[ampere]

The other day while driving from Koramanala to Indira Nagar, came across this Alto owner.
At three signals on the 80 feet road he cut me off. And then at the Ejipura signal was the most obvious of all rip-offs.
He most purposefully cut-off me and then just raced off.

Thanks to my audio books, I did not loose cool and only laughed at our man.
I don't know what state he was in. This was afternoon.

Next thing I see he being booked by the speed guns on IRR and he trying to fight his way out !
Talk of poetic justice.

[goandude]

Originally Posted by praful

I think we as a people (Indians) are getting increasing impatient with the progress of time. Also, this problem is not localized to Bangalore or Pune, I think all cities are feeling the heat.

The pressure of life is manifesting itself on the roads to a certain extent.

I agree with you we are an impatient lot. I had the fortune of being driven around in Honolulu, Hawaii for a couple of weeks last month. I was amazed at the patience of drivers there. Then I found that the penalty for a ticket also increases your insurance premium by a hefty amount.
The pressures of life need to take into consideration the commute time and factor this into your schedule.

[praful]

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[ch.nathan]

I dumped the ORR today and took Madivala-Koramangala-Indiranagar route (From ECity to Banaswadi).
This was a lot better: 15 minutes lesser. And the major adv is better driving conditions - you only have to stop at signals. So, switch-off the engine and chill.
I guess I'm not gonna think of ORR for whatever reason for another 2 years; will they complete those fly-overs by then? Noone knows.

[IronH4WK]

Originally Posted by ch.nathan

I dumped the ORR today and took Madivala-Koramangala-Indiranagar route (From ECity to Banaswadi).
This was a lot better: 15 minutes lesser. And the major adv is better driving conditions - you only have to stop at signals. So, switch-off the engine and chill.
I guess I'm not gonna think of ORR for whatever reason for another 2 years; will they complete those fly-overs by then? Noone knows.

if you wanna get to EC from Banaswadi, go through:

OMBR layout > Kasturinagar > NGEF bypass > OMR > Indiranagar 100ft Road > IRR > Ejipura > Koramangala Sony World signal > Koramangala 4th block > Koramangala 1st block > Madiwala market > Silkboard flyover > BETL > ta da!

when my office was shifted out there, i tried the ORR but ended up spending more time and distance on the commute. been using the above route for quite some time now.

PS: carry a camera; you'll end up spotting someone en-route

[KarthikK]

I came from Prestige tech park to take a U-turn at innovative multiplex but there was no space to take a U-turn. All along PTP, I could see the jam extending from Marathahalli bridge and even on the underpass, the jam was somewhere from E-Zone point On the other side (towards intel), I could see vehicles jammed till the horizon. God knows what happened yesterday.

I took the left turn into HAL road and came home by 6.30, inspite of taking the swift. Domlur IRR rocks! @Praful, what time did you manage to get out of that ruckus?

[praful]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

@Praful, what time did you manage to get out of that ruckus?

Apparently there was a broken down or actually a punctured truck right in front of Ecospace. I reached home at 6.30. Took 2 hours to commute from Whitefield to HSR Layout via Volvo yesterday!

[ch.nathan]

Originally Posted by IronH4WK

if you wanna get to EC from Banaswadi, go through:
OMBR layout > Kasturinagar > NGEF bypass > OMR > Indiranagar 100ft Road > IRR > Ejipura > Koramangala Sony World signal > Koramangala 4th block > Koramangala 1st block > Madiwala market > Silkboard flyover > BETL

That exactly is the route I've been taking for the past 2 years - BUT only in the mornings.
Evenings I used to take Jail road-ORR route - but NOT ANYMORE.

[Newpunter]

Yesterday evening, I took the Bellandur-Yemlur route to avoid the ORR traffic. I use this route while coming to the office in the morning and take the ORR route while returning.
I found that there was a traffic jam near Bellandur due to the Ganesh Pooja Celebrations. I somehow made it to Yemlur only to find that a BMTC bus had broken down just after crossing the small bridge. There was a queue of more than 2 kms on either side with none of them having an idea of what was happening. Luckily, I was on a bike and could continue on my way after warning some people that there was no way out of the jam and it was better to turn back.

[ch.nathan]

Originally Posted by Newpunter

I somehow made it to Yemlur only to find that a BMTC bus had broken down just after crossing the small bridge.

Worst place for a bus to break-down. Forget a bus - even if a small vehicle breaks down, that stretch could become a nightmare!

Whenever I enter Bellandur road, I start praying that no bus should be there till I cross.

[Newpunter]

Originally Posted by ch.nathan

Worst place for a bus to break-down. Forget a bus - even if a small vehicle breaks down, that stretch could become a nightmare!

Whenever I enter Bellandur road, I start praying that no bus should be there till I cross.

In a sense we were lucky that the bus broke down immediately after crossing the bridge. Imagine if it had broken down on the bridge .

