[ashwin.terminat]

Originally Posted by Soumyajit9

Little catchy here I say.

Yeah, wrongly phrased question.

What a wasted opportunity.

Originally Posted by srishiva

Not sure if the question was proper. They may have gone through the agents for learning to drive the car and then get the license through them.

But then yes, I have seen how the tests for those who apply through a driving school/agent are and I all I can say is

A friend of mine was made to drive 20m straight on a flat, empty road in Jayanagar. And he passed. My brother, during his test, saw a girl who had slotted into 1st gear, then asked the Officer if she could remove her sandals to drive and forgot she was in 1st gear, lifted her foot off the clutch pedal and the car jumped and stopped. The same girl then tried to get the car moving while the Hand Brake was engaged.

Result, passed!

[srishiva]

Recently one of the employee in RTO Jayanagar had written in one of the newspapers responding to one of the other guy who got arrested by anti-corruption unit. All people who work in the RTO have to pay a minimum amount to the officers for every transaction/period. The loot is shared up until Transport commissioner. Although nothing new, we can only hope !

[Chetan_Rao]

Saw the other, human side of the 'cabbie menace' yesterday. We all abuse them for their driving habits, but are we any better?

I was driving home around 10:30 PM, and stopped at the intersection where the road around/behind ISRO campus meets HAL Airport Road. The junction doesn't have a signal, and is manned by a policeman only upto 9PM or thereabouts. I had a few cab Tempo Travellers tailing me, and most of them swung past me dangerously into passing traffic. The one immediately behind me honked at me, egging me on. I pointed at the passing traffic and he pulled up next to me and rolled down his window. I braced for the usual torrent of abuse one gets in such situations, but this guy tells me softly, "You're going to be standing here till morning if you wait for them to let you through. Want to see? Let's wait". We both stood there for the best part of five minutes, waiting for the traffic to ebb or let us through, but most people (even those moving slow enough to stop to let us by) actually blocked us, even speeding up to do so. The guy finally tells me: "See that? If I played the gentleman like you everyday at every junction like this, I'll be out of work in no time for not sticking to schedules. Be a gentleman to those who deserve it, not rich animals like these folks".

I don't necessarily agree with all he says or practices, but I can see where he's coming from. The shameful bit (and what probably triggered his last comment): most cars that blocked us were private cars (some of them really expensive ones) and the guy who finally stopped and let us through was a cabbie.

[sanjaykk]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

Saw the other, human side of the 'cabbie menace' yesterday. We all abuse them for their driving habits, but are we any better?

I was driving home around 10:30 PM, and stopped at the intersection where the road around/behind ISRO campus meets HAL Airport Road. The junction doesn't have a signal, and is manned by a policeman only upto 9PM or thereabouts. I had a few cab Tempo Travellers tailing me, and most of them swung past me dangerously into passing traffic. The one immediately behind me honked at me, egging me on. I pointed at the passing traffic and he pulled up next to me and rolled down his window. I braced for the usual torrent of abuse one gets in such situations, but this guy tells me softly, "You're going to be standing here till morning if you wait for them to let you through. Want to see? Let's wait". We both stood there for the best part of five minutes, waiting for the traffic to ebb or let us through, but most people (even those moving slow enough to stop to let us by) actually blocked us, even speeding up to do so. The guy finally tells me: "See that? If I played the gentleman like you everyday at every junction like this, I'll be out of work in no time for not sticking to schedules. Be a gentleman to those who deserve it, not rich animals like these folks".

I don't necessarily agree with all he says or practices, but I can see where he's coming from. The shameful bit (and what probably triggered his last comment): most cars that blocked us were private cars (some of them really expensive ones) and the guy who finally stopped and let us through was a cabbie.

While I agree this one cabbie was a good one...isn't it a case of what goes around comes around. At the expense of generalizing, let me say this whole epidemic of 'I want to get ahead first, to hell with your time and traffic signals' was started by the reckless cabbies (helped by rapid increase in vehicle population and the infra not being able to keep up with this increase). I would like to see him give this lecture to his cabbie friends when they waste their time lingering around IT parks. We are doing our bit by discussing this stuff every day already.

