9 tips for driving safely on India's chaotic roads

It is possible to make predictions about how a vehicle within your driving vicinity will behave by observing it critically.

BHPian Verkehr recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Tips for driving in India:

Although the process of driving a vehicle can be contemplated to be a logical process, the unique mixture of our chaotic traffic, a blatant disregard of traffic rules, corruption/apathy at various levels, bureaucratic insurance support and distinctive social factors make driving in India, more an “Art-Form” rather than a rational process.

Having driven a car in India for several decades, one can tabulate a list of do’s and don’ts when driving in our environment. At the outset, I must clarify that this is from the perspective of a self-driven private car in a large city environment. So, all the points on this list may not be applicable to everyone. Even so, I thought it would be useful the share some ‘wisdom rules’ of driving Indian-style.

Observing salient points about vehicles around you can predict how comfortable you should be driving in their vicinity.

Psychologists have noted that one can try to forecast how a vehicle (car/truck/two-wheeler) will be driven based upon certain salient criteria which characterise it. To give a simple example, studies have suggested that a red-coloured vehicle is likely to be driven more rashly because it reflects an inherent perspective or aspiration of the driver to own/drive a “sports car”. This is a general prediction, though need not always be true. Exceptions are some cars like the Maruti 800 which used to look aesthetically appealing in that colour.

Just as Sherlock Holmes used to amaze Dr Watson by prophesying a host of characteristics of people they met based just upon observation, it is possible to make predictions about how a vehicle within your driving vicinity will behave by observing it critically.

The pain of seeing your car damaged, the paperwork of processing claims and days lost due to non-availability of your car during repair, suggest the “precaution should trump valour” when driving in India.

Watch out!!

Here is a list of vehicles where you take extra precaution when they are within your driving vicinity, possibly even allowing them to overtake and get away from you.

Obviously, the first on the list would be scooters/motorbikes/auto-rickshaws – the bane of Indian traffic. The absence of any semblance of discipline makes bike drivers a menace wherever they are. There is no way to suggest “following the traffic rules” – so don’t waste your breath or anger on them. That’s the way they are – learn to accept and adapt.

There is a certain subset of these “road devils” that you should be particularly cautious of.

• Most bike drivers have the following demographics – most are young and are males (which is probably the genesis of the indiscipline and the reason why it is difficult to correct).
• Broadly, the inverse relation to age is applicable. The younger the driver the greater the chance you should expect some crazy driving around you. Added to that, in cities like Mumbai where helmet-wearing is the traffic rule if you observe an un-helmeted bike driver, – expect more trouble. In Covid times, the un-helmeted mask-less rider reflects an even more adventurous attitude to life. As they say, teenagers have an inherent perceptive flaw as they consider themselves to be immortal. So, be happy to allow these idiots to pass by.
• Delivery bike riders e.g. Swiggy, Zomato, etc. are universally a disaster on the road. There is no corporate oversight, so they are completely not bothered. Steer clear.

On the other hand, the rare instance of a cautious bike rider could be a woman especially if she has children on board. You can expect some modicum of caution there.

Another observation that can predict a bad rider, is the presence of multiple religious logos and symbols on the vehicle. This rule is also true for cars. In general, any vehicles which have a plethora of religious stickers are to be red-flagged. Their occupants seem to believe that they have guaranteed protection by a “higher authority”.

As an outcome of this world-view, for them …….. good driving be damned.

In Maharashtra, it is necessary that all license plates should be in English. The use of vernacular in license plates is against the law. And yet, you will occasionally come across a car or bike using non-English license plates. Just as the helmet-less driver, these personalities are essentially rebels with a chip on their shoulder. Don’t bother to expect disciplined driving here.

If you observe, a bike rider using a high-quality helmet, properly suited for motorcycle driving using special boots and pads, let your heartbeat in a more relaxed manner. You will actually perceive turning indicators being used and lane rules being followed.

Two interesting tips for trying to control the menace of bike riders who try to push their way as they inter-twine between cars with the risk of damaging your car’s bodywork.

