Are you a SMILING DRIVER ?

smsrini · 4th April 2008, 10:24

ARE YOU A SMILING DRIVER ?

How many times have you wished that driving on your city roads was a more pleasant experience ? That it was less stressful.

YOU CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE. SMILE at your fellow drivers,

support making NAMMA Bengaluru roads better - SmilingDrivers

Shan2nu · 4th April 2008, 10:54

How can you not smile when you're driving a VTEC. I'm smiling just thinking about it. LOL

Shan2nu

rahuldeodhar · 4th April 2008, 11:28

I witnessed smiling drivers first hand in Darjeeling - almost everyone smiles at you.

In Darjeeling the roads are narrow and sometime one vehicle has to back up for 100-150 meters to let other pass. Still its all done so jovially and respectfully. Its a treat.

Couple of years back when I visited again - I saw a little change in attitude though - with people from the plains now driving on these ghats - the familiar hand-on-the-horn and foot on the accelerator style was visible! Alas good things don't last long.

RD

Chevy_lover · 4th April 2008, 17:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by rahuldeodhar

I witnessed smiling drivers first hand in Darjeeling - almost everyone smiles at you.

In Darjeeling the roads are narrow and sometime one vehicle has to back up for 100-150 meters to let other pass. Still its all done so jovially and respectfully. Its a treat.

RD

@ Rahul, I too had the same experience in Darjeeling and Sikkim. I noticed that all drivers knew each other by name and there is absolutely no racing there!!!! The ghat roads are very narrow in some parts and even an up-climbing vehicle waits for the vehicle coming down, knowing that he will not be able to reverse!! And they make it a point to wave their hands at each other! That is the first rule of ghat driving broken!!! Importance and right of way to a descending vehicle!!!

The icing on the cake was this experience. I booked a car to go from Darjeeling to Sikkim. That driver passed on my trip on to a Sikkimese driver who had come the previous night to Darjeeling. Why??? Because that driver needed some extra cash urgently! He was very friendly and drove very well all the way to Gangtok and later on during our conversation, I found out that he is an ex-national level footballer, ex-army guy and was a relative of none other than Bhaichung Bhutia!!! He also gave lift to three women on the way to Gangtok, for short distances, with my permission!!!

I enjoyed their peaceful attitude the most! You can see that they smile with their hearts!!!

theMAG · 4th April 2008, 18:19

How much I smile is inversely proportional to the number of ricks around me.

CorsaLove · 4th April 2008, 19:19

I keep smiling and also laughing loudly at times in my car almost all the time!!

I'm trying the Boman Irani technique from Munnabhai

mavrick · 4th April 2008, 19:33

i keep smiling whenever see my fuel meter in my ALTO

.earlier i m not when i have a ikon cos of low FE of 7-8 kmpl in city.but ikon makes me smiling whenever i m on highway.

Nitin · 4th April 2008, 20:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by CorsaLove

I keep smiling and also laughing loudly at times in my car almost all the time!!

There are two possibilites if you keep laughing that way:
1) someone will intercept your car,and have a scuffle with you - As they might get the feeling you are mocking at them.
2) The cars around you would box you in,and escort you all the way into the NIMHANS campus... for obvious reasons..

Just kidding..corsalove.

StarScream · 4th April 2008, 20:12

I try but then I start to abuse real quick!

kuttapan · 4th April 2008, 21:00

I am trying to culture this habit. Very very difficult on Bangalore roads. If you dont believe me, try muttering curses and smiling at the same time. You will know what I mean.

diabloo · 4th April 2008, 21:06

Thanks for sharing this piece about Darjeeling. I really enjoyed it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rahuldeodhar

I witnessed smiling drivers first hand in Darjeeling - almost everyone smiles at you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chevy_lover

I enjoyed their peaceful attitude the most! You can see that they smile with their hearts!!!

Nitin · 4th April 2008, 21:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by kuttapan

I am trying to culture this habit. Very very difficult on Bangalore roads. If you dont believe me, try muttering curses and smiling at the same time. You will know what I mean.

kuttapo! Thats really not possible. Driving in B'lore can make a person (with no knowledge of cuss words) come up with the best possible curses. If its a Mallu, then expect 'pullichcha therrii'..
ie, the worst possible cuss words in the malayalam language..

dr.abhijeet · 4th April 2008, 22:34

I drove in sikkim for 7 yrs, and i am still smiling.
imagine the rule"UPHILL VEHICLE HAS THE RIGHT OF WAY" with a bike going uphill and truck or bus going down hill and it is still followed.
the best most rule abiding driving place thats what sikkim is.

