[aargee]

Originally Posted by Cheeronwheels

I think we need more patience in this case. We need to understand that India is the second largest populated nation of the world. Many corners of our country are not aware of traffic rules and regulations. If there is a path, people will walk thru it, until and unless someone call them and tell them not to walk. We can change this situation only continoulsy educating and guiding the public to better practices.

We need enough traffic police to implement laws first, or to guide passengers to the right traffic practices. Once efforts for these are started, it would be better to think of punishments and actions.

Sorry, I beg to differ, we're talking here about the cities, literates & where there are proper signs. Japan is a country with limited land space with high density of population, but still, we don't see such things there.

Two weeks back I see this incident at about 16:30, a Swaraj Mazda with head lights switched ON coming from right side of the road at a working traffic signal junction (at Porur signal) to merge to left side where there's a sergant & few traffic constables. The cops didn't seem to care about this traffic violence. So why does this happen? Every day, at every moment in a signal I see no one standing behind the stop line; occasionally I also get involved in heated argument with the fellow riders when I stop behind the stop line & not to mention the loud "honks" when they see the waiting time is less than 5 seconds. A month back, a Pulsar guy breaks my rear indicator & apologizes for not seeing me waiting at the signal.

IMHO, this happens not because of lack of awareness, but out of carelessness & impatience; the impatient riders are also the impatient walkers.

PS - all these little incidents have occurred in Chennai & not at any remote corner of this country & that has well proper sign boards & working traffic signal lights.

[shankar.balan]

maybe we should also talk about Jay-biking, Jay-driving and Jay-parking as well - considering the way people ride their bikes and drive their cars, autos and other vehicles as well as park them these days.

I ve seen motorbikes being ridden along the pavement many many times in Bangalore - as it is the roads are choked and the pavements are also choked with construction debris, parked vehicles, rubbish and the like - so where will the poor pedestrian go?

[aargee]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

maybe we should also talk about Jay-biking, Jay-driving and Jay-parking as well - considering the way people ride their bikes and drive their cars, autos and other vehicles as well as park them these days.

I ve seen motorbikes being ridden along the pavement many many times in Bangalore - as it is the roads are choked and the pavements are also choked with construction debris, parked vehicles, rubbish and the like - so where will the poor pedestrian go?

+1 to that, anything done out of mind is insane whether riding/driving or walking.

[prince_pervez]

^^ Correct anything that is done w/o concern for other users and blatant abuse of the law is 'Jay'. And anything that is Jay should be penalised. Hence put an end to the Chalta hain attitude.

[Digvj]

Today i was just driving to office and taking a slight left turn with a single lane moving traffic(due to delhi metro construction) at a speed of about 10-15 kmph as i was approaching a narrow stretch and suddenly a lady steps who was trying to cross the road comes just in front of my car . Not to mention that i stopped just in time to avoid hitting her and next thing i hear the person behind me driving in his brand new alto(with temporary registration) bumped his care into mine. I stopped and parked the car on the side to not obstruct the ongoing traffic and apologized to the gentleman that it was the pedestrian who made me brake all of sudden. Although i knew that as a thumb rule its one's responsibility to maintain safe distance from the car moving ahead. Anyhow he acknowledged that he did saw the pedestrian and was trying to explain that my bumper had just a lock broken and can be fixed but at the same time asking if his car got any damaged. Any way i had no intention to make an issue out of the whole situation as i know the main culprit was the pedestrian (who btw crossed the road and disappeared in no time) and also the driver following me should have been more careful. Well i thank god that nothing major happened, but i felt disgusted about carelessness of people walking on the roads.

[_abhishek]

Jaywalking on expressway is a very dangerous thing.
Hosur road has become awesome road now and the average speed of traffic flowing in this road is 70kph. The department has taken enough care in constructing pedestrian subways at major junctions. But the locals turn a blind eye on this and tend to cross the road by jumping the barricades.

