[PreludeSH]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

They 'earn' a lot more with status quo, and it's all in-house so no accountability to anyone either. Whoever is put in power has the incentive to maintain it, even if they campaign and win on 'ending corruption'. The irony!

The only way to eliminate poll delays is to trigger automatic polls when current terms end, and anyone causing a delay is prosecuted for obstruction.

I love to daydream.

Don't know why courts are selective in being strict. Everyone knows the delaying tactics yet no one is accounted.

Just look at a star's bail approved for medical condition. Its now for filming. From local only movement its now permission to move over entire country

People's hope on that last option is also under doubt.

[ValarMorghulis]

Originally Posted by PreludeSH

Don't know why courts are selective in being strict. ...

Oh don't get me started. The Indian judiciary is one of the biggest black boxes in the history of this country with zero accountability.

We can't discuss it on this forum, lest it open a veritable Pandora's box.

[sparks4077]

If only there was a festival everyday in Bangalore, driving would have been such bliss. 30 mins today from Sarjapur Road to Hoodi metro station

[nova.19_exe]

Originally Posted by sparks4077

If only there was a festival everyday in Bangalore, driving would have been such bliss. 30 mins today from Sarjapur Road to Hoodi metro station

Arey?? It took me 20 mins from Rameshwaram Cafe Signal to go to Seetharampalya Metro Station at around 12:40PM yesterday. Crazy traffic. I started sweating inside my helmet.

SAP Labs road was entirely stuck. No movement whatsoever. What has the city come to?

[nagr22]

Originally Posted by nova.19_exe

Arey?? It took me 20 mins from Rameshwaram Cafe Signal to go to Seetharampalya Metro Station at around 12:40PM yesterday. Crazy traffic. I started sweating inside my helmet.

SAP Labs road was entirely stuck. No movement whatsoever. What has the city come to?

This particular stretch was choked due to the holi celebration organized at Radha hometel and/Fortune hotel located on this road. There was a huge crowd and the parking in the hotels were full so people decided to park their vehicles on the street opposite SAP which choked the entire stretch. Few intelligent vehicles (including cars) decided to drive on the wrong side and the traffic cops seemed to be encouraging it as well. This was going on from around 12 PM till 6.30 PM and ensured that the celebration of holi festival was spilled over to Google maps too (well, usually Google maps will show deep red in this route but thanks to yesterday's festival it was a colorful mixture of red, orange and blue )

[abhi162]

Originally Posted by ShreyG

My Recent Observations of Bangalore Traffic

Over the past couple of weeks, I had to travel extensively within the city during peak evening hours (between 6pm-8pm). Fortunately, my work requires me to travel more intercity than intracity but the last few weeks, I had work meeting in South and East Bangalore...

I would agree to that one. As someone who did a daily commute from Banashankari to Koramangala and occasional trips to East Bengaluru, I can vouch for it. JP Nagar/ Jayanagar/ Basavanagudi and Banashankari feel like heaven in comparison to Whitefield and Sarjapur road etc. The travel times are predictable (not drastically less) and average speed is higher with reasonable spaces to maneuver.

Also, water logging etc is significantly lesser during monsoon which also abates quickly.

[mpksuhas]

While I was complaining about roads around my house (HSR / Haralur road), I drove down from Malur HSR layout via Sarjapur.

The roads progressively gets bad barring Chikka Tirupati - Sarjapur section. From Sarjapur to Carmelaram railway flyover, there is no inch of road without potholes. Somewhat amazed in the way that has happened. I had not driven towards Sarjapur road since past few months, I guess the last I went was maybe around 6 months back, from then it has deteriorated considerably.

To add insult to injury, speed breakers somehow strangely seems to be constructed with much better material than roads. This means, the only section of road with tarmac are speed breakers

Roads around HSR looks superb in comparison.

[whitewing]

Being Bangalorean, alien to the whitefield area, visited the place on the day of Holi. Traveled via metro, auto fellows asked for 250 rupees for a 2 km trip! Since I had time at hand, walked the distance. Good to note that there is ample provision for footpaths, but lots of breakages.
Looking at the traffic volume on a holiday, I can only sympathize with the motorists who step out on week days.

[Rony2207]

Mondays just keep getting worse. It used to take me an hour and a half to get from Chandapura to Mahadevpura by taking the Ecity flyover and the Outer Ring Road. But last week, it took me an hour and fifty minutes, and today, it was a whopping two hours and fifteen minutes. All my calculations, charts, and number crunching on how to outsmart the Monday traffic are out the window. Looks like I need to figure out a new strategy.

