[Ajitsingh208]

Well, the root cause of this problem is impatience. We Indians just refuse to wait, Have never seen a proper Queue anywhere in india till now so why only blame the people on the road. Ever noticed what happens as soon as a plane lands. Even though the doors also haven't opened everyone starts pushing each other to be the first one out.
People need to be taught to be more patient which IMO looks very less likely, I see a greater chance of India setting up a colony on Mars than this happening.

[Simhi]

Why not introduce "Automatic Traffic Control Spikes"? I have seen them abroad but not in India. I am sure Govt, traffic cops as well as people will be strongly against them. But this should be introduced at few junctions on experimental basis. Anybody jumping the signal will have their tire punctured. This will desist people and force them to follow rules and will bring some order to the chaos.

[drmohitg]

Originally Posted by Simhi

Why not introduce "Automatic Traffic Control Spikes"? I have seen them abroad but not in India. I am sure Govt, traffic cops as well as people will be strongly against them. But this should be introduced at few junctions on experimental basis. Anybody jumping the signal will have their tire punctured. This will desist people and force them to follow rules and will bring some order to the chaos.

With our volume of traffic this won't work at all. Rather I am sure more and more people will end up with smashed rear bumpers and broken tail lights due to the fear of these and braking/halting on yellow lights.

[RedTerrano]

Interesting topic!

I think this 'get out of my way, I want to run the red light' is a unique 'trait' for Punekars.

Depending on my mood, I usually choose one of the following
1) Ignore
2) Look in the ORVM/RVM and ignore
3) Gesticulate 'what?' multiple times
4) #3 + mime you can't hear them
5) Pretend to take down their number
6) Point at some random direction like say a hoarding, bus on the other side etc.
7) Flip them the bird.

When I was younger, I used to try and talk them into good driving sense. Later on I just gave it up. Too many idiots on the road, and everytime I fail.

[gthang]

Originally Posted by braindead

The point is to try to understand if a workable solution is even possible.

I have no solution. The people being nice to each other, is probably the direction from which the solution will come in my opinion.

Yes, for sure a workable solution is possible.

Even though India faces a severe uphill task with our over population, we can see that other countries with high population densities are able to manage people and traffic.

However, I don't think people being nice to each other have anything to do with it. Mainly because I have a pessimistic attitude about human nature.

If you think the reason traffic rules are followed properly in phoren countries is because people are nicer, I would say in my opinion it is not.

I have seen people of different nationalities behaving in different ways in different countries under different circumstances. Not always the best of human nature on display.

But, "most" people follow the rules when they are "enforced" well.

Monetary penalizing and driving privilege curtailing are the way to go. And the fines should be really high. Should be un-affordable to many, in fact. Not the appeasement method of affordable for all. Penalties attached with mandatory driver re-training, etc.

I have mentioned in other threads as well, a suggestion for motorcycle mounted traffic cop "cruisers", several hundred per city, cruising around with cameras mounted on their bikes and their helmets, handing out fines for violations on the spot. Un-editable camera recording to prevent corruption, of course. Will bring down general crime rate as well.

I have written to our honorable Prime Minister with the suggestion. I invite others to join in sending suggestions as well.

Cheers

Drive Safe.

[RedTerrano]

Originally Posted by gthang

If you think the reason traffic rules are followed properly in phoren countries is because people are nicer, I would say in my opinion it is not. driver re-training, etc.

You know what confuses me the most is when we Indians, when we go to these foreign countries, we follow each and every rule.
Once my Punekar friend picked me up from Atlanta airport and drove me to my hotel. He was flashed lights and stared at, by other drivers...because he was driving 5MPH below the speed limit. I pulled his leg over it and asked him why. He did not want any infringement affecting his visa!

Originally Posted by gthang

I have mentioned in other threads as well, a suggestion for motorcycle mounted traffic cop "cruisers", several hundred per city, cruising around with cameras mounted on their bikes and their helmets, handing out fines for violations on the spot. Un-editable camera recording to prevent corruption, of course. Will bring down general crime rate as well.

I think these are all 'band aid' solutions, though effective in the long run. If we start proper education before handing out licenses, it would help.

Heard this from one of my German friends when we were driving down express way and discussing drivers of both countries:
When the autobahns were opened up for the first time, Germans did exactly what we Indians did. Speed up, cut lanes like crazy and managed to kill each other if not themselves. Not only that, people would throw water melons down bridges over autobahns on top of passing cars with predictable results.

The german government then produced educational films on driving etiquettes and good road discipline. They even explained the physics behind the spectacular results of meetings between cars doing 150 and a watermelon. Since then, he told me things have improved a lot.

Maybe something on similar lines is required in our country.

[SafariMan]

Hi All Team-BHPians. Joined just a while back thanks to the wonderful ppl/mods in this outstanding five star forum. My very first post and what a topic to write on.

I did a solo New Jersey Turnpike - Lake Mary, Florida trip (200 miles) in a Hyundai Elantra during the US Independence week last year. During the return, around the South Carolina and North Carolina border I was flashed by the North Carolina cop from behind. He said that his gun has clocked me do a 130 mile per hour on a 100 mile per hour section of the Interstate-5. He asked for my car papers and license and asked me to be in my car. Ater a while he came back and just gave me a warning slip and asked me to be careful and return back safely to my family. Such a nice gesture. It remained with me throughout the journey and will continue to remain with me while driving for time immemorial.

The point here being that the same principle can be opted here. A first time warning slip and then action.

[sandip]

Braindead,

Thank You for the post.

It won't do any good to anyone, neither will it change anything.
But I know that I am not the ONLY one who thinks in the same lines.

BTW, I do not agree to your point of "nuance in breaking rules". The only time that a rule can be or should be broken is when it will save lives (with a capital S).
Needless to say that this is "my" opinion.

