[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Good stuff that cheese. But some might jib at the fact that I like munching on it along with a nice schnapps...

What about the beautiful 124 Spider and the iconic Giulietta Spider of Day of the Jackal fame?

Mentioning sxxxxxs is likely to evoke the wrath of the moderators.

The 124 Spider is a Fiat. I've always liked it, but I do prefer the Alfa Spider. Back in the Netherlands for many years I have been active in various positions with the Dutch Alfa Romeo Spider Register. We used to organize a once a year event with the Fiat Spider club. Good fun.

Our Register is for all Alfa Spider, so yes we have quite a few Giulieetta Spiders as well. And a few others as well. Even so, if you forget about the modern Alfa Spiders, which are all pretty awful anyway, (heavy front wheel drive) all the models of the 105 Series are from a practical point of view the best. The Giulietta is very nice, but you don't want to have to drive it from Amsterdam to Rome, whereas in a Duetto, a Coda Tronca, a Series III or a Series IV that is very doable.

It does depend of course on one's perspective. But I do like to drive my classics al to and all over Europe. And I want to do that with some comfort and reliability and performance. The Alfa Spider Series III fits the bill perfectly.

Jeroen

[autonarr]

Originally Posted by Soumyajit9

Err, I guess that is not a ritual, but a good habit of saving the load on the battery / ac compressor. How is having or not having ACC related to it ?

I do it. Whenever, the car is not ON, the AC Compressor is OFF and the blower is only ON.
When I start the engine, I switch off the blower as well, just to relax the load on battery.
I have ACC. Hope I am not following any myth !!

Seemed to have touched a raw nerve As I see it (not being very knowledgeable about the inner mechanics) the car manufacturers went out of there way to introduce the ACC so that people would not have to bother with setting the temperature, blower etc. every time you need it. So I find it odd that someone would bother switching it off, then start the car, then switch ACC on! I've had several cars over the years when I lived in USA which had this. I had the ACC set to between 68-72 degrees F all year round, come rain, snow or hot weather. The only time I fiddled with it was to adjust the airflow and/or temperature but it was always "on"and never had issues with cars mechanically as a result. I have an ACC in my current car in India too, and have not changed my routine with no apparent deleterious effects.

[vishalchaudhary]

Originally Posted by Biraj

• If one uses indicators while changing lanes and the car behind suddenly increases its speed to not let the person in front change its lane, one must be in India.
• If one notices people speeding up on orange/amber light, then too one must be in India.

Guilty, but only if that vehicle in the front is in the right most lane and moving too slow but not giving space despite horn and/or flashing lights and thus frustrating everyone behind them.

Only if in a hurry, do I speed up on seeing an amber light although am trying to change this habit.

Originally Posted by drmohitg

I see this in two ways:
1. Whenever you see a car in front, you get this uncontrollable urge to overtake that car regardless of the speed limit. So you honk, flash, overtake from the left, play chinese checkers and what not to overtake.
2. If we see someone behind us trying to overtake then we naturally and instantly increase our speeds and try our best not to let them pass.
Instead we just keep an eye out for the cops.

We don't want to lose the 'race' on the road

Originally Posted by sridhu

IMO, leaving plastic seat covers on HAS to be the defining Indian trait!

I can recall there was a scene in the movie 'Pyaar ke side effects' depicting that Rahul Bose (a Mumbaikar in the movie) is trying to remove the plastic from the seats of the car of his girl friend's father (a Delhite in the movie) and Rahul gets slapped on the hand for attempting to do so !

Originally Posted by TorqueyTechie

One of the common traits for Indian driver (or should I say a male driver) is to treat all women drivers as bad even though they may be following all rules and driving correctly. Being overtaken by a lady driver generates so much of an Ego boost that it can put the NOS booster to shame!
Second thing is no matter who did the accident, the bigger the vehicle the higher the blame!

