[raghu.t.k]

Originally Posted by Reisender

@Raghu - Those irritating lights were in GST road as well. I felt it was too bright/flashy than an high beam. God knows who is $&*#$*#& guy gave that idea of using it.

Yes it was too bright as well had some patterns changing. All this while it was directed at the eyes of the car and bike drivers. In fact if you were in the lane closest to the light, it literally blinds you for a few seconds. In some places like Kotturpuram, they were tied to the barricades.

High time they did something scientifically. First it was all the barricades which irritates to no end. It only increases by day, and now this!!

[r_devakumar]

This Monday, took Ola mini from Rajakilpakkam to Airport early morning at 4 p.m, the charge is 196. . One month back used NTL taxi for the same at 5 a.m. The driver started the meter even before i got into the car saying it will start as soon as he reach the pickup location, plus he added some 25% or more as night charge and it came 400 plus.

Also used OLA sedan from Rajakilpakkam to Perungulathur and charge is Rs.180. For the same, couple of months back paid Rs.250 for Auto

Hope OLA keep the same service standard.

Cars are very rarely troubled in Chennai and you can see plenty of other state cars in Chennai. In our apartment, other state cars could be easily 50% of total. However, some months back, one of my manager get caught in a checking by RTO and paid around 40K (no excuse, request were considered).

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

@pramodpk, drive around in any-state registration car in Chennai without any issues. Cops don't bother (bikes with other state registration will be stopped though).
BTW, was your query about issues-with-cops or about any issues due to TN-KA friction ? Either ways, no issues as of today.

BTW, talking of autos, Ola app now has been extended to include auto-rickshaws too. Pay only the government-fixed fare + Rs10 as booking charges. Cool, I think.
As it is with the Ola mini and other such services, cab rates are down to auto-rates and auto-guys will finally have no option but to go by the fare-meter.
This is the benefit of competition.

Eg. a friend took a Ola mini Indica from Sithalapakkam to Velachery yesterday night 11PM - charge was just Rs192.
I doubt an auto would come for that money even in daytime for a distance that is 10+ kms.

[klassics45]

Whoever drives in the new ring road (Vandaloor to poonamallee) please drive sedately. Animal crossing is very high in this road. I came across 3-4 times in less than 30 minutes drive.

[srikanthns]

I had the unfortunate experience of travelling in a Taxi from Chennai Central to Adyar at around 2325hrs on 31-12-2014. Now welcoming new year is okay and little bit over the top jubilation is also okay. But what I saw on the roads was something similar to aggression! Everybody wanted to highrev the bike, ride the bike most dangerously and testing the brakes by stopping micrometers from the vehicle in the front! My taxiwallah, who was approaching 60 years of age, was totally unnerved and he was cursing through out the journey. Liquor bottles were openly flaunted on the public roads! Do we have to welcome New year only like this?

[VW2010]

Do we have to welcome New year only like this?

Yes. This is a yearly scenario. Try going to the beach next year and may be besant nagar beach.

The fun starts when you decide to return back home.

[klassics45]

Nice initiative in chennai (near taramani)

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by klassics45

Nice initiative in chennai (near taramani)

Great initiative.

The funny part about the pic is, all guys standing on road has helmets. However all those riding two wheelers doesn't.

Not sure if it is due to humidity, Chennai is one place where inspite of helmet rule in place since long I spot lots of violators. The same goes for using cell- phone while driving.

[klassics45]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

Great initiative.

The funny part about the pic is, all guys standing on road has helmets. However all those riding two wheelers doesn't.

Not sure if it is due to humidity, Chennai is one place where inspite of helmet rule in place since long I spot lots of violators. The same goes for using cell- phone while driving.

Exactly. The frustrating part was, the guys without helmet didnt show any signs
of guilty. They acted as if everything is normal.

The kids were giving sticker to every one who were wearing helmet and shaking hand with them.

I use to ride bikes for more than 10 years and its never been a problem to ride with helmet in Chennai. Our lives are more important than sweat.