The first is called the “slow-creep technique”. Whenever your car comes to a halt at a long traffic light or during bumper-to-bumper traffic, most car drivers will keep a good distance from the vehicle ahead of you. To prevent bikes from subsequently using this gap as a thoroughfare, once you have come to a halt, you should gradually creep forward to reduce the space between your car and the one ahead. It should be enough to separate the cars and at the same time is should be narrow enough to prevent bikers from using it to make the right-angled crossing. Requires some judgement and practice in the beginning, but not so difficult if you do it routinely.

The second is called the “slide-to-the-right technique”. All vehicle owners know that bikers try to use the gap between the right side of your car and the oncoming traffic when cars are halted on both sides or if there is bumper-to-bumper traffic. Bikers will try to squeeze their way forward from the right side. The same principle described above applies.

When coming to a halt at a traffic signal or if your car is crawling forward in bumper-to-bumper traffic, slide your vehicle to the right side to narrow the gap between your car and the road divider or the oncoming traffic. Just gap should be just narrow enough to prevent bikers from using it as a freeway to squeeze forward and possibly scratch your bodywork in the bargain. Even the most idiotic biker will not venture forth. Again, may take some practice at first, but is easy to do in the long run.

Essentially, both the above methods are gentle “denial-of-space” methods to soothingly guide bikers to use the left side. If most car drivers use this method, all bikers would veer to the left side. If they then venture to use the pedestrian pavement on the left side to drive ahead, so be it. Your car is spared!

Another set of vehicles to varying of is those that are not driven by owners. Anyone driving a self-purchased or self-financed car is going to drive in a completely different fashion. That is why we get bullied by local and interstate bus drivers/tankers/trucks. Their Labour Unions ensure that bad driving will just result in a minor reprimand at worst.

Government and Municipal vehicles have little to lose in case of an accident. In fact, as Tax Payers, we are ultimately paying for damages of both participants even if it is caused by their bad driving. Even a private car driven by a personal driver will take more precautions than these guys. A couple of months ago, as a pedestrian, I came across an accident where a C class Merc was rear-ended by a Police vehicle. There was nothing wrong with the private car’s driving in that event.
I felt sorry for him. A really difficult predicament for him.

Who are you going to complain to about bad driving by the Police... ‘Police’?

Another useful observation is to note the condition of the vehicle in your driving perimeter. Some two-wheelers are in such bad shape, the entire bike probably costs less than your car’s bumper or head-lamp. Similarly, for cars that looked bashed up and un-attended/un-repaired. These types fall in the category of “nothing-to-lose”. So, any collision, and you are the only loser. Therefore, a General Rule to Thumb …. the worse the condition of the vehicle, the worse the driving standards you can expect.

Another useful observation is to identify how properly a truck is lit to identify itself. In India, every large vehicle is supposed to have large broad highly reflective tapes marking the rear and edges of the super-structure. That’s in theory. Not infrequently, there are large trucks and tankers with no rear lights or reflective tape. That’s why Indians demand high-throw LED lights for their cars. Safer to use high beam headlamps always especially on highways.

On the other hand, trucks with large reflective markings can indicate that the trucking company has actually bothered to follow the rules. Such vehicles often have the GPS tracking of their fleet as a corporate policy. You can expect these truckers to be motivated to drive in a proper fashion.

Cars with diplomatic license plates have special immunity. Though most drive carefully, some are particularly rash because of their special protection.

Some years ago, I read a news report of an American Diplomat involved in an accident in the UK resulting in a fatality. She fled to the US and the case has not yet come forth to the British courts as per newspaper reports. Justice can be elusive to victims of diplomatic vehicles. Be careful of this lot.

A similar unwritten rule applies to cars belonging to various political parties. These are easily identifiable by innumerable Party posters/symbols. Whereas they get immunity due to our partial system, unlike diplomatic cars, they are often badly driven and are usually large SUVs to make things worse. Let the politician drive ahead and out of sight.

Another situation to take precaution was taught to me by my father ages ago. This applies to a situation when traffic is crawling upward on a steep upward incline. Particularly so, on angled “ghat-road” hilly inclines. If there is bumper-to-bumper traffic, strictly avoid tail-gaiting the vehicle ahead of you. Truly dangerous if it is a large overloaded truck or tanker. Due to older generation technology, there is no “Hill-Hold” function. As a result, these hulks can slide backwards by several meters while trying to crawl up inclines when there is start-stop traffic. Consequently, they can land on your car’s bonnet. The same applies if there is a car ahead driven by a novice driver. In the absence of the “Auto Hill Hold” feature, these cars tend to roll back before the driver is able to pull forward. Keep extra space more than normal in such situations.

