My say on West Bengal traffic

esteemer · 1st July 2009, 21:30

I wanted to post this from a long time, but couldn't do so for my exams were going on. So here it goes..
This thread is "my rant on west bengal traffic". Have been noticing this ever since we shifted to Haldia from Jamnagar, Gujarat. Though I may not be old enough to say this, butttt drivers here have no driving sense at all......(my personal view).
I cant even decide where to start from. Ok, there goes the list...
1. Firstly, the bus drivers think like they own the road. Apart from being almost always dangerously overloaded, the buses are driven at speeds which aren't considered safe even for sedans here. NH41 has a lot of "diversions", thanks to incomplete road construction

. These drivers take these turns at insanely high speeds, while leaving no space for the oncoming vehicle to pass. Their common way to overtake:

Somehow, anyhow they'll pull up by your vehicle, even if you are running at a much higher speed than them. And then they start honking like mad for you to make some space for them so that they don't collide with the oncoming vehicle.Then they keep on repeating the process till they have pissed off as many people as they have hair on their well oiled scalps.....

2. None of the drivers drive with the low beam neither in the city nor on the highway.Result, you've got to slow down so as to make sure you are on the right track and are not about to jump off a cliff, thanks to the glare.

3. "No one wants to stop". This incident happened today while returning back from Kharagpur to Haldia. Our car had to be brought to standstill from a speed of about 80km/hr just because a truck had broken down on the far side of the road. The bus driver behind him decided to overtake him without looking out for oncoming vehicles, as usual. He wasn't willing to brake even when he saw the long line of oncoming vehicles and continued on with his maneouvre while coming dangerously close to us.

Many other factors add up to the nuisance like:
1) People having evening walks on the roads which they cinsider their Angans.
2) Pathetic condition of roads in some parts.
3) Cows and goats roaming around looking for lunch meadows.....( What angers me is that if you happen to harm these goats or cows, even if it's none of your mistake, you have to pay up for seven generations of the breed

).

The list goes on and on....
What say people??
PS: All of this is my personal opinion and everyone may not agree with me. So, no offence to anyone's opinion in any way is meant here.
PS2: Thanks for patiently reading all this.

simply_sunny001 · 1st July 2009, 22:13

This is the case with whole of India not just WB so i am not sure if you are comparing the situation with some other place.

And its totally unfortunate as India has very HIGH Accident deaths every year and unless untill people dont learn to drive with rules and respect other human beings too, things are not going to change.

Of course, Govt can also help improving the situation by increasing the

Road Safety Awareness programmes
Better Transport Infrastructure
Stricter rules in dealing with Traffic Rules breakers

esteemer · 2nd July 2009, 06:23

Yes that's pretty much what I wanted to say. Driving sense is lacking all over all over India, but I found Gujarat and U.P. much better than here.
Government needs to do its job, but at the end it is the drivers who have to learn discipline.

BlackPearl · 2nd July 2009, 09:56

I have travelled to many places in India and have not found much difference anywhere on the highways. So I am not sure which place you are comparing to. I have not been to Gujarat, but I have been to U.P and cannot agree with you that it is a better place to drive than West Bengal. The most disciplined drivers in India IMO are those of the hill stations.

suman · 2nd July 2009, 10:03

Esteemer, take a vacation. Come to the NCR. Trust me, you'll go back feeling that West Bengal is heaven

.

At least the average speeds are lower in WB compared to this neck of the woods (from what I remember). Here, it is a cocktail of complete idiocy, lack of driving skills & high speed.

gd1418 · 2nd July 2009, 12:57

Esteemer, I invite you to drive for a few hours each in the following cities - Ghazibad, Faridabad, NOIDA & Old Gurgaon.

You'll have a change of heart & opinion. You'll sing paens of praise of traffic elsewhere in the country...

jkdas · 2nd July 2009, 14:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by suman

Esteemer, take a vacation. Come to the NCR. Trust me, you'll go back feeling that West Bengal is heaven

.

At least the average speeds are lower in WB compared to this neck of the woods (from what I remember). Here, it is a cocktail of complete idiocy, lack of driving skills & high speed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gd1418

Esteemer, I invite you to drive for a few hours each in the following cities - Ghazibad, Faridabad, NOIDA & Old Gurgaon.

You'll have a change of heart & opinion. You'll sing paens of praise of traffic elsewhere in the country...