[Quarter Mile]

Gents - Whatever you do, please avoid the Hosmat Junction Signal. Its in a complete mess at any time of the day. Today being a state holiday, this place was jammed completely.

Don't see any efforts by the Cops to make alternative arrangements which they actually can to ease traffic.

[ajmat]

Originally Posted by Quarter Mile

Gents - Whatever you do, please avoid the Hosmat Junction Signal. Its in a complete mess at any time of the day. Today being a state holiday, this place was jammed completely.

Don't see any efforts by the Cops to make alternative arrangements which they actually can to ease traffic.

The effect of this is that traffic during peak hour backs up to beyond Richmond Circle. I coming to town from City - go on Kasturba Road and then MG Road.

From Jayanagar, cut through Wilson Garden to Hosur road.
Both alternate routes are crowded but you will keep movin

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by sanjaykk

While I agree this one cabbie was a good one...isn't it a case of what goes around comes around. At the expense of generalizing, let me say this whole epidemic of 'I want to get ahead first, to hell with your time and traffic signals' was started by the reckless cabbies (helped by rapid increase in vehicle population and the infra not being able to keep up with this increase). I would like to see him give this lecture to his cabbie friends when they waste their time lingering around IT parks. We are doing our bit by discussing this stuff every day already.

There exactly lies the problem. It doesn't matter who started it, we all need to stop it. Cabs, as badly as they're driven, are a small percentage of the overall vehicular population on our roads. Take them off and someone else will become the flag-bearer of recklessness. In all the near-misses I've had over the years in traffic, non-cabbies had an equal (if not greater) share of blame.

What goes around does come around, but it isn't specific to one class of drivers. We all treat each other the same way and them blame 'everyone except us' for starting it, then make excuses to condone/justify our own bad behavior. The most telling comment I heard from a visiting American colleague (and it was said in good humor): "For all the hurry you guys drive in, nobody in India is ever on time for anything". I didn't know where to hang my ashamed head. He apologized for any unintended offense caused and we moved on.

I'll also disagree it's just the cabbies, there are plenty of educated idiots I know personally (never mind the ones we encounter everyday) who are worse drivers than a cabbie will ever be.

When we're sharing something, an 'Us Vs Them' scenario will only lead to more chaos. A shared (scarce) resource needs to be shared amicably, there's just no other way out. The alternative is what we see everyday, and it will only get worse.

Originally Posted by Quarter Mile

Gents - Whatever you do, please avoid the Hosmat Junction Signal. Its in a complete mess at any time of the day. Today being a state holiday, this place was jammed completely.

Don't see any efforts by the Cops to make alternative arrangements which they actually can to ease traffic.

They should've temporarily opened up the right turn at the alternate road (left from Hosmat Junction and then right at the intersection where it meets the Trinity Church/MG Road junction towards Command Hospital). It may have added some traffic to that already busy thoroughfare, but would be better than the mess Hosmat junction has become.

[sanjaykk]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

There exactly lies the problem. It doesn't matter who started it, we all need to stop it.

Absolutely! I'm not and will never advocate 'an eye for an eye' approach. We all need to stop this.

We, a small percent of the private car owners, are doing this anyways through forums like TBHP and in our coffee/dinner discussions.
The fact that you stopped for the traffic to slow down shows this.

What did that cabbie do? He took pains to 'demonstrate' to you how futile your cautious approach was. To me it shows they will never learn. In some ways a chaotic traffic scene is important to their existence. How many times are we forced to think 'I cant drive in this chaotic traffic, let me hire a taxi instead.' If all the roads had organized traffic and there was no driving stress, wonder how many cabs we'd see on the roads.


Apologies if I'm sounding negative, but there is only so much poor souls like us can take. Bitterness does set in when one is exposed to it consistently for long duration.

