[rm_arjuna]

A relative of my business associate had an accident on Vijayawada highway and both driver & co-driver died on the spot . He was teaching his daughter on the highway , she banged headon with a Trailer lorry . The kid was only 15 years

[prasadka]

Well, I had given my i20 for its first service sometime in the month of September. This was at Coimbatore. Service was well done, car was about to be collected. I went into the garage to take a look.suddenly, the lights went on, the engine started revving, all by itself. Rather than deciding that the place was haunted and run away, I decided to take a peek. There was a tiny tot in the car, barely reach the steering wheel who'd managed to start the car . I gave the service engineer an earful, made sure the service manager turned up onsite, and take the guys to task.

Regards
Prasad

[anainar]

Originally Posted by prasadka

Well, I had given my i20 for its first service sometime in the month of September. This was at Coimbatore. Service was well done, car was about to be collected. I went into the garage to take a look.suddenly, the lights went on, the engine started revving, all by itself. Rather than deciding that the place was haunted and run away, I decided to take a peek. There was a tiny tot in the car, barely reach the steering wheel who'd managed to start the car . I gave the service engineer an earful, made sure the service manager turned up onsite, and take the guys to task.

Regards
Prasad

A kid at the Hyundai service center? That sounds horrifying. The service center is full of cars with keys in them. The Toyota guys dont let adults into the service area and I had to argue with them to let me in so that I can keep an eye on the valuable in my car, when I asked them to change just the engine oil. Regular service I remove everything and dont bother entering the service area.

But this practice is awful. Kids are kids and they will ask for the steering wheel. It is upto the parents.I have seen such incidences in Bangalore itself, when 3-4 year olds sit in the drivers lap having a go at the steering. I also probably did what you did, just mind my own business, given the unknown area and other dependents in the car. And above all me being a non localite. If you dont know Kannada, you have to shut your mouth and a** in Bangalore to what ever injustice meated out to you.

I don't let even my six year old to sit in the front seat. His kingdom is the rear seat and on the occasions he wanted to come to the front passenger seat, received a "NO" politely. He knows now and doesnt ask me. He is waiting for another 12 years before he can get his Xylo. That is his favorite car.

Nainar

[sgiitk]

Just see the number of motorcycles parked outside any school. Are the schools blind. The standard refrain is What can we do. I will love to see some parents and principals hauled up and sent to jail in full media publicity for encouraging under age driving.

[issigonis]

sgiitk,

Indians have to become more mature, more confident about themselves, about their place in the world, more evolved as law abiding citizens to start realising that these are important too. Moreover these concerns are the concerns of the educated middle class and possibly affluent professionals. These are not the concerns of the poor ( they have no say), the arrogant ( often times wealthy) lawbreaker and the dodgy politico.

Since these are the concerns of an albeit vocal, minority, this won't be addressed as long as the middle class doesn't develop its political clout.

I have similar views on noise pollution, on no facilities for the handicapped ( physically challenged in politically correctspeak) and for our senior citizens.

I have stopped paying attention to people spitting (on an average one spit every ten seconds on Mumbai's roads, and Mumbai is supposed to be a 'cosmopolitan and hep' city) while driving as it increases my blood pressure.

It will take considerable time to overcome this utter lack of civic sense that makes all of us so insensitive to the well being of our fellow citizen- through education and through a feeling of self confidence that has been badly dented by centuries of political domination by external forces.

Regards

[shankar.balan]

ridiculous situation - these fires of parochialism are being fuelled by the various activists who are rife in this city.
Little do they realize they owe a lot to the chaps who've come from outside who are working hard, paying taxes and fuelling the growth of the state in many ways. peaceful co-existence seems to have been forgotten. same problem in bombay too.

Originally Posted by anainar

I also probably did what you did, just mind my own business, given the unknown area and other dependents in the car. And above all me being a non localite. If you dont know Kannada, you have to shut your mouth and a** in Bangalore to what ever injustice meated out to you.
Nainar

[Edsel Rulez!]

Originally Posted by issigonis

Indians have to become more mature, more confident about themselves, about their place in the world, more evolved as law abiding citizens to start realising that these are important too... It will take considerable time to overcome this utter lack of civic sense that makes all of us so insensitive to the well being of our fellow citizens

Amen to that. Also, let's not forget that many of us here (probably even a majority) have got behind the wheel/handlebars when underage, quite likely with papa's blessings. Why then do we display all this righteous indignation? Some will claim it was a "private compound" they practised in but in most cases involving city dwellers I'm darned sure it wasn't. Unless rules are made strict, there's no hope that things will improve. We Indians seem to be conditioned to believe that it's okay to break laws wherever there's no chance of being caught and/or penalised. Witness how easily people avoid using helmets and seat belts in situations where "police won't catch". If there's nobody to forcefully maintain a queue, we cheerfully break that too.

[anainar]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

ridiculous situation - these fires of parochialism are being fuelled by the various activists who are rife in this city.
Little do they realize they owe a lot to the chaps who've come from outside who are working hard, paying taxes and fuelling the growth of the state in many ways. peaceful co-existence seems to have been forgotten. same problem in bombay too.

