[Insane Devil]

Originally Posted by burjiis

My friend in Mumbai was not given a license due to the same reason. I was impresses because I was sitting with him waiting for my turn to give the test. During my test I was asked about the function of the left right indicator. I told him that it was used as a signal to warn the traffic that you are going to take a turn. On that he corrected me and said, 'You use it only if you have the AC, otherwise you use your hand"....Interesting!!!

Burjis

good on mate! that was lovely! use the hand when ac not on! now when we have such great license inspectors, then definatley we will use the right indicator to let the ppl overtake from behind!

Its true that they say, India is God's own country, coz only he can manage things around here, and its coz of him its still kicking. else, these politicians!

[Poseidon]

Originally Posted by Poseidon

A good dose of horn for the guy being overtaken and hi-beams for guy approaching is most prudent on our highways, indicators be damned..

Originally Posted by Insane Devil

...i see to it that the horn is pressed down for full blast, so that even if that driver in front might have given the indicator for turning RIGHT, he wud know someones behind.

Originally Posted by Supremebaleno

..the only way out would be to be careful while overtaking - confirm that the guy in front does not intend to turn right using a mixture of logic and instinct, honk wildly, bllink your lights and move on.

Now that's consensus - just what the doctor prescribed - for Indian highways!

[varunroy]

In Bangalore I would say 95 out of 100 use winker lights frequently. As far as using your hand as an indication, it would be very dangerous to do that here because you can't be sure if it will come back to you safely. The way things mone on the roads, if it were not for GOD, I would be crashing atleast once a day.

So long....

[autozealot]

Guys are you aware that some rickshaw-wallas in south Gujarat stick out their left or right leg as a substitute to their turn indicators !!!
What an innovative way......hahaha

[v12]

I guess the correct way would be to use 3 blinks and then OFF......3 blinks and then OFF....3 blinks and then OFF. Most of the trucks just keep them on continously. Cars normally give a few blinks to show that they're giving you way.

[pravin_sn]

Originally Posted by nitinbhag

Guys, this is a country where the side indicators are not normally used to indicate an intention of turning.. If you drive on the highways long enough (and survive) you develop the instinct of judging what the right indicator on a vehicle ahead of you would mean.. Most of the time it means - he Bhagwan, rakshaa karnaa, overtake kar rahaa hoon..
Jokes apart, this is a very illogical system followed on our highways.. I have had close calls with trucks intending to turn right into dhabas/fuel stations.. only way to make sure is to watch and overtake when there is no opportunity for the fellow to turn right.. once committed to overtaking, honk and trust in your family deity :-)

Very true - i too find this the most illogical thing while driving. Any symbol makes sense only if has only one meaning. If it has to be interpreted by the context, then it will only lead to confusion and accidents.

Look at how confusing we make our lives:
a) right indicator (e.g.) on highway - turning right or allowing the vehicle behind to overtake
b) same signal having different meaning on highways and within city limits

Come on...how absurd can we get.

Just qurious - any idea how this works in the US or Europen countries where ppl drive at breakneck speeds ? The US guys usually have things made so simple that a kid can follow it. So might be of help.

[khaadu75]

Hey, I dunno how I missed this thread but here is my two bits . This signal was actually started while driving in the hills .. specially by the bigger vehicles as they wud be thru the turn before you and thus have a clearer view of the road ahead .. and normally you wudnt overtake on a turn but with the signal coming on , you cud go thru knowing that there is nothing coming from up front . This allowed the trucker/heavier vehicle not to break their momentum and also allow the smaller quicker vehicle to go thru without getting stuck for long periods .

But knowing Indian mentality ... the drivers of the heavy vehicle too k his signal onto the highways as well .. leading to you guys noticing this on the highways as well . Though on the highway it is a slightly different rule though its how you anticpate it ....

If you in the extreme right lane and you see a truck up ahead in the right lane as well but has his indicator on ... it cud mean 2 things --

1. The driver is intending to take a right turn up ahead .. so you judge that by his speed !!
2. It cud mean that he is overtaking something up ahead ...

So all you have to do is swing a bit to the left and see if their actually is a vehicle up ahead that he is planning to overtake . If that is the case .. you simply swing abk behind the truck and wait for him to finsih his overtaking and then ask for a pass .

