[Ford5]

Bangalore has tiny roads. By default people tend to be on the right lane. Cops in bangalore do not educate heavy vehicle drivers either. They stop them unnecessarily just to harass them.

Auto wallahs can read outsiders quite well and demand money straight out. Keep calm. Try 2-3 other autos and you will surely get another one who will run on meter.

[akas_chauhan]

Originally Posted by Selective

Since last few days, I don't see any cop at AXA signal (29th Main & ORR intersection) in BTM. So, the signal lights are left to operate in fully automated mode as against cops trying to operate the lights to regulate the traffic in the past. Surprisingly, the traffic on 29th Main is moving fast and I didn't face the traffic pile up since then.

Do you guys think, signal lights operating in fully automated mode is helping? Or the traffic in general is less these days?

PS: I was at the AXA signal today at 9AM and during this time, generally witness the peak hour traffic.

Good to know that there is a signal now near AXA. I remember it was chaotic and all hell loose if it rains. That's the reason i usually use Bilekahalli road vioa Bomanahalli to reach silk board.

[nareshov]

Originally Posted by Selective

Do you guys think, signal lights operating in fully automated mode is helping? Or the traffic in general is less these days?

I think so too.

On a related note: sometime earlier this year, there was a 'traffic police exhibition' of some kind near the police grounds next to garuda mall where some interesting items were on display. One of them was a traffic light setup with some special cameras that could keep track of how long the traffic is queued up on a particular road and time the signals accordingly (rather than equally sliced time signals for each road at a junction).

Originally Posted by DCEite

I am new to Bangalore, having recently moved here from Delhi NCR.

[...]

2) The Auto wallas seem to be the king of the roads here. Charge 100 Rs. flat for just 5 kms. Refuse to go by meters. :(

Any inputs/suggestions?

Try these:

1. Ask for your destination and sit right in. Do not mention anything about a meter or "how much would you take" before you seat yourself. If he doesn't turn on the meter by himself, stop rightaway and look for another auto.
2. Look for lone autos (typically on the move) that aren't in a bigger group of autos (usually parked near malls, etc. lazing around).
3. If you can't find any lone autos but only groups of two or more and the "trick" mentioned in 1. doesn't work, try to bring down the price by playing them against each other. Try not to give them too much time to decide, appear to be in a hurry to find the next auto.
   

Note from the Team-BHP Support Team: Please use the EDIT or MULTI-QUOTE buttons instead of typing one post after another
on the same thread.

[AltoLXI]

There is this narrow "tunnel" below the railway track just after the K R Puram bridge and on the left side when moving towards Whitefield. Many two wheelers use this "tunnel" everyday to move towards Marathahalli, Whitefield and Ramamurthynagar. The "tunnel" itself is so narrow that only one two wheeler can pass through and one has to wait for the other two wheeler to emerge out before another enters it. The height of the "tunnel" is so low that if one is passing through the "tunnel" without helmet, there is every possibility the rider gets severe head injuries. Added to that the two wheelers travel in the opposite direction to move towards Marathahalli facing the oncoming traffic from K R Puram.

Instead of banning the two wheelers from entering the "tunnel", last week I saw that the traffic police "managing" the two wheeler traffic to this "tunnel".

[msdivy]

Originally Posted by DCEite

2) The Auto wallas seem to be the king of the roads here. Charge 100 Rs. flat for just 5 kms. Refuse to go by meters. :(

Any inputs/suggestions?

You can complain here. Sometimes it works.

[audioholic]

Bangalore does not have scarcity of autos. As soon as you get into the auto, ask him to engage the meter. If he does not, tell "meter haaktya, bartini". If he does not budge, get down. You will find another auto. There are some elderly auto drivers who are very humble. Just two or three chances will land you in a good auto.

Also, kannada is important to deal with these local chaps. Once an auto guy was demandung excess money from a north Indian friend of mine. I went and asked him "Yen samachara guru?"(whats up mate?) and he settled for the meter figure. They just exploit people who dont know the local language. Also, inside the auto, get into a friendly chat with him, taking his side. You will be treated well and he wont have an issue with the fare or the location.

