[KishoreC]

It has been a hell of a weekend.

First of all on Staurday, I got side banged by a truck on NH4 between NICE junction and Nelamangala. It took a chunk of my LRVM. Anyway, my shouting did not make any difference, this truck wala refused to let anyone stop him. He finally took a turn towards NH48 and stopped right on the turn.

The whole day we were on the road, and whole day we came across numerous cases of callous driving. Three or four times I had to initiate some kind of maneuver to avoid accident. I think the rash driving instances are increasing day by day.

On Sunday, we were on NH4 again, this time on Old Madras road, going towards Kolar. We saw two accidents. The first one was between a HUGE truck and a 800. The 800 was totally banged up. Hopefully the passengers survived. There were a Scorpio and an Indica which were collateral damage. They hit the truck after it overturned blocking their way.

Anyway, the first accident was the normal ones which we see almost every time we go out on highways. The second one was horrible. It was between a bike and a mid-size truck. The driver of the bike was KIA and his body was still lying on the side of the road, his bike was up in flames just next to him. The truck lost control and banged on the median, the truck driver was still in the truck, probably stuck and there were people trying to help him out. The body on the ground was a scene of mangled flesh and blood. He probably didn't have helmet on, as their was maximum injury to the head. Judging by his clothes, he was a local person. He probably travels on a stretch of this road regularly. Accidents don't happen considering these facts.

I normally avoid this kind of scenes, but in this case the traffic was being channeled through a gap very close to where the body was lying.

We prayed for the deceased and his family. I hope the truck driver was ok. The scene of death, shook both me and my wife.

I wish people get more sense in their head, and wear helmets to protect their head.

I urge all who read this post and every bhpian, please make it a point to put on your helmet every time you ride a bike. Do it even if you are a pillion rider. It's all about living, there is no point dying being faster, or protecting your hairstyle.

[Newpunter]

Originally Posted by KishoreC

I urge all who read this post and every bhpian, please make it a point to put on your helmet every time you ride a bike. Do it even if you are a pillion rider. It's all about living, there is no point dying being faster, or protecting your hairstyle.

It took me a while to make my wife wear a helmet when she is riding with me. But I put my foot down and told her i wasn't taking her out on the bike unless she wore a helmet. After that, she started wearing the helmet, but she used to tell me that people on the road were laughing coz she was wearing a helmet while sitting pillion. I told her, if someone laughed for that reason, the joke was on them. I wonder what is the origin of this theory that it is ok for the pillion rider not to wear a helmet .

[prince_pervez]

Originally Posted by KishoreC

The body on the ground was a scene of mangled flesh and blood. He probably didn't have helmet on, as their was maximum injury to the head. Judging by his clothes, he was a local person.

I normally avoid this kind of scenes, but in this case the traffic was being channeled through a gap very close to where the body was lying.

I can totally understand what it must be like. I too had to go through such a situation where a father of D'Nobli college Pune was hit by a trucker and he lay in a pool of blood. It was an unnerving sight. Usually the bodies get covered in a shroud or the victim's clothing. Atleast the face is covered. I guess it must be a very fresh accident.
I hope you and your wife come out of it. Atleast I couldn't. I was very young then.

[aqualeo2040]

Yes. Most bikers in Bangalore are a royal pain.

Why?
* Because most of them don't know what traffic rules mean.
* Because talking to someone on the mobile phone is more important
* Because the RVMS are either folded or not present
* Because they have paid the road tax..
* Because indicators are just there to ..(i dont know what).

As a rule, I dont honk.I prefer using the dipper. However, overtaking a bike during the day becomes a difficult task then. Specially since they dont bother to check their RVMS or use their indicators while changing lanes.
Generally, while driving within the city limits in heavy traffic, I keep enough gap between my vehicle and the one in front so that I can let the bikes squeeze thru. Always remember that 2 wheelers are faster thru traffic, so it will be stupid on my part to stop them. I generally tend to leave space for a biker to cut across or go thru.Any rider with basic balance and riding skill can make it thru. I only panic when I see some of those novices.You never know when they will come and hit you!

I follow these same rules when I am on my bike too. I strictly avoid any sudden direction changes since I know that it will befuddle the driver behind me. However,on rare ocassions, I do cut across to indicate my displeasure for something he did. No one comes back to mess with a loud rusty Enfield after that

[sabynag]

I do not agree that we can generalize that bikers are more indisciplined than anyone else on the road. Sometimes, they may appear opportunist simply because they have more opportunities on Indian city roads. Given similar opportunities, even a guy behind a steering wheel would have done similar thing - it's just that the steering guy needs more space and that is denied on Indian conditions. Think about it - do you think your own discipline level depends on whether you purchase a bike or a car, or is it that with a car you are more careful because your perceived damage risk/cost is higher with it ?
A bike gets more opportunities than a Swift (for example) and a Swift gets more opportunities than an Accord in city traffic. Don't you generally notice that an Accord is most disciplined on a city road followed by Swift followed by a bike ? On highways, you may notice a slighly different display of discipline. Here the same biker may look very conservative while the Accord leading the overspeeding chart ! It's all about grabbing the opportunities.

[Torqy]

Originally Posted by sabynag

I do not agree that we can generalize that bikers are more indisciplined than anyone else on the road. Sometimes, they may appear opportunist simply because they have more opportunities on Indian city roads. Given similar opportunities, even a guy behind a steering wheel would have done similar thing - it's just that the steering guy needs more space and that is denied on Indian conditions. Think about it - do you think your own discipline level depends on whether you purchase a bike or a car, or is it that with a car you are more careful because your perceived damage risk/cost is higher with it ?
A bike gets more opportunities than a Swift (for example) and a Swift gets more opportunities than an Accord in city traffic. Don't you generally notice that an Accord is most disciplined on a city road followed by Swift followed by a bike ? On highways, you may notice a slighly different display of discipline. Here the same biker may look very conservative while the Accord leading the overspeeding chart ! It's all about grabbing the opportunities.