Well hope this helps in sorting out all the confusion .....

Cheers

[khaadu75]

Hey, Another thing you guys might notice on the highways specially at night is the heavy vehicles turn on the right blinker when an oncoming vehicle is approaching ... thats done so that the driver of the opposite vehicle knows where the right corner of teh vehicle is -- to avoid crashing !! This happens on single lane roads and not on double lane roads .....

And dont ask me who started this ... or where it started from .... but I know thats the reason why they do that .

Cheers

[condor]

Originally Posted by pravin_sn

Just qurious - any idea how this works in the US or Europen countries where ppl drive at breakneck speeds ? The US guys usually have things made so simple that a kid can follow it. So might be of help.

While the lane discipline in US makes things very simple, there is one facet that I was not aware of till recently -- When a tractor-trailer overtakes you, he would appreciate a quick signal like flashing your lights to let him know he has crossed you. Read this somewhere, after my return.

[rks]

I had first-hand experience of this practice on the Pune bypass road (NH4) yesterday. I overtook a Qualis from the left, and found a lorry ahead on the right side of the road. Had to make a split-second decision -- should I pass the guy from the left? Then he turns on his right indicator -- and I remembered that this might be the go-ahead for me on the right lane, and waited. Sure enough, the lorry moves to the left lane, with the right indicator on! What a ridiculous practice. I could so easily have mistaken this signal and decided to make my move on the left of the lorry. I must say reading this thread recently did prove useful.

[rks]

Originally Posted by khaadu75

If you in the extreme right lane and you see a truck up ahead in the right lane as well but has his indicator on ... it cud mean 2 things --

1. The driver is intending to take a right turn up ahead .. so you judge that by his speed !!
2. It cud mean that he is overtaking something up ahead ...

[...]

Well hope this helps in sorting out all the confusion .....

Based on my just-cited experience, there is a third possibility:

3. The lorry driver is asking you to pass him to his right and he intends to move to the left (!!!).

[khaadu75]

Originally Posted by rks

Based on my just-cited experience, there is a third possibility:

3. The lorry driver is asking you to pass him to his right and he intends to move to the left (!!!).

Hey , Maybe the drivers up north havnt yet learnt of that system unless its a driver from the South who is making a delivery up North ... when a driver wants you to overtake he will give the left indicator and start pulling to the left .

Cheers

[sriny_blr]

Originally Posted by khaadu75

Hey, Another thing you guys might notice on the highways specially at night is the heavy vehicles turn on the right blinker when an oncoming vehicle is approaching ... thats done so that the driver of the opposite vehicle knows where the right corner of teh vehicle is -- to avoid crashing !! This happens on single lane roads and not on double lane roads .....

And dont ask me who started this ... or where it started from .... but I know thats the reason why they do that .

Cheers

NOW that sounds interesting...
First signal the oncoming vehicle to signal ur vehicles corner..
AND inform the vehicle behind YOU can OVERTAKE

[khaadu75]

Originally Posted by sriny_blr

NOW that sounds interesting...
First signal the oncoming vehicle to signal ur vehicles corner..
AND inform the vehicle behind YOU can OVERTAKE

Hey, Most of these indicator signals are used during the day and are not meant for the night . At night oncoming lights let you know wether you shud over take or not .... So at night the signal changes its meaning ..

All these signals were devised by men on the roads for hours ... thus there is no consistency ...

Cheers

[ramkya1]

Hai,

I have posted this earlier too.....

In Ahmedabad, the auto wallas and scooter wallas signal with their feet .... So if you suddently see the right or left feet sticking out, he's not scratching his leg on the foot rest, he's intending to turn. Initially, I could'nt make out what was happening.. my friends here tell me its normal.

This one takes the cake....on the highway they have another strange signal here... I honk and ask for side to pass; the truck / bus guy puts out his hand with all fingers open and closes and opens it 3-4 times; meaning wait for 3-4 minutes I patiently wait and he gives side promptly in about 3/4 minutes !!!! If he does it quickly twice, he will give side quickly.. if slowly, it means just ease off and wait.......

--Ramky