This is driving tip is only for the innovative driver. In India, the definition of a smooth flat road is a matter of perspective as far as road construction is concerned. This means these so-called smooth flat roads in cities have multiple huge undulations, craters or pits around all drainage covers and debris from construction lying around. All this is beside our omnipresent pot-holes. Most of these irregularities remain unattended for years if not decades. If you are an expert driver and use the same road regularly, you can memorise all these undulations, cracks, drainage covers, pot-holes and speed-breakers. As a consequence, you can veer your car to wind up this novel obstacle course.

Drivers with good memory and advanced skills can use this technique to spare their spines. Definitely helps your car’s suspension and makes for a smoother ride. No wonder there is a WhatsApp meme doing the rounds in India. It’s a car sticker that says “I apologise for my driving. I am not drunk. Just avoiding the pot-holes”.

Two additional circumstances demand your special attention;

• Firstly, are religious processions. As one of the countries having the highest percentage of followers of a religion in the world, anything to do with religion in India trumps everything else. Notwithstanding the potential of processions to cause traffic to be completely disrupted there is little you can do in such situations. At least in Mumbai, during major festivals like the “Ganesh festival”, the municipality and police generally do a remarkable job every year with advance notices and police presence to control traffic. However, for more spontaneous processions, “The Crowd” rules the road.
• Secondly, one must be extra cautious while driving through areas of dense slum dwelling in urban areas or small villages in rural areas. I have often noticed small kids scurrying across unattended in these narrow sections which are often cheek-to-jowl with the edge of the road. This somewhat more cavalier attitude may create a dangerous situation while driving in these locations.

Easy Going

With a long list of vehicles to terrorise your driving experience, let us consider the few exceptions.

Obviously, the first on the list would be a new car. These are easily identifiable by the ribbons, the fresh glossy paint, the license plate series and to Auto-enthusiasts who can identify the new car make and model number. These cars/SUVs are driven with extreme precaution. So, you can zip by these with confidence.

Another situation, wherein a car driver can overpower a titanic truck or bus is when there is an upward incline on the road. You may come across a bus or truck bullying you on a flat stretch of road. Be patient. If there is an upward incline such as a bridge is coming up, it will tame these beasts to crawling tortoises. Diesel/torque/on-board weight cripples these giants on upward drives and your nimble car can swiftly overtake them. Patience pays ….

On Highways

Highway driving is one of the few pleasurable experiences for an enthusiast. Unfortunately, despite scientific evidence of the exponential economic benefits of having high-quality roads, the highways in India are no match to International standards.

Firstly, even on a divided multi-lane highway, don’t make the error of assuming that it means the traffic will flow in a unidirectional fashion. While driving on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway for over a decade, on many an occasion, I have come across all sorts of vehicles – motorbikes, cars, and even fully-laden trucks and tankers driving nonchalantly towards unidirectional traffic on the wrong side of the road.

So, if you see a set of oncoming headlights, make sure which side of the divided highway they are coming from and steer and veer accordingly.

A situation which often arises on our highways is what I have named “The Wall” Nothing to do with the famous song by that name. As we all know, in a multi-lane unidirectional divided highway, the lane on the right side is supposed to be for cars, over-taking and fast traffic. And yet, you will suddenly come across a situation where all three lanes are being used by three sets of heavy vehicles. No amount of honking is going to remedy this. Sit back, brake, drive at snail’s pace, catch up on changing the music or quench your thirst. If you are lucky, one of the trucks has a lighter load and will overtake the others allowing you to pass.

Watch out for “The Wall” and chill out till it breaks.

Many highways do not allow two-wheelers or pedestrian crossings. These are wishful principles that are often not followed. Unfortunately, there were many accidents due to villagers crossing highways and being unable to gauge the speed of oncoming high-speed traffic on highways. Somewhat reduced when the government finally took notice and built pedestrian over-passes. Of course, that does not prevent the four-legged pedestrians like dogs and cows from using the highway. You may be able to get away with bumping an unfortunate dog but be beware of “the holy cow”. Ubiquitous on our highway systems. A collision can land you in deep trouble. I believe cows can cost as much as a small car nowadays.

