[silversteed]

^^^ Neither ladder or pole vault, people would make a crack on the divider if made of concrete, or remove the bars/rods if it's made of steel

aargee, you have been in Chennai for a longer duration, so you'd know the situation better. I was referring to the state of affairs as I'm seeing them during the last 3 years of my stay here. It's not just enforcement, but practicality as well.

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by aargee

Till date I'm very scared to take the subway near Chennai central.

I used this last Tuesday - crowded a bit, but no other issues. This was at 10AM. Not sure what the situation is at late hours.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by silversteed

people would make a crack on the divider if made of concrete, or remove the bars/rods if it's made of steel

well said

Originally Posted by silversteed

It's not just enforcement, but practicality as well.

Sorry, I don't get the point.
IMO, be it Chennai or anywhere in India, all the laws are documented well. But the cops don't enforce them. They do it only for 1 day to 1 week after that, there comes another sensational news & these things are forgotten. Don't believe me?
1. Law on smoking in public
2. Law of wearing helmets including pillion riders have disappeared in thin air. While my co-brother who's working in Airforce was not allowed in his own campus because he wasn't wearing a helmet. The sippai simply said, you're working in IAF & you don't know the rule? This is exactly what I mean.

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

I used this last Tuesday - crowded a bit, but no other issues. This was at 10AM. Not sure what the situation is at late hours.

Try sometime during after 7PM especially when you've a lady with you. Its little scary, atleast to me.

[Gansan]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

I used this last Tuesday - crowded a bit, but no other issues. This was at 10AM. Not sure what the situation is at late hours.

I have always used it, even at 5.00 AM and 10.00 PM. Absolutely no issues.

[jeevmenon]

Originally Posted by Gansan

I have always used it, even at 5.00 AM and 10.00 PM. Absolutely no issues.

Me too. I always use the subway (with wife/kid/parents) and have found no issues. The more people use it the better it would be. Others who don't I feel are violating rules and adding to the chaos and I find it hard to understand why they don't use the subway. On the use of escalators we will learn using them, we will learn standing on the left and moving on the right.

[aargee]

Oh!!! Guys, I don't intent to say that, its scary so I don't use it. I've to use it though I feel little scary with loads of beggars around, people turning the walkway into platform shops, not sure who's a professional killer in the sodium vapour lamps!!!

[Thad E Ginathom]

It's the unprofessional killers that you should worry about.

The professional ones won't be interested in you!

[raju2512]

Chennai subways are quite safe. They may not be very clean, but I have never heard a case of mugging or robbery. In fact I have used the subway connecting Park station and Central at various time of the day ,and never once I had felt unsafe.

Let's not be paranoid and get carried away painting a unnecessarily scary picture

[pras.oct25]

Chennai sucks. Today morning I had to fight with some two or three 2 wheeler guys at the petrol bunk for jumping in front of me to fill air in the tires. One of the guys tells me "2 wheeler boss, 2 wheeler". As if I dont pay for the air in my tires, or as if I need a truck full of air to fill air in my car tires. Perhaps if I run over him someday I can tell him "4 wheeler boss, 4 wheeler".

[aargee]

@Pras - These type of impatient morons are present everywhere, they think that by getting of over few seconds they're getting miles ahead. If we keep fighting with these morons, we're losing our day.

Two days ago, there were 2 guys on Activa with right turn lights switched ON at the middle of the road & I couldn't judge whether these guys are going to turn right or forgot to switch OFF. So I kept honking continuously (this is not Bosch twin horns, but the OE Rx's 6V horns, the puny sound).

The pillion shouted something for which I stopped the vehicle & told their mistake. As expected, did you know what they said? "Yes, the rider did forget to switch off, what now?" However the rider was cool & said sorry & ask to leave.

Like somewhere it has been discussed, instead of people accepting their mistake, there're a tendency of anger, frustration & they vent it out on road.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by pras.oct25

... One of the guys tells me "2 wheeler boss, 2 wheeler". As if I dont pay for the air in my tires, or as if I need a truck full of air to fill air in my car tires. Perhaps if I run over him someday I can tell him "4 wheeler boss, 4 wheeler".

Reminds me of one of my first Chennai queueing experiences. I was arranging my landline at BSNL, when some guy put his paper down between me and the guy I was talking to and started his business. When I complainhed, he said, "This will only take one minute," I replied, "so will this and my minute comes first."

