[NPV]

For those folks who take the Thippasandra / BEML main road regularly:
A major drain is being reconstructed along this road, work commenced about 2 weeks ago and this has caused slow moving traffic, more jams and is now even more dangerous since there are more motorists on the wrong side
The road being a one way, for someone coming from the C V Raman Nagar/HAL 3rd stage side there are 2 cross roads (most commonly used) that merge near the Ganesha temple where one could turn left and then turn right to take the parallel road and proceed towards 80 feet Road/Jeevan Bima Nagar. The junctions at both these cross roads have been dug up since the drain runs below them, so one can imagine the chaos

Two other alternative cross roads are available but will mean an additional detour and we all know the patience levels motorists have, so they end up going on the wrong side and this has increased manifold now.

Sadly, cops are present almost every day in the evening, but choose to completely ignore the wrong side drivers/riders and just focus on the helmet less riders.

Even 3 weeks ago, in the mornings cops would challan wrong side riders/drivers but not anymore ?
My guess is they are lenient because of the drain work in progress, but that's leading to an even more dangerous situation now!

Just hoping that the work will be completed soon.

[HalfOctave]

I come across this stupidity daily. Don't know, if it is correct, but I make it a point to correct the stupids coming wrong way.

Showcasing one of such videos. More to follow.

http://youtu.be/ZvIa2BKo-ug

[vharihar]

Originally Posted by HalfOctave

I come across this stupidity daily. Don't know, if it is correct, but I make it a point to correct the stupids coming wrong way.

Showcasing one of such videos. More to follow.

I do the same, and have the exact same doubt in my mind!

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by HalfOctave

Showcasing one of such videos. More to follow

Actually, even this video of yours is following couple of others, from the same junction but a different direction. Here's one from my Dashcam from the same signal:

https://youtu.be/HI2FtwaV2pU

[binand]

Originally Posted by HalfOctave

I come across this stupidity daily.

Oh boy. In my nook of Bangalore, this is routine in:

OA Road signal at Marathahalli Borewell
JB Nagar Main Road + 80 ft Road signal at BSNL junction
Indira Nagar 100 ft Road + 12th Main junction
Suranjan Das Road + OA Road junction (HAL main gate)

Even worse is the wanton wrong-side driving I see every day at:

OA Road - from HP pump/Golden Towers to ISRO junction (down a bit now since flyover construction has started here)
OA Road - between Royal Orchid road and Domlur interchange, by all sorts of vehicles going into DD and other office blocks here
On IRR between Urban Ladder/EGL and Domlur interchange
The one-way from Domlur BDA complex till the TTMC signal

That is only counting my daily commute route. I just keep a sphinx-like outwardly appearance while screaming at my steering wheel with the windows up and music on. :-)

[HalfOctave]

I know that this might be happening all across Bangalore. What is even more surprising is that even BMTC buses do this. I fail to understand as to what hurry are they in.

And people do this like it is their right. Will soon upload one video where BMTC bus driver is indicating me to get aside as if I have done something wrong.

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Actually, even this video of yours is following couple of others, from the same junction but a different direction. Here's one from my Dashcam from the same signal:

This seems to be very old video. The Daily Delight is closed for ages.

Anyways, point I want to make is that people have been doing this from ages it seems.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by HalfOctave

This seems to be very old video.

Yes, very old and nearly 365 days old .

Anyways, point I want to make is that people have been doing this from ages it seems.

Exactly what I meant and hence posted this from the same junction. Honestly, I have had even worse encounters at the same junction in all 3 directions at peak hours. As of today, the tribe of wrong side drivers has only increased and they are taking things very casually that it is now a norm than something amusing.

[wildsdi5530]

This wrong side driving at Junctions is encouraged by the Bangalore Traffic Police. I've seen this in several places where the traffic cop asks you to come on the wrong side to catch the signal. This is due to the narrow roads that we have. The road divider is placed by the authorities just to create confusion. Any idiot who follows lane discipline in Bangalore will be laughed at, abused and worse beaten up. Interrupted white line, single white line, Double white line, Single yellow line, Double yellow line and physical dividers are just something you need to know if you want to get a learner's license legally.

[drive2eternity]

Coming up: Rant on BMTC !

The drivers of BMTC are the hardest lot of decipher. When I travel in a BMTC (mostly a Volvo), I notice that at every bus stop, the driver sits and waits and waits and waits, as if his Sister-in-law is about to board the bus anytime soon. Then, finally when he decides to drive, he drives like a total maniac, as if his Mother-in-law is chasing in a vehicle behind him. No lane discipline, completely bullying other road users and then ever so suddenly, out of no-where, stopping in the middle of the road, for what? You guessed it, another Sister-in-law shows her hands to stop the bus.
Add to it, sometimes he gets into a race with another BMTC, mostly on the same route. Flashing lights, blowing horns and bulldozing his way ahead.

