[mpksuhas]

Those who are familiar with Sarjapur - Haralur road junction near Big Bazaar will remember that the right turn from here towards Harlur road while coming from Iblur was closed some 3 years back.

However, today local elected representatives citing requests from residents around here have removed the divider here.

3 years back, it was closed since traffic started backing up towards Sarjapur junction due to vehicles waiting to take right towards Haralur road and causing blockage for vehicles heading towards Sarjapur side.

In the past 3 years it was closed, couple of things have changed, thousands of apartments have come up in complexes around Sarjapur road and Haralur. Road quality has deteriorated to horrible conditions. Both these are not going to help the traffic with median open.


So, till any proper infrastructure improvement is done (road widening, better surfacing), I guess we will be seeing similar band aid fixes.


And those heading towards this side from tomorrow morning, brace up for bad traffic (just when we thought it may not be possible to get worse)

[Vid6639]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

Those who are familiar with Sarjapur - Haralur road junction near Big Bazaar will remember that the right turn from here towards Harlur road while coming from Iblur was closed some 3 years back

The road is in pathetic condition. They need to really really fix the sarjapur stretch completely. First and foremost the parking for the shops needs to go when coming from ORR. cars backing out and searching for parking always ensure left lane traffic cuts right causing slow down.

Secondly the u turn should just be banned for buses and trucks. Irrespective of private, public whatever. Let them U turn well after Wipro junction.

Thirdly if they have opened the right from Sarjapur to HArlur then they should stop the right from HArlur to Sarjapur. Harlur should be left turn only. That u turn is not so bad and the % of cars going to Sarjapur from Harlur is not high vs sarjapur to harlur. This will be the biggest headache to implement cause of indiscipline. This right turn from Sarjapur to HArlur should not be allowed again for heavy vehicles like buses and trucks. Let them take u turn at the fire station.

[balenoed_]

Probable traffic jam alert.

Quite a bit of water logging at Rainbow hospital (ORR) underpass. Only the right lane is usable (both sides) when I just drove via that. If it remains the same until the business hours starts, then massive traffic jam to be expected.

[hellmet]

If you're in your 30s, there never has been a better time to emigrate to Canada. This country is welcoming new immigrants in droves. Come, see if you like it. Not kidding.

[Traveler]

Originally Posted by hellmet

If you're in your 30s, there never has been a better time to emigrate to Canada. This country is welcoming new immigrants in droves. Come, see if you like it. Not kidding.

I have been there and done that. Although I did not face any direct issues I did see numerous others being discriminated in Canada as well. I think rotten apples are everywhere whether its Bangalore or Toronto.

The worst thing is that in a foreign country you are immediately recognized as a foreigner even if you are a citizen and no matter what people say there is always some form of discrimination. You may not feel it but it's there.

[knp]

Sorry to know this and I can relate similar experience that I had around 10 years ago near Jayangar. I was driving TN registered car as I moved from Chennai to Bangalore on work, and while taking a right turn, one two wheeler overtook on my right and stopped abruptly just before my car. I did stop the car, but it just touched his bike. There was not even a scratch to his bike and he was very much fine. But, then I saw some taxi guys and locals around surrounded me and attached one me. Someone even snatched a gold chain that I was wearing and they were abusing me as if I took their kaveri water, thinking that I'm a tamilian. I was keeping cool seeing the reality and I can't retaliate to those 10s of people. Then, a cop came and he even started abusing me in local language. I just took all their brunt and came back home with dishearted. I had so much positivity about this city and people. I see only a section of people, who can envy on others are the trouble makers, but I do have nice kannadigas at work. In fact, I finally married to a kannadiga girl.

[dZired]

Originally Posted by balenoed_

Probable traffic jam alert.

Quite a bit of water logging at Rainbow hospital (ORR) underpass. Only the right lane is usable (both sides) when I just drove via that. If it remains the same until the business hours starts, then massive traffic jam to be expected.

Heavy traffic from Marathahalli Multiplex to Rainbow Hospital. Probably due to the reason mentioned by fellow BHPian balenoed_.

[hemanth.anand]

Be a Roman when in Rome.
This is one thing I keep reminding myself. forget when I'm outside Karnataka, even within Bangalore, I follow this. I drive according to the majority. Of course I stick to rules but only "as much as possible".

Coming to this service road on the Bengaluru-Pune highway:
People in that area/road drive on the wrong way and they don't understand the concept of Service road. people just don't seem to understand that they can drive on the left lane of the service road legally. They choose to drive illegally on the right lane with one tyre on the road and one outside. other people drive on the right lane to avoid them. Now if you try to stick to the rules completely and drive on the left lane, you're blocked.
When I visit that part of the city rarely, I drive on the left lane only when it is empty, otherwise, I follow the herd just to be safe. good thing is the Police don't fine for this.
Now the same kind of service road is on the Hosur road from Silk board till Chandapura. I drive here daily, and the traffic is completely different. Everybody drives on the left lane of the service road and when someone drives on the wrong side, it blocks the road completely. Here I'm more adamant and stick to my lane. Many times I've stopped in front of the wrong side vehicle and told him that I'll wait till he moves back to his lane. It works because the majority of the vehicles are correct and he has no option.

Driving on NICE road is a different ball game, driving on the ORR is another. Driving in Srinagara takes different skills, driving around KR Puram needs something else. around Basavanagudi, you've to Know Kannada; around Shivajinagara area, you've to know Urdu; around CV Raman nagar, you may have to learn Tamil. Bengaluru is not called a cosmopolitan for nothing. If we adapt, we are safe, if not we aren't. This applies to Kannadigas as much as others.

