's car and pop's money, who cares.
2. Attitude - they think they own the own, more than anyone else!!!
3. Traffic police dont want to catch them, who says so, they catch them, but have to release them due to pressure from above big shots and face disregard, or better still, catch them and get regular hafta, as quota to let them drive.

[kiranpashtakar]

Guys in India we as it is have a huge problem in terms of Uneducated drivers (Include the educated lot who have a tendency do act like cattle), To top this we have the new tribe of under aged drivers. 13/14 somethings riding a TVS - Karizma and from Maruti 800 - Mercs. They come in all forms and the common denominator is scanty regards to the traffic rules and other road users. Let me narrate two specific incidents to you. case 1) A highschool kid on tvs had a bad crash when he has trying overtake me from the left and crashed into the pavement. My take not enough experience in riding. The chap was so worried about the damage to the bike more than the minor injuries he had. I pulled over had a session with him and got him to understand that it was due to lack of experience that caused the accident. I am some how confident that chap wont ride on the roads for a long time.
Case 2) In Hyderabad a kid in Skoda (in his uniform) coming from the wrong way banged my car parked in a parking lot. And to my surprise started abusing me verbally for parking the car . The guy whose car also was parked besides mine got hyper and gave the kid a solid whack. And started with his hyderbadi vocabulary. Had to intervene and got the kid to park the car there and asked some one with a licnse to drive it back.
Had a good mind to thulp him myself, but violence does not get us anywhere does it. Did'nt have time to check what happened further . as far the damages due to low speeds there was less impact and got away with a small dents.

Any ways point is we as reponsible people need to do what is sensible, if it means stop some one and give a piece of mind well it needs to be done we cannot shirk that and saying the cops need to take care of this. And it is illegal or its a road rage.
whilst on the point the LAW has not been cast in stone why do you think we are amending our laws constantly , being street smart will help go a long way.

18 Years for a licence!!! Has this number dropped from the sky, No the people and society in general has decided that this is a suffcient age for some one to be responsible and mature. some people acheive this later some people acheive this earlier but broadly we have to put a rule and let 18 be the magic number.
In US its a different culture so the society there thought well our kids mature a bit faster, arguably yes because trafic enforcment and adherance is stronf there as a culture.
Back home we neither have strong traffic enforcement nor strong traffic adherance. So its better we stick to 18.

[vebmetal]

Originally Posted by kiranpashtakar

In US its a different culture so the society there thought well our kids mature a bit faster, arguably yes because trafic enforcment and adherance is strong there as a culture.
Back home we neither have strong traffic enforcement nor strong traffic adherance. So its better we stick to 18.

I don't think the mindset has to do with the maturity of a 16yr. old vs. that of a 18yr. old as far as the driving age in the States goes.... after all you can't even rent a car there till you are 21 !!!
It's got more to do with the fact that driving is an immensely ingrained part of their culture and lifestyle. 12-13 hour drives are quite common for college kids.

[kiranpashtakar]

Okay vebmetal , inclined to buy your argument, but
That' one more point to go towards the same conclusion.