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

Not sure if it is due to humidity, Chennai is one place where inspite of helmet rule in place since long I spot lots of violators.

Having a rule in place is one thing. What is key is enforcement. In the initial days of the helmet-rule, we could see 95% or more adherence by motorists and I remember mentioning it on this thread too. But then the politicians made unsound comments like "we won't let the cops harass the public over helmets", "women riding pillion don't need to have helmets" etc, which obviously put a spoke in the stellar enforcement that was being done by the cops. Have been biking in Chennai since early-nineties and the humidity did not prevent using a helmet.

[n.arun01]

Originally Posted by srikanthns

Do we have to welcome New year only like this?

Started from office at Egmore at 0130 hrs and reached Adyar at 0245 hrs. Unfortunately I live on MG road. The incessent honking,shouting and drunken revelry went on till about 4 in the morning. Kids had a harrowing time.

[Gansan]

^^ For this reason, I never venture out on new year eve night. Recently such activity has started on our neighborhood roads also, but if they cross a particular threshold, we don't hesitate to bully them away.

[raghu.t.k]

Yesterday on the FM there was mention of the police not charging any of the drunk drivers on new year's eve. They did do the sensible thing of detaining them till they sobbered up before letting them go. I would have preffered the police to send the bill (for the amount of time detained), as well as charges for drunken driving.

Its one thing to enjoy and welcome the new year, and another to be a nuisance to others, while risking their own lives!! I am not sure why such occassions requires this sort of a behaviour. Few of the 2 wheelers also think its their right to ride extremely dangerous manner, and are lucky due to other motorists on the road being cautious.

Its high time such acts are put down with a firm hand, and backing of the gov, and the society.

BTW did anyone figure out why the bright flashing lights were deployed on new year's eve?

[kiku007]

Originally Posted by CliffHanger

I think being in City for longer periods make us all cynical.

I recently visited my hometown in southern part of Tamil Nadu and was taken aback by the behaviour of people there.

Simple, honest, friendly and lots of love on offer -- is what I could see on majority of people there. Not many of them were rich, but the kind of respect they share among them and the love between them made me realize how cynical I have become after being in Chennai for quite some time.

Very true. I tendered a 500 Rupee note to the Parking Fee Collector @ Brookfields Mall in Coimbatore. Been in the mall for about 2 hours. He returned 4 100 Rupee notes and I started to move. He asked me to stop and gave 80 more rupees!

First shock: Rs.20 for 2 hours in a MALL which is pretty much what Express Avenue is minus the Car Showrooms.

Second shock: The fee collector didn't ask me for change nor did he show any displeasure. I mean, try giving a 500 Rupee note for a 20 rupee fee in Chennai

However I do have my strong resent over the way vehicles are driven in South TN. The honking and utter disrespect for any traffic rule drives me nuts.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by n.arun01

Started from office at Egmore at 0130 hrs and reached Adyar at 0245 hrs. Unfortunately I live on MG road. The incessent honking,shouting and drunken revelry went on till about 4 in the morning. Kids had a harrowing time.

The last time I travelled home late on a New Year Eve, a year or three ago, I found a solid jam on ECR, doubled back as soon as I could, and took the small canal road. I drove very slowly (hey, one should drive slow when driving through other people's parties )and the worst I suffered was waves and seasonal good cheer.

This year, I was staying in a guest house in Royapettah, for musical reasons, and was in bed before 2400nrs. I was aware of about ten minutes of fireworks, and that was it. I thought better of venturing, on foot, to the Music Academy midnight do --- but mostly because I had to be there at 8.45am the next day.

[rr_zen]

Originally Posted by Gansan

^^ For this reason, I never venture out on new year eve night. Recently such activity has started on our neighborhood roads also, but if they cross a particular threshold, we don't hesitate to bully them away.

Precisely. I make sure I don't step out after 5pm on 31st Dec. Its not only a pain to be out on the roads but very dangerous as well with the youth riding their vehicles like mad and most of them under influence. Read enough of it in TOI as well on Jan 1.