[Memphis]

Before I begin, Moderators, this is my first new thread and though I did quite a thorough search for a similar dedicated thread and found only one specifically on Inner Ring Road http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street...-road-irr.html
If this needs to be merged or moved to a different sub-forum I would appreciate the effort. Thanks.

Getting down to business, I've been reading quite a few threads related to miserable roads and experiences like http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street...t-all-bad.html and some good ones on preventive measures like http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street...ian-roads.html

Having almost driven into a huge tree stump the other night, it got me thinking in a place like Bangalore where new crater sized potholes, giant unmarked speed breakers or medians and overnight diversions on dark dusty roads is the norm, most of us have this blueprint of the hazards on routes we use frequently in our heads in order to avoid disaster. If we put down a collection of the really dangerous ones from roads we know well, it might help the community and make for a safer and more pleasurable drive. With Bangalore road conditions I'm sure we could compile a huge list (which would need some pretty frequent updating)

Furthermore, people driving down from other places could also use it as a ready reckoner and assuming the concept works, other cities could work on their own blueprints. Assuming I still have your attention despite the lengthy intro, I'll start with my own small contribution which I shall keep adding to in the future, in the post below.

[ph03n!x]

While I agree in having a blueprint for out roads, I was in bed for 6 months (3 in hospital, 3 at home) before I could ride / drive again, that too on a road on the so-called IT highway of Chennai. I beg all BHP-ains to drive fast as you can, but only to an extent where you can stop your rides / drives at a split-second observation. It is not worth it, many would agree!

[Memphis]

Originally Posted by ph03n!x

While I agree in having a blueprint for out roads, I was in bed for 6 months (3 in hospital, 3 at home) before I could ride / drive again, that too on a road on the so-called IT highway of Chennai. I beg all BHP-ains to drive fast as you can, but only to an extent where you can stop your rides / drives at a split-second observation. It is not worth it, many would agree!

I'm sorry to hear about your accident. Please do not think the aim of this blueprint is to enable high speed driving. Quite the opposite. Just gives us a tool to take pre-emptive measures and make driving within the city safer.

For my 1st effort:

Around Cooke Town:
If you are driving down Pottery Road, the intersection with the Railway underbridge has rapidly deteriorated. Be very careful at night and also watch for vehicles coming the wrong way from both underpasses. In the last few days the larger underpass has issues with flooding as overhead water pipes have burst. Preferably use the smaller one.

If you turn left towards the old ITC factory, as the road ascends, just past the turning for Hutchins Road, there is a left curve. Be VERY careful as there is a huge tree stump on the left along the curve.
Further down, the bridge ahead is used as a free-for-all at night. Watch out for vehicles without headlights coming in and out the turnpikes on both sides.

Ulsoor:
As you pass the Gurdwara on your right, the wide road ahead has completely disintegrated. Also there is a huge unmarked barricade in the middle of the road. Keep to the extreme left, drive slow and watch out for it.

Driving from Lakeside hospital (on your right), and crossing the large roundabout if driving straight, there is another small circle. As you turn right along the main road and hit the straight, there are huge potholes on the left. Be cautious specially if coming from the other way as people don't see them till the last second and then swerve onto oncoming traffic.

Old Madras Road:
Generally OMR keeps presenting new hazards and is ill-light with plenty call center traffic movement so always exercise restraint at night. Driving from Ulsoor towards Tin Factory, the interection at Indiranagar RTO office is very dangerous. An unmarked gate is open on the left, bang at the junction, and heavy vehicles working on Namma Metro (mission 2050) swing in and out without warning. It is a blind spot, hoot and/or use lights.
The intersection with 100ft Road is also a mess. If in the right lane watch out for the median. It appears out of nowhere.
Before Bypanahalli Police Station is a Railway line, totally unmarked. Supposedly unused but sometimes late at night trains go thru, so take care.
Suggest you stay away from the median throughout that stretch as it has occassional boulders and stuff next to it.
Slow down as you reach RMZ Infinity. The intersection ahead is tiny, and the road on the left non-existent.

Cubbon Road:
If driving towards Manipal Center, the intersection for going left towards Commercial Street can be hazardous. People turning right from that side come onto the opposite end of the road so potential head-on zone. I found this true at quite a few intersections. (Another one: Indiranagar 100ft Rd, when turning left onto CMH Rd at the lights. Almost got mauled by a lorry the other day.) I tend to speed-up a bit till the Manipal signal, but the right lane now has some nasty craters so beware.

I will keep adding to the list and making changes when necessary. Guess we should try to stick to major hazards or this could go on forever. Also, maybe include major route diversions that Traffic Police informs road users about promptly (NOT!). Example: driving around Garuda Mall, etc.
Resources I normally find useful for street orientation:
Yahoo! India Maps
Roads of India - Beta
Google Maps
MapmyIndia.com Online maps, GPS Navigation, Driving Directions, Local Search

Comments, additions and feedback are most welcome. Happy driving.

[hrag]

Memphis: fantastic thread

Yeshwantpur signal (from IISc to Metro / Tumkur Road) was blocked last Saturday for construction - no idea if it has been reopened.

