[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by Tejas@perioimpl

I'm really sick of things i am seeing. Why can't bikers wear helmets! What are the thinking?!!!

Why can't Passengers on bikes wear helmets; whatever age they are?

Originally Posted by pras.oct25

Also I absolutely dread driving near people treating their bikes like mini vans with a kid on the tank and a kid hanging on for real life from the mom's neck and what not. If they cant afford a car, then take the bus, else join a circus. Dont put everyone at risk for the sake of saving money.

Absolutely. Yet, even here I have seen it said that we should understand that they travel like this because of economic necessity. It should be stoped.

Originally Posted by Tejas@perioimpl

... Or we need camera's at every major signal atleast and start shooting of traffic violation tickets like they do in the UK. This will be the only solution i think.

The Brits have got a real thing about speed cameras, and exceeeding the speed limit by even a little can prove very expensive. A considerable number of people consider that they are just fund raisers (they earn a huge amount in fines) and contribute little or nothing to road safety. Cameras for infringing red signals, however, is something that I broadly support. There is no excuse for ignoring them.

[aaggoswami]

Originally Posted by Tejas@perioimpl

I'm really sick of things i am seeing. Why can't bikers wear helmets! What are the thinking?!!!

Why can't signals be on on major intersections?!!! Can't we as a community start an online petition to get this implemented???

Tejas, its sad to witness an accident with this intensity and frequency.

Are you sure that even if the signals are on people will stop if a cop is not there. I have been rear ended at more than one junction ( now ) if I stop at a junction that has the signals ON but no traffic cop. People wont stop. And the recent rear ending incidences happened to me during day time.
I was on bike and a lady in Elantra CRDi talking on phone rear ends me. Thankfully the elantra braked or else I would be under the public transport bus in front of me and my parents would be crying in front of my dead body.

Its all about discipline that comes from within the core of human beings. Indian culture has gone from bad to worse. These accidents prove and show to the world what in reality majority of India is and what is their thinking pattern. I think the hapazard parking itself is proof enough of lack of good moral thinking. Nothing can help except the common man himself.

[mmmjgm]

Tejas, I have crossed that signal for the past 29 years in a car on the driver's seat and yet to see an accident there.

On the other hand, Hiranandani internal roads at midnight do not have much traffic we have a lot of nakabandis cos cops want to make money here due to dumpers using this road.

They are there to just make money,

Mate its a phase of bad luck going on. Do get driven around, its safer.
Cheers
M M

[sameel]

no use in Traffic lights. Use your commom sense
this is INDIA and not UAE to follow all the traffic rules. there a proper system is there. here Most of the truck walla people are less educated. so dont bother. and yes. to hel;l with right of way. the Indigo fellow should have slowed down! end of story he is in a car. and hasnt got anything to loose. whereas the biker guy is at more danger . i slow down at each junction provided there is no truck guys behind me..

[Bubby]

I feel specifically during the night driving a GREEN signal is more dangerous.

By looking at GREEN signal all that comes into our mind is, lets accelerate and cross the signal before it turns RED and this is when we might meet up a moron friend of ours trying to cruise on a RED signal from the other side.

So the key is dont trust the GREEN signals, more so during the night

[Blur]

Tejas, another bad smash near u eh? I hope the lady recovers fine, and your testimony helps in getting the heat off the Indigo guy.

About your suggestion of having all signals on 24x7, I had discussed something similar (more like my ignorance about the same) in my thread http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street...als-night.html

Honestly, I do not think having all signals on 24x7 will be enough. You have to educate people about this concept. Most people are plain ignorant (like I was). And being a fellow Mumbaikar, you will be more than aware that quite a few just don't give a f**k. How many times we see people (esp bikers and autos) running a red light in broad daylight knowing there's no traffic cop around? I have had more than my fair share of narrow misses with such morons.

These days at signals, during day or night, I make it a point to never push too hard. And I always check the oncoming lanes for stuntmen.

[Thad E Ginathom]

This from my UK driving lessons...

Instructor: What does a green signal mean?

Me: Go!

Instructor: No!

Me: Confused!

Instructor: A green signal means go if it is clear and safe to do so.

Well, OK, if you ask me if every UK driver slows down to look and check before crossing a green, no, of course we don't, but a good, well-trained UK driver most certainly treats a signal-controlled junction as a hazard, even when his signal is green. We don't have cameras on every signal, and we do have the occasional idiot who ignores them. Then there's police, fire, ambulance, who might cross a red.

[Lalvaz]

I agree with Tejas that we at Team BHP must take the initiative to make a difference. Keeping signals on 24/7 for important junctions and accident prone spots are an excellent idea and it would be inexcusable if we fail to learn from past accidents.

What is the way to impress on the Traffic police the need to change the timings of operating the signals at these spots? Any suggestions people?

[straightdrive]

Originally Posted by Lalvaz

...............Keeping signals on 24/7 for important junctions and accident prone spots are an excellent idea.......
What is the way to impress on the Traffic police the need to change the timings of operating the signals at these spots? Any suggestions people?

