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Old 4th April 2010, 22:11   #31
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@ MX6

If it was indeed the swift who troubled you, they deserved it (though I wouldn't wish it).

20 something guys are always nut cases. Most driving their dad's gift (they also think that their dad gifted them the road too ). Being a 20 yr old myself, like these morons I too get the urge to outdo the cars who over take me. Till date I have managed to curb the urge (Touchwood). Remember that there is someone waiting for you back home and the Alonso/Schumacher inside you will die instantly- my mantra.
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Old 4th April 2010, 22:14   #32
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You did the right thing but yeah, it is difficult to do that. I'd have decided to smoke them if I was driving a better car. But I won't probably race them, just smoke them once and let them overtake me the way it should be.

Last edited by clevermax : 4th April 2010 at 22:19.
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Old 4th April 2010, 22:23   #33
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I think it is our intolerance to injustice that causes this at times - If I get overtaken in a rightful manner, I am not going do anything. What really puts me off is someone trying to act smart and cross me in a wrong manner by not following the rules - It is then that I get seriously miffed.

Recently, I have seen an Omni in front of me (about 50 meters) hit a bike and run away. Even though the Omni was way in front of me, I donno what happened, I just pressed on the gas, overtook that guy and gave him a piece of my mind after rolling down my window - This is on a normal day to office. After going to office, I realised how stupid I was - Probably, there was not much of a difference between the Omni guy and me.

Since then, I try to let the world pass by as I enjoy my drive - if anyone does something funny, I just let go and keep a safe distance
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Old 4th April 2010, 22:37   #34
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Half of these ego filled overtaking antics take place because of the drivers being cheered on by their friends, the effect being more pronounced if you throw in a couple of females into the car. What is funny is that, if the guy lets you overtake, that means that he was comfortable with the speed he was initially going at. He loses all of that comfort when someone else overtakes him? A simple case of allowing someone else to dictate your mind's steady state.
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Old 4th April 2010, 22:46   #35
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FanaticOnWheels View Post
Half of these ego filled overtaking antics take place because of the drivers being cheered on by their friends, the effect being more pronounced if you throw in a couple of females into the car.
I have had the opposite experience.

Whenever I have tried to respond to others cutting into my lane (like what happened to MX6), my wife would calm me down. She would say something to the effect of 'let us not have anything to do with them'.

I guess your comment is more applicable to bachelors, huh?
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Old 4th April 2010, 23:04   #36
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On highways, I go at a speed that i'm comfortable at and move over to let those who are faster get by. From a recent drive to Malvan and back (on the 2-laned NH 17) two incidents remain in my mind.

1. This occurred during the return trip to Mumbai. I was following a Scorpio for about 10 mins and we were doing speeds I was comfy with so I didn't try to overtake. Then we came up on some truck traffic and the Scorp and I started wading by those trucks, overtaking them one-by-one.
Now during a lull in traffic in the oncoming lane, I saw the Scorp stuck between the truck in front of me and another bus, but he keeping steady and wasn't trying to overtake the bus. So I took the opportunity and overtook all 3 vehicles and tucked in behind anther truck ahead. Somehow this enraged the Scorpio driver and he started taking stupid risks to catch up with me and get past. Sensing this change in his mood, I let him by easy and got a "finger" as thanks with the women in his back seat shouting encouragement.
Then 2 mins later he tries another rash overtake down the road and I start tucking in tight behind a truck cos I was certain there was gonna be an accident. I heard metal scrape metal ahead and then some time later passed the Scorp with its right side grazed badly (by an oncoming trailer).

2. This was on the way to Malvan at night around 11 pm, the highway had sparse traffic. I came up on an Optra going around 90 kph. So I tucked in behind and didnt overtake just so I could have driving company. After a while he waved me to pass and then stayed with me. We kept reversing this order every half hour or so in a friendly way and I guess it kept both of us engaged on driving and enjoying the drive. He peeled off at the bypass to Kolhapur and I continued on.
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Old 4th April 2010, 23:38   #37
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To avoid conflict especially on the Highway. It is best to not make eye contact with the idiot. In my experience eye contact sometimes escalates the aggression.

Albeit its a little difficult to "Look the other way". but it can certainly diffuse some aggression
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Old 4th April 2010, 23:44   #38
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sbraj View Post
I have had the opposite experience.

Whenever I have tried to respond to others cutting into my lane (like what happened to MX6), my wife would calm me down. She would say something to the effect of 'let us not have anything to do with them'.

