[mdsaab]

Way to go! I dont have a bike. But instead of driving for short distances in and around our neighbourhood, i cycle. It saves fuel, saves the environment, saves engine life, and to top it keeps me fit. What more can one ask for.

Originally Posted by mallumowgli

What you say is very very correct. I too don't take my helmet when doing very very short distances. But then I also don't take my bike. I walk!!

[pjbiju]

We are a blessed lot today. We enjoy better cars and bikes and better roads today than what our parents and grandparents did. Yet, in general our tolerance levels while on the road have hit the bottom. Take a typical day that you are on the road, going to the office, dropping off someone, going to the grocery store, going to drop/pick up your kids from the school/college etc. How many times, do you lose your cool on a typical day? How many times do you wish to beat up someone on the road? People cut you off, people overtake you from the left, 2-wheelers straddle cars, people drive on the wrong side of the lane. Well, we can find hundreds of excuses to get angry. And we blame every other driver, the system and everything else.

I was no exception. I had the habit of stopping my vehicle (car/bike/scooter, whatever it was that I was riding/driving) in front of vehicles coming from the wrong side, cutting through the corners, jumping the signal etc. This was often knowing fully well that I myself could have got seriously injured or even killed doing so. And the same thing could have happened to the offending driver also. But then when my son was with me, I had to restrain myself. I did not want to set a bad example to him. So slowly I gave up doing all the mad things I was doing. I never used to swear or use bad words in such situations. So I did not have to struggle to give up that.

We read so many stories about road rage and the horrific ends of some of those incidents.

Every day morning, I stand near a main road in Pune to catch my office bus. There is small lane joining the main road at that place. Crossing the main road at the point is not an easy task. You could get killed. If you need to merge onto the main road while driving, it is an even harder task. Even when someone stops for a car (or for a group of 2-3 cars/bikes) to cross, scores of other cars and bikes would go zooming past the vehicles stopped on the main road. I have witnessed at least 5 accidents at that spot during the past couple of years because of this.

Yesterday while driving around the city, I stopped at two places to make another person's life easier. The first was a lady wanting to cross the road to get into a side lane. I stopped and asked her to cross the road. The left side passenger waved to thank me. This was on Baner road, near the food bazaar. I again stopped near Hotel Shukriya (on ITI road) to let an old gentleman cross the road to gowards Baner phata. He again waved his hands to say thank you. At both these places, I did not have to stop. I could have just gone ahead without stopping and probably honking and flashing my headlights to tell the other person "Do no even think of crossing the road". This is what most people do. This what I used to do till a few months back. There are so many such junctions in Pune, where often only one car/bike (at the most 3-4 vehicles) wait to cross a road or merge onto a main road. But nobody stops to let them go. The same is the case with pedestrains and cyclists. A few times I stopped, I had to ask them to move a couple of times before they understood that I had stopped for them. People have come to expect that nobody would stop for them.

This is not a big gesture. This is something we should be doing naturally, but the vast majority of people decide not to. I do not know what has led to such a situation. Is it the lack of education (driving etiquette), lack of sensitivity towards other people, not wanting to give up a few seconds of one's time? I am sure each of us get some opportunity to be kind enough to the other road users a few times each day. I am not saying that while you are driving fast, you have to use emergency braking to let some cross the road. In regular city driving, slowing down and stopping is not that difficult. You have to be extra careful when there are other vehicles breathing down your car's/bike's tail pipe. Putting up traffic lights at every such junction is not practical. At major junctions, there are traffic lights and pedestrain crossings to help everyone. So it may not be an issue at those junctions.

I know people have expressed these things on other threads. I thought this could act as a counter for us. How many times did you stop today voluntarily to help another driver/pedestrain/cyclist/hand cart cross the road or to merge on to your lane? I hope this becomes a part of every Team-Bhpian's driving habit/signature.

[IronH4WK]

Originally Posted by pjbiju

How many times did you stop today voluntarily to help another driver/pedestrain/cyclist/hand cart cross the road or to merge on to your lane? I hope this becomes a part of every Team-Bhpian's driving habit/signature.

i totally agree with you!

we've to be a cut above the rest; we can show the way; we can initiate a change!

stop looking for a miracle - BE THE MIRACLE!

do unto others as you would have them do unto you

[RajaTaurus]

^^ Dear friend,
Let me tell you my story on this. I stopped like you - just before a pedestrian crossing - in front of a school to let a group of kids to cross the road. They were crossing from my right to left. And a two wheeler idiot passed from my left and almost knocked off two of three girls who were passing. Luckily there were no other cars to my left and enough space was there for that moron to swerve to left and just avoid the girls. The girls were startled and stood like rabbits in front of flash lights. Now, I became the culprit to stop on the road!
I try to stop for people to pass only after making sure there are no vehicles just behind me. Almost every time, praying that the person(s) reach other side safe. This is Indiyaa you see.!

