Team-BHP > Street Experiences


Reply
  Search this Thread
967,158 views
Old 17th May 2022, 14:41   #3466
Senior - BHPian
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Madras
Posts: 3,094
Thanked: 4,488 Times
re: Traffic and life on the roads in Chennai

Quote:
Originally Posted by darkfantasy View Post
There are cows roaming on the flyover
There are cows roaming everywhere OMR, GST, ECR, Mount Road, Velachery-Tambaram road you name it. This is one of the Covid after effects.
narayans80 is online now   (3) Thanks
Old 20th May 2022, 10:00   #3467
BHPian
 
saisree's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: TN-11, AP-03
Posts: 940
Thanked: 2,427 Times
re: Traffic and life on the roads in Chennai

Did State Highways apply Tar on the Velachery Railway Over Bridge. I don’t remember that bone jarring ride last evening. Did anyone notice that?
saisree is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 20th May 2022, 11:22   #3468
BHPian
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: TN 14
Posts: 69
Thanked: 74 Times
re: Traffic and life on the roads in Chennai

Quote:
Originally Posted by saisree View Post
Did State Highways apply Tar on the Velachery Railway Over Bridge. I don’t remember that bone jarring ride last evening. Did anyone notice that?
Yes, it was done about 3 weeks back. Both the directions have been resurfaced.
marsbhp is offline   (2) Thanks
Old 20th May 2022, 12:18   #3469
Senior - BHPian
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Madras
Posts: 3,094
Thanked: 4,488 Times
re: Traffic and life on the roads in Chennai

After 3 weeks of tramlining on the roughened stretch. The Pallikaranai bridge to Chennai One stretch of Pallavaram-Thoraipakkam road has been resurfaced. Chennai One to Toll is still not resurfaced yet.
narayans80 is online now   (3) Thanks
Old 20th May 2022, 18:23   #3470
Distinguished - BHPian
 
Thad E Ginathom's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Chennai
Posts: 10,956
Thanked: 26,119 Times
re: Traffic and life on the roads in Chennai

Quote:
Originally Posted by narayans80 View Post
cows ... ... ...This is one of the Covid after effects.
How is the large number of cows (yes, I've noticed too!) on our streets connected with covid?

I'm not saying it isn't! But wanting to understand.
Thad E Ginathom is offline  
Old 23rd May 2022, 18:51   #3471
Senior - BHPian
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Madras
Posts: 3,094
Thanked: 4,488 Times
re: Traffic and life on the roads in Chennai

Quote:
Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom View Post
How is the large number of cows (yes, I've noticed too!) on our streets connected with covid?
Lot of these seem unattended without anybody herding them. Either these cattle are abandoned or let alone to freely roam for extortion.

Those with a herd are seen with some sort of tags, which was absent in the above case.

Free roaming cattle was not this bad a problem in 2019. Now I see almost 2-3 instances in a week on prime corridors.
narayans80 is online now   (1) Thanks
Old 27th May 2022, 12:45   #3472
BHPian
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Bengaluru
Posts: 818
Thanked: 3,035 Times
re: Traffic and life on the roads in Chennai

I'm visiting my relatives in Chennai. I've been driving around Avadi, Ambattur, Mogappair, Mambalam, Velachery, Tambaram etc.
One thing I noticed is the combination of wider roads, faster moving traffic, impatience of 2-wheeler riders leading to completely idiotic and dangerous manoeuvers by 2-wheelers. They are squeezing into every single gap, at every opportunity, at a faster pace with absolutely no concern about their own safety (most don't use indicators; don't have rear view mirrors). The situation is exacerbated by the availablity of 200-500 cc faster bikes to folks who know only to wring the throttle - common sense be damned.
The above is with my reference with Bangalore traffic where narrower roads leads in general to slower moving traffic.

Last edited by srvm : 27th May 2022 at 12:47.
srvm is offline   (3) Thanks
Old 27th May 2022, 15:58   #3473
Distinguished - BHPian
 
Thad E Ginathom's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Chennai
Posts: 10,956
Thanked: 26,119 Times
re: Traffic and life on the roads in Chennai

Quote:
Originally Posted by srvm View Post
... They are squeezing into every single gap, at every opportunity, at a faster pace with absolutely no concern about their own safety ...
Or, ambling along, sometimes in pairs chatting, in the middle of the road!

Yes, that it is how it is here. I envy you if your city is different. I acknowledge that, worldwide, a major purpose of motorbikes is not to be held up by the traffic. That is perfectly possible without every impatience and risk they take.
Thad E Ginathom is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 27th May 2022, 16:16   #3474
Senior - BHPian
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Chennai
Posts: 1,353
Thanked: 5,687 Times
re: Traffic and life on the roads in Chennai

Quote:
Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom View Post

Yes, that it is how it is here. I envy you if your city is different. I acknowledge that, worldwide, a major purpose of motorbikes is not to be held up by the traffic. That is perfectly possible without every impatience and risk they take.
You do realise that you just said that you envy Bangalore traffic behaviour? That's a bold statement!

Anyway, I never understood why 2 wheelers drive the way they do until I started a driving a 2 wheeler myself.

When you're in a 2 wheeler, the safe distance between you and the other vehicle is often a proportion to the size of the vehicle. For example, if you take the safe distance between your car and another car as 2 feet, you wouldn't consider the same in your 2 wheeler. 2 feet is very often the entire width of the bike and you automatically assume the safe distance to be something like 0.5 feet. These figures are just examples- the real world figures are more of a combination of speed and traffic conditions.

