[Daewood]

Originally Posted by Zed

..he rolled down his window and yelled ' Dummy signal saar '. I haven't figured out what he was on about to this very day.

There is a traffic signal in front of MGR university in Maduravoyal, which is installed by the private university itself. It's actually a straight road with no branches or turns. A keen eye can make out it's not an official one by the colour and design difference. It serves no purpose during major part of the day, as students cross the road only during mornings and evenings.
All these days we only had illegal speed breakers. Now they've gone a step ahead and installed traffic lights.

[wildsdi5530]

I don't mind following traffic rules rigourously, but once when I had stopped at a red light, a middle aged man from a car which was forced to stop behind me came knocked my window and told me to move on as it was early morning. In a city like Chennai, I'm scared as sometime there might be a political goonda or rowdy behind me and he may not be so polite.
Once a few months back, in perungalathur signal on GST I had stopped and an overtaking sand truck ripped off my front bumper to jump the signal. The cop at the booth told me to drive on and that he could do nothing saying 'sand mafia sir'.
I figure driving like a maniac with aggression is the best way in Chennai.

[Zed]

Given that the incident happened on Nungambakkam high road and that the light was red and looked pretty authentic - I don't think that the private traffic signal (now there's a term I never thought Id use!) theory is an explanation to the mystery. But good to know there is such a thing.

[supremeBaleno]

@Zed, I don't think he meant you when he said dummy. IMO he possibly meant that the "signal" is a dummy ie. one you should not give much importance to.
BTW, which signal was this on N.H.Road ?

Originally Posted by wildsdi5530

I figure driving like a maniac with aggression is the best way in Chennai.

As long as you have a pack of goons to fall back on in case your manic driving results in hitting someone else or their vehicle, you should be OK.

[headers]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

As long as you have a pack of goons to fall back on in case your manic driving results in hitting someone else or their vehicle, you should be OK.

Wrong Advice Biju: Whoever you are and whatever backup you got - respect the road and drive safe!

There are specialized courses for driving like maniac. One could enroll there if required.

[callvvijay]

Originally Posted by Zed

I remember an incident about 3 years ago when I was driving in 'downtown' chennai and stopped at what appeared to be a newly erected traffic signal - on account of the light being red & not to marvel at the new signal light. A cab guy behind me started honking and I made way for him by moving over to the adjoining lane to let him squeeze past ..he rolled down his window and yelled ' Dummy signal saar '. I haven't figured out what he was on about to this very day. The only plausible explanation is that he was trying to communicate that I was a dummy for stopping at a traffic signal when clearly there was no cop in the vicinity and traffic was relatively low.

This happened to my friend recently near Velachery. The signal was in red for more than 2mins when a traffic cop came to him and said that its not working:-P

[supremeBaleno]

Spotted DMK leader Stalin coming out of the party headquarters today morning in a new Range Rover. Looks like he has changed his ride - IIRC he used to be seen in a Lexus SUV earlier.

@safe-driver vikram-ayya, that was not meant to be taken literally.

[Reisender]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

Spotted DMK leader Stalin coming out of the party headquarters today morning in a new Range Rover. Looks like he has changed his ride - IIRC he used to be seen in a Lexus SUV earlier.

@safe-driver vikram-ayya, that was not meant to be taken literally.

Supreme sir... Stalin earlier had Pajero and I have seen it before. As you know its not big deal for him to buy RR now

[Daewood]

Originally Posted by Reisender

Supreme sir... Stalin earlier had Pajero and I have seen it before. As you know its not big deal for him to buy RR now

He changed that Pajero long back. Have seen him in an Range Rover a couple years back itself.

[Zed]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

@Zed, . IMO he possibly meant that the "signal" is a dummy ie. one you should not give much importance to.
BTW, which signal was this on N.H.Road ?

About 150 meters Past Taj coramandel (towards Chetpet). I recall there was a U turn at this signal to facilitate travel towards Gemini flyover.