Not fair

you two drive trucks

thebagchi · 2nd July 2009, 14:11

ok you have experienced NH41
try NH34 next time.
Day Driving and Night Driving both are unique experiences over NH34

esteem_lover · 2nd July 2009, 14:21

@esteemer, situation is not much different elsewhere in India. We are all like that only. But I must admit that there has been a lot of change in the last 2-3 years.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkdas

Not fair

you two drive trucks

Totally unfair, you drive one too.

esteemer · 2nd July 2009, 14:52

Yes, but we were in Lucknow about 2 yrs back, and that is what i am comparing West Bengal to. The situation might have changed now....(my bad. should have mentioned it earlier)
My reaction is like this because for the first time, I have seen such scary driving. I have way to go before I can comment on the driving conditions of the whole of India. You see, I am in class 9 right now, boards are approaching fast, so no vacations

.

Sudipto-S-Team · 2nd July 2009, 15:15

Slightly off topic - but do you actually drive?? If you are in class nine and you haven't failed like several times you should be around 14/15. Not the right age to be driving. I don't think team-bhp officially approves this.
Sudipto

suman · 2nd July 2009, 15:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sudipto-S-Team

Slightly off topic - but do you actually drive?? If you are in class nine and you haven't failed like several times you should be around 14/15. Not the right age to be driving. I don't think team-bhp officially approves this.
Sudipto

Well, he hasn't said that he drives, its just his observations (as a passenger) on the way people drive that he's put down. And he did mention this.......

Quote:

Originally Posted by esteemer

Though I may not be old enough to say this, butttt drivers here have no driving sense at all......(my personal view).

Sudipto-S-Team · 2nd July 2009, 16:20

Suman
I also noticed that he has not mentioned anywhere that he drives. I made the inference from his signature. I might be wrong. I would love to be proved wrong.
Sudipto

esteemer · 2nd July 2009, 16:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sudipto-S-Team

Suman
I also noticed that he has not mentioned anywhere that he drives. I made the inference from his signature. I might be wrong. I would love to be proved wrong.
Sudipto

Here I am to prove you wrong.

I recently learnt driving, that too I drive very occasionally and I drive only in our towbship which has equivalent to NIL cars. I know I am not of enough age and hence am waiting for the day when I turn eighteen, the day i will be allowed by my parents to cross those forbidding and spoilsport gates of the township, straight to the highway world........

.
I clarify that I DO NOT drive any car. The signature just shows the cars my parents own and we, our family love.

Dry Ice · 2nd July 2009, 17:49

Absolutely totally agree with Suman and gd1418 on the NCR bit. People follow rules only if they see a Cop!!

1st July 2009, 21:30	#1
esteemer BHPian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: New Delhi Posts: 139 Thanked: 25 Times	My say on West Bengal traffic I wanted to post this from a long time, but couldn't do so for my exams were going on. So here it goes.. This thread is "my rant on west bengal traffic". Have been noticing this ever since we shifted to Haldia from Jamnagar, Gujarat. Though I may not be old enough to say this, butttt drivers here have no driving sense at all......(my personal view). I cant even decide where to start from. Ok, there goes the list... 1. Firstly, the bus drivers think like they own the road. Apart from being almost always dangerously overloaded, the buses are driven at speeds which aren't considered safe even for sedans here. NH41 has a lot of "diversions", thanks to incomplete road construction. These drivers take these turns at insanely high speeds, while leaving no space for the oncoming vehicle to pass. Their common way to overtake: Somehow, anyhow they'll pull up by your vehicle, even if you are running at a much higher speed than them. And then they start honking like mad for you to make some space for them so that they don't collide with the oncoming vehicle.Then they keep on repeating the process till they have pissed off as many people as they have hair on their well oiled scalps..... 2. None of the drivers drive with the low beam neither in the city nor on the highway.Result, you've got to slow down so as to make sure you are on the right track and are not about to jump off a cliff, thanks to the glare. 3. "No one wants to stop". This incident happened today while returning back from Kharagpur to Haldia. Our car had to be brought to standstill from a speed of about 80km/hr just because a truck had broken down on the far side of the road. The bus driver behind him decided to overtake him without looking out for oncoming vehicles, as usual. He wasn't willing to brake even when he saw the long line of oncoming vehicles and continued on with his maneouvre while coming dangerously close to us. Many other factors add up to the nuisance like: 1) People having evening walks on the roads which they cinsider their Angans. 2) Pathetic condition of roads in some parts. 3) Cows and goats roaming around looking for lunch meadows.....( What angers me is that if you happen to harm these goats or cows, even if it's none of your mistake, you have to pay up for seven generations of the breed). The list goes on and on.... What say people?? PS: All of this is my personal opinion and everyone may not agree with me. So, no offence to anyone's opinion in any way is meant here. PS2: Thanks for patiently reading all this.
	(1) Thanks

