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Road Safety
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Quote:
Originally Posted by asmr
(Post 5429160)
I do agree with this.
But I have to highlight a rather irritating & dangerous behavior I have noticed on Indian roads, both in the city and on the highway. Consider this scenario. When trying to change lanes to overtake a slower vehicle in front me, I have seen cars behind me accelerate that much harder to just not allow me to do my pass of the vehicle in front of me.
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Totally agreed. This behavior has spread like a pandemic especially in Bombay. In a way, it has compelled some of us to merge into lane without giving indicator :Frustrati It doesn't feel right. But seriously, playing chicken game on the roads feels more dangerous.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MT_Hyderabad
(Post 5429298)
With such fast moving traffic, there is no way the driver can judge traffic in both the directions. He has to protrude dangerously to slow down traffic before moving further.
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Yes, there is a way. This type of crossroads can probably be found all over the world, and yes, people manage. Basic driving skill.
Things can go wrong. As per a previous accident, with the biker, one thing is that the crossing car has no right to expect that others will give way. Certainly they should not act as if they will and cross, regardless.
Another thing is not to dither. During my learning days, I was a ditherer. My instructor told me: "When it's safe to go,
go. Don't dither."
Quote:
Originally Posted by MT_Hyderabad
(Post 5429298)
How to cross this road?
My suggestion would be to either close this road or put barricades such that traffic slows down while approaching this intersection. The zebra crossing is no deterrent either.
With such fast moving traffic, there is no way the driver can judge traffic in both the directions. He has to protrude dangerously to slow down traffic before moving further.
The reason why this CCTV is facing that direction is understandable.
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Yeah, that is one scary intersection and i would hate to be the one who has to cross the road everyday. My paranoid self would go left and find a place to take a u turn and get back safely :coldsweat
Quote:
Originally Posted by MT_Hyderabad
(Post 5429298)
How to cross this road?
My suggestion would be to either close this road or put barricades such that traffic slows down while approaching this intersection. The zebra crossing is no deterrent either.
With such fast moving traffic, there is no way the driver can judge traffic in both the directions. He has to protrude dangerously to slow down traffic before moving further.
The reason why this CCTV is facing that direction is understandable.
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The speed at which the vehicles are moving in that road, one would need a lot of luck as well to cross safely.
The red car which crossed initially did it wrong by driving on the opposite lane. But this is typically how people cross roads. The grey swift which met with accident was doing it right, just had to wait for some more time for the truck to pass. Maybe there was another vehicle in the opposite lane approaching which caused the driver to move ahead.
Patience is the key, the driver had to wait till both the sides are clear. It is difficult but not impossible and definitely better than the current outcome.
Quote:
Originally Posted by deathwalkr
(Post 5429333)
My paranoid self would go left and find a place to take a u turn and get back safely :coldsweat
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That's exactly what i would do as well. It is better to just check one side of the traffic, merge with it and take a U wherever there is a proper U turn possible than cutting across this intersection.
Regards
Dev
This diagram is a scene from my daily commute. This is the way we indians 'give space' for a turning vehicle. See space ? occupy space - that's our mantra. This is how 80% of gridlocks are formed. You can imagine what happens in the next two pics, once the blue truck has fully turned into the narrow road.
Quote:
Originally Posted by venkyhere
(Post 5429409)
This diagram is a scene from my daily commute. This is the way we indians 'give space' for a turning vehicle. See space ? occupy space - that's our mantra. This is how 80% of gridlocks are formed. You can imagine what happens in the next two pics, once the blue truck has fully turned into the narrow road.
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If one is at a railway crossing, this gets even more exciting.
Both the sides of the road are completely packed. Once the train passes, the tracks are used to converge into the lanes on the opposite direction. Its a site to relish upon. Cannot happen anywhere else in the world.
An example:
https://youtube.com/shorts/TOG1M9ujaL0?feature=share
In this one, we have traffic on the tracks!
https://youtu.be/LLT-dHfflL0
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao
(Post 5428794)
The biker's only option was to brake and hope, because swerving either left or right (esp. right into oncoming traffic) could've ended horribly. To be fair, he doesn't appear to brake at all.
Still, if you're willingly giving someone a 'brake and hope' chance of not hitting you, you aren't a good driver irrespective of how things end. I doubt the car driver would've pulled that move in front of a large vehicle.
