[Rajeevraj]

Found this thread on Bangalore Traffic only now. A few years back, I had written some stuff for fun related to Bangalore traffic. The inspiration for this came after several months of driving in Bangalore as a terrified newbie driver in my first car. Many of the below things have become second nature and we probably dont even notice it. But thought I'll put it in as a post here

• All cities have the concept of rush hour/peak hour. In Bangalore there is no morning rush hour/evening rush hour. Rush hour starts from Monday morning 7 and goes on till next Sunday Morning 5am. (Really true. Sometimes certain roads like Airport Road can be jammed at 2am in the morning)
• You will lucky if you can go at 20kmph. If you hit open stretch there is no upper limit. Your top speed depends on the vehicle u have.
• Everyone has right of way(Even cows and dogs and Bullock Carts)
• Never Stop at yellow light and in addition don’t stop for a couple of seconds after it turns red. And start moving a few seconds before it turns green (You need to be experienced enough to know when it will turn green-Little tricky as this can vary on a daily basis)
• Here you honk the loudest you can. Also flash your headlights all the time. Some people believe that doing that will part the sea of traffic in front and create an open path. Something like what Moses did.
• Road tarring works are permanent in Bangalore. Tarred roads are tarred again and again till it rises higher then divider on the road. This construction happens during the peak hours mentioned above.
• Watch out of all kind of living beings on the road. Dogs, cows, rats etc… If you see one lying in the middle of the road don’t assume they are dead. They maybe just sleeping. So don’t disturb them and drive around them.
• People like putting a left turn indicator and turning right. Also people like to put on the indicator once they are half way through the turn.
• it is perfectly acceptable to assume you are in America and start driving on the wrong side of the road if you think the correct side of your road is too crowded or jammed for your liking. If you are on a bike, you can also drive on the divider or pavement. Perfectly fine.
• You can also take a U TURN right over the divider anywhere,if you think your vehicle can handle it.
• It is unacceptable to slow down for a potential hazard on the road, however, feel free to slow down or stop long enough to visually inspect anything happening on the side of the road. Whether it's an rode rage argument or a car with a flat tire, everything deserves a good long look.
• If you want to cross an intersection without lights don’t expect anyone to stop for you. Push you vehicle into the middle. Pray that the huge lorry coming will stop in time and then figure out the next step.
• Don’t expect your vehicle to be spotless and dentless for too long. Sooner or later you are going to be bumped. The sooner the better because then you don’t get worried to death waiting for it.
• If people are waiting to cross the road. Don’t be nice and stop. You will definitely get hit from behind. And people don’t expect you to stop. So you are the loser anyway

[IronH4WK]

^ that was hilarious alright

i miss the Bangalore 14yrs back; people driving on the roads used to be sane at least :'(

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

[*]Don’t expect your vehicle to be spotless and dentless for too long. Sooner or later you are going to be bumped. The sooner the better because then you don’t get worried to death waiting for it.[/list]

Perfectly true!! My car picked up a scratch on the very next week after delivery and I still don't have a clue how it happened, anyways, as you said, I am relieved not having to live with the tension anymore!
Last week when I was at my hometown in Kerala, one of my friend who is a taxi driver there was telling me how much he feared coming to Bangalore with his cab. Three times he had been to Bangalore, he has taken 3 'memorabilia's on the body of the cab!

[binand]

Originally Posted by sandsun7

Last week when I was at my hometown in Kerala, one of my friend who is a taxi driver there was telling me how much he feared coming to Bangalore with his cab.

That's the pot calling the kettle black. I am comfortable driving in Bangalore but too scared to touch a steering wheel in Calicut.

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by sandsun7

Last week when I was at my hometown in Kerala, one of my friend who is a taxi driver there was telling me how much he feared coming to Bangalore with his cab. Three times he had been to Bangalore, he has taken 3 'memorabilia's on the body of the cab!

Thats little ironic . As much as Bangalore traffic is bad, I feel that driving in Kerala in the main towns and Calicut City (My experience is in Calicut/Malappuram Districts) is more stressful than Bangalore due to the relatively narrower roads and higher density of traffic and even lesser regard for rules(Not to mention the formula 1 style private buses in Kerala ).

