[Nissan1180]

Originally Posted by dj78

In Kolkata, where road to city ratio is quite low, traffic has always been very chaotic. But jumping red lights was never a problem until some years ago

Very true- my dad used to show Kolkata (Southern parts ) as an example of a city in India where driving was sane. Even today, southern Kolkata has disciplined driving mainly due to the high concentration of cops in the area.

To be honest, I really wonder who designs these signals- most of them offer a constant period of waiting irrespective of the time of the day. In the morning (as early as 6:30AM) the signals show a waiting time of 1 minute when there are no cars on the road.
In the evening, when traffic is at its peak, the signals still have the same waiting time of 1 minute. The result- you get stuck at the same signal 3-4 times because the green light time was not adjusted to suit the traffic density. IIT Kharagpur has an on-going project of optimizing the signal time according to the traffic density- lets see if it helps.

[sam_babushka]

I follow road and traffic rules to the tee, and that includes not moving on from the traffic signal until it's turned green in my favour. I do ignore each and every honker, and I do place a large baseball bat in the passenger seat in order to dissuade fellow drivers from getting unpleasant.

Strongly believe that we will enable change when we all follow rules fervently, and not bow down to pressure from those for whom breaking rules is a habit, a way of life actually. It's just about basic common courtesy, about consideration for fellow motorists

[Deepak K Gupta]

Basically people have become very selfish over the past decade. Even I follow the traffic rules strictly but also have to fight back with those who only think of themselves and are ready to commit crime - yes breaking traffic rules is a crime albeit a small one but a crime is a crime.

[noopster]

Juhu-Malad Link Road has become one of those places where few people respect red lights. This morning being a Saturday and public holiday to boot traffic was light at the Lokhandwala complex junction so the moment the few vehicles turning across were done the mad honking started. Vehicles from both sides started rushing in but I just waited calmly for my light. Surprisingly it prompted a lot of others to wait as well...maybe they thought I had spotted a hidden cop?!

Ironically when the light did turn green I just zoomed off and the futile honkers were left eating my dust

[gsurya]

As Mumbai is famous for traffic policemen hiding out of sight just beyond the signals, I always wait patiently at red lights even on weekends & empty roads.

I use that time to check my phone messages & mails.

But then last month a traffic policeman challaned me for doing even that. Apparently in the rule book even that is an offense

[DevilzzzzOwn]

Originally Posted by gsurya

I use that time to check my phone messages & mails.

I would recommend checking out the crown in Mumbai during traffic stops. I can now make out precisely who is going to stick to moving when lights turns Green and who is not. And it's fun.
Jumpers are as nervous as a Gazelle drinking from a pool of croc infested river.

They know for a fact that what they are doing is incorrect.
And boy is it fun when they meet with an accident. Just last week, on SB road, Pune, I saw a young boy involved in a self created accident.
He jumped a Red light and then stopped in the middle of the road and an i20 from his left came to a screeching halt barely half a foot from his bike.
And he fell from his bike after stopping it.
I could not stop laughing for about 10 minutes.

It was hilarious.

Cheers.

[Vishyvish]

The biggest offenders are the BEST buses, two and three wheeler kind. Apparently for some of the bus drivers, signals do not exist, though have seen some very rare breeds of late, who seem to think otherwise.
Nothing to mention about the two and the wheeler kind, as the squeeze through, stare at you as you have committed a crime, and if you are lucky they start clear of your vehicle or you may end up with some scratches.

[Deepak K Gupta]

In Kolkata the Blue Volvo Buses are the most dangerous. The drivers are incapable of handling so much power after driving red CSTC buses for decades. They drive like they are driving sports cars. With no lane discipline in spite of bus bays they can side swipe you at any time especially at traffic stops. The back of the bus extends so much behind the rear wheel and when the driver makes a sharp turn any vehicle standing beside it will get side swiped by the rear and the bus driver will not have an inkling of what happened. I have seen these buses badly swipe a vehicle on making a right turn at a traffic light. So steer clear of these buses.

[sgiitk]

@Vishyvish; Reminds me of the joke in either Autocar or Motor in the 1970's about buses. I am big, I am red and I weight 9 tons. So argue with me at your own risk.

[ghodlur]

Today morning I realized that I am the idiot to stop at red signal. Guess who gave me company?? Another BHPian but not at the zebra crossing, but right in the middle of the intersection.

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by ghodlur

Today morning I realized that I am the idiot to stop at red signal. Guess who gave me company?? Another BHPian but not at the zebra crossing, but right in the middle of the intersection.

Having a 'Live to Drive' or 'I Drive Safe' sticker doesn't mean the vehicle is owned/driven by a member of T-BHP. I am of the opinion that being a member in T-BHP or any other forum doesn't make anyone sane on the road.

Having a sticker only makes the vehicle stand out from the crowd - the car in your picture can be identified at another point of time more easily than a stock car.

I empathize with you - that feeling of being an idiot to have waited at a signal while many others give two hoots to the signal and zip past - quite unnerving. I go endure this every day.