An immediate rule which should be imposed in Bangalore is - No BMTC can overtake another BMTC unless the bus ahead has broken down.

The bus which comes first to the bus stop, finishes its business and then moves along. The ever-so-irritating behavior of trying to get ahead of a bus waiting at the bus stop blocks almost all the narrow roads here every single time !

End of Rant. Heart rate normalized. BP down. Time to work now.

[binand]

Originally Posted by drive2eternity

I notice that at every bus stop, the driver sits and waits and waits and waits [...]
Add to it, sometimes he gets into a race with another BMTC, mostly on the same route.

It is possible that BMTC has an incentive structure that rewards drivers based on the revenue they generate. That could explain this behaviour.

[aspire]

Originally Posted by binand

It is possible that BMTC has an incentive structure that rewards drivers based on the revenue they generate. That could explain this behaviour.

Yes, BMTC has an incentive program for higher ridership, this is what causes the unruly behaviour of these bus drivers.

[shatananda.k]

From this week, I am noticing a huge increase in the traffic density on ORR.
I take the BG road -> Bommanahalli -> HSR -> ORR -> Marthahalli route.

Journey that used to take less than an hour has increased to ~90 minutes.

I learnt that Oracle, Wipro, MS is shifting base to ORR, Sarjapur locations soon.
This combined with the Metro work !

[am1m]

Originally Posted by shatananda.k

From this week, I am noticing a huge increase in the traffic density on ORR.

Yes! Was going to post on this too, asking if anyone knew why! I thought leaving late from home would be the solution, but this week when I've left home between 10:30 and 11am, it's taken me about an hour by bike(!) and more than 90mins by car to cover 10km! In the evening, (post-8pm), it takes about the same time by car, but bike time is better.

Heaven help us when the Metro work really starts!

[aroonanand]

Originally Posted by drive2eternity

Coming up: Rant on BMTC !

The drivers of BMTC are the hardest lot of decipher.

An immediate rule which should be imposed in Bangalore is - No BMTC can overtake another BMTC unless the bus ahead has broken down.

The bus which comes first to the bus stop, finishes its business and then moves along. The ever-so-irritating behavior of trying to get ahead of a bus waiting at the bus stop blocks almost all the narrow roads here every single time !

End of Rant. Heart rate normalized. BP down. Time to work now.

Cant agree more.

I do 30 kms on the ORR everyday from Whitefield to Sarjapur road and leaving aside the mess due to the crazy entry into Ecoworld, most other jams will have a BMTC angle to it. Be it ISRO, Marathahalli or Bellandur, it is these jerks that block 2 lanes out of 3 (sometimes all 3) by haphazardly parking and waiting for pax, and then cutting 3 lanes to start their F1. Only way to solve this is create a barricaded bus lane which can accomodate only 1 bus and get these maniacs to drive one behind the other. And the most irritating is to see these morons try to race ahead of the pack by getting into the already-so-narrow-and-chaotic service lanes which have 2 way traffic and then block traffic behind them as these idiots cannot move forward.

And come to beat this - on ORR last morning from KR Puram to Bellandur side, there were BMTC buses on the wrong side of the service lane (i.e the right side service lane) on the Mahadevapura - ISRO stretch to beat the slow moving traffic on the main road. and they all ended up creating a real gridlock in front of Soul Space Mall below the Doddenekundi flyover.

These unruly morons must be whipped in public for every offence of theirs - that's the only way to reign them !!

[vharihar]

Originally Posted by drive2eternity

Coming up: Rant on BMTC !

The drivers of BMTC are the hardest lot of decipher. When I travel in a BMTC (mostly a Volvo), I notice that at every bus stop, the driver sits and waits and waits and waits, as if his Sister-in-law is about to board the bus anytime soon.

That was funny.

Yes, I also think this is because of an incentive system. I feel this incentive system should be taken away. Its terribly frustrating to see a BMTC bus waiting for 3-4 minutes at some bus-stops (often blocking the narrow 3-lane road and totally impervious to the traffic jam built behind them due to them). It should be like Mumbai, wait for 10-15 seconds, once everyone has boarded, just take off.

I think there may also be an *indirect* incentive system for long distance KSRTC buses, which is why some of them drive terribly slowly (and save diesel in the process). Though I'd likely to condone this behavior (I'd rather have long distance buses on the highway be driven safely than rashly)

(well, *indirect* in the sense that they're likely given a flat amount from which they purchase their own diesel; I may be wrong about KSRTC in this regard, but for TN, I did see a SETC bus I once traveled in, stop in a public diesel pump and fill diesel)

These incentives should be taken away I feel. Just a flat (perhaps larger) salary and training ought to suffice. If as an org, you cant instill discipline in your staff, then you have a problem in your hands, which even incentivising won't help.