[aaggoswami]

All we can hope is that the Indica was a cab, so all the taxi passengers are OK. What else ?

These are maniac drivers who generally dont own the cars they drive, explains the rough driving. General observation says that even if the cars are not capable of accelerating fast enough the drivers will try their best to push the car hard in its power curve, only to realize it was wrong.

I have seen diesel Ikon, the new TDCi Ikon, Innova, Indica and Tavera being driven rash and usually end up tailgating. Even on expresshighways where speeds are very high. One recent experience was with diesel Ikon and Scorpio. They were racing and ended up tailgating us. It was not untill I let them past me, then third gear 60kmph to 140 kmph, that they were quiet.

In these situations:
1) Let them pass, if we are faster, we can still get ahead of them.
2) If they are in urgency, they do have right of way, but the way of expressing this is to flash headlights and slow down, not accelerate and horn with flashing lights.
3) Maintain more than safe and necessary distance from the vehicle ahead as this would give us more space to accelerate and leave those maniac behind and if they rear end us, we dont end up in the back of the vehicle ahead.

[akshay4587]

these taxi\cab drivers are the worst drivers on road.
i recently came across such an instance when a indica turbo driver(taxi),was trying with all might to get ahead of me,and in this he was doing some stupid antics that would have harmed others on road
i had to push myself to get rid of him,since i usually dont drive fast

[HappyWheels]

And to this, you have the species, who tailgate and if you do not give way since you are trying to overtake the one in front, they come on to your left side, when you are on slightly on the right to check if an oncoming traffic is there.

If you do not notice this guy on the left, then BANG!!!

[akroy]

Although sounds simple that is first thing taught when you start to drive but when in group people tend to ignore this fact.
Some 6 years back I was told by my office cab driver that a group in 2 Esteems went to Ooty and on Nh212 while the first one takes and overtake and the other one blindly tailgating could complete the overtake and took a headon with a truck. All passengers dead.

I remembered that word when I learnt driving a year later that you should always make your own judgement while overtaking and not by the judgement of the pilot car in front.

Abhi

[greenhorn]

there is another angle to this. I was stuck behind an alto which was stuck behind a truck. there was ample oppurtunity to overtake , but the alto guy wouldnt overtake, yet kept on the right side preventing me from overtaking. Eventually after a generous dose of honking, he overtook the car. after he was done , i also started overtaking, and immediately found himself immediately in front of the truck. Thankfully I had enough speed and there wasnt anybody coming from the opposite side, so i overtook him as well. but sometimes when the guy in front is too slow, that can pose a problem.

Clevermax, though I'm not pointing fingers, and it is certainly the indica's fault, if your car had been faster, and finished overtaking the truck earlier , there was a chance he too might have survived

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by bottle

Same here , usually let impatient cars by

+1 to that. There will be oodles of time to catch up with him later.

[deepclutch]

caveat: this may be about taxi vehicles. this is not meant to hurt anybody from there.and not a generalization either.this is a rumour ,may be .
few drivers shared this with me: In kerala beware of kollam(KL-02) registered vehicles in national highways ,they tempt you to overtake and once tried ,these vehicles swerve into your side possibly panicking you ending up in a collision with the vehicle coming from opposite side.
The first thing I remembered is this after reading this thread.

[humyum]

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

+1 to that. There will be oodles of time to catch up with him later.

+ 1 to that.A tailgating car with flashing lights and horn takes a lot of your attention to the rear view mirror also you have to brake super carefully in an emergency because of this tail gating car and u might end up ramming someone in the front because of that.

Let him pass, he has a death wish to tail gate on the highway, dont get tangled in between.

[Surprise]

Originally Posted by clevermax

Moral2: Always downshift and overtake, for quicker acceleration.

This is very important.

When I was in course of overtaking, the other vehicle either picks up speed or I need to slow down due to bumpiness on the road surface, but continue to overtake. I will be in 5th or 4th gear & a heavy vehicle in opposite direction threatening to run down me. I just do not want to take my foot from acceleration pedal to get away to left side asap.

