[Added_flavor]

Originally Posted by audioholic

What should be done to such morons?

That song is pretty apt for these two guys. They are indeed self destructing like an atom bomb and can harm others around them too

[poloman]

I see lot of post ranting on the disorderly conduct of motorists. But most of us are talking like idealists who are ignoring the ground realities on Bangalore roads atleast for last two days. It took 2 hours for me to reach AECS layout from Vydehi junction the other day. Discipline and order always go together. It will be foolish to expect people behave in orderly fashion under such circumstances. I see two wheeler riders standing in rain in harsh cold conditions for hours with the traffic not moving an inch.
Getting impatient under such circumstances is inherent to human nature. Once I was caught up in a major traffic jam in US. I was surprised to see the sudden change in the behaviour of the drivers who were so disciplined till then. Suddenly they started doing all sorts of things like cutting lanes, honking and shouting. Not much different from what you see on Bangalore roads.

[NPV]

Finally, it does seem that all the ranting on various forums and social media did not fall on deaf ears after all. At least now there is talk about some action (hopefully!).
In today's Indian Express Bangalore edition, a front page article - "CM Discusses new ideas to Unclog Whitefield Area"

[etrast75]

Originally Posted by poloman

Once I was caught up in a major traffic jam in US. I was surprised to see the sudden change in the behaviour of the drivers who were so disciplined till then. Suddenly they started doing all sorts of things like cutting lanes, honking and shouting. Not much different from what you see on Bangalore roads.

I drove in US for a better part of 9 years and over 100,000 miles and not once have I seen the sort of behavior you have mentioned. I have been in some crazy traffic jams due to accidents and not once have I seen people drive on the shoulder. I have seen people getting angry and gesturing but never seen unnecessary honking.
Have you ever observed people turning left or right form more than the right number of lanes? I have never seen that. That is a phenomenon reserved for indian roads. Only Once I did see a single driver go on the shoulder on the way to airport in a jam but no one followed him. If it was india, I am sure you know what would have happened.
People in US are taught from a very young age the importance of being disciplined while driving. Getting license is a big occasion and a matter of immense pride for 16 year old kids and their parents make sure they learn to drive properly.
Can we drive like we do in US in India? Absolutely not.. Our roads are designed very poorly and are of very poor quality. Can we drive better than what we do now? Absolutely positively yes.. Will we? Absolutely positively no!!
A few things will make the commute a lot less stressful if they are followed

• Forming a proper line when turning and making sure that people going straight have right of way. The moment we see a small backup at a intersection, our immediate reaction is to get around it and go stick our nose at the junction or form a second lane and block the road. For example, cops opened the divider in front of ecospace to let traffic from ORR directly into the campus. Only one car can go through that. But you will find 3 lanes of cars waiting for that turn.. It is not like the people do not know that only lane can go through at any given point of time. Why not just form one lane and trust me it will be faster than forming 3 lanes while the other folks who have nothing to do with ecospace get on with their life? The argument has been well it is the cab drivers who do it.. Let them do it.. How about you the educated, well traveled, knowledgeable person?
• Waiting patiently in a jam and not form 5 lanes and in a 3 lane road. How is that going to help anyone? There is only so much road for everyone. At the most you will gain 5 minutes while creating chaos everywhere

I can go on and on but work beckons..

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by NPV

Finally, it does seem that all the ranting on various forums and social media did not fall on deaf ears after all. At least now there is talk about some action (hopefully!).
In today's Indian Express Bangalore edition, a front page article - "CM Discusses new ideas to Unclog Whitefield Area"

The craters on the ITPL road from GR Tech park to Bigbazaar have been filled temporarily. This has brought some relief. I was at GR Tech park at 8:51 AM and reached KTPO at 9:15 AM. 24 Mins for 4 KMs is nothing good but better than 2 hours.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by poloman

Getting impatient under such circumstances is inherent to human nature. Once I was caught up in a major traffic jam in US. I was surprised to see the sudden change in the behaviour of the drivers who were so disciplined till then. Suddenly they started doing all sorts of things like cutting lanes, honking and shouting. Not much different from what you see on Bangalore roads.

In my ~3 years of driving (on a longer stay) plus numerous trips when I've driven there in the US, I haven't seen this behavior.
Getting a drivers license is not easy there (other than some rare exceptions). I failed my first driving test and the reason given was I was over-cautious and driving below the minimum speed limit which posed a danger to other motorists , totally agreed with that and I learnt how to overcome that fear and drive normally and in a week's time at the same DMV I got my license.
The inherent human behavior you're talking about is just an excuse and ALL of us aren't idealists too!
Also, what I like about the roads in the US is that a dedicated lane for turns usually opens up before a signal or there is a transfer lane. If you want to turn you better be on that designated lane.
Even when we get the best roads, we lack discipline, and you will see some moron on the wrong side, people not following lanes, etc.

[Acharya]

Originally Posted by poloman

It will be foolish to expect people behave in orderly fashion under such circumstances. I see two wheeler riders standing in rain in harsh cold conditions for hours with the traffic not moving an inch.
Getting impatient under such circumstances is inherent to human nature.