Rehaan · 5th April 2008, 01:02

Thats an interesting point about darjeeling!
Its kind of similar to when you wave at someone out at sea

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chevy_lover

Importance and right of way to a descending vehicle!!!

I think you meant :
Importance and right of way to a ascending vehicle!!!

cya
R

G-BoleroBoy · 5th April 2008, 09:14

Smile - that's my new year resolution (didn't last long). But i do smile at other drivers when they come on wrong side of road.. I keep driving straight and watch them struggle to squeeze themselves away - or smile at them as they are forced to make sharp turns away from my Bolero..

But now-a-days i became even more sober and stop for others to clear up before i move my Bolero forward. Smile technique surely helps.

4th April 2008, 10:24	#1
smsrini Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,115 Thanked: 426 Times View My Garage	Are you a SMILING DRIVER ? ARE YOU A SMILING DRIVER ? How many times have you wished that driving on your city roads was a more pleasant experience ? That it was less stressful. YOU CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE. SMILE at your fellow drivers, support making NAMMA Bengaluru roads better - SmilingDrivers Last edited by Rehaan : 4th April 2008 at 11:00. Reason: Link fixed!
	() Thanks

4th April 2008, 10:54	#2
Shan2nu Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Hubli - Karnata Posts: 5,533 Thanked: 125 Times View My Garage	How can you not smile when you're driving a VTEC. I'm smiling just thinking about it. LOL Shan2nu
	() Thanks

4th April 2008, 11:28	#3
rahuldeodhar BHPian Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Mumbai Posts: 86 Thanked: Once	Smiling I witnessed smiling drivers first hand in Darjeeling - almost everyone smiles at you. In Darjeeling the roads are narrow and sometime one vehicle has to back up for 100-150 meters to let other pass. Still its all done so jovially and respectfully. Its a treat. Couple of years back when I visited again - I saw a little change in attitude though - with people from the plains now driving on these ghats - the familiar hand-on-the-horn and foot on the accelerator style was visible! Alas good things don't last long. RD
	() Thanks

4th April 2008, 18:19	#5
theMAG Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Avon, CT Posts: 7,217 Thanked: 1,807 Times View My Garage	How much I smile is inversely proportional to the number of ricks around me.
	() Thanks

4th April 2008, 19:19	#6
CorsaLove BHPian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 392 Thanked: 18 Times View My Garage	I keep smiling and also laughing loudly at times in my car almost all the time!! I'm trying the Boman Irani technique from Munnabhai
	() Thanks

4th April 2008, 19:33	#7
mavrick BHPian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: New Delhi Posts: 52 Thanked: 0 Times	i keep smiling whenever see my fuel meter in my ALTO.earlier i m not when i have a ikon cos of low FE of 7-8 kmpl in city.but ikon makes me smiling whenever i m on highway.
	() Thanks

4th April 2008, 20:12	#9
StarScream Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Noida/Delhi Posts: 1,263 Thanked: 665 Times	I try but then I start to abuse real quick!
	() Thanks

4th April 2008, 21:00	#10
kuttapan Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Melbourne Posts: 1,155 Thanked: 22 Times View My Garage	I am trying to culture this habit. Very very difficult on Bangalore roads. If you dont believe me, try muttering curses and smiling at the same time. You will know what I mean.
	() Thanks

4th April 2008, 22:34	#13
dr.abhijeet BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 218 Thanked: 67 Times View My Garage	I drove in sikkim for 7 yrs, and i am still smiling. imagine the rule"UPHILL VEHICLE HAS THE RIGHT OF WAY" with a bike going uphill and truck or bus going down hill and it is still followed. the best most rule abiding driving place thats what sikkim is.
	() Thanks

5th April 2008, 09:14	#15
G-BoleroBoy BHPian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 125 Thanked: 63 Times	Smile - that's my new year resolution (didn't last long). But i do smile at other drivers when they come on wrong side of road.. I keep driving straight and watch them struggle to squeeze themselves away - or smile at them as they are forced to make sharp turns away from my Bolero.. But now-a-days i became even more sober and stop for others to clear up before i move my Bolero forward. Smile technique surely helps.
	() Thanks

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