[pjbiju]

Great of you to have stopped to check on the biker and to have done everything you did. Sometimes seeking the help of the Police (traffic or otherwise) is like banging our head against a wall. Nothing really happens unless you know someone high up - at least that is the case most of the time.

[esteem_lover]

Chasing the auto was ok, but trying to escort him back was not the wisest thing to do. It never works really, unless you were on a bike. i would have caught his neck & bundled him into another auto & taken him back where he can wait till the cops arrive.

[ikoneer]

you have shown a very noble gesture dude in trying to help the guy, and chasing the auto guy but all in all, our system does not work that way and its a real pity

Do not try to follow auto guys, there are more chances of getting beaten up, at least in chennai, i have seen auto drivers uniting together when there is a problem for another auto

[rks]

Originally Posted by normally_crazy

Now the bus stops at its scheduled stop, the truck moves ahead and the I slow down so that the biker can go in front of me. As the biker is between the truck and the bus - the auto guy sees the bus stopping and me slowing and without looking anywhere simply turns right to overtake the stationary bus. His auto hits the rear of the biker who then loses control - zig zags but ultimately hits the truck LHS rear wheel and then falls just near the bus driver door. His bike has been twisted to bits.

It is clearly the auto driver's fault. But many of these bikers drive at an infuriatingly slow pace and also *overtake* at the same slow pace. If I were a biker, I wouldn't be very proud of being rear-ended by an auto of all vehicles. Why couldn't the biker move ahead decisively when he saw an opening between the bus and the lorry, leaving the auto to bite the dust?

To ride in parallel to an auto is to invite trouble, especially when you are in a two-wheeler. We all know these auto guys have a tendency to swerve wildly. Unless there were circumstances which forced the biker to go slowly, I would also put some blame on him for not anticipating trouble and moving ahead decisively, if at all this was possible.

The fact that N_C had to slow down to let the biker get ahead also tells a story of its own. If you drive expecting others to slow down to let you pass, you will get into trouble sooner or later (especially if you are in a two-wheeler). One of the important principles of good driving is to never make another guy brake, at least to the extent possible. Of course I do not want to jump to the wrong conclusion as I was not there to witness what exactly happened. Maybe N_C can clarify.

[Nitin]

Originally Posted by ikoneer

Do not try to follow auto guys, there are more chances of getting beaten up, at least in chennai, i have seen auto drivers uniting together when there is a problem for another auto

That happens everywhere. If not any road sense or anything worthwhile shown by auto drivers,the only thing good from this is the unity.

[benbsb29]

Originally Posted by ikoneer

Do not try to follow auto guys, there are more chances of getting beaten up, at least in chennai, i have seen auto drivers uniting together when there is a problem for another auto

Thats not a feature unique to autos in Chennai. Here's my tale from Bangalore :
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street...gs-pounce.html

[normally_crazy]

rks,

I slowed down because I always give way to bikers (if they cannot think and drive, I guess we, with the more bigger and powerful vehicle have to). Also did not want to get into a situation where the biker is squeezing between the bus and my car increasing the chances of scratching my car.

And if you say the biker was irritatingly slow - I don't agree. He was sensible that he was not speeding and lane cutting.

Anyways the biker was not slow as the auto. Infact he accelerated to overtake the BEST bus and the auto guy simply turned blind.

The biker was not at fault - the auto guy was the only guilty person there. Thank God the BEST did not start precisely at the moment the biker fell near him - I dread to think what would have happened then !!

Also the roads were dug up and traffic was slow helped a bit with all the vehicles at controllable speeds.

[Maverick1977]

This might be slightly off topic - The apathy of the Mumbai Police was even more evident to me a couple of years back near the Worli Police station. The Ambassador car of one of the IPS officer, in his excitement to overtake a car, hit a biker going on the left side of the road, threw him off it and sped away. Being a cop car, no one even dared to follow it... Since I was just behind them, I was able to take down the number of the car, but to my utter surprise every one around me advised me not to bother. I just did what mostly Mumbaikars do - Take pity on the accident victim & move on. Yet today the situation is simply unforgettable.

[Sam Kapasi]

NC, it's sad but true. They have no reason to do their duty when the entire cop group there (you said 20 odd) is busy getting "no-receipt-required" fines in cash.

While I do feel that this is wrong, I think that I have added to this greed and this apathy. Every time I have given a traffic policeman Rs. 50/- for breaking a signal (arrey jaane do na, yeh le lo), just so I won't have to hand in my license - I have added to this problem.

So I will not criticize them. It is partly my own fault.

[Maverick1977]

Sam - I am in total agreement with you on this. We are indeed responsible for making them what they are. However the lax in the legal system is also to be blamed for the ultra slow judgment which is also almost never in favour of the driver. The law & the men upholding it some how always seem to be right.

[hrman]

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

NC, it's sad but true. They have no reason to do their duty when the entire cop group there (you said 20 odd) is busy getting "no-receipt-required" fines in cash.

While I do feel that this is wrong, I think that I have added to this greed and this apathy. Every time I have given a traffic policeman Rs. 50/- for breaking a signal (arrey jaane do na, yeh le lo), just so I won't have to hand in my license - I have added to this problem.

So I will not criticize them. It is partly my own fault.

Im with you on this one Sam. We try to save money and get off easy on our carelessness/ disregard of rules. And we have the nuts to stand up and blame the system. Would'nt the roads be a better and safer place if we followed rules?
Come to think of it, If all of us honestly paid taxes, the tax rates would have been sustainable even at 10%. But thats a different story. Dont want to be pulled up for going OT..

[abdriver2000]

Originally Posted by Maverick1977

Sam - I am in total agreement with you on this. We are indeed responsible for making them what they are. However the lax in the legal system is also to be blamed for the ultra slow judgment which is also almost never in favour of the driver. The law & the men upholding it some how always seem to be right.

I do not agree completely to this. Have you tried asking cops to take the full fine and give you a reciept? They will refuse to do so saying they are not carrying any challans. They force you to bribe them.

[autozealot]

In such a situation I feel its justified for a civilian to take action/authority himself since the law enforcers are busy at their 'business'

@ N_C good job....u tried your best, thats satisfying mate!

[snaronikar]

@ Nc: That was a good job done. This problem is there in all the cities let alone Mumbai.

[NetfreakBombay]

Originally Posted by abdriver2000

Have you tried asking cops to take the full fine and give you a reciept?

Have been fined 2 - 3 times in last 4 years, got receipt all the time.