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by binand

That's the pot calling the kettle black. I am comfortable driving in Bangalore but too scared to touch a steering wheel in Calicut.

Haha! may be it depends on the way your driving is tuned up! If you have grown up driving in Bangalore with mostly one way traffic, huge number of 2 wheelers, and proper signals at intersections, you would find it difficult in Kerala where we would encounter 2 way roads, around 8-10 meters wide with no signals at intersections and traffic cutting in from small bylanes all around! At the same time, If you are used to driving only in Kerala, in a city like Bangalore you would be intimidated by the sheer number of vehicles on the road on the same lane at a given point of time, cutting across you from all sides, left and right-just as an example!

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Not to mention the formula 1 style private buses in Kerala

The less said about the inter city buses in Kozhikode/Malappuram/Kannur, the better.. The NH17 (now NH66) all along these three districts is a 2 lane undivided RACETRACK/ RUNWAY for them!

[A350XWB]

Originally Posted by binand

That's the pot calling the kettle black. I am comfortable driving in Bangalore but too scared to touch a steering wheel in Calicut.

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Thats little ironic.

Originally Posted by sandsun7

Haha! may be it depends on the way your driving is tuned up!

Tell me about it! I used to drive from 1997 to 2002 (5 years) in Kerala and from 2002 upto now (10 years) in Bangalore. I feel comfortable driving in Bangalore than in Kerala (especially the North), due to the fact that people are atleast aware of something known as a lane over here. In Kerala, 90% of the drivers think that they own the road and do whatever they want while driving. Switching lanes, taking U-turns wherever they feel like, stopping in the middle of the road for a chat and what not? Today, whenever I cross the border, I switch modes between Kerala and Karnataka driving styles.
The one thing I've noticed in Bangalore is that it has become easy for me to anticipate how the driver infront of me may behave. In Kerala, it's just pray and drive.
For me, peace of mind while driving is Bangalore>Southern Kerala>Northern Kerala.

[joslicx]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

(Not to mention the formula 1 style private buses in Kerala ).

This Formula 1 and private buses analogy is so true. I have been in Kerala only once (in dec 2000) and took a bus to Kanyakumari from Trivendrum (and back) and boy what a ride that was!!! The average speed in the crowded city easily must have been 60 or even 80! It wouldnt even slow down on turns and basically it was somewhat similar to cartoon films! All the way we were praying to our Gods it was "off your seats" kind of stuff! This is one of the most adventures rides of my life (alongwith a similar one at Mussoorie in a govt day sight-seeing bus).

[reswaran]

Originally Posted by joslicx

All the way we were praying to our Gods it was "off your seats" kind of stuff! This is one of the most adventures rides of my life (alongwith a similar one at Mussoorie in a govt day sight-seeing bus).

Exactly. We go to Kerala yearly to visit a few temples. The bus ride from Palakkad to Thrissur and Thrissur to Guruvayoor are really unnerving and stress inducing. We pick seats such that we are bang in the centre of the bus.Seats that are far from the front, rear, windows, body of the bus, bar rails to minimize bodily damage if something goes wrong.

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by joslicx

This Formula 1 and private buses analogy is so true. I have been in Kerala only once (in dec 2000) and took a bus to Kanyakumari from Trivendrum (and back) and boy what a ride that was!

If you got so scared of what you experienced in that part of Kerala, I wonder what would happen to you if you happen to take a ride in a limited stop private bus between Kozhikode and Guruvayur/Thrissur or Kozhikode and Kannur! Sorry mate, but that is how it is here.. No amount of blood shed on the road seems to bring an end to these drag races!
Please excuse me if I am going out of topic, posting the following video I found on youtube, just to illustrate the way buses are driven in Kerala. The protagonist here is a KeSRTC bus! Just see how the bus and the car from where the video is taken cuts into opposite lanes dangerously while overtaking

India - Crazy drivers Part 2 - YouTube

[Pallavi]

Originally Posted by suhaas307

Congratulations Pallavi.