Statutory sermon: Indicators don't give one right of way!
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Agree, this is the right way to execute a turn across an oncoming traffic. However, am surprised nobody has suggested that the roadway design itself is prompting these dangerous maneuvers.
Why not designated turn-off points and turning lanes which will allow vehicles to safely stop till oncoming traffic is clear, and not impede through traffic behind them.
Picture
courtesy.
And then cameras + fines for people who still drive recklessly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dust-n-bones
(Post 5429541)
...
Why not designated turn-off points and turning lanes which will allow vehicles to safely stop till oncoming traffic is clear, and not impede through traffic behind them...
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Good point in general, safer the roads the better, but not every road can be made for free-flowing traffic all the time. Even in developed countries, B & C roads are often undivided two lanes, and it's common practice to wait for turning or merging traffic.
All that of course needs patience and civic sense, attributes a majority of Indian motorists wouldn't recognise if they crashed into them head-on.
Indian Roads can be constructed to Western standards, but mentality of the road users cannot be changed. Whatever improvements Government may do to the roads, unless the drivers improve their habits, it would all be a waste.
Quote:
Originally Posted by asmr
(Post 5429160)
Consider this scenario. When trying to change lanes to overtake a slower vehicle in front me, I have seen cars behind me accelerate that much harder to just not allow me to do my pass of the vehicle in front of me.
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This is indeed a frustrating situation, where you remain stuck behind a slow moving vehicle on the left lane, with vehicles coming up behind you on the right lane refuse to allow you to move into the right lane and overtake the slow vehicle on the left lane.
However, I often experience a some what different and even more irritating scenario. Imagine on a 4 lane highway, two trucks/buses are moving in the same direction side by side, occupying both lanes in one direction. The truck on the left lane is slower and the truck on the right (fast) lane is in the process of overtaking and moving past it. I am behind the truck on the right (fast) lane.
Suddenly, someone comes up in the left lane behind the slower moving truck, flashes his indicators to turn right into the lane I am in and honks too, and tries to squeeze in - aggressively - between me and the truck in front, that too from the left side!
This happens almost every time I am on the highway on a long trip. I have lost count of idiots on the road.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Amrik Singh
(Post 5429576)
Indian Roads can be constructed to Western standards, but mentality of the road users cannot be changed. Whatever improvements Government may do to the roads, unless the drivers improve their habits, it would all be a waste.
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Agreed that Indian drivers have generally low technical skills (how to stay in lanes, as an example).
We however overestimate importance of such technical skills and underestimate the cultural aspect of driving as social behavior. This is how the same Indians suddenly turn into rule abiding citizens in more developed countries.
What helps this transition is a) we see infrastructure that is safe by design, b) we implicitly follow norms we see around us, and c) all this governed by a transparent system of fines for violators.
Good infra prompts better behavior. Have to disagree that its 'wasted' unless habits change first.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sparameswaran
(Post 5429580)
This is indeed a frustrating situation, where you remain stuck behind a slow moving vehicle on the left lane, with vehicles coming up behind you on the right lane refuse to allow you to move into the right lane and overtake the slow vehicle on the left lane.
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My take on this is that it’s a fair thing for them. It’s the responsibility of the driver changing the lanes to make sure to do so when it’s safe and not switch lanes when there is traffic in the merging lane. I have been in this situation enough times and wait till I get a clear passage.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sparameswaran
(Post 5429580)
However, I often experience a some what different and even more irritating scenario. Imagine on a 4 lane highway, two trucks/buses are moving in the same direction side by side, occupying both lanes in one direction. The truck on the left lane is slower and the truck on the right (fast) lane is in the process of overtaking and moving past it. I am behind the truck on the right (fast) lane.
Suddenly, someone comes up in the left lane behind the slower moving truck, flashes his indicators to turn right into the lane I am in and honks too, and tries to squeeze in - aggressively - between me and the truck in front, that too from the left side!
This happens almost every time I am on the highway on a long trip. I have lost count of idiots on the road.
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I have seen this far too many times and used to get agitated like crazy. Later on forced myself to think that may be they are on some emergency and let them pass. I still don’t give way once in a while in such circumstances though I don’t want to do that anymore.
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