[djkher]

Originally Posted by gthang

Yes, for sure a workable solution is possible.

Even though India faces a severe uphill task with our over population, we can see that other countries with high population densities are able to manage people and traffic.

However, I don't think people being nice to each other have anything to do with it. Mainly because I have a pessimistic attitude about human nature.

If you think the reason traffic rules are followed properly in phoren countries is because people are nicer, I would say in my opinion it is not.

I have seen people of different nationalities behaving in different ways in different countries under different circumstances. Not always the best of human nature on display.

But, "most" people follow the rules when they are "enforced" well.

Monetary penalizing and driving privilege curtailing are the way to go. And the fines should be really high. Should be un-affordable to many, in fact. Not the appeasement method of affordable for all. Penalties attached with mandatory driver re-training, etc.

I have mentioned in other threads as well, a suggestion for motorcycle mounted traffic cop "cruisers", several hundred per city, cruising around with cameras mounted on their bikes and their helmets, handing out fines for violations on the spot. Un-editable camera recording to prevent corruption, of course. Will bring down general crime rate as well.

I have written to our honorable Prime Minister with the suggestion. I invite others to join in sending suggestions as well.

Cheers

Drive Safe.

+1

Its basic human nature to find shortcuts when they can afford one. People in UK etc know that they can't get away because of the strict laws. Any shortcut of breaking the traffic laws is going to cost them dearly. This makes them follow the rules. The positive effect of doing this repeatedly? It makes one HABITUAL of following the rules. Following rules comes naturally to them then. It also makes one patient when one is on the road.

The big task that the transport department has is to "enforce" rules so that people become habitual.

We personally can contribute to this by following rules ourselves no matter what others do. When i stop at a red signal, even if i can make a one vehicle stop because he saw me doing so, i think it's a positive sign.

[swiftnfurious]

As mentioned in bits & pieces, there are 3 solutions for this.

1. People feel the need and importance to follow the rules, by themselves
2. Enforce this and levy H-E-F-T-Y fines (deploy cameras and recover the cost in less than a month with the current rates of offence). Am NOT exaggerating, Kerala police achieved this on a highway, a metropol is gonna be a lot easier.
3. Follow the rule yourself and let others who want to make the mistake, if they want.

I belong to the 3rd category. It's difficult; but works. I usually stop in one of the corners so that I do NOT object other's movement and usually have the hazards blink if someone comes exactly behind me, letting them know that I will NOT move!

What I have noticed is that, when you set the example, there is atleast one or two who gets motivated to do it right - and that's your win. Those two force more people to follow as there is no space to move and generally they do NOT even honk. The problem happens ONLY when people are breaking it and one does NOT.

I have had the same feeling as yours - feel like a moron obeying rules. But then I take pride that I did NOT put anybody's life in danger.

[Deepak K Gupta]

All this lack of road discipline is due to years of looking away by the authorities. There used to be a time not many years ago when the centre lines of roads were painted with words "do not cross this line". Today motorbikes and autos are always across the line. They think that the left side of the road is for cars and right side is for bikes and autos.
Stop lines suffer the same fate. Cars stop at them while autos and bikes overtake the queue and stop in front of you past the stop line.
I am regularly fined for crossing the stop line because more often than not the queue is moving slow and by the time it is my turn I have crossed the line and the light has become red. But no one ever fines bikes or autos even though they have deliberately crossed the line while waiting for the green.

[NST440]

Come to Punjab and the no. of such bafoons will multiply. I can so relate to this situation and since i drive just around 40-50 Kms a day considering myself lucky, i usually come across such people. They think people like us are either mentally challenged or fear the laws too much. Breaking laws is so cool here. Someone coming wrong side has the courage to say he is right and many a times the police sits like idol ducks , awaiting an accident or quarrel. Many a times i wish i had a rusty old jeep with bull guard to smash such cars/bikes breaking the laws , coming head on with high beam and having utterly no respect for traffic laws.
There has been endless discussions on the forum wrt such people but their no. is increasing everyday. Wish someone like Anil Kapoor from Nayak could come to my town and take care of such people. The situation worsens when some bus is a company on the traffic lights, they will for sure not stop and shall keep honking at the red lights to the front vehicle. I really feel India to be a country where everyone's in a hurry but at the end of the day no one reaches anywhere.

[Mortis]

We Indians are an uncivilized bunch. What is needed is a really firm hand in order to train people to obey rules and fear law enforcing authorities. Forget about on the roads, we arent even able to stand in queues in other places. We need to upgrade are laws and fines as well as the number of well trained and well paid law enforcers. Fines should be made steep and I firmly believe some physical punishment must also go along with it as that will be an effective deterrent.
Also in order to keep the cops and government authorities in check, along with good training and a salary that prevents them from being tempted by bribes, they must also be answerable for any crimes they commit by punishment with a life sentence in jail, no matter how small their offence. If a cop knows that if someone can take a video of him collecting hafta will result in him spending the rest of his life in jail and even his superiors cant save him, then he will automatically get in line.

As for the original topic of this thread, the only way to prevent people breaking the signal is to have automatic barriers and bollards at each crossing that raise and lower with the signal

[rajeev k]

The fact remains that there are blokes who will still move even after the signal has turned red. So taking off before the signal turns green is definitely recipe for disaster.

[mi2n]

I can relate to this all too well because of my two particular driving habits. One, stop at yellow, two, wait 2 seconds after green to make your move. The first habit regularly results in stares and cusses, I laugh/wink at them, they get more furious. The second habit, apart from cusses and stares also results in minor nudges from the impatient trailing car, but that is way better than getting t-boned at the junction by a moron running a red signal, so I wait it out for two seconds to allow the needy. People might actually have good reasons to jump signals you know.