Originally Posted by callvvijay

This happened to my friend recently near Velachery. The signal was in red for more than 2mins when a traffic cop came to him and said that its not working:-P

This one was working and it turned green a few seconds after the wise taxi driver ignored the stop signal. It was certainly intended to stop traffic as there was a stop line marked on the road and a zebra crossing as far as I can recall.

[DRIVE_ADDICT]

Originally Posted by sjcherian

If/When the honking starts (while waiting at a red light) I open the driver side window and point to the red light with my right hand - this usually shuts them up.

I used to do exactly what you do, Once in 100 ft road (near Ambika Empire hotel) i did the same for an MTC guy, He honked continuosly after that.. but i never mind. So after we got Green i moved my car, that MTC driver got his blood pressure shooted up and drive so arrogantly and overtook me and forcefully cut me to the extreme left and went away. If i didn't maneuver correctly that day i could have lost my right fender/bumper etc..

Since the incident, i stopped advicing anyone .

People are ready to 'adjust' so no point in staying rule.

[AlphaKilo]

Originally Posted by DRIVE_ADDICT

I used to do exactly what you do, Once in 100 ft road (near Ambika Empire hotel) i did the same for an MTC guy, He honked continuosly after that.. but i never mind. So after we got Green i moved my car, that MTC driver got his blood pressure shooted up and drive so arrogantly and overtook me and forcefully cut me to the extreme left and went away. If i didn't maneuver correctly that day i could have lost my right fender/bumper etc..

Since the incident, i stopped advicing anyone .

People are ready to 'adjust' so no point in staying rule.

I do this as a biker. When its red, then I make sure I dont move an inch. I just switch my engine off and wait. Poor pillion rider(mostly mom or friends) would be begging me to move as the vehicle behind me would be honking or shouting like hell, and I would be in my helmet and pose like a deaf. I dont care if its a MTC or a water tanker.

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by AlphaKilo

I do this as a biker. When its red, then I make sure I dont move an inch. I just switch my engine off and wait. Poor pillion rider(mostly mom or friends) would be begging me to move as the vehicle behind me would be honking or shouting like hell, and I would be in my helmet and pose like a deaf. I dont care if its a MTC or a water tanker.

I wouldn't say that was the safest thing to do. The MTC guys slot the bus in 1st gear and hold the clutch and revv hard. One unintentional slip of his foot could catapult you into orbit. And we all know the condition of the water tankers here. Better to play it safe especially when you are having your mom as the pillion.

[supremeBaleno]

^^^True. While I also "try" to stay put at a red-signal, the high revving of the bus just a cm away from the rear bumper of my car, is very unnerving.
And irrespective of whether it is a slip of his foot or intentional hit, there is nothing much we can do, due to MTC drivers being kings of the road here.

Originally Posted by Zed

About 150 meters Past Taj coramandel (towards Chetpet). I recall there was a U turn at this signal to facilitate travel towards Gemini flyover.

OK, since this leads to a one-way from that point onwards towards VillageRoad/SterlingRoad, people ignore it, which was why maybe he referred to it as dummy. But yes, there would be a reason for the signal to be there and I guess it is for the pedestrians to cross across.

[AlphaKilo]

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

I wouldn't say that was the safest thing to do. The MTC guys slot the bus in 1st gear and hold the clutch and revv hard. One unintentional slip of his foot could catapult you into orbit. And we all know the condition of the water tankers here. Better to play it safe especially when you are having your mom as the pillion.

Everyday, I keep in touch with the traffic scenario by logging onto the FB CCTP site. useful one for road users and its quite upto date.

OT: I understand the risk as a native chennaiite, but some habits never die, and I dont want them to die, like following rules. I still remember the old days(mid 90's) on mount road and even some arterial roads, when there was less traffic and people used to follow rules and respect other motorists. Its very sad to see even MTC/STC guys not following rules. Thats the very reason, I was forcefully packed off from India by my loved ones.