Thanks for wishes

How do you find the steering in the Nano. Is it difficult? I found it hard to maneuver the car.

The steering feels real heavy when the car slows down to a crawl. But otherwise manageable.

And I know exactly how you feel about them two-wheelers. They're highly annoying and always believe that they have every right to cut you off.

Cant agree more.

Originally Posted by sandsun7

May be not all think that way!!

I agree. I understand that even sane drivers need to sometimes drive rashly given the road and traffic conditions in Bangalore. But i was referring to those few idiots on two wheelers who do it intentionally and give all the others a bad name.

Originally Posted by sandsun7

Even I had a near miss last week, when I was driving my car at around 70kmph on international airport road early morning and a biker suddenly swerved to my lane right in front of me to avoid a pothole!!

The worst thing is that if the car accidentally even touches these bikers they will create a huge drama and cops also will take their side, always supporting the smaller vehicle, by default.

Originally Posted by rohanjf

The biker was happily chatting with a passenger of the bus!!

Even the term ridiculously idiotic seems to fall short in describing this behavior!!

Originally Posted by IronH4WK

If you ever find a black KL registered CBZ fella bullying you, don't run him over
Sure; write down - 1-800-BLR-BULLY-ME (please share)

I would rather remember the make and registration of your bike.. just in case.

Originally Posted by goandude

Result- biker bruised, kid OK and us wondering how someone can be so foolish to play around with their lives as well as their kids lives.

Real fool that one.

Originally Posted by srishiva

Looks like he didn't like the honk

Wonder whats his opinion about a punch in the face

PS: I am not usually into violence but a bad job + bad manager + bad traffic is kind of getting on my nerves this past week.

[IronH4WK]

BETL is gridlocked from the lay bye onwards (towards Silkboard). First I thought it was because of some accident, but it's because of rush hour traffic.

Vehicles are moving, but few feet at at time.

Edit: there is a four vehicle pile up involving a Manza, Innova, Tavera and Santro near Bosch on the right lane.

[kicksperliter]

I was on my way back from office from EC and I usually take the NICE road which almost drops me just a km to my house over the PESIT Link road.

Today, since my friend wanted me to drop her at her place in Jayanagar, I took the normal silkboard, BTM, JP nagar route.

I knew I will be stuck badly in traffic, it took me almost 80 mins to reach the Jayadeva Institute circle. I was in the front at the traffic signal and I was in the middle lane to give way for commuters going right and left.

There came a 2 wheeler over left side of my car, as soon as the signal was green, I headed straight and the 2 wheeler who was on the left side, overtaking me and was trying to go to RIGHT and in the melee he bumped into my left front bumper with deep scratches.

He didn't even stop but sped away, he back footrest had fallen down due to the impact.

It sometimes feels so frustrating to venture out and I was cursing my fate to have not taken NICE which would have made life simpler for me

[binand]

Originally Posted by Pallavi

I agree. I understand that even sane drivers need to sometimes drive rashly given the road and traffic conditions in Bangalore.

I have to disagree here. Even given the road and traffic in Bangalore, I hope I never have to resort to "rash" driving (ie, being a hazard to others on the road) in Bangalore or for that matter, anywhere else. Even though I hold an Indian (AP) driving license, I truly learnt driving while living in Europe (I also hold an EU driving license) and I think I will give up driving the day I become the problem as per the exacting standards of EU. Staying in one's lane, signalling well in advance, minding the road signs and signals, acknowledging pedestrians are all things one can do and still be on time for that all-important appointment if one is capable of basic planning.

Road safety begins with me. I wear my Team-BHP stickers proudly.

[IronH4WK]

Originally Posted by IronH4WK

BETL is gridlocked from the lay bye onwards (towards Silkboard). First I thought it was because of some accident, but it's because of rush hour traffic.

Vehicles are moving, but few feet at at time.

Edit: there is a four vehicle pile up involving a Manza, Innova, Tavera and Santro near Bosch on the right lane.

Looks like the Manza braked and rest of them followed in. Must have been following pretty close. The WagonR seemed to have rammed the Tavera so hard that the spare wheel fell off.




Edit: it was a WagonR, not a Santro.