Highways are supposed to belong to stretches of smooth-rolling roads where you can switch on “cruise-control” to look around and enjoy the scenery. Indian highways set their own standard for ‘smoothness of roads’. Mostly not. Even on newly built stretches, there are sudden rough patches that can make your high-speed vehicle veer. Particularly dangerous are collected pools of water in the rain. Highways are built to poor standards of smoothness/flatness. As a result, they allow patches of water to collect on stretches instead of draining off. Consequently, even when it has stopped raining, during the monsoon, you may suddenly find your car “aqua-planing” and lose direction.

Puzzling Highway sign-boarding is not common in India. For example, you will be lucky if you find a signboard that will warn you in time of an upcoming speed breaker. Yes, India is unique where you will find speed-breakers on certain highways.

Similarly, the authorities seem confused regarding the speed limit on certain stretches of highways. Paradoxically, you will find a Speed-Limit sign stating 80 km/h and another stating 100 km/h just about a km ahead. Most likely, there is a change but some authority forgot to direct the removal of the old signboard. Of course, it is for you to guess which of these is the ‘old’ signboard at least you get penalised. Don’t know what will happen to the new ADAS-fitted vehicles which can read signboards and adjust the car speed. They’ll go crazy.

Cruise control is mostly challenging to use in Indian Highway scenarios. However, it does prove very useful if you are driving on known stretches of road where traffic speed cameras are installed. Set your cruise control to within the speed limit in that stretch and enjoy the drive without worrying about a speed ticket. After that section ….. it’s your call.

Roadside assistance is hit-or-miss in the Indian scene. As far as directions are concerned, Google Maps helps a lot but can lead to errors and misdirection. It’s not fool-proof. If you need to take directions from a passerby or another vehicle, you should use your sixth sense to judge the veracity of the directions being given to you. People are embarrassed to say “I don’t know”. Try to get directions at a petrol station or a vehicle with a local state license plate or Taxi. Out-of-state travellers may not be too knowledgeable.

For breakdowns, you should note down the local emergency contact number mentioned at the Toll Booths (just take a photo with your phone). Other “helpful” persons who turn up suddenly need to be scrutinised before placing confidence.

In general, the precautions from potential ‘assistants’ should be higher at night.

When stopping on the Highway (only if necessary), ensure that your vehicle is well away from the last lane. In India, it is not uncommon to overtake from the left and use the shoulder of the road as an extra lane to overtake. Unfortunately, stopping on Highways for a break and opening the door on the drivers’ side or even standing there has often led to disastrous accidents. There is a reason why the ‘Emergency’ reflective sign is provided with a new car. Use it.

An indicator of the primitiveness of our Highway system is the rarity of readily available clean loos. Unfortunately, some toilets at Petrol stations are so unhygienic, that you are safer doing it outside. Whereas this may not be such a problem for men, it is a challenging situation for women. So, if you have to do it outside, then park as close to the left side of the road, open both the front and rear passenger-side doors in order to create a makeshift three-sided ‘cabin’ between which women can do the needful without being observed. Of course, large trees and bushes are good alternatives if available.

Even if you have a high-tech vehicle that seldom needs coolants and has tubeless tyres, it’s better off knowing how to change your tyres. Always keep a bottle of water (even if it is not for drinking) as you never know when you may need to wash up due to unfortunate situations on the Highway. Medical kits are an extra boon.

Making Turns

In the city, turning off the main road into a gate on either side presents a unique set of challenges for the Indian road driver. Let us consider each situation one at a time.

Turning Left

Suppose you are on the main road and intend to turn left into a gate to enter premises. The natural thing to do would be to give your left indicator signal in advance and slide your vehicle towards the left side of the road and then turn in. Not so, for the Indian scenario.

Having given your left indicator, there can be bikers immediately behind you who will try to overtake you from the left. Often they will even turn in towards the gate on your left side and try to bypass you. Therefore, beware! Indicators have limited application when there is a bike rider behind. Fortunately, cars cannot do the same to cut between you and the gate due to limited space.

Cars create a different scenario when you want to turn in on the right.