Hoping not to offend, and please jump on me if I do, but isn't it a bit of a general cultural thing here, not being wrong? Excuses are expected to be accepted as reasons, and it is hard to hear, "Oh, my fault; sorry."

Of course, they say that queueing is a British national hobby, but certainly my queueing skills have become much more aggressive here!

[aargee]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Excuses are expected to be accepted as reasons, and it is hard to hear, "Oh, my fault; sorry."

No you cannot hear this even in a star hotel in India; someone was quoting this in this thread - instead of people accepting their mistake, they're good at pointing out others.
Probably you can hear it from me, if I'm genuinely at fault

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Of course, they say that queueing is a British national hobby, but certainly my queueing skills have become much more aggressive here!

Naturally it has to, Welcome to India sir

But I would say, it all depends on self; infact, my queueing skills has moved away from aggressvie; reason? each time, I find some moron like this & in a verbal quarrel, I loose my peace of mind. Instead I decided to keep it within; someday I hope to become "Anniyan"

[silversteed]

Lost my temper twice last evening.

I was at the Thoraipakkam bus stop, waiting for a bus. Up came a T51, and another one. The second one suddenly overtakes the T51, and stops. The other one stops a few metres behind it. Some of the people and I scamper towards the bus as it started inching forward. Now, here comes a total idiot on a scooty, honking (I guess so, since I could hear very less when I use my earplugs), on high beams and at quite some speed, through the LEFT side of the bus. He stopped right in front of me, and I screamed some carelessly chosen vocabulary at him at the top of my voice. Got into the bus soon, peace.

On the road, as always, it's a mad rush. Especially at SRP Tools. I saw an MTC bus going to Saidapet, bullying the people on the roadside, and making its way across the signal through the roadside - roadside -> go to the TTTI side -> Take U-turn -> back to OMR -> towards TIDEL Park. Thank God I was not in that bus or in a bike/car near it.

Reached the Tiruvanmiyur MRTS Station. I have the Smartcard, so went straight to the ATVM, ignoring the looooooong queue at the counter. Out of the two machines, one is always out of order (I complained many times at the booking counter, they always have the same, blunt smile and excuse, "they" are not fixing it. "They"? Don't know who that is) The other one was also not working yesterday. I ran to the queue and was waiting for my turn. When I was near to the counter, i saw a Hindi-speaking guy squeeze in between me and the guy in front. I objected, "It is a queue, if you don't mind". He replied, "Man, I was before this guy (pointing to the person in front of me), he squeezed himself before i could take out my purse". I apologized, and moved on. Reached the platform, only to find many of the impatient guys who were doing antics to get in between, and "adjusting" tickets from people who were already in the queue, waiting for the next train. If they'd stood in the queue, they'd have reached the platform comfortably and without pissing off others.

Being patient is something most of the people are ignorant about. If only everyone realized it's a live and let live scenario...

[nithin_86]

Well i guess losing temper while driving or travelling in a metro is unavoidable. I have started swearing after moving to Chennai. Can't help but to swear when someone at the petrol bunk cuts right in front of you because he had a smaller vehicle to squeeze through or when a biker squeezes through the small space between you and the vehicle in front so that he can get a few meters ahead and also grazing your bumper in the process.

If the person at least raises his hand and says a sorry itself it makes me feel better. But when some ignorant ones just do it and leave as if my car's bumper was put there for him to graze. Most of the time I manage to swear sitting inside the car with the windows up. We never know what our rage is going to turn the incident into.

The road is total chaos nowadays with all the metro construction and the road getting narrowed every other week. Hopefully the construction gets over as quickly as it can. Guess we have to live with the chaos for a few more years. Hopefully nothing new comes up by that time.

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by nithin_86

... Can't help but to swear when someone at the petrol bunk cuts right in front

You can avoid being there at that time - fill up early in the morning. It's good for the vehicle and for the pocket - lower temperature = higher density for petrol = better quantity = better mileage. Early morning = less traffic = less fuel wasted while travelling + tranquility inside.

Something I used to practise when my roomie had his bike here.

Originally Posted by aargee

someday I hope to become "Anniyan"

Ha ha... So the next time we hear the news of a psycho killer, we know who/where to look for! Right?

On a different note, I was considering the prospects of getting myself a used car in Chennai, but now I've decided to wait for some time so that I can get an SUV. And yeah, i'd install a remote-controlled foldable stalk with a flag on the bonnet - respect (fear) guaranteed

Gosh, I've depleted my quota of smilies!