[drivingme.crazy]

Very sorry to hear this. I'd been at a receiving end once in Indira Nagar. I was walking on the platform when a drunk two-wheeler driver hit me from behind. I was not hurt but I told him, in English, with a smile "incase you hadn't noticed, the road is over there".

The moment he knew I couldn't speak the local language, he started abusing me and hitting. Two or three locals joined with the usual dialogue "you come here.. eat our food, drink our water, think this is your motherland.. blah blah blah...". No one bothered to help. I kept walking and entered a near by restaurant which I visited frequently. The guys there helped me and drove those guys out.

Since that day, I couldn't ignore the feeling that no matter what people say, we are not welcome anywhere in our country. We say we are proud to be diverse but we should be ashamed not to respect that diversity.

Everything aside, I wouldn't blame Bangalore city or it's people. It's just that there's good and bad and it's everywhere. It's unfortunate to experience the bad especially when you are new to the place.

Try to forget the incident. Learn to speak basic Kannada, at-least it creates the feeling in others that you are trying to blend in. Even educated people sometimes behave like morons but what I noticed in Bangalore is, it's coming out of impatience on the road. Almost 6 out of 10 drivers on the road are driving with impatience or rage. Every once in a while it bursts and some unlucky souls receive it.

[dark.knight]

I guess I'll never truly understand this outsider situation because all my vehicles have had the seal of protection (KA number plate), and since I have been raised in Bangalore, I can talk in Kannada all day long, if that's what it takes to prove a point.

Yes I've seen the big difference language makes in all cities. Whether it is traffic police, plain ol' khaki police, locals, shopkeepers etc, talking in Kannada almost entitles you to an easier life and faster progress through the day, I never paid attention to it as it was second nature to converse in Kannada even though it isn't my mother tongue.

I may have also been hugely lucky due to the fact of knowing the language, as I've had more than a few scuffles with errant motorists, had shouting matches in Kannada that lasted until the vehicles behind drained their batteries due to the honking, and even went squabbling to the traffic police on many occasions and since we all spoke the same language the police just asked us to clear the pile up and get on with our lives in exasperation.

I believe that road rules are there for a reason, hence I've even blocked out traffic police jeep and one regular police jeep once using my car as they were coming into the wrong way. When they started furiously waving at me for acting like an idiot, both times I lowered the window and started giving them a taste of their own medicine and told them that they as keepers of law should know what wrong they are doing more than I should and refused to budge, I made them sweat both times for 2 minutes and moved on as they broke the law. If my car had a different number plate or if I didn't know the language I'm sure I wouldn't have done it fearing extreme backlash.

Apathy towards humans and Law : Its an India thing, lets admit it. I've shed all racism, regionalism, linguism, classism etc over the years as I've had bad experiences with all walks of society and evolved my thoughts to what it should be as status quo - misanthropy.

[2000rpm]

I am a Mumbaikar who has lived in Bangalore for 4 years. The only reason why Bangalore and its state is its Corrupt Police force. They are local goons with a uniform. No decency, no manners, completely rowdy bunch. Mumbai crowd is equally bad but the fear of the law prevents uncivilized behaviour to a large extent, which is missing in Bangalore.

[nkrishnap]

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

Be a Roman when in Rome.
This is one thing I keep reminding myself. forget when I'm outside Karnataka, even within Bangalore, I follow this. I drive according to the majority. Of course I stick to rules but only "as much as possible".

So very true of what you say. Adapt is the key, sticking with majority will keep you out of trouble most times if not all the time. The most dangerous ones near Pune, Kolhapur, Satara are the two wheelers. 360 degree vision is must to ensure you get around safely.

During the recent Mumbai drive, Pune and Mumbai were pathetic compared what I am used to here. But stereotyping because of an incident is incorrect.

[am1m]

Was working from home for the past couple of weeks because of a knee injury and was lucky to miss the chaos because of the rains. Past couple of days have been leaving home at 7am and leaving work only post 8pm.

Just today, was thinking that probably I could sleep in a bit more and leave by 8-830 am, when a colleague who lives near my place just walked in to work. He started at 840 and reached at 10am. Almost 80mins for a distance of 12km. By bike! I'm sticking to waking up at 6. If I want to sleep in, will work from home for that day!

Wonder what's next? Give my house on rent and take a room at a PG next to work?! Pathetic situation at the ORR.

[IshaanIan]

I spent my college years in Bangalore, and absolutely loved it. The weather, the college going crowd and the places to eat and drink, as well as the dtives that were nearby. That said, while I have local friends whom I adore, I absolutely hated most of the locals, and felt like it was the most hostile city I have ever been in. Locals have yelled and tried to get the better of me in several situations when they were wrong:

- Once when a cab came on the wrong side of the road, on a curve and started claiming that I was going too fast, when I had to honk and flash my lights to get him to steer back onto his half of the road.
- Once by a couple of cops who tried taking my friends and me to the station for "loitering", when we were waiting outside a friends house for them, and my car was right next to us with ac and engine running as well.
- by an old man riding his activa in the fast lane, who I politely honked at but didn't budge so I overtook him from the left and he got startled.

Just too many instances and all the time they claim not to know hindi after 5 minutes. I have even observed how they treat girls and women, it is absolutely shameful. Seriously the attitude of the city stinks IMO as well.

[theredliner]

The flyover construction nonsense that's been going on in front of Manyata since April has been a royal pain in the neck causing upto 2.5-3km long jams in the evenings. The bigger question is, how did the govt. let a private property construct its entrance on a public road? Isn't that encroachment? I know who the real owner of the tech park is, but looks like no one is even bothered about it unlike how there were protests against steel flyover and some other projects. Only relief is that the white topping sham has been stopped for now.