[kavensri]

Originally Posted by whitewing

Traveled via metro, auto fellows asked for 250 rupees for a 2 km trip!

My blood will boil when I encounter these kind of autowalas. And I could never understand what their strategy is. They are okay to simply sit and do timepass in their autos whole day, but not ready to go even with double the charges. I am not asking them to go with meter reading for short distance. But asking for 8 times the official charges is day light robbery for me!

[condor]

Originally Posted by kavensri

My blood will boil when I encounter these kind of autowalas. !

On a smaller scale in terms of fare, even fares on the apps are often close to cab rates - I have seen upto 30 Rs per km. And then there are unofficial share autos doing metro connectivity at a per head rate of what could have been the full fare if the auto had run by the fare meter.

[binand]

Originally Posted by condor

On a smaller scale in terms of fare, even fares on the apps are often close to cab rates - I have seen upto 30 Rs per km.

I have not seen any price gouging in Namma Yatri so far. It's calculation matches exactly with the publishes fare (₹30 for the first 2km, ₹15 per km then on).

[condor]

Originally Posted by binand

I have not seen any price gouging in Namma Yatri so far. It's calculation matches exactly with the publishes fare (₹30 for the first 2km, ₹15 per km then on).

I use NY most the time. And thats where I see this. They include a pick-up charge, and then the drivers want tips too, to accept a ride. Last two days - the fare higher without the tip. (Mum has been taking the auto for hospital visit on daily basis for last 2 weeks)

And for longer distances, I see them charging for a route that goes via NICE road, but the cab takes the Ring Road. (JP Nagar to Tumkur road, beyond BIEC). Or, calculate fare via Ring road and then cut through the city (JP Nagar to Hebbal area).

[am1m]

Originally Posted by kavensri

And I could never understand what their strategy is. They are okay to simply sit and do timepass in their autos whole day, but not ready to go even with double the charges.

2 reasons - one, quite a few of these autos are owned and 'gifted' by local politicians (from all parties) to their henchmen/goons. Their main job is to do what the politician wants and to show up for dharnas, etc. So the auto is just a side gig.

Second, most of these auto guys know that come the evening and weekends, they can make a lot of money with just a few trips outside the IT areas and pubs, charging whatever they like to people who will pay without asking why. So why work hard through the week?

So these guys just sit around the auto stands, gossip, cause trouble and don't even let the few honest auto guys work/pick up fares from "their" areas!

It will take a very strong government to stand up to these thugs. So I have absolutely no hope of that happening in Bangalore ever!

Having said that, I have had a decent experience with Namma Yaatri so far over the past 2-3 years. At least for the trips near Metro stations. The price is certainly higher, but if an auto guy has taken the trouble to get on the app, chances are he's willing to work, so that is one issue taken care of at least.

[sachinpk]

Originally Posted by kavensri

They are okay to simply sit and do timepass in their autos whole day, but not ready to go even with double the charges.

Originally Posted by am1m

So the auto is just a side gig....
Second, most of these auto guys know that come the evening and weekends, they can make a lot of money

@am1m is right. The Bangalore auto-wallahs are actually goons part timing as auto-wallahs. Also in the area where I live (which is beyond Bangalore city limit), a lot of auto rickshaw drivers take very early morning trips (between 4:30AM to 7:30AM). This is mainly to pick up the early arrivals by the long distance buses. Taking an average of Rs. 200/- trip in 5-6km radius, they can easily make 4-5 trips. And that is Rs. 1000/- straight away. Loiter around a bit in the day and evening, and make another Rs. 500-Rs. 800. That should cover their expenses for booze & food, and they also have time for any task which their political master needs them to do.

Totally outside the topic of vehicles. I asked a local supermarket owner on why he does not employ local boys as their sales staff. His reason was that the local boys prefer delivery jobs (Swiggy, Zomato, Zepto etc.). Here again the advantage is the real flexible hours of work. Being locals they already have a home. Smarter among them will also build a few sheds, small houses and rent it to the migrant labourers. And take up the delivery job for meeting day to day needs.

Originally Posted by am1m

It will take a very strong government to stand up to these thugs. So I have absolutely no hope of that happening in Bangalore ever!

In Bangalore and in Chennai this will never happen. Because the auto-rickshaw culture is now pretty much infused into the general way of governing a city. There are a few towns and cities in Kerala where auto rickshaws ply by the meter. I have seen the same in Mumbai as well. In all these places the drivers are not taken in as political hirelings, but just doing a work. They may have their political leanings, but the job they do is just a job to be done following rules. So police etc does not treat them with kids gloves.