I know several women who drive quite well, rather some equally good as myself or even better than me. But I've also come across women drivers breaking all rules and driving so rash that my friend could only comment 'On a highway to hell...'

Originally Posted by SPIKE ARRESTOR

One year of regular driving (testing) in the Autobahns, I now have a good 'feel' of where the speed guns may be.
Spike

I've also driven on same routes within Delhi for a long time and I've also been able to deduce the certain fixed spots where there is a probability of an interceptor being there although the frequency of them being there is highly suspect.

[Samar117]

Perhaps it's a bad case of generalization, but to me, the worst Indian habit comes about when you're driving at night, everyone is on FULL BEAM. I can understand, a lot of places, street lights are hopeless, but I have seen this even one well lit Delhi roads.

[isiv]

Originally Posted by InControl

Well a kind of superstition...
They will first put the car into First gear and move a bit and then only engage the reverse gear and start reversing
God only knows why

My car faces a wall where I park and I do this. When the car was new, I had trouble engaging reverse gear first thing in the morning so the service center advised me to do this. Now it's a habit.

Originally Posted by Jeroen

Actually, there might be some sense in that, or at least some historical perspective. Some gearboxes, in particular older ones, were actually easier to get into reverse if you put them in first first.

Agree. I do not know if a 2008 model qualifies as 'old' but the trick always works.

Let me list a few traits:

1. Buying cars in Jan so that it remains a 'recent model' for longer. By the same logic, not buying in Dec. Because the car commands lesser resale value if it crosses 'the year' - even if it's just by a day.

2. Start long drives by first moving north or east even if that's not the way you're actually headed.

3. Drive slow on the fast lane and fast on the slow lane

4. Stop car on the left just before an intersection to answer phone calls - so that people turning left have to get on to the right lane to make a left.

5. Speed up and whizz past the pedestrian trying to cross the road missing them by inches

The list goes on...

[autonarr]

Another thing that I find amusing (or quirky) is the way when new cars are sold, most people have their cars delivered with a "gift wrap"on the bonnet or roof. Not that there's anything wrong with it, but some people make it a point to leave them on for weeks if not months, perhaps to retain the illusion that it's still brand spanking new?

[srs_shetty87]

A few observations, not necessarily drivers traits, however all road users might have faced one or more:
1. Might is right, the bigger the car/ SUV you own, automatically gives you the ownership of the stretch of road (or so the drivers driving these things believe). Also more often than not, a bigger moron behind the wheel.
2. Truckers believe it is their birth-right to overtake another truck doing 40 kmph while they are doing 41 kmph, on two laned national highways, even if it takes 3 hours and 45 minutes to accomplish that.
3. You can blind every other road user using your high beams, simply because you have an upgraded bulb.
4. You are cool if other road users, can hear the music you are playing, a few kms away.
5. Having a massive spoiler improves performance.
6. Attaching el cheapo white LED's turns your car into an AUDI or BMW.
7. While at the red lights, beggars turn up banging at your windows and you HAVE to pay them. They are trained in getting on your nerves by using coins to bang on your windows since it is their constitutional right to extort money from road users.
8. Roads are meant for pedestrians, you can eat, sleep, drink and build a home on the street. The worst thing to do on a street is to drive or ride a motor vehicle.
9. Public transport buses have a license to kill, no one can question their superiority, else they leave their mark on your beloved paint.
10. You do not stop at a red light, cause stopping a car means loss of fuel efficiency. They will only stop at their destinations.
11. You can jump into an intersection without making sure the exit is clear, just because the lights are go for you.

None of these are meant to be taken seriously, no offence to anybody.

[avisidhu]

As Jeroen mentioned correctly, slotting in 1st initially is essential in many vehicles if you intend to slot into reverse. Have observed this in the Safari for instance. Yet somehow over a period of time this became a superstition of sorts. Almost all my friends do this, to the effect that even I had started following this at one point

I know of one guy who has the plastic covers on his back seat even after 3 years !!