[500ContyCruiser]

Today night (i.e., 16th night) around 11:00 pm I was standing at Sadashiv Nagar signal. It is a very long signal (about 200 seconds).

Along with other signal violators, one Activa guy decides to violate signal and tries to squeeze between vehicles. I am standing at the left most lane (as I need to go straight towards Sankey Tank road) and this guy needs to take right turn towards Sadashiv Nagar. While squeezing between my car and another two wheeler, he touches my car front bumper corner and zooms off, while the signal is still ON.

Now when I checked, there is a scratch and its very deep. Though it is a small dot, still the paint has come off completely.

Not sure what can be done in the situation??? I cannot chase him, else I will also have to violate signal. I dont want to be another that person, hence had to let him go.


Feels petty on my car and at the same time feels aggravated.
Sorry to say... but I highly wish that guy meets with a major accident next time he tries to violate another signal! At least one violator will be reduced in this city!

[tharian]

Originally Posted by AltoLXI

There is this narrow "tunnel" below the railway track just after the K R Puram bridge and on the left side when moving towards Whitefield. Many two wheelers use this "tunnel" everyday to move towards Marathahalli, Whitefield and Ramamurthynagar.
Instead of banning the two wheelers from entering the "tunnel", last week I saw that the traffic police "managing" the two wheeler traffic to this "tunnel".

I happen to use this tunnel once, luckily on a Sunday, just to see how it is inside and where it actually connects to.
I was glad I went throught it on a Sunday since I had no idea, until I entered the tunnel, that the ceiling was like a arch with edges of the granite sticking out. Obviously it is a storm water drain which was why it is built as such.
Being on a Bullet, it was difficult for me to squeeze my bike through when another bike came from the opposite and in the process , I hit my head(helmet) on the edge of a block and it actually freaked me out for few seconds. If no helmet, that was a stitch on my scalp.

I use the the road to Whitefield everyday and I notice two wheelers like bees near the bee hive , near the tunnel and its very confusing as to which direction each one is going.

Originally Posted by 500ContyCruiser

Today night (i.e., 16th night) around 11:00 pm I was standing at Sadashiv Nagar signal. It is a very long signal (about 200 seconds).


Feels petty on my car and at the same time feels aggravated.
Sorry to say... but I highly wish that guy meets with a major accident next time he tries to violate another signal! At least one violator will be reduced in this city!

Good that you did not try chasing him down. In the aggrievated mood , who knows what more would have happened.

The same happened to me when I was at a signal and in my case it was a drunk guy who just dropped his bike on my car which left a nasty dent which I didnt know until I reached my destination. I could have easily got down from the car, plucked his bike keys from the ignition and flung it far away.

Another thing I noticed in traffic is, private goods auto, yellow boards and local two wheelers all have some kind of groupism.
As soon as I got out of my car to check the damage and talk to the two wheeler, the goods auto started honking continuosly from behind which made me think the signal turned green and jumped straight back in only to know it hadn't and the two wheeler scooted.

Basically got dented and fooled. It wrecked my nerves after that , then calmed myself thinking that the dent won't cause me another dent, something like an evil eye like a member told me here and it has worked so far . Touchwood.

[rjstyles69]

Originally Posted by AltoLXI

There is this narrow "tunnel" below the railway track just after the K R Puram bridge and on the left side when moving towards Whitefield. Many two wheelers use this "tunnel" everyday to move towards Marathahalli, Whitefield and Ramamurthynagar.

Originally Posted by tharian

I happen to use this tunnel once, luckily on a Sunday, just to see how it is inside and where it actually connects to.

Damn you guys dint know ? This is the 1st ever underpass built in our city and is an engineering marvel . It was built much before the cable stayed bridge in KR Puram or the Hebbal flyover or even our ring roads.

On a serious note, I remember pretty well that one of our fellow members got mugged at this place.

[MotoNanu]

Today morning I was riding my bike to drop my wife at her office. I was riding on the left side of the road at around 40kmph and suddenly a guy comes in my direction from the opposite side (riding on the wrong lane) at more than 70kmph on his bike. He is nodding his head towards right to indicate me that I should give him space to continue!