As a couple of people have pointed out already in this thread, keeping signals on 24/7 will work when people are willing to follow the signals 24/7. Am sure some of you have been in situations where you stop for a red light at midnight, start to move forward when it turns green and find yourself braking again for guys breaking their signals and by the time they are gone, your signal is red again. At those times, it can be difficult to stay civic minded.

Have met people who believe vehicles are exempted from abiding by signals between 11pm and 6 am and signals that are on between these times are only on because the cops forgot to switch them off.

In my humble opinion, along with impressing on the traffic police that it's important to keep major signals on 24/7, what's also needed is impressing on them the fact that it is important to use the dhanda more effectively on people who break signals (like Rs.500/- official fine instead of Rs.50/- chai pani). I believe the change is starting - I read some posts about cameras being on throughout the night at signals in Chennai.

A change from the public themselves will probably take more time. Tejas made a good point when he said that even if two people stop at a signal at night some others will be forced to stop.

Slightly . In Hyderabad, there was this concept of the 1st of every month being road safety day with volunteers trying to educate people about traffic rules - have seen them at signals but don't know if it is still on. And I just read a newspaper article about a guy in Hyderabad who, on his own initiative, started regulating traffic on some busy stretches, persisted in spite of being laughed at/ignored by many and is getting a better reaction now. Reading about these guys makes me feel guilty that there isn't much I do about these things apart from talking.

[lordofgondor]

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

Its all about discipline that comes from within the core of human beings. Indian culture has gone from bad to worse.

Bang on target bro. People have forgotten that Indian culture had (in past has) tolerance (pehle aap), compassion & care for fellow countrymen as few of its pillars. Now it's just me me me, and more of me. Downright depressing :(

Originally Posted by sameel

this is INDIA and not UAE to follow all the traffic rules. there a proper system is there. here Most of the truck walla people are less educated. so dont bother. and yes. to hel;l with right of way. the Indigo fellow should have slowed down! end of story he is in a car. and hasnt got anything to loose. whereas the biker guy is at more danger . i slow down at each junction provided there is no truck guys behind me..

I am sorry if I sound offensive/rude bro (nothing like that intended), but isn't this the exact attitude that's causing the problem. Not bothering about the system cause no one else bothers. I know it's hard & frustrating to do things right when no one else is, but I have tried that and have seen some fruitful results. Feels good.

Originally Posted by Blur

You have to educate people about this concept. Most people are plain ignorant (like I was). And being a fellow Mumbaikar, you will be more than aware that quite a few just don't give a f**k. How many times we see people (esp bikers and autos) running a red light in broad daylight knowing there's no traffic cop around? I have had more than my fair share of narrow misses with such morons.

What I feel is that people need to have a fear of the law. Only then would they start following rules. Right now, anyone with enough money/contacts can go scot-free for offense(s) of any magnitude. But for law enforcement of that level, I think we need couple of centuries.

[harry10]

Another one!
So did the cops believed you that Indigo was not at fault or they tried milking money from him (as usual)?
Whats the status of that lady now?
As for signals at night or day- there will always be people who will obey and not obey. Even if its green watch all the 4 corners and then move ahead, dont be at such a speed that you cant do emergency braking. Your safety is in your own hand. wasting 2-3 mins stopping at a signal is always the best deal than wasting your whole life. Think about it.

[Tejas@perioimpl]

Originally Posted by harry10

Another one!
So did the cops believed you that Indigo was not at fault or they tried milking money from him (as usual)?
Whats the status of that lady now?

Apparently 4 others also said it was the biker's fault and also there was a police marshal patrol bike behind the car who said that the indigo was right.
So they haven't really bothered him (guessing and hoping).
I guess the lady is alright (i'm presuming) since i have not heard from the cops. In case there was bad news, i'm sure i would have been contacted. This time i didn't bother to go to the police station to do a follow-up.

[harry10]

Hmm. Once bitten twice shy!
The Indigo guy was fortunate to have so many witnesses.

[DHABHAR.BEHRAM]

I stop at red signals, day or night, period. But in the dead of nght, I gradually move to the left side of the road and then stop to allow the other morons to break the signal because I know that they will break it. What else to do? A particularly nasty signal is the Godrej factory on Eastern Express Highway very early in the morning when I drive to Nasik in my Scorpio. I am scared to go through and I do it very carefully. Sorry to state but there is no shortage of absolute morons in Mumbai.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

[apachelongbow]

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM

I stop at red signals, day or night, period. But in the dead of nght, I gradually move to the left side of the road and then stop to allow the other morons to break the signal because I know that they will break it. What else to do? A particularly nasty signal is the Godrej factory on Eastern Express Highway very early in the morning when I drive to Nasik in my Scorpio. I am scared to go through and I do it very carefully. Sorry to state but there is no shortage of absolute morons in Mumbai.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

Yeah I know of that signal, one needs to be very careful there. On the other hand.. is Mumbai Nasik highway not the most dangerous places to drive on?