1st July 2009, 22:13	#2
simply_sunny001 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: London & Rohtak Posts: 1,340 Thanked: 18 Times View My Garage	This is the case with whole of India not just WB so i am not sure if you are comparing the situation with some other place. And its totally unfortunate as India has very HIGH Accident deaths every year and unless untill people dont learn to drive with rules and respect other human beings too, things are not going to change. Of course, Govt can also help improving the situation by increasing the Road Safety Awareness programmes Better Transport Infrastructure Stricter rules in dealing with Traffic Rules breakers
	() Thanks

2nd July 2009, 06:23	#3
esteemer BHPian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: New Delhi Posts: 139 Thanked: 25 Times	Yes that's pretty much what I wanted to say. Driving sense is lacking all over all over India, but I found Gujarat and U.P. much better than here. Government needs to do its job, but at the end it is the drivers who have to learn discipline.
	() Thanks

2nd July 2009, 09:56	#4
BlackPearl Team-BHP Support Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Calcutta/London Posts: 3,606 Thanked: 16,987 Times View My Garage	I have travelled to many places in India and have not found much difference anywhere on the highways. So I am not sure which place you are comparing to. I have not been to Gujarat, but I have been to U.P and cannot agree with you that it is a better place to drive than West Bengal. The most disciplined drivers in India IMO are those of the hill stations.
	() Thanks

2nd July 2009, 10:03	#5
suman Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Kolkata Posts: 4,589 Thanked: 279 Times View My Garage	Esteemer, take a vacation. Come to the NCR. Trust me, you'll go back feeling that West Bengal is heaven. At least the average speeds are lower in WB compared to this neck of the woods (from what I remember). Here, it is a cocktail of complete idiocy, lack of driving skills & high speed. Last edited by suman : 2nd July 2009 at 10:04.
	() Thanks

2nd July 2009, 12:57	#6
gd1418 Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 3,578 Thanked: 728 Times View My Garage	Esteemer, I invite you to drive for a few hours each in the following cities - Ghazibad, Faridabad, NOIDA & Old Gurgaon. You'll have a change of heart & opinion. You'll sing paens of praise of traffic elsewhere in the country...
	() Thanks

2nd July 2009, 14:11	#8
thebagchi BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Kolkata Posts: 92 Thanked: 3 Times	ok you have experienced NH41 try NH34 next time. Day Driving and Night Driving both are unique experiences over NH34
	() Thanks

2nd July 2009, 14:52	#10
esteemer BHPian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: New Delhi Posts: 139 Thanked: 25 Times	Yes, but we were in Lucknow about 2 yrs back, and that is what i am comparing West Bengal to. The situation might have changed now....(my bad. should have mentioned it earlier) My reaction is like this because for the first time, I have seen such scary driving. I have way to go before I can comment on the driving conditions of the whole of India. You see, I am in class 9 right now, boards are approaching fast, so no vacations.
	() Thanks

2nd July 2009, 15:15	#11
Sudipto-S-Team Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Kolkata Posts: 1,320 Thanked: 290 Times View My Garage	Slightly off topic - but do you actually drive?? If you are in class nine and you haven't failed like several times you should be around 14/15. Not the right age to be driving. I don't think team-bhp officially approves this. Sudipto
	() Thanks

2nd July 2009, 16:20	#13
Sudipto-S-Team Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Kolkata Posts: 1,320 Thanked: 290 Times View My Garage	Suman I also noticed that he has not mentioned anywhere that he drives. I made the inference from his signature. I might be wrong. I would love to be proved wrong. Sudipto
	() Thanks

2nd July 2009, 17:49	#15
Dry Ice Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: -- Posts: 3,550 Thanked: 7,243 Times	Absolutely totally agree with Suman and gd1418 on the NCR bit. People follow rules only if they see a Cop!!
	() Thanks