Turning Right

This technique is called “break the bubble” which is to be used when you are on the main road and want to turn your car on to the opposite side to enter a gate. In case you thought you could slide to the centre of the road, switch on the right indicator and then turn and drive into the gate on your right, then you are correct only if there is no traffic on the opposite side.
If there is a load of traffic on the oncoming side, occasionally a gracious vehicle will stop to allow you to make that right turn. This is more an exception than the rule. Therefore, as you will be blocked from turning right, the technique to follow is called “break the bubble”. Basically, after giving your indicator, you start turning to the right, gradually inching forward as each adamant vehicle tries to prevent you with a “me-first” attitude. Gradually, the entire oncoming traffic turns into a curved arc as you move forward, thus creating a semicircular bubble. Finally, oncoming vehicles don’t have space to cut your path and will allow you to drive into the gate you intend to enter. Success!

Parking

In large cities, when you invite someone for a function, even before you mention the day and time, it is necessary to mention whether a parking facility is available or not. Such are the woes for parking in our cities.

An old trick to keep in mind if you park in a large parking facility in a mall or building society is to photograph your vehicle with some nearby signboard. Makes it easy to remember where you parked your car when you want to return to it a sea of vehicles.

The Parking that you won ….. and lost!!

Frequently, the tragic setting due to the scarcity of vehicle parking spots in large cities makes drivers so desperate that they will take all sorts of risks whenever they find a spot.
This may prove more harmful than expected.

To describe a few situations:

• Even if you have parked in a Non-Parking zone (oddly the limits of which are never clearly highlighted fully from end-to-end in India) and your vehicle has not been towed, you should beware. You can still be ticketed because the police can click a photo of your car in the No Parking zone and penalise your offence.
• Secondly, occasionally you may find a narrow challenging spot and just about squeeze your car in order to park it. Sounds wonderful, but can result lead to scratches as the adjacent neighbouring car’s passenger opens his door in a rough-shod fashion cracking the paintwork of your car.
• Thirdly, there is a danger of parking in parking spots which have been self-authorised by local thugs. I used to park in a parking area which could be used by any vehicle. Unfortunately, that zone was also used by tourist vehicle drivers. They were “offended” by my use of their “private parking spots”. As a result, every time I used the parking space, I used to find deliberate scratch marks and damage to the bodywork of my car. This, despite this zone being stones, thrown from a Police Station. There are instances of similar problems wherein certain locals use various forms of bullying to ensure they capture parking spots for themselves. Unfortunately, there is little justice to be obtained in such situations. It all depends on your resilience for a long hard fight. Alternately, drive away and find another parking zone.
• Lastly, beware of that juicy parking spot that is in the vicinity of any building construction activity. More than a decade ago my car was parked some distance away from a tall skyscraper under construction. When I returned to it, I observed that a large “bullet-hole” had punctured my rear windscreen. Upon further observation, I noticed a large piece of construction material that had pierced right through the windscreen and was inside the car. I photographed the details and sent them with a letter to the On-Site supervisor. Was lucky that they paid for the windscreen repair. However, I think this was a lucky reaction. I doubt others construction companies would have been compliant. Shudder to think what would have happened if that piece had fallen on a bystander’s skull. Keep in mind that even seemingly minor repair works can create large sprays of cement or paint which can blow and cover your car like a canopy and become harrowing to clean.

The moral of these stories is to be prepared to park at spots that may be some distance from the place you want to visit as long as it is safer for your car. It’s healthier for you to walk a little and your car can rest in a more sheltered environment.

Google Maps and Car Music

G-Maps are both a boon and bane. They are an amazing technological revolution making driving in India that much easier. A friend of mine uses it every time he drives anywhere even if he knows details of the route. His logic – it lets you know in advance about all the hot spots of bad traffic ahead and gives a reasonably good estimate of your time to the destination. If you are comfortable with the ETA then, then don’t sweat on the road situation. Advance knowledge of traffic conditions and time of arrival can be a good stress-buster.