[naveenroy]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

"For all the hurry you guys drive in, nobody in India is ever on time for anything". I didn't know where to hang my ashamed head. He apologized for any unintended offense caused and we moved on.

This is so, so true! I mean, we are in a rush in traffic all the time. But NEVER on time for anything!

[ashwin.terminat]

Hello.


As for the survey I took yesterday, I really must apologize for the ambiguity in the questions. There were some questions that were interpreted differently by different people. But the gist of the survey is this:


Number of responses: 92
Number who got the DL by themselves: 37(39%)
Number who got the DL through an agent/Driving School: 56 (61%)
Number of people who thought High Beam was legal in the city: 9 (10%)
Number of people who knew the money paid to an agent also includes a bribe to the RTO: 70(77%)
Number of people who went through an agent and knew it included a bribe: 40(43.5%)
Number of people who felt the test was inadequate to ascertain driving skills: 61(66.3%)

I hope I am able to retake this survey with more accurate questions. But that may take a little time. Until then, this serves good information.

[msdivy]

Got this message via WhatsApp:

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to visit Bengaluru to flag off the Aero Show on Wednesday, traffic in the city is expected to be slower than usual.

In order to facilitate smooth movement for the VVIPs expected to attend the event, the city traffic police have taken necessary measures and precautions to ensure little inconvenience is caused to the public.

Roads to avoid between 11-11.30am are Bengaluru-Bellary road from the IAF junction, and Yelahanka towards Mekhri circle. Kempapura, Kodigehalli, and Byatrayanapura may also be affected. The route to IISc is also expected to witness heavy traffic, and around 3pm, Modi will head towards Nimhans.

So roads leading to Lalbagh and Wilson Garden including Bengaluru-Bellary road and KR circle should be avoided between 2.30-3.30 pm. The PM’s final stop will be at the HAL airport around 5 pm, so Bannerghatta Road, Adugodi Road, Hosur-Lashkar road, and Old Airport Road should be avoided in the evening.

[Soumyajit9]

A very funny interesting read , titled: City’s 7 deadly traffic sins

http://www.bangaloremirror.com/banga.../46279429.cms?

Read and enjoy !
Offlate BM seems to be one media house which is using strong words to bring out the civic problems !

[speedmiester]

Originally Posted by Soumyajit9

A very funny interesting read , titled: City’s 7 deadly traffic sins

http://www.bangaloremirror.com/banga.../46279429.cms?

Read and enjoy !
Offlate BM seems to be one media house which is using strong words to bring out the civic problems !

Hilarious read!!! Absolute true facts on Bangalore and it's civic agencies
Thanks for sharing the article.

[msdivy]

Originally Posted by Soumyajit9

A very funny interesting read , titled: City’s 7 deadly traffic sins

They can add the 8th wonder, the split ORR flyovers - very unique design to create more mess.

Originally Posted by speedmiester

Already the bikers have declared war on the ORVMs and bumpers of our cars. If this is implemented, we should start caring for the roofs of our cars and might have to start wearing helmets inside the cars as well.

I meant, along with overbridges for passengers, provide overbridges for two-wheelers. This will ensure road is two wheelers need not go further for U turns and road is free for bigger vehicles to make the turn. But considering the infrastructure we have, that is a long shot.

[Soumyajit9]

Originally Posted by speedmiester

Hilarious read!!! Absolute true facts on Bangalore and it's civic agencies
Thanks for sharing the article.

Originally Posted by msdivy

They can add the 8th wonder, the split ORR flyovers - very unique design to create more mess.
I meant, along with overbridges for passengers, provide overbridges for two-wheelers. This will ensure road is two wheelers need not go further for U turns and road is free for bigger vehicles to make the turn. But considering the infrastructure we have, that is a long shot.

A more funny article - "Traffic management is like Bollywood music"
Bangalore Mirror is on a prowl !!

http://www.bangaloremirror.com/banga.../46291322.cms?

Just like when tunes are first composed, and lyrics penned later, a traffic cop's nightmare begins only after infrastructure is opened to public use