[Rocky_Balboa]

The flyover across Banaswadi junction towards Hennur, is open for traffic. Bye-Bye craters.

[rjstyles69]

Originally Posted by Rocky_Balboa

The flyover across Banaswadi junction towards Hennur, is open for traffic. Bye-Bye craters.

Hey I have been using this flyover since the last week pal. It's usually open post lunch time and twice it was open beyond 6pm. Surprisingly I still found 2 trucks broken down on this flyover.

[Rocky_Balboa]

Originally Posted by rjstyles69

Hey I have been using this flyover since the last week pal. It's usually open post lunch time and twice it was open beyond 6pm. Surprisingly I still found 2 trucks broken down on this flyover.

Woah I never knew that, blame on me taking that route in the mornings. Yeah, even I noticed a truck parked on the flyover - thought they were doing some flyover work.

[libranof1987]

We were returning in a friend's car last thursday from MG rd and decided to take the Lalbagh route since we had to go to Jayanagar.

Now, just before the Lalbagh back-gate, there was this police checkpost and in the circle after that, there is a Citibank ATM. One of us had to withdraw so we stopped. There were 5-6 guys there (at 2345) waiting in the queue. Casually talking to them, we were told, they were all caught for "drunk-driving". Now, the quotes are because, 2 of them were subject to the test and varying readings were found.

After our work was done, we just casually walked down to the checkpost. One of the guys (from DL, driving a DL car) was stopped and the first question asked was "Kannada, non-Kannada". Once the cop heard the 2nd option, the driver was asked to get down and come for a check. A reading was taken which came to 18; the cops then muttered something in Kannada and asked him to blow for 10seconds. The reading now was 25. Now the cops started getting agitated and asked him to take a 3rd reading - 43. Jackpot! The circus started for the chap. Keys were confiscated.

Meanwhile, many others were stopped. You know what was surprising - all of them were north Indian cars : JH, DL, HR, RJ. A Kannada speaking guy was called for checking and the cop introduced him to the Inspector as "saar, family". He was left after some "sniffing". A guy riding a JH-reg. Pulsar was caught and abused left right and centre (don't know the reading).

Meanwhile, a flurry of red-beaconed cars passed by and all the morons (read cops) stood in attention and saluted as if they were puppies to the master in the car.

Details were entered for all the drivers and 3k was asked for. They entertained no excuses (rightly so!) and were firm on 3k. Receipts were printed on their BBs.

One of the driver (DL car I think) tried to negotiate with the cop and was greeted with what is possibly the most inhuman, disgusting and disgraceful language. Every reply from the cop (in Kannada) was filled with the sister or the rear part of the human body. Every now and then, the cop was make gestures as if to bash him up. God forbid if the girl amongst the driver's group asked the cop to speak respectfully, he threatened to "initiate enquiry". A chamcha of the Inspector took the keys and drove the car unnecessarily - with 2 girls sitting inside.

Here's how the cop's modus operandi works : 4 guard the road and stop vehicles. 1 guy controls the barricades in case a car slips. The driver is sent to meet the Inspector. There is another "good cop" standing next to the animal (read : Inspector) who says the deal is the best possible and that they should just pay the money.

Meanwhile, the driver pleaded the Inspector to reduce the fine, the Inspector threatened to call Hoysala and confiscate the car.

The drama went on for quite a while.

Oh yes, and while we were in the ATM, the guard asked one of the guy's there to withdraw money for the fine if he was caught. When told in the affirmative, he said "chor hai sab". (All of them are thieves).

The Inspector meanwhile lowered his asking rate to 2500 - completely unnegotiable. The driver paid the fine and here's the funniest part - the receipt was taken back. No proof of the transaction.

At midnight, all the barricades were pushed back into corners, no one was caught and the cops just went off. Our presence was getting noticed so we had to slip away.

I absolutely condemn drunk-driving and in no way justify the drivers or expect leniency for them. This post is to highlight the way non-Kannadigas are treated by the cops. Here's what absolutely pissed me off with what I saw -

1) Inconsistent readings on the meter
2) Absolutely unjustifiable and intolerable behaviour by the cops - abusing, gesturing towards violence is unbecoming of "police".
3) Complete lack of transparency - the BBs are a joke.
4) motive - the cops are out there not because they care about traffic/people or want to curb drunk driving. They are there so as to mint money from violators. Agree their actions are leading to reduced instances but the motive is completely wrong. Also, those with pull and connections get away anyway.

Also, I have a strong feeling the whole drama was only till the motorcade passed by.

I've already had scant respect for the cops; their behaviour that night nullified every bit I had. They behave like shameless and disrespectful animals. Fine, they have every right to prosecute violators but they have no right to talk in the way they did. Someone needs to remind them that beneath the wardi, they are normal human beings just like everyone else.

I'm writing this post after a week so that it is not perceived as "emotional" or an impulse.