I braked hard, no damage as I was riding slow. I am sick of the 5 minutes I spend riding on the road connecting Hosur road from Mangammanapalya. All sorts of stupid drivers flourish here. Every morning I see a new kind of crazy driving/ riding and it is enough to spoil my morning. I do not have any alternative than to accept and move on But seriously, this stretch of road drives me crazy.

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by MotoNanu

Today morning I was riding my bike to drop my wife at her office. I was riding on the left side of the road at around 40kmph and suddenly a guy comes in my direction from the opposite side (riding on the wrong lane) at more than 70kmph on his bike. He is nodding his head towards right to indicate me that I should give him space to continue!

On the last friday, I was waiting to catch a bus or auto from Koramangala bus stop on Sarjapur road to go towards Madiwala Checkpost. It's a divided road, and there's a neat bus shelter. Time, around 9 o'clock at night. There is a small crowd, so some of us were standing on the road. I hear a feeble beep, expecting it to be of a moron two-wheeler. Guess what I see? A police patrol Bolero, on the wrong side. Not far behind was a tempo traveller, again on the wrong side, but at break-neck speed.

I wonder what kind of thrill these imbeciles get by trying to mow down hapless commuters in their mad rush to save a few seconds and maybe a few drops of fuel!

[AltoLXI]

Originally Posted by rjstyles69

Damn you guys dint know ? This is the 1st ever underpass built in our city and is an engineering marvel . It was built much before the cable stayed bridge in KR Puram or the Hebbal flyover or even our ring roads.

On a serious note, I remember pretty well that one of our fellow members got mugged at this place.

Interestingly there is a note painted "Mind your head" right above the entrance

[deadguy25]

This morning near the BTM Layout 16th main signal towards Silk Board, my car was rear-ended by lady in an I20. Luckily, my leg was on the break, else i would have hit the car in front of me.

The traffic was standstill, when she bumped into me. I got down to check the damage to my car, then looked at the lady. All she gestured (she did not bother rolling down her windows to apologize) was, I was on a call. I figured there was no point in talking to such people, got into my car and crawled along the already jammed road. After a while, she overtook me, while talking to someone on the phone.

What do we do with such people? I am very sure she works in an IT company.

I was very tempted to take a pic of her car with the number plates and post it here to ensure that our community guys are a bit careful when they spot the car.

Such people pose a major threat. All I could have done was put some sense into her, but then, it would not help change their attitude. It would only spoil my morning and drain my energy.

Dont we have some kind of a social obligation to ensure that we do not endanger others' lives and property? How can such people be corrected?

[Soumyajit9]

Originally Posted by deadguy25

I was very tempted to take a pic of her car with the number plates and post it here to ensure that our community guys are a bit careful when they spot the car.

Sorry to hear about the bump, but then what's a car without a dent or a scratch in Bangalore.
You could have clicked a pic of her on mobile and the car's plates and posted it to BTP FB Page. They would have taken care of her. A mere fine of 100Rs wouldn't matter to her, but the pain of dealing with policemen would have surely put some sense into her otherwise empty brain.

I must appreciate the way you handled the matter with calmness , because at the end of the fight, it would have been you who would have drained all the energy and sweat.

Originally Posted by deadguy25

Dont we have some kind of a social obligation to ensure that we do not endanger others' lives and property? How can such people be corrected?

Unfortunately social obligations are a thing of past these days. Nobody even bothers to slow down for a pedestrian, leave apart cars. In today's times, its all about Me, Myself and My Money. I am sure that lady must be rich enough to give a darn about the damage to her car front bumper. So what matters today is how much money one has in the pocket to -- bribe policemen, pay fines, repair damages.
Bottomline - These people learn the hard way - Might be next time she bangs into a cabbie who would not leave the easy way. Or, might be she gets into a near-fatal hit which would surely instill some road sense.
P.S: I am hoping that she was not on an Emergency call (life and death situation call). If it was just a hello-hi call or an office call, she could have stopped for 2 mins, finish the call and moved on.

[shyamk]

Originally Posted by deadguy25

This morning near the BTM Layout 16th main signal towards Silk Board, my car was rear-ended by lady in an I20. Luckily, my leg was on the break, else i would have hit the car in front of me.

Sad about your car. One suggestion - use hand brake at signals. That would provide some respite to your legs and the brake pedals !

Shyam