I know but cant help it. The recent one was... In the road leading to L&T South city from Bannerghatta road - 2 lane road and one lane was occupied a Calsoft company bus, waiting for some one to come and behind him a huge jam upto the ganesh temple, almost 500 meters. I was coming in the opposite lane and asked the bus guy to look back and move in English, then in hindi, only to be told "Gothayithu, kannada thalli maatladi, illantre hogi hogi". I used a few expletives in my mother tongue and moved forward.

Nainar

[amit_mechengg]

this is quite common in Pune. mostly in Pimpri Chinchwad area where traffic police are treated worst than garbage cleaning people.

pimpri is full of sindhi businessmen.(no offence meant to any community here)
there is no discipline of parking the vehicles in front of their shops.

just enter pimri and you will see 5th to 10th standard kids driving activas - dios - pulsars and what not, mostly tripple seat is the fashion along with crazy zig zag drive.

just one fine day a group of such kids were rampant after the college and brushed my alto. i went ahead and stopped the pulsar carrying 3 spoilt kids. in the process of stopping they fell down. the driver was so short that his toes hardly touched the ground to get a proper support. no one was hurt but the indicators broke and some scratches on the front.
seeing this immediately other kids too gathered. i knew it was trouble and i got down of my car with a big steel rod (which i always keep in my car).
seeing this no one uttered a word, but the guy called his relatives and within 1-2 minutes his chacha and one guy came on a bike. they started demanding money. we both exchanged bad words, both showed some political contacts and this is where it ended.

on top of that chacha said, beta thoda aram se chalaoo and sham ko ghar pe ana.

good that you dint stop the other person to give him GYAN. whenever you see such instance pray to GOD to teach them a lesson.
Pune is full of goons and dirt. never try to teach gyan to anyone unless there has been any damage to you.
whenever there is accident due to other persons mistake just get down and start abusing and if crowd gathers slap him tight. otherwise if they find you decent or weak they try to thrash you. (this is applicable in Pune only)

[shankar.balan]

sad indeed.
and the cops are toothless rabbits when it comes to situations like this

Originally Posted by anainar

I know but cant help it. The recent one was... In the road leading to L&T South city from Bannerghatta road - 2 lane road and one lane was occupied a Calsoft company bus, waiting for some one to come and behind him a huge jam upto the ganesh temple, almost 500 meters. I was coming in the opposite lane and asked the bus guy to look back and move in English, then in hindi, only to be told "Gothayithu, kannada thalli maatladi, illantre hogi hogi". I used a few expletives in my mother tongue and moved forward.

Nainar

[faridsahmed]

The same is the case in pune city. Due to lack of public transport, schools not having bus services, parents (cash rich) give their children scooty-s, activa-s etc etc. The scene at Kothrud, Pune between 4 -5 pm when these kids leave the school, almost engage in street racing - trying to out do one another.
Very dangerous. I have made it a point that when my daughter goes to school she will go/come along with her mother in car !! SIMPLE.

[MX6]

@Amit_Mechengg.

Steel rod in the car? Sounds dangerous sir.
But on secondary thoughts, even steel rods won't be of any help when armed gundas thrash the driver and run away with the car. You know best.
But you are true. Pune is filled with filth. Just yesterday I was waiting patiently for signal to turn green right outside RTO. And a car and scooter behind me who wanted to take a u-turn to go back kept honking, though the signal was red. Bang outside RTO.
But the cartoon banner outside RTO was hilarious. A man on a vehicle calling on his mobile while driving, and Yamraj answering on the other side.
Next time will stop to take a photo to upload in an appropriate post here.

+1 SGIITK. Unfortunately, parents give keys to vehicles to school kids due to various reasons. They are never there to pick up and drop kids. School bus is getting obsolete. And some autorickshaws (especially in chennai) will have atleast 10 kids stuffed inside. One look at it, no one would feel like sending kids to schools. Not sure whether it still happens in chennai. Used to see that years back.

[clevermax]

I have seen a kind around 10 years old driving a wagonR while the whole family sitting inside. I wanted to call the highway police and report this but I couldn't do it then.

[amit_mechengg]

Originally Posted by MX6

@Amit_Mechengg.

Steel rod in the car? Sounds dangerous sir.
But on secondary thoughts, even steel rods won't be of any help when armed gundas thrash the driver and run away with the car. You know best.

started keeping it after hearing an experience from my friend who had a hassle on NDA road while he was sitting in his car with his GF. he thrashed 2-3 guys with the hockey stick who were trying to play foul with him.

against armed men, yes no way. then you have to start keeping guns with you. but yet such level hasnt yet come in pune.

[faridsahmed]

Originally Posted by MX6

And some autorickshaws (especially in chennai) will have atleast 10 kids stuffed inside. One look at it, no one would feel like sending kids to schools. Not sure whether it still happens in chennai. Used to see that years back.

This "FEAT" of stuffing 10-12 kids in an autorickshaw is still practiced in Pune. You can see children half hanging from the auto early mornings. I really don't understand why parents are risking the life of their kids . Attached is the image from internet - just to illustrate what i mean to say.

As it is Pune city roads are half dug, bikers drive as if they are participating in some rally and on these roads are these auto with children hanging !!