[pjbiju]

Originally Posted by RajaTaurus

^^ Dear friend,
Let me tell you my story on this. I stopped like you - just before a pedestrian crossing - in front of a school to let a group of kids to cross the road. They were crossing from my right to left. And a two wheeler idiot passed from my left and almost knocked off two of three girls who were passing. Luckily there were no other cars to my left and enough space was there for that moron to swerve to left and just avoid the girls. The girls were startled and stood like rabbits in front of flash lights. Now, I became the culprit to stop on the road!
I try to stop for people to pass only after making sure there are no vehicles just behind me. Almost every time, praying that the person(s) reach other side safe. This is Indiyaa you see.!

Raja, that is true. All the accidents that I saw at my bus stop were caused by this. Anyone who is crossing a road/lane, be it a vehicle or a person, need to stop and look if such idiots are hurtling down the road, without bothering to slow down or stop. Someday those reckless drivers will gain some sense.

[mdsaab]

@pjbiju & iron4hwk
thanks for spreading the word, the habit, and good cheer.
Doesnt it feel great when someone waves a nice thank you our way? Ah, love that feeling.
Today all bhpians will practice driving etiquette. Tommorow India will follow. Looking forward to a happier, smoother, peaceful Indian motoring future.

[IronH4WK]

Originally Posted by mdsaab

Looking forward to a happier, smoother, peaceful Indian motoring future.

hope it happens in my lifetime!

[amitwlele]

Originally Posted by pjbiju

I had the habit of stopping my vehicle (car/bike/scooter, whatever it was that I was riding/driving) in front of vehicles coming from the wrong side, cutting through the corners, jumping the signal etc.

People breaking rules and driving recklessly really angers me a lot and i also used to do the same things. But over the last couple of months i am making a conscious effort to not get affected by it. I anyway always used to stop for elderly people crossing the road.

This change in me has partially been brought about after reading some of the threads on the website and after checking some of the Accident pics . I think there is no point in trying to change the world single handedly(which is anyway impossible) and would only ensure that i make it a safer place by driving proper and safe. That would be my driving signature on road.

[dot]

Originally Posted by pjbiju

We are a blessed lot today.

Truly agree. Just imagine the lives that our father's led. I am not saying that their lives were bad or less happy (that is an endless debate). But just think of the opportunities and options that we have. And yet.

Originally Posted by pjbiju

This is not a big gesture.

That is very humble of you. It is a big gesture. Very difficult for most of us.

Originally Posted by RajaTaurus

Now, I became the culprit to stop on the road!
I try to stop for people to pass only after making sure there are no vehicles just behind me. Almost every time, praying that the person(s) reach other side safe. This is Indiyaa you see.!

Same thing here. I dont stop if I see that the halt can cause more issues. What really irritates the heck out of me is when I stop for a pedestrian to cross, some two wheeler fellow or an auto takes full advantage of the situation to pass ahead. I mean come on, how insensitive can you be.

[IronH4WK]

Originally Posted by dot

What really irritates the heck out of me is when I stop for a pedestrian to cross, some two wheeler fellow or an auto takes full advantage of the situation to pass ahead. I mean come on, how insensitive can you be.

this is exactly what happened this morning. not on the road, but inside our office campus. as i entered the campus and was heading towards the parking, i saw a visiting foriegn delegate trying to cross the path (think he was heading for a smoke). i slowed and stopped to let him pass. when he had almost crossed in front of my car i see a biker whiz past me and almost knock this guy down. by the time i could catch up with him to give him a piece of my mind, he dissappeared among the numerous two wheelers parked out there!

freaking idiot!

[dot]

@IronH4WK, let me narrate something interesting. Sometime back at the office pantry a colleague was bragging how she has reduced her commuting time by switching from a four wheeler to a two wheeler. Naturally, I was intrigued and asked her how she did it. She said with a laugh that one has to drive like a "regular" biker. Like cut across, take a few opposite-the-one-way moves and jump a few unnecessary red lights and there you go. I was at loss for words. Asked her how does she feel when someone does the same when she drives a car. Answer was chalta hai, when in Rome do as romans do. Well, what do you say to this? I was a biker too, but cant understand the apathy.

[IronH4WK]

Originally Posted by dot

@IronH4WK, let me narrate something interesting. Sometime back at the office pantry a colleague was bragging how she has reduced her commuting time by switching from a four wheeler to a two wheeler. Naturally, I was intrigued and asked her how she did it. She said with a laugh that one has to drive like a "regular" biker. Like cut across, take a few opposite-the-one-way moves and jump a few unnecessary red lights and there you go. I was at loss for words. Asked her how does she feel when someone does the same when she drives a car. Answer was chalta hai, when in Rome do as romans do. Well, what do you say to this? I was a biker too, but cant understand the apathy.

