[Nalin1]

I think this is the right thread to proudly mention the USP of Bangalore traffic. Nothing new for the residents, but let people in other cities have a laugh-

1. There are about a million cross roads that cut across all the main roads and junctions. Expect ANY vehicle to move in and out of any of the roads at any time of the day or night.
2. Expect any vehicle to stop anywhere at any time or any vehicle that is parked anywhere to start moving in any direction any time.
3. Any vehicle will overtake at any time from any direction on any road.
4. You can spot only one vehicle in the middle of everyone moving at a snail's pace because the driver will be holding a phone in one hand and looking down/have even seen one person having breakfast!
5. You will find cops causing traffic jams by barricading and conducting checks in the midst of maddening traffic.
6. You will even find pedestrians and animals stranded in the middle of a thousand vehicles.
7. Probably the only city where other vehicles will overtake ambulances.
8. After spending three minutes at one signal, you will move ahead 50 metres and find the next signal on a straight road turning red.
9. A road full of potholes will have a speed breaker.
10. Jumping a non-working signal will result in the cops catching you a few metres ahead.
11. All the residential areas will have cars parked on both sides of the road leaving just enough space for only car. If a car comes from the other side, well you know what to do!
12. An auto will be driving at 30 on the fast lane and all the vehicles will be overtaking from his left.
13. Probably the only city where all the vehicles on the road stop at the bus stop along with the bus.
14. Even if a bicycle breaks down, will result in a complete jam for kilometres.
15. In a junction you will find vehicles from the extreme right take a left turn and vice-versa.

Multiply all these by 10 even if it rains for just 10 minutes.

[dark.knight]

Originally Posted by Nalin1

I think this is the right thread to proudly mention the USP of Bangalore traffic. Nothing new for the residents, but let people in other cities have a laugh-

I think the other cities are more than aware, Bangalore has become the butt of all jokes when it comes to traffic and I too, have contributed quite a few to this thread until a few months ago.

Of late these things only sadden me, deeply so. This city has been my home for as long as I've remembered, I'm not saying it in the sense of regionalism or the much misused term "namma Bengaluru" which almost everyone chants without understanding its true meaning. To me this place was very much my Bangalore, it was special because the air was crisp and fresh all year round and summers were hardly hot, one could walk, grab a bus or drive oneself to anyplace in 1 hour flat, as a kid I took autos from my school to home and was tendered exact change upon arrival - people were much more honest and sincere in those days (merely a couple of decades back) and the city had an elegant simplicity that none could match by a mile.

Bangalore was a nature's treasure trove as recent as the 90's.. the parks were unbelievably beautiful, lakes were plenty and brimming with water, roads though small were lined with trees and always enabled a smooth, stress free drive due to the lower population. I almost never vacationed anywhere simply because I was happy to be here and was mostly thrilled to get back from other metro cities to the only home I knew. There was also this unspoken respect amongst the city folk for each other, we knew we were a community and that bond though never publicly displayed was all too apparent.

Today Bangalore takes the beating for the fault of people, greed took over and property values have shot up to unreasonable levels, people only care for money and developers have shat out their projects all over the lung spaces, few lakes included. There is no respect for fellow citizens, there is no respect for traffic rules.. it simply has become a venue for people to put out their arrogance and 'me first' mentality. Aye-tee parks have replaced green parks and such buildings burp out diesel exhausts (generators), massive amounts of CFC (air-conditioning) and of course the cars, cabs and bikes with their NOx and CO2 emissions, its little wonder why we are having such a hot summer this season and heat increasing by the year. Every city is facing the same problems, more so the metros but Bangalore mattered to me and hence my reaction.

I'm not a patriot, I see no logic in it.. pointlessly glorifying a country and same goes for any city, I've always laughed when my associates/peers debated as to which city is the best. That makes what I'm about to say all the more sincere - Bangalore was my home, my sanctuary.. without counting the population at any point of time. My affiliation was never with the Bangaloreans, per se but with the city. Irretrievably lost, I only have memories and a few polaroid photos of life as I knew it here as I struggle to adjust to the neo-Banglore/Bengloor/Bengaluru, whatever.

[itwasntme]

Please note!

http://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.co...w/58405844.cms

Going to be hell at all exits from BLR both today afternoon onwards and tomorrow morning.

[balenoed_]

Originally Posted by dailydriver

You might have started already but if you haven't, going by metro is the best option. They run the trains till an hour or so after the end of the match.

Yes, that is what I did finally. Did not want to risk in searching for a parking place and end up late. Parked the car at Baiyappanahalli. But getting a parking slot at Metro station was a pain too. Had to wait in queue for good 30 minutes before we got a slot.

[audioholic]

Best wishes to anyone heading out of station today!

We initially had plans of spending some time in a hill station, but all the places we searched were booked out. Then decided there is no more enjoying out of station during long weekends and the best way to do so is to chill out at home, and enjoy the empty roads of Bangalore.

In case anyone is planning to board a bus in Majestic, its better you shift the boarding point to a place on the outskirts of the city. There is no point in reaching majestic in a hurry amidst all the chaos, just to realise that the buses have no way out of the place. In the same way, even trains I feel is best to be boarded from other than SBC and Yeswantpur, if that option exists. Hopefully, the metro should aid some of the people movement.