It’s scary sometimes & when I once experience downshifting to move quickly, I understood its far better to just tapping the accelerator pedal in top gears. Also this gives you room for a momentary choice to overtake or stay behind. With you in lower gears, both the options would be easy

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by clevermax

Guys,

Moral 1: Always overtake when you see enough clear stretch of road ahead, so that your car can pass.

Moral2: Always downshift and overtake, for quicker acceleration.

Moral 3: Know you car’s power; do not just follow another car while that car overtakes.

Moral 4: Do not depend on MHP – Mental horse power. It is dangerous. Only depend on the actual horses your engine has.

Good points clevermax. I too have mentioned about point numbers 1 and 3 in my travelogue of Dec, 2007. We just cannot afford to have the 'herd-mentality' of city-driving while overtaking on a highway.

Originally Posted by anantnehru

Not wanting to hijack your thread but have seen and felt the result in a similar case.----
I dont know why people drive the way they do, on a colony/crowded market road. It's just inexplicable.

I agree. Feel sorry for the old lady too. Another reason could be that the lady in the Alto took a U-turn without enough precautions---most ladies take things for granted. Agreed, the Toyota should not have been driving that fast.

Originally Posted by HappyWheels

And to this, you have the species, who tailgate and if you do not give way since you are trying to overtake the one in front, they come on to your left side, when you are on slightly on the right to check if an oncoming traffic is there.

If you do not notice this guy on the left, then BANG!!!

There are many such morons in Hyderabad. I was in a similar boat last week---I was about to overtake a slow-moving truck and veered right to look for oncoming traffic. Since I spotted an auto coming, I wanted to veer back to the left, but found a moron in an Esteem already there.

However I had enough space to avoid the opp vehicle and kept following the truck, parallel to the Esteem. I could spot an obstruction to the left of the road ahead. So I inched a bit closer to the truck, and when it veered right to avoid the obstruction, I stuck to my position, forcing the Esteem to stop. This is one way of teaching such suckers.

[kannan666]

From experience, have always found it safer for myself to let the faster car through ! Leaves me to then concentrate on what's ahead instead of getting bothered by what's happening behind me !

[DieselFan]

My major worry about Indica taxis tailgating me is about their ability to brake. Most of these taxis are running on BALD tyres and their stopping distance is almost 25-30% more than your car hence we should just give way to them and avoid damage to the rear of our car.

My two cents on this topic of Indica taxis.

[anantnehru]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

I agree. Feel sorry for the old lady too. Another reason could be that the lady in the Alto took a U-turn without enough precautions---most ladies take things for granted. Agreed, the Toyota should not have been driving that fast.

No no think you got it wrong. There was a family in the Alto and an old lady was walking by my car when the Alto hit my car. She essentially got squashed between my parked car and the Alto which was hit by the Corolla. Plus the Alto guy had been waiting there for a bit, and the auto stopped to let him go.

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by rippergeo

Please note- if the "underpowered car is catching up with you after you get away from him 2 or 3 times, its better you let him pass because he's probably travelling at a higher average speed than you, OR he's really crazy/drunk

Amen!

Originally Posted by rippergeo

BTW- the indica can match a palio 1.2 in acceleration if driven properly

Doesnt have to try very hard, really - unless its one of those beat-up taxis that have done a couple of hundred thousand kms.

@ hrag - Classic stuff!

[kannan666]

Originally Posted by DieselFan

My major worry about Indica taxis tailgating me is about their ability to brake. Most of these taxis are running on BALD tyres and their stopping distance is almost 25-30% more than your car hence we should just give way to them and avoid damage to the rear of our car.

My two cents on this topic of Indica taxis.

Good point DieselFan ! Sometimes I'm scared to brake really hard when the situation demands just for this reason ! I guess the better way to drive is not to get into such a situation in the first place which demands instant deceleration !