100% true.

One thing i've noticed is some people don't change their driving style when they move from a 2 wheeler to a 4 wheeler. They continue to drive their cars just like they rode their 2 wheelers...which is bad.

-- Torqy

[ajmat]

Arrrgh, EMC bus switches lane at random in a traffic jam and rubs my car while passing. Got scratches on the wheel arch. Traffic was so jammed, it was not worth stopping for a scrap.

[benbsb29]

Originally Posted by ajmat

Arrrgh, EMC bus switches lane at random in a traffic jam and rubs my car while passing. Got scratches on the wheel arch. Traffic was so jammed, it was not worth stopping for a scrap.

Ajmat, if you have the reg number of the bus, why dont you try mailing their transport department? Doesnt hurt to try, altough we can very well imagine they would wash their hands off the incident.

[kishoryk]

Originally Posted by benbsb29

Ajmat, if you have the reg number of the bus, why dont you try mailing their transport department? Doesnt hurt to try, altough we can very well imagine they would wash their hands off the incident.

Absolutely, you never know, when you'll have those unexpected and pleasant surprises. Once I had that incident and we had to pay-up some 7K for the damages to the other vehicle. But after few days, we get a call from eInn (near EC on Hosur Road - the vehicle we hit belonged to them as it turned out) who was sorry that the accident happened in the first place. He was inquiring if their staff behaved properly with us and told us that the repairs costed only 4K and he wants to return rest of the money. Which was total surprise to us - we did not know there will be such people around us. We were even invited over for a lunch! What an experience it was!

So no harm in writing to them and you may be lucky to get reimbursed.

Cheers,
KK

[ancientmariner]

1) Today I saw lane markings on Inner Ring Road. I wonder what purpose does it serve other than filling up the pockets of the contractors who did the work !! People drove oblivious to the lanes marked on the road as has been going for ages.
2) I dread to ride on this stretch especially near the Dell office because of the pedestrians crossing the road. I wonder why the authorities don't build a foot overbridge there since there so many guys ( who come from Kmgla and working in EGL) who need to go to the other side.
I have seen some pedestrians cross the road hurriedly by just showing their hands in a manner of 'stop please' without even judging if the vehicle is coming at a speed at which it cannot brake immediately. It is as if their hands control the vehicle !!. I too have crossed over couple of times, but I do it only when I feel that a vehicle is at a safe distance and can stop without knocking me over !! A foot overbridge or a subway is a necessity here.

[ch.nathan]

If you notice Innova cabs with Cisco labels on Outer ring road, STAY AWAY from them. They are the worst driven vehicles in Bangalore.

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by ch.nathan

Innova cabs with Cisco labels

Next time take down the Label number and the cab number and post it on here. I know the right guys who can deal with this in CISCO.

[benbsb29]

Originally Posted by ch.nathan

If you notice Innova cabs with Cisco labels on Outer ring road, STAY AWAY from them. They are the worst driven vehicles in Bangalore.

Quite true. They usually drive in a convoy, and are quite rash.

Originally Posted by Spitfire

Next time take down the Label number and the cab number and post it on here. I know the right guys who can deal with this in CISCO.

Will certainly do this the next time i come across their antics.

[sbraj]

Originally Posted by ch.nathan

If you notice Innova cabs with Cisco labels on Outer ring road, STAY AWAY from them. They are the worst driven vehicles in Bangalore.

I encountered them on Wind Tunnel Road. They are quite rash in overtaking.

It was a convoy of CISCO Innova cabs, probably on the way to CISCO office. Initially I wondered how come all of them are on Wind Tunnel Road. Then it stuck me that they are taking Challaghatta-Yemlur route to reach CISCO office on ORR (bypassing Marathahalli).

[sabynag]

Originally Posted by ancientmariner

1) Today I saw lane markings on Inner Ring Road. I wonder what purpose does it serve other than filling up the pockets of the contractors who did the work !! People drove oblivious to the lanes marked on the road as has been going for ages.
2) I dread to ride on this stretch especially near the Dell office because of the pedestrians crossing the road. I wonder why the authorities don't build a foot overbridge there since there so many guys ( who come from Kmgla and working in EGL) who need to go to the other side.
I have seen some pedestrians cross the road hurriedly by just showing their hands in a manner of 'stop please' without even judging if the vehicle is coming at a speed at which it cannot brake immediately. It is as if their hands control the vehicle !!. I too have crossed over couple of times, but I do it only when I feel that a vehicle is at a safe distance and can stop without knocking me over !! A foot overbridge or a subway is a necessity here.

It is not easy to successfully implement a footbridge in India. Unless you provide some incentives to an Indian to take that extra effort, very few will take this "long-cut". There is one near Leela Palace - it was unsuccessful until the authorities started to provide incentives to people to make use of it.

And on the lane marking - there are many such things that make no sense in Indian conditions but authorities still spend tax money on them. We have to remember that looks matter more than functionality in public spending. Can anyone justify why potholed roads are freshly tarred and then speed-breakers are added to them ? When we have natural speed-controlling elements like potholes and stray cattles, why do we spend money on speed-breakers which, on any day, are less effective than the natural alternatives on Indian road.
Which one gives you more sense of safety - a junction with fully automatic signals but no police on duty or a junction with no signals but police on duty ? The very fact that almost every signalled junction is staffed with policemen carries the proof how ineffective the signals are in controlling Indian traffic. But these signals still exist since they look good and gives a false sense of development.