[srvm]

Originally Posted by dark.knight

I think the other cities are more than aware, Bangalore has become the butt of all jokes when it comes to traffic and I too, have contributed quite a few to this thread until a few months ago.
.....

I agree with you friend. So sad to see this happen to such a wonderful city.

A bit off-topic. I almost expected your post to end this way:

That makes what I'm about to say all the more sincere - Bangalore was my home, my sanctuary.. without counting the population at any point of time. My affiliation was never with the Bangaloreans, per se but with the city. Irretrievably lost, lost like tears in the rain...time to e-m-i-g-r-a-t-e

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Going to be hell at all exits from BLR both today afternoon onwards and tomorrow morning.

Originally Posted by audioholic

Best wishes to anyone heading out of station today!

Like so many other long weekends, I am headed into the city this evening. May reach the Nelamangala flyover by 10 pm. Hope the city will be kind enough to let me in with minimum hindrances and waiting time. But previous experiences tell me that since Majestic is generally jampacked, entry is as difficult as exit .

[binand]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Going to be hell at all exits from BLR both today afternoon onwards and tomorrow morning.

Tomorrow morning? Hopefully not. I have a flight to catch at 7 AM. How is traffic on northbound NH 7 and eastbound NH4 on such days?

I also didn't quite understand the logic behind this:

3) Passengers travelling to Tamil Nadu destinations in KSRTC and SETC premier buses (to Chennai, Trichy, Karaikudi, Pudukottai, Tanjavur, Coimbatore, Madurai & Kumbakonam) should board at Shanthinagar Bus Station. Passengers travelling to Villapuram, Dharmapuri, Salem, Krishnagiri, Coimbatore via Hosur in Tamil Nadu Corporation buses should board at Mysore Road Bus Terminal.

All those destinations take the same exit from the city, no? Is this a crowd-control measure at one (or both) of the bus stands?

[TorqueyTechie]

Originally Posted by binand

Tomorrow morning? Hopefully not. I have a flight to catch at 7 AM. How is traffic on northbound NH 7 and eastbound NH4 on such days?

Yeah even I am hoping its not. I am taking the airport route for going to Mantralayam. Though planning for an early start I just hope that the traffic on the road and near the tolls are less.

Originally Posted by binand

I also didn't quite understand the logic behind this:



All those destinations take the same exit from the city, no? Is this a crowd-control measure at one (or both) of the bus stands?

Shantinagar bus stand alone cannot control the flow of people travelling to Tamil Nadu. I have seen jams every friday evening causing close to 15-20 mins of crawling to get out of that area. Also the entry exit points to that bus stand is narrow plus there is one private operator just outside of the bus stand operating their fleet. So I think the police are trying to create an orderly chaos than have one which they cannot control.

[shajufx]

The only option for Bangalore is to push half the crowd (whoever can afford) to the air transport mode, which will anyway happen in couple of years. I am talking about within the city services which are right now too expensive, limited to corporates and well to do business class. Uber is planning to launch the air taxi within 2020, but there are many similar business plans taking shape globally. As an entrepreneur, my team is doing the home work on how a unique air travel can bring change to this city that is affordable, timely and available 24/7 through an App. I also have my overseas funders ready for an idea, but its going to take another year even to put things on paper. If any of you could contribute with your ideas, you are more than welcome. After All, an idea can change life forever

[procrj]

Originally Posted by binand

I have a flight to catch at 7 AM. How is traffic on northbound NH 7 and eastbound NH4 on such days?

Should not be a problem early mornings as long as you plan to use ORR to cut across Yeshwantpur and get to Hebbal. Now that the Goruguntapalya flyover is open, its been relatively easy to go from NH4 to Hebbal - Airport

[binand]

Originally Posted by procrj

Now that the Goruguntapalya flyover is open, its been relatively easy to go from NH4 to Hebbal - Airport

Er... I mentioned "eastbound" NH4, specifically the stretch between NGEF & Beniganahalli. Thanks anyway.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by binand

Tomorrow morning? Hopefully not. I have a flight to catch at 7 AM. How is traffic on northbound NH 7 and eastbound NH4 on such days?

It should be OK since you will be going to the airport between 5-6AM(?) and the roads would be empty recovering from tonights load. Later in the morning tomorrow the traffic might increase because of the ones departing tomorrow morning. Given that the onward journey to the airport doesnt have a toll either, it should be quite reliable for you to reach the airport.

[ajmat]

Greetings from Richmond Circle where traffic is thick - people trying to get to Shanthinagar and Majestic. Just came back from Peenya, traffic at Palace Gutahalli towards the airtport was backed up to before the Raj Bhavan

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted by dailydriver

But previous experiences tell me that since Majestic is generally jampacked, entry is as difficult as exit .

For once, I am glad to be proved wrong. The whole route from Nelamangala (flyover) to Rajajinagar entrance - at 11.30 pm - was traffic and signal free yesterday night. Took me just about 35 minutes.

However, I could, between 6.30-830 pm, count almost 2 cars per minute going towards Belur/Chikkamagaluru while on my way to Hassan. The KSRTC bus I was in could hardly cross 40kmph the whole way.

Also, as expected and articulated here by many knowledgeable Bhpians, outward traffic on the Nelamangala road was dense.