On the other hand, a huge flaw in Google Maps is that it cannot indicate the type/condition of the road that you will be driving on. For example, when driving back to Mumbai towards its southern end, there are two possible routes after you exit the Freeway – one through one of the most chaotic congested traffic-hell-of-a-street which is shorter, and another which may take 5-10 minutes longer but goes through more sedate sections with traffic lights. Similarly, for stretches out-of-town. Sometimes it makes sense to drive 15-20 minutes more on a flat well-made road rather than go through a stretch of very bad road which may be ‘shorter’ as per Google Maps’ algorithm.

In India, it is useful to have the choice. Would you rather drive through a highly congested portion of the city or over extremely pot-holed sections or would you prefer to take a little extra driving time to avoid these sections? Google Maps only offers options like shorter drives or with no tolls. It has nothing to indicate about road conditions. This foreknowledge is necessary for the Indian scenario and is as yet unavailable.

Android Auto and Apple Car Play can go a long way to calm your nerves while driving in India. YouTube/Apple Music, Spotify, Gaana, Audible, and a host of similar services should be used. Music, Audiobooks and Podcasts can add flavour to your driving pleasure.

Just a couple of tips in this regard. If you are going for a long drive in sections where network coverage may be poor, it is better to download your favourite music on the phone for an uninterrupted stream of music. And a suggestion or warning. Preferably avoid listening to the news. By its inherent nature to whip up emotion, “The News” is used to fire you up with awe, fear and anger. You don’t need that when you are already performing a stressful activity like driving in India.

Let’s break the Rules…

Having driven for decades in India I have come to the conclusion, that there is often no choice but to overtake from the left. Sometimes, on highways, no amount of honking or light-flashing will convince the vehicle in front of you to move into the left lane. On one occasion, when I honked to indicate I wish to overtake the vehicle in front of me, the driver slid his car further to the right side of the right lane and switched on his left indicator to indicate that I can overtake. One wonders how people obtain their driving license!

Overtake from the left if you must and with extra precautions.

I generally dislike using the horn. Unfortunately, there are situations that don’t leave you with an alternative. Most often is to warn daredevil bike riders performing extreme traffic manoeuvres such as diagonally crossing from the extreme left to the extreme right lane without an indicator so that they can cross the road divider to the opposite side the road. All this while assuming that every car will halt for them. A loud honk of annoyance can sometimes drive some caution down their throats. Similarly, you may come across a car riding between two lanes of a highway for miles on end. Honking may be the only way to inform the driver to stick to one lane. Despite the woes of noise pollution, unfortunately, in India honking is the only way to get some discipline from errant drivers/pedestrians.

On a comical note, in India, a vehicles’ Hazard Lights have extended applications.

A friend of mine was driving his German business associate from Mumbai to Pune on the Expressway. As their car entered a tunnel, all the cars started flashing Hazard Lights. The German was terrified. What happened? Was there a major accident? A natural disaster? A terrorist attack? Calmly my friend explained …. this is our Indian style of driving in tunnels. International traffic language is damned. The German had a hearty laugh.

Another application of hazard lights in cities is that it allows you to double park on city streets. That’s what all drivers do when the “Saheb or Memsahib” has popped into a nearby store for some quick shopping.

Artificial Intelligence

Anyone reading the above will realise that AI-driven autonomous driving has a long long way to go before it is even considered an option for driving in India.

Which is wonderful news for all car enthusiasts who prefer to drive themselves!

Conclusion

I have highlighted a few observations from my experiences of driving over several decades in India. Hopefully, the information will be useful for some. Others can have a laugh. The text should be taken with a spoonful of humour as I have tried to present it in a tongue-in-cheek style.

As mentioned earlier, these tips are limited to self-driven self-owned cars in a big city. I am sure there are many more pearls of wisdom from other drivers based upon their driving conditions in other parts of the country. I have not commented about other challenges to driving in India such as road rage, what to do if there is an accident or driving in rural/off-road areas.

Driving should not be mentally stressful or challenging. Road accidents – minor and major should be infrequent. Despite a long catalogue of taxes, tragically, the hierarchy of authorities controlling our roads and their usage seem unwilling, unable or uncaring to the woes of driving in India. Internecine political warfare concentrates on small things of no consequence whereas fundamentals like good roads and traffic conditions which can actually raise the GDP of the country are poorly managed. As a consequence, the road and traffic environment in India is euphemistically described as “Organised Chaos”.

Hope the above tips help you to keep calm and drive safe.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.