[McLaren Rulez]

I travelled on the Bangalore Mysore highway after a long time in a car today and surprisingly, almost every other car turned on its hazard lights when it was near the infamous speed breakers on this highway.

It turned out to be surprisingly helpful as it becomes obvious whether a car was moving slowly because of a hump or whether it was just slow for whatever other reason.

Result: Not a single episode of hard braking after seeing the hump at the last minute.

So, should one turn on the hazards on this road? Its strange because making up rules like these is not good. On the other hand, it works surprisingly well. Your thoughts on this please

[raghu230506]

As long as it works it's fine.

I had a bitter experience, while driving my new ANHC at the time it was just a month old and I was on my way to Mysore. Car infront of me applied breaks because of hump, I didn't realize and had to break hard, but one poor old chap even with a considerable distance between us couldn't manage to break his Xing in time and banged my bumper. It just ended up with a slip of bumper, but it disturbed my family and they couldn't enjoy our first pitstop, bird sanctury, it took some time for them to come out if it.

But could we avoid it?

Yes, authorities have to lay down proper signals of hump atleast 100mts ahead, pitty is we have so many humps with in 100mts in Karnataka

As well people on their own build these humps just before there houses, so managing the signals as well get in to issues.

In such a case, any sign which works and avoids collision is fine for me.

[CrackedHead]

Hard braking = hazard lights on.

There's a new feature that automatically puts on the hazard lights when you brake hard. Seems to be standard on some high end European cars. Haven't seen one first hand but remember seeing this on Top Gear.

I see no harm in drivers indicating the need for traffic to slow down by using their hazard lights in this manner. Have seen drivers in do this in Brazil all the time.

[blackstallion76]

Not all of us use Hazards at humps. I had more than 3 odd situations on BLR-MYS highways. It has become a mess driving out there. Better to avoid peak hour weekend driving in this route to really be safe.

Particularly before/after Mandya the humps have no sign boards. People take there own will to just push aside and overtake at any cost.

Other than this, the cab walas drive crazy out there. Cycles and two wheelers drive at their own pace.

Police has to first install interceptors and make sure people dont trouble others while driving.

[Mr.Bangalore]

yes there should be proper sign boards and some kind of marker which usually comes like zebra on the humps so that the driver can judge the hump well before. Also at many places there is no sign board for the medians crossing and village junction connecting crossing.. i think authorities have to do that at the earliest.

[benbsb29]

Originally Posted by CrackedHead

Hard braking = hazard lights on.

There's a new feature that automatically puts on the hazard lights when you brake hard. Seems to be standard on some high end European cars. Haven't seen one first hand but remember seeing this on Top Gear.

Why look so far? This feature is present on the Ford Figo.

Originally Posted by CrackedHead

I see no harm in drivers indicating the need for traffic to slow down by using their hazard lights in this manner. Have seen drivers in do this in Brazil all the time.

I also use the same technique if i have to brake suddenly on the highway. Blinking lights do attract greater attention than just the brake lights. I picked up this habit from my days in Dubai, where i have seen people use this. There, even when slowing to allow a pedestrian to cross, motorists use the hazard lights to warn the vehicle behind.

[princemanatt]

I also support the use of hazard lights when slowing down for a hump or any unusual stops. I travel on the Mysore highway, but not very frequently. The search for the next hump always keeps you worrying. If I spot a resonably fast moving vehicle, I try to follow it at a safe distance hoping that he knows the humps. And most of the time the hazard light indication helps a lot to make the drive smooth.

[dadu]

Originally Posted by benbsb29

I also use the same technique if i have to brake suddenly on the highway. Blinking lights do attract greater attention than just the brake lights. I picked up this habit from my days in Dubai, where i have seen people use this. There, even when slowing to allow a pedestrian to cross, motorists use the hazard lights to warn the vehicle behind.

I was about to quote Dubai, but its time we start adapting to this habit in India ourselves.

[ranjith.rajaram]

+1, hazard lights + breaking.

Always safe to use it from the maniacs driving on the high way, it’s safe of you as well they bumping on the car. It has become a common practice for me on cities, I use them extensively on intersection, cross roads, parking places, Malls.

[username]

Originally Posted by raghu230506

As long as it works it's fine.

I had a bitter experience, while driving my new ANHC at the time it was just a month old and I was on my way to Mysore. Car infront of me applied breaks because of hump, I didn't realize and had to break hard, but one poor old chap even with a considerable distance between us couldn't manage to break his Xing in time and banged my bumper. It just ended up with a slip of bumper, but it disturbed my family and they couldn't enjoy our first pitstop, bird sanctury, it took some time for them to come out if it.

Even i had a similar experience on my new Swift... That was the time i realized the need for ABS. Thankfully i was able to swerve at the last minute to avoid banging a ford ikon. I had really slowed down and wasnt able to drive peacefully.

Originally Posted by raghu230506

Yes, authorities have to lay down proper signals of hump atleast 100mts ahead, pitty is we have so many humps with in 100mts in Karnataka

I agree. Considering the number of turns in the road and that its not a plain terrain, they should definitely do something atleast for those driving one-off to mysore.

[rk_sans]

+1
I did pick up this trick in my last trip to Mysore 8 days ago. It worked perfectly well for those unmarked humps all the way. So made it a habit and used it yesterday on Bangalore-Hassan road (Again worked perfectly).

[Prithvi]

Who knows the idiot who put so many speed breakers on this so called high way? He needs to be shot. Compare this to the B;lore Chennai highway, a world of difference.

[McLaren Rulez]

Interesting that this is a common practice. I'm witnessing it for the first time. A good initiative from all the drivers on the highway then

[rjstyles69]

Folks primarily in a country like India why do we even tail cars so close ? If you can answer that , methinks the hazard at speed breakers can be addressed. I am regular user of this highway and for me the trick is simple.I know the road like the back of my hand but still ensure that I keep a safe distance from vehicles ahead of me.

With a 2 tonner doing 3 digit speeds its pretty difficult to bring to a stand still at those speeds. Simple solution is to maintain a safe distance from the vehicles ahead of you.
Speed breakers on this highway are a big issue and most of them have been put up at villages. The worst of the whole lot is the one at Srirangapattana at the curve before the bridge.

[McLaren Rulez]

Originally Posted by rjstyles69

Folks primarily in a country like India why do we even tail cars so close ? If you can answer that , methinks the hazard at speed breakers can be addressed. I am regular user of this highway and for me the trick is simple.I know the road like the back of my hand but still ensure that I keep a safe distance from vehicles ahead of me.

You know the road well so its alright. But if you don't travel on it very often, it is impossible to remember where the humps are. So you see them at the last moment and that causes panic braking. And many a time, one ends up giving the suspension a very hard knock.

Besides, if someone else is tailgating you (something you cannot control) this hazard light thing helps again.

If a car ahead puts its hazards on, you realize that he must be slowing for the humps and not for any other reason like stopping for petrol or food or whatever.