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Old 18th June 2009, 10:48   #31
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When you make the aim of a law revenue generation, it loses it meaning.
For example I have been challaned for doing 81 in a 80 zone in Delhi. Fine 400rs.
Now on that stretch(DND) I am tempted to look at the speedo instead of the road.
Is 1kmph above the speed limit more dangerous or looking at speedo instead of road more dangerous.
In the west, you get fined only if you are faster than traffic. For example if on a 60mph road everybody is doing around 70, cops will not even bother, however if some guy is zigzagging at 80, he will be nailed, because doing 70 with the traffic is very safe.
On the contrary you can get fined for hogging the right lane at 60mph in a 60mph road. If somebody is behind you, you are supposed to yield.

On the outer ring road, with 8 lanes, speed limit is 60kmph. Now how does one ensure 60kmph. Look at speedo every few seconds. If instead cops focused more on people zig zagging at 100kmph rather than challan everyone at 61kmph, that stretch will be safer, however what they do not mints more money than ensuring safety.

Coming to scientific study, the speed limits of Delhi are not what the IIT traffic safety committee deemed fit, but what the Delhi police thought right.
I wonder are they even qualified? Would you consider a medicine safe if some LLB govt official decided so instead of a research team?

Coming to the final point of accidents, its a commonly known fact that most accidents are attributed to overspeeding by police.
For example an Auto came the wrong way on the DND flyway, and met head on with a swift. People died. The cause of accident was guess what "overspeeding".
Instead of saying "we will ensure people do not drive wrong side of road", they put speed guns.

So when you have such nincompoops making laws at whim, the law loses respect, and such silly laws are responsible for our roads resembling a banana republic.
the west has faster traffic but lower accident rate. So if overspeeding was the cause of all such accidents, they should have had a much higher accident rate.

The indian road scene is full of anarchy, an in all this circus, cops are looking for an easy way out. And if the easy way out makes money why not?

If you belive speed limits are for your safety, stop kidding yourself. Overloaded trucks without tail lights and iron girdirs hanging from the back kill a lot of people, but since they pay "hafta" cops turn a blind eye. So don't think the govt cares two hoots for your safety. Only you can do so. So drive safe, try to follow speed limits for your wallets sake, and on unmonitored roads, try to drive safely. Your car may be stable at 150kmph, but it cannot save you from the tractor without headlights coming right at you like the yamdoot in the fast lane.
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Old 18th June 2009, 11:28   #32
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The OP asked why this is one of the most frequently flouted rule. Is it because we are less likely to be caught? Is it because we are all race drivers in mind?

I see a lot of outburst against buses that do 100 but not much against many of us here who regularly cruise at 140-160. Looks a bit biased to me!
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Old 18th June 2009, 15:12   #33
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Originally Posted by aaggoswami View Post
I hope some pretty serious scientific calculations are done for making a road so that it survives the monsoon. But what is the end reality ? If at all some calculations are done in any place, I am sure our roads will last longer.
I doubt that NHAI does takes steps and scientific study practically. It might be there in theory, but in am sure they are not implemented practically.
Roads are designed (when designed) quite scientifically. But in terms of durability, it is usually the execution that is not carried out as per specification. If your execution is incorrect (meaning you have just skimped on quality, quantity of material and labour), no amount of theory can help.

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Coming to the final point of accidents, its a commonly known fact that most accidents are attributed to overspeeding by police..
Agreed. In the same manner that the faster and bigger vehicle is always at fault and the moronic pedestrian / cyclist / smaller vehicle is always the innocent guy who was right all along.

Blame it on our Socialist traditions and "rich, urban gaadiwalas crushing the poor rural folk below their vehicles" mindset from the Nehruvian era. It doesn't help that leaders and kids of well-placed families create havoc and get away with it for years and years, even today. Just re-inforces the belief that if you are rich (or richer, or driving a behicle bigger than the guy you just hit) you were wrong.

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4) We will not improve even after 1000 years.
Just what I feel. Objective thinking and respecting rules are two things that are generally absent from our culture. We are emotional and we do as our emotions ask us to. Emotional, but not necessarily tolerant or sensitive to others.

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Ha ha ha, architect bhai - Ek aur timepass thread, that too from you!!
You think this thread is timepass? Go check out the Grande Punto and the May sales figures thread. I am just trying to give people a break.
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Old 2nd July 2015, 23:01   #34
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Re: Of speed limits and the responsible driver

I too feel that speed limits are more of a money making business for the cops. I mean, once on the Bangalore new airport road, I was fined for driving at 83km/h when the speed limit is actually 80. I mean seriously? 3km/h. Its just ridiculous. The cops should be more practical about it.
Also, past few weeks, I had been driving through the Electronic City Highway. For those who don't know, it is basically a 4-Lane highway with a speed limit of 80. In my opinion, its not too wide.
We have two lanes on each side. One thing I noticed was that most of the two wheelers, travelled at a speed of 60 or even 50 throughout. I really don't understand the reason behind this. Most of the two wheelers are capable of travelling at 80 nowadays. And by travelling at a speed lower than the speed limit, they're making themselves so vulnerable. Not only can they get hit by a car or a bus, they can also lose balance when a big bus overtakes them. I could feel my Alto being sucked in towards any bus which overtook me. I also saw one guy almost losing complete balance when a bus overtook him.
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Old 3rd July 2015, 12:48   #35
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Re: Of speed limits and the responsible driver

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Originally Posted by ujjjwalb View Post
..
Also, past few weeks, I had been driving through the Electronic City Highway. For those who don't know, it is basically a 4-Lane highway with a speed limit of 80. In my opinion, its not too wide.
We have two lanes on each side. One thing I noticed was that most of the two wheelers, travelled at a speed of 60 or even 50 throughout. I really don't understand the reason behind this. Most of the two wheelers are capable of travelling at 80 nowadays. And by travelling at a speed lower than the speed limit, they're making themselves so vulnerable. Not only can they get hit by a car or a bus, they can also lose balance when a big bus overtakes them. I could feel my Alto being sucked in towards any bus which overtook me. I also saw one guy almost losing complete balance when a bus overtook him.
My personal experience -
Most two wheelers tend to go slow, due to high wind on this elevated highway. Else one could go off balance quite easily. Only those with heavy rides like bullet can go beyond 60 comfortably on that highway.
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Old 3rd July 2015, 13:47   #36
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Re: Of speed limits and the responsible driver

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Originally Posted by ventoman View Post
My personal experience -
Most two wheelers tend to go slow, due to high wind on this elevated highway. Else one could go off balance quite easily. Only those with heavy rides like bullet can go beyond 60 comfortably on that highway.
I feel the crosswinds is too high on the flyover, I have to keep adjusting the steering on my Punto and that doesn't happen quite often. Two wheelers will find it much harder to balance. I think its the design, like taking a boat though a canal, with the turbulence from air displacement in this case.
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