They dont realise that the vehicle will be approaching them faster than they think. They(esp women) sport a no care attitude. They know if the driver want to go safe then he will have to slow down the vehicle to let her pass. Have experienced this first hand.

Some measures have to be taken by Police to control this.

[zaks]

Our people are a bunch of morons in road manners, that apart we cannot apply this rule in isolation since it implies that the alternatives are taken care off. They aren't.

[sijuko]

I strongly believe Jaywalking should be punished or fined

[newinthomas73]

I agree traffic violators should be punished.

It appears that the only ones who are not bound by any traffic rules are the pedestrians and cyclists.

Has anyone heard of a pedestrian being fined for crossing a road when his signal is red?/ when the signal is green for vehicles to pass? Talking on a mobilephone while crossing a road? Jumping in front of moving vehicles?

[rjstyles69]

Originally Posted by newinthomas73

Has anyone heard of a pedestrian being fined for crossing a road when his signal is red?/ when the signal is green for vehicles to pass? Talking on a mobilephone while crossing a road? Jumping in front of moving vehicles?

In a country like India its next to impossible to prosecute a pedestrian or a cyclist for any kind of offense. They always get away and I doubt if there was ever a case registered against anyone on the same lines.

[WDM007]

I've never seen any pedestrian seriously using Zebra-Crossings.
And what about cattles, dogs, pigs, pigeons etc using the roads ? What is the fine for them ?

[Technocrat]

What?? Traffic Offenses for pedestrians?? in India???

Read this Thread Here

To quote the media report:

Mumbai: In a significant judgement, the Bombay High Court has held that in case of an accident even if a pedestrian is negligent while crossing road, the driver of the vehicle is liable to pay the compensation to him or his family members.

The mere fact that the pedestrian had not used the Zebra crossing cannot absolve the driver of the car from payment of compensation, ruled Justice Nishita Mhatre recently.

[rpads1]

I have seen cases of policemen threatening of fines for jaywalking opposite chennai central station.
however I would not agree with straight comparisons with the west. Note the population is very high. Pedestrians have to walk long distances to actually reach a zebra crossing , if something like that exists. Its easy to drive a long way and come back but, walking in the hot sun, is a big ordeal.
How can you justify a pedestrian forced to climb 20 feet of stairs up and then down on the other side, takes a lot of effor. Is it not fair to ask that vehicles do the same instead.
In the west footpaths are present , walking lanes exist and pedestrain crossing are all over to help pedestrians.
Have a visit to Rome and you might see the same chaos there.

[MX6]

In Pune, Pedestrians have a strange habit. I see no one crossing when it's red for me. The moment it's green and I amble along, I see atleast 7 or 8 trying to run across. Once a women came running with her husband. I was half way across the junction and had to stop though traffic behind me started blaring their horns. Her husband was reluctant to cross, but she not only dragged him, but also came and banged my bonnet with her hand asking me to stop.
I pointed at the signal to her. She started abusing me with amazing gaali in hindi and marathi.
I borrow Smart Cat's curse. Wish such people are born as lizards in their next birth. To add to it my creativity, wish such people are born as lizards in their next birth in vagamon and are beaten to death by locals for intruding in to the resort.

@rpads

I empathise with poor facilities for pedestrians. But I don't buy the idea of flights of stairs or hot sun. Ask them to carry an umbrella.
In pune, they recently collected 2 lakh rs fine from scores of motorists stopping on zebra crossing. Common ire from fined motorists was this: Where exactly do you want us to stop? Pedestrians cross the road at all places except the zebra crossing! Can't blame the motorists completely you see. they do have a point.

[aargee]

Forget the sun, heat & traffic; every morning between 7:00-7:30 AM when there're less than 20-30 vehicles & where one can cruise easily in 70Kmph on broad four lane state highway, I still see people jumping signals, don't yield for pedestrians, driving on both the lanes & bus drivers trying to ensure no one passes them when they stop at bus stops.

It will take another 2-3 decades to stop all these provided strict measures are taken right today as all these are mixed along with attitude & blood of every Indian.