OMG!! i had a similar conversation at our office. only difference was that the woman was my wife's friend's friend and my wife had asked me to join them for breakfast at the caffeteria. she was narrating her driving skills with a four wheeler in the same lines as you've described!!

i couldn't tolerate her arrogant ramblings anymore and walked off in the pretence of getting some water. when i came back, fortunately the woman had left the table!

most women i've seen drive incorrectly on the roads due to ignorance, but there are those who know that they're doing wrong, but still do it just for the heck of it. the best part is - they claim ignorance when caught!

[mdsaab]

Just wanted to share a little incident that happened earlier today in Kolkata.
We were being driven around in the indian rolls royce (to be read as ambassador) we were heading towards a roundabout. We were to turn right on this roundabout and head back in the direction we came from. There was a free left and a small divider between. Since the signal turned green for the roundabout our taxi guy enters from the left free side, jumping the queue and clearly in the wrong. The alert cops notice this as summon him to the side of the road. Only problem it was not really the side of the road. The cop was stopping traffic and we almost banged into 2 cars getting to the not so side of the road. And then he made the taxi park facing oncoming traffic from the other side. I was shocked to see the way we were parked. And the cops did not think this was abnormal. Anyways our meter was ticking, and the cop could see us waiting and could not look me in the eye. While we were waiting i saw 3 private cars do exactly the same thing that our taxi guy did. But none of the cops stopped any of them. Looks like rules in kolkata dont have to be followed if you own a big car. There was one thing different here though. In any other city you would have expected the cop to just take some money on the side and let the guy go right, but instead to our surprise he let our guy go with a warning. So one thing positive there.

Moving on. We finally took the roundabout turn and were headed home. When a lady was actually crossing the road talking on her mobile and walking so slowly you would think she was in the garden for a stroll. And she clearly saw the taxi and other vehicles headed her way, yet she did not care. Why do people talk on their mobiles while crossing? Its crazy and a deadly habit. Our taxi driver gave her a shout or two for her behaviour which i think she clearly deserved.

Moving further on. This other cab guy starts honking our taxi lile crazy. He wants to get by. He veers left, then right again. Honking away to full glory. Finally our guy sticks his hand out and signals him to pass and gives him way. Good on em.
At the next signal we stop right beside honky tonk cab guy. And our taxi fellow gives him a long stare. Then says. "kya karein, horn mar raha, right se, left se, upar se, kya faida phir bhi humko signal mein milna tha" (what to do, honking away, from the right, from the left, from the top, whats the point we still had to meet at the traffic signal) i could not control it and burst out laughing. We definately had a comedian for a driver.

Well it was one eventful day. Learnt a lot.
Just wanted to share this experience with you guys.
Hope you learnt something too.
Drive safe!

[dot]

Originally Posted by IronH4WK

i couldn't tolerate her arrogant ramblings anymore and walked off

Couldn't help but smile when I read this. Men are also not too far behind on this front, in fact a lot worse. One trend I have noticed is that nobody want to apply brakes these days. They will try to maneuver left or right. Even a cyclist!

Originally Posted by mdsaab

This other cab guy starts honking our taxi lile crazy.

Your Kolkata stories were rather interesting, but not surprising. One a different note, cabbies there honk and honk, for no reason. It is maddening.

[abhinav.s]

My driving habits have improved immensely over the last 2-3 years and most of the credit to T-BHP.

Few things that I can remember off the head:
1. Don't ever drive without seat belts since 2008, be it city or highway. (Yes, before that I too was ignorant about them but once I became a member of t-bhp, i understood the importance and no looking back ever since)
2. Try to be calm and not shout at offenders or honk irritatedly when in traffic
3. Try to be as defensive as possible and concentrate on the traffic flow.
4. Allow cyclists and push cart vendors to cross/pass rather than speeding up to go past them before they cross
5. Always try and stop before/on the stop line but never proceed up to the start of the zebra crossing.
6. Give way to elderly people waiting to cross the road.

Need to improve on:
1. Muttering obscenities under my breath even when with family and on seeing some traffic offenders
2. Not allowing people on the wrong side of the road to pass by blocking their path with my poor li'l Sparky. Dangerous for sure but I just cannot see people audaciously hurtling down the wrong side of the road with their headlights/hazard lights on. Point 1 in this section reaches its peak!!

Some more when i remember them.

Originally Posted by dot

... They will try to maneuver left or right. Even a cyclist!

I can understand a cyclist trying some crazy maneuver since he has to use his muscle power to get the cycle going again. But if its a life threatening one then there is no excuse for it and its plain foolish. It gets on my nerves when the stunts are tried by the bikers who feel that they can twist their body/bike in some weird ways and get away from a sticky situation.