So once you drive a 2 wheeler, you'll understand why a two wheeler does what he does and it becomes easy to drive along with them.

Next, I want to try out rickshaws, lorries and buses.
Turbohead is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 27th May 2022, 16:48   #3475
Senior - BHPian
 
Gansan's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Chennai
Posts: 4,520
Thanked: 5,470 Times
re: Traffic and life on the roads in Chennai

I have been riding bikes from 1984, a decade before I started to drive cars. I always felt the safe passing distance between me and another two wheeler or car as at least two feet, whether I am passing them or they are passing me. More for bigger vehicles. While riding my bike I keep at least five feet between my bike and the vehicle ahead, and ensure I am not in their blind spot. While driving a car I keep a car length, or at least ensure I can see the rear tyres of the vehicle ahead clearly. Longer distance if the speeds are higher. The only exception to the above rules is when the traffic is crawling.

I have been on the road for four decades now without any damage. Barring a few minor incidents and spills over the years. Nothing that kept me in bed or needed more than a casual medical treatment. But when I observe the current generation riding around me on the roads, I am worried many of them may not attain the age to type similar words. Too much of brash riding and boorish behaviour on the roads. They don't respect their vehicles or the others on the roads. This includes girls and women riders, I am sorry to say.

In short, many of these know how to operate their rides. It does not equate to proper driving as per traffic rules, or road manners. Impatience, always impatience. Even from people who are in their 30's or more.
Gansan is offline   (4) Thanks
Old 5th June 2022, 02:08   #3476
BHPian
 
Join Date: Jan 2022
Location: Chennai
Posts: 102
Thanked: 109 Times
re: Traffic and life on the roads in Chennai

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gansan View Post

I have been on the road for four decades now without any damage. Barring a few minor incidents and spills over the years. Nothing that kept me in bed or needed more than a casual medical treatment. But when I observe the current generation riding around me on the roads, I am worried many of them may not attain the age to type similar words. Too much of brash riding and boorish behaviour on the roads. They don't respect their vehicles or the others on the roads. This includes girls and women riders, I am sorry to say.

In short, many of these know how to operate their rides. It does not equate to proper driving as per traffic rules, or road manners. Impatience, always impatience. Even from people who are in their 30's or more.
Absolutely. There is a difference between driving and operating a vehicle. Breaking rules and causing inconvenience to others seem to be their birth right.
prabhu7944 is offline  
Old 1st July 2022, 18:35   #3477
BHPian
 
saisree's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: TN-11, AP-03
Posts: 940
Thanked: 2,427 Times
re: Traffic and life on the roads in Chennai

Any idea on the Traffic Jam on the Chennai One Road last Wednesday Morning. Vehilcles towards Thoraipakkam where diverted in to the opposite lane and there was a choc-a-bloc near the Chennai One Gate with vehicles facing each other. By the time I reached the lane on to Thoraipakkam is open and free but was sad to see a mess created by someone on the other lane.
saisree is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 17th July 2022, 11:30   #3478
BHPian
 
Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: Mumbai
Posts: 101
Thanked: 715 Times
re: Traffic and life on the roads in Chennai

I came across this video of a bridge being repainted in Chennai to celebrate a Chess olympiad.

https://twitter.com/supriyasahuias/s...36845263097856

The POV shown in the video did raise some safety concerns in my mind. Mainly the lack of any road markings and possible driver distractions. Can anyone describe how the stretch feels while driving?

Another question for any doctors reading this: Can traveling on such roads trigger epileptic seizures?
Rohan265 is offline  
Old 17th July 2022, 12:18   #3479
BHPian
 
Prowler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Madras
Posts: 770
Thanked: 1,301 Times
re: Traffic and life on the roads in Chennai

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rohan265 View Post
I came across this video of a bridge being repainted in Chennai to celebrate a Chess olympiad.

https://twitter.com/supriyasahuias/s...36845263097856

The POV shown in the video did raise some safety concerns in my mind. Mainly the lack of any road markings and possible driver distractions. Can anyone describe how the stretch feels while driving?
The Napier bridge (for the history buffs, the original bridge was built by the then Governor of Madras Francis Napier in the year 1869 while the second arm similar to the original bridge was built in 1999) has no markings before the Chess pattern and so poses no safety risk.

I travelled in the night and the lighting effect combined with the head lights had a mesmerizing effect - like going through a Computer Game.
They will repaint and restore the bridge back to its original painting design once the Olympiad is over.
Prowler is offline   (3) Thanks
Old 17th July 2022, 12:35   #3480
Senior - BHPian
 
supremeBaleno's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Chennai / Kochi
Posts: 5,545
Thanked: 2,693 Times
re: Traffic and life on the roads in Chennai

I was in Chennai for 4 days last week and one of the things I noticed was cops standing at every main junction and challaning vehicles -
mainly bikers without helmets. Apparently TN has recently made helmet mandatory for pillion rider also and thus the checking/challaning.

I think helmet for rider was made mandatory in Chennai in the late 90s and seatbelts for car front occupants sometime in early 2000s.
If I today religiously use helmets & seatbelts, the reason was the enforcement back then.

Last edited by supremeBaleno : 17th July 2022 at 12:37.
supremeBaleno is offline   (6) Thanks
Reply

Most Viewed
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Team-BHP.com
Proudly powered by E2E Networks