Shortest alternative route is to turn left from YPR signal onto Malleswaram 8th Main (extn?) and take the right just after Mysore Lamps factory - turn right after the railway gate and you will reach Kirloskar Electric factory and Metro (after turning left onto Tumkur Road).

Originally Posted by Memphis

Before Bypanahalli Police Station is a Railway line, totally unmarked. Supposedly unused but sometimes late at night trains go thru, so take care.

Not just late night. BEML uses this to transport stuff and has caused traffic jams at C V Raman Nagar in the recent past.

Witnessed this a few weeks ago. A driver crossing the track suddenly heard a loud horn and was shocked to see a locomotive engine bearing down on him.

[hrag]

The ORR under the Banaswadi overbridge has construction material strewn in the middle of the road - towards Beninganahalli. There are roadblocks but no warning lights. Those travelling towards Beninganahalli / Krishnarajapuram on the ORR from Horamavu / HBR Layout - please be very careful.

Nandidurga Road has become one-way in the opposite direction - one cannot turn into this road from Jayamahal Road.

The road behind Cantonment RS is non-existent - completely dug up. Gojer service station is not normally accessible.

[mclaren1885]

The road under the Mekhri Circle underpass has completely disintegrated. If you are heading from town towards BIAL right before you exit the underpass there is half feet drop in the road surface, and the road is mostly rough around that area. Request all to be careful there.

[hrag]

Originally Posted by hrag

Nandidurga Road has become one-way in the opposite direction - one cannot turn into this road from Jayamahal Road.

This is reversed / back to normal today . Nandidurga Road is now one-way from Jayamahal Road.

[hrag]

Originally Posted by Memphis

Ulsoor:
As you pass the Gurdwara on your right, the wide road ahead has completely disintegrated. Also there is a huge unmarked barricade in the middle of the road. Keep to the extreme left, drive slow and watch out for it.

The post by Memphis was on July 20, 2008. Nothing has changed.

[Memphis]

hrag & mclaren1885: Its great to have inputs from Senior BHPians.

My apologies for having ignored this thread for a while, unfortunately I've had to relocate from Bangalore and while I'll try and keep posting whatever I may recall and is relevant, I do hope the thread carries on.

There's plenty of Bangy I'm not familiar with and more entries would help our cause and ensure a safer drive.
Cheers!

[Zenster]

Hi Guys, real good thought there Memphis. We'll help you keep this thread alive and relevant.

Here a few points i found careful driving.

This is actually the patch of road from the KR Puram-ORR Junction going towards ITPL area. I have noticed the patch has quite a few Speed breakers and that where the issue is. Its all fine (almost) till you approach and climb up the hump, the problem arises when you are getting off it to the other side and i mean "deep" trouble (atleast till the last time i went that side-correct me if its rectified). All humps have reasonably deep pot holes around the area where the tyre should get back on te straight road and this causes the car to THUD hard on the hump if one carries reasonable momentum into the hump.I have personally hit the bottom of my Zen hard a couple of time at 10-15kmph before i started looking out for ditches very closely.

Hope this adds some value to the topic.

[hrag]

Originally Posted by Zenster

This is actually the patch of road from the KR Puram-ORR Junction going towards ITPL area. I have noticed the patch has quite a few Speed breakers and that where the issue is.

Where exactly is this patch?

[santhosh_kumard]

Nice to see such a thread. It would be wonderful if we can put our efforts in building a map where we can probably have markings on how is the road condition etc etc... ( a very vague idea and a huge effort and would need routine updation too! ).
Okay now from some contribution from my part.
The HUGGE road from "St-Johns-Hospital (Madivala) towards Koramangala-1st-Block" has delivered a couple of humps and the cat-eyes on it somedays back has vanished making it difficult to spot it. And on the same road after the Koramangala-Water-Tank the road divides into two , and both goes in same direction!!. So at that signal if you are at the centre of the waiting que towards Koramangala-1st-block/Madivala-Police-Station, please be ready to move one of the directions.

[Zenster]

@hrag: This patch start from some where before the Hoodi Circle and continues till ITPL atleast and is the same problem with all humps in that patch of road. The ditches are present in the middle of the road where the speed-breaker ends. One can steer or drive from the extreme left but then knowing that this pot-hole exists is the issue.

Also i encountered this when i been to ITPL around beginning of Dec to drop my wife to ITPL.

Like i mentioned, correct me if this is rectified.

[hrag]

Zenster, I agree that one patch used to be horrible but it has been relaid. Not exactly smooth now with the patchwork done but much much better than before.

The road from Krishnarajapuram to ITPL is quite OK now. My last trip down this road was on Tuesday morning.

[Zenster]

Originally Posted by hrag

Zenster, I agree that one patch used to be horrible but it has been relaid. Not exactly smooth now with the patchwork done but much much better than before.

The road from Krishnarajapuram to ITPL is quite OK now. My last trip down this road was on Tuesday morning.

Hey Thanks HRAG, thanks for clarifying brother. I guess i can remove that post in this thread now.