Up North, a bullet should never have the side mirrors, completely "shaan ke khilaaf". Also when we used to have a preponderance of Vespa and Bajak Chetak scooters around 10 years back, it was absolute must to remove the back rest from the rear seat. Needless to say, the spare wheel at the back of Chetak had to go as well, and in some cases where the elders insisted on carrying the spare tyre along, we would ingeniously get it fitted in the front, to this effect:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/attach...y-img00055.jpg

Another observation, while doing a tyre change or upgrade, many folks don't bother about the manufacturer etc. Rather, emphasis is given on how good looking the tyre groove marks (called 'guddi' in local parlance) are !!

[noopster]

Originally Posted by Samar117

Perhaps it's a bad case of generalization, but to me, the worst Indian habit comes about when you're driving at night, everyone is on FULL BEAM. I can understand, a lot of places, street lights are hopeless, but I have seen this even one well lit Delhi roads.

The justification for this is even funnier. I had a friend tell me, in all seriousness, that the blue headlight indicator on the dashboard lights up only when it is set to high beam which is why he only uses it in that position. And this guy is an educated chap- a doctor no less.

[Car_Freak_911]

Traits that I've observed:

-Many people decorate their car's rear windshield with their children's names.

-On two wheelers, mostly gearless scooters (like dio and activa), removing the rear view mirrors to make it look cooler even though it blinds their rear view.

-Installing two-wheeler(small sized) registration plates on cars.

-Using right/left indicator while parking instead of hazard lights.

When you see these traits, you know you are in India

[SPIKE ARRESTOR]

Originally Posted by silversteed

Are you from the land of the lungi?

Yes, and a very proud one at that. Does my signature suggest so ?

Originally Posted by Car_Freak_911

-Using right/left indicator while parking instead of hazard lights.

Sorry to nit pick, but I do not think using hazard lights while parking is a good idea. At least, here in Germany it is so.

Spike

[Car_Freak_911]

Originally Posted by SPIKE ARRESTOR

Sorry to nit pick, but I do not think using hazard lights while parking is a good idea. At least, here in Germany it is so.

Spike

I usually use the hazard light while parking to warn others of my presence. As you said maybe it's not a good idea because it may confuse people who can only see one of the lights. Thanks for correcting me.
Carfreak911

[noopster]

How come nobody mentioned "highway overtaking signals" yet? This is the system that was (and still is) used on undivided 2 lane highways. Basically you switch on your right indicator to give the signal to the driver behind you the all-clear to overtake. The driver behind switches on his *left* indicator to pull into the lane meant for oncoming traffic while he overtakes. Used very effectively especially by truckers and older drivers but the system collapses on divided/4 lane highways that are increasingly becoming the norm or when there is a younger driver not familiar with the norm, who just assumes the guy in front wants to turn right and never overtakes. Hilarious if more than a little dangerous. Am sure this is homegrown desi ingenuity at work!

[kaushik51094]

One of the (or the only) indian trait that's caught me is honking unnecessarily. And the reason for it : my mom! I'm the sole driver at home and only 19yo. She shouts if i don't honk before turning. Though when i drive alone, i don't do this, still, have to admit this indian trait has been forced upon me. Apart from this, i guess no other traits will show i'm an indian. I brake and stop on seeing orange, don't have any religious idols stuck on the dashboard (not an atheist, just don't like the dash to get dirty with the gum from the stickers/idols) and no names/other stickers (except for a sticker on the fuel lid to indicate that the ride's a petrol) have been stuck onto the front/rear windshield. And there's one more. I do slot into first and move a bit before slotting into reverse if it's just after starting the car. I wouldn't normally do it, but my SA adviced me to do this. On questioning him for this procedure's reason, he told me : "No reason. just follow it" But gotta admit, i follow this procedure.

[terra85]

Another one, I don't know if it's strictly Indian but anyway , people refuse to switch on their headlights at dusk they will wait till it's almost pitch dark before they do and are in a hurry to switch it off again at dawn.