I guess your comment is more applicable to bachelors, huh?
Yeah, pretty much . Wives tend to be more calm and collected. I've seen friends who do unnecessary revving and overspeeding in the presence of ladies though. (I myself have done it once ).

But then there has to be a line drawn defining maturity. Your being on either side depends on how sane you are on the road.
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Old 5th April 2010, 07:43   #39
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The point is that for the guys who create such problem, it does not make any difference. I think they will only learn by what is called Poetic Justice. Nothing else will teach them a lesson.

And other way they learn is when they themselves have a family and when they start fearing for them. Its impossible to have western rules applicable to India, to bring them to the book. You will need a revolution for that.

I am not pessimistic about this, but I feel thats the only way out.
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Old 5th April 2010, 09:07   #40
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Hey MX6, so you kinda let your cool grow warm this time huh?? Ever since reading you post that you never get provoked, man I was inspired of not losing the cool, but now you let me down man.
Just adding what I saw yesterday - I was on my Activa with my Son & looks like there was some meeting of congress & some who's who was coming down for it & they hired a lot of tourist vehicle & two of them were Mahindra's van & tourister & were racing each other; first time this tourister grabbed my attention was through non stop nonsense honk & when I looked my RVM, he was atleast 3-4 vehicles (non two wheelers) behind me; I left moved to my left & slowed down for the moron to pass. After overtaking me this guy was like honking at every vehicle & this horn was a non stop for about a Kms ride; man I went really mad & the only reason I was under control was you MX6. Finally before turning towards my home, I stopped to notice that guys number, he too stopped, I don't know why he stopped, but I still remember the vehicle number.

Last edited by aargee : 5th April 2010 at 09:10.
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Old 5th April 2010, 10:00   #41
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You never know why someone is honking for, especially the kind of honking you described. Give way if you can and don't bother about it. With all sorts of folks on the road you never know.
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Old 5th April 2010, 11:27   #42
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Canonguy, better sense prevailed and i must say a good move!

I guess most of the tourers(regular) would have faced this on a regular basis am sure!

I have faced kind of similar incidents and i guess this method is best...just stop for a while and let the morons go...

btw am not very sure how safe was it for a Wagonr to do those speed when its packed??
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Old 5th April 2010, 11:54   #43
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Today morning I had a different kind of encounter with an M800.

"I want to overtake all cars on the road, if my engine has not enough power, my horn will help"

I was driving at around 50-60 Kmph, and there comes this M800 with continuous honking from behind. It was so irritating because the guy has not enough speed to overtake me, but he insists that I need to slow down and let him pass.

Ok, I slowed down a bit, let him pass. Very next moment, I downshifted, and overtook him easily without honking or disturbing his cruise. After that, he never honked behind me and just kept his pace of driving. Happy that he got the point.
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Old 5th April 2010, 12:02   #44
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Quote:
Originally Posted by clevermax View Post
Ok, I slowed down a bit, let him pass. Very next moment, I downshifted, and overtook him easily without honking or disturbing his cruise. After that, he never honked behind me and just kept his pace of driving. Happy that he got the point.
Good that he got the point; but mostly I've never seen this helping, so I don't do this anymore. I drive/ride at my own pace. It happens only at God's own country & not on other 3 states. Sorry to say this, but this is what I've observed from my experience.
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Old 5th April 2010, 12:47   #45
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This is a nice practice.
If there is another friendly car on a highway, it is nice to keep pace with each other and doing this kind of thing - passing him for a bit and then allowing him to pass and so on - keeps the drive entertaining and enjoyable - also heightens one's alertness on a sometimes boring straight highway drive.
Plus one might end up adding to one's circle of acquaintances with such a highway pace keeping partner when one pulls over at some rest stop!

Quote:
Originally Posted by gomzi View Post
On highways, I go at a speed that i'm comfortable at and move over to let those who are faster get by. From a recent drive to Malvan and back (on the 2-laned NH 17) two incidents remain in my mind.
This was on the way to Malvan at night around 11 pm, the highway had sparse traffic. I came up on an Optra going around 90 kph. So I tucked in behind and didnt overtake just so I could have driving company. After a while he waved me to pass and then stayed with me. We kept reversing this order every half hour or so in a friendly way and I guess it kept both of us engaged on driving and enjoying the drive. He peeled off at the bypass to Kolhapur and I continued on.
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