Not completely true, some of the longest traffic delays that I have seen in my life were in UK. Six hours of bumper to bumper drive out of London to Land's End on a long weekend, however not a single soul honked, broke the line or drove in haphazard fashion.
My GF (then, now wify) once missed her flight from London to Boston, when we were driving down from Leicester to London on M1, as one 18 wheeler turned upside down and caused a massive jam, still everyone behaved and followed the rules (include myself )

We cannot become a developed country unless we learn to behave in public places, including roads.

[sachinpk]

Originally Posted by NPV

In today's Indian Express Bangalore edition, a front page article - "CM Discusses new ideas to Unclog Whitefield Area"

Did you read this part from the report? "We are set to hold talks with IT companies, corporate houses, developers and property owners to give us a right of way to lay new roads. We have received a positive response." The first line says the talks are yet to happen, but the minister says response has been positive. I would prefer to wait for the reactions from the IT companies, property developers etc. Being a pessimist I am, I don't think these folks would cooperate with the government. And these same folks would also blame every one else for the mess getting created (for which they are also equally responsible).

[bharat4ever]

The Service road leading to central mall Bellandur was jammed today at around 9 30 AM.


And then I see in the ORVM that the people behind are in a world of pain.



Hopefully it wasn't too much.

[etrast75]

Originally Posted by NPV

Finally, it does seem that all the ranting on various forums and social media did not fall on deaf ears after all. At least now there is talk about some action (hopefully!).

I admire your optimism first of all.. If you look into details, you will find that the govt is not committing to doing anything. The best thing is that everyone is slowly realizing that they need more roads in that area.. Late realization.. Something that should have been thought when they decided to give approvals for all the office spaces in that area.
All the govt is saying is that we will help if the companies give up right of way through their campuses.. Fat chance of that happening.. Even if some companies do come forward, all you will get is a bunch of small roads which lead nowhere.. How about invoking eminent domain, getting a bunch of land and building some roads? No way right.. all the tech parks are owned by companies run by politicians and their cronies..
This din will die.. traffic will be ok for a few days.. everyone will forget about this and get on with more plundering.. Am I a pessimist? I would say I am a realist with a tinge of pessimism..

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by sachinpk

Did you read this part from the report? "We are set to hold talks with IT companies, corporate houses, developers and property owners to give us a right of way to lay new roads. We have received a positive response." The first line says the talks are yet to happen, but the minister says response has been positive. I would prefer to wait for the reactions from the IT companies, property developers etc. Being a pessimist I am, I don't think these folks would cooperate with the government. And these same folks would also blame every one else for the mess getting created (for which they are also equally responsible).

I would target the real estate builders for this. Given an opportunity, these guys will start constructing apartments even if there is 1 inch of space. Saw this yesterday when my cab driver tried to venture into interior roads in Marathahalli when the cement road junction was jammed.
Lots of apartments wherein the road width is barely sufficient for a car to negotiate. And we do not have tar road but mud road.
Before sanctioning approval for constructing nay apartment, the govt should first allocate the proper road width and then give permission for flat construction.

[binand]

Originally Posted by sachinpk

"We are set to hold talks with IT companies, corporate houses, developers and property owners to give us a right of way to lay new roads. We have received a positive response."

That only means that the Outlook meeting invites have been accepted. :-)

[NPV]

Originally Posted by sachinpk

Did you read this part from the report? "We are set to hold talks with IT companies, corporate houses, developers and property owners to give us a right of way to lay new roads. We have received a positive response." The first line says the talks are yet to happen, but the minister says response has been positive.

Originally Posted by etrast75

I admire your optimism first of all.. If you look into details, you will find that the govt is not committing to doing anything. The best thing is that everyone is slowly realizing that they need more roads in that area.. Late realization.. Something that should have been thought when they decided to give approvals for all the office spaces in that area.
All the govt is saying is that we will help if the companies give up right of way through their campuses

I'm not a blind optimist and neither a pessimist which is why I said "hopefully!" in my post.
The hope comes from the fact that the government openly acknowledged there is a problem rather than just turn a blind eye.
They've even asked land owners to participate as "developers" for the peripheral ring road given that it is so difficult to acquire land in these areas.
Hope should always be there even if action is almost non-existent on the ground, otherwise we cannot live in this stressful world
*Some of the properties on ITPL main road have already built their boundary walls about 15-20 feet away from the road (example Prestige Shantiniketan, Zuri, etc) which has been done as provision for road widening, hoping the road will be widened sometime soon.

[Jaguar]

Originally Posted by bharat4ever

The Service road leading to central mall Bellandur was jammed today at around 9 30 AM.
Hopefully it wasn't too much.

The stretch was clear @10 AM.

Originally Posted by bharat4ever

And then I see in the ORVM that the people behind are in a world of pain.

Didn't understand this part.

[bharat4ever]

Originally Posted by Jaguar

The stretch was clear @10 AM.


Didn't understand this part.

As you must know, most of the jams occuring on this road are due to oncoming traffic getting in each others' way, driving on the wrong side.
And this bus was positioned on the wrong side of the road.