[1100D]

Awesome report and seems it was quite an educating session.

Generally, safe driving campaigns focus predominantly and quite incorrectly on restricting speed alone. However, as one can read through the entire gamut of factors that contribute to unsafe situations, there was only one reference to the dreaded "S" word (Speed).

There should also be another aspect of drivers conducting a periodic health checkup on themselves, especially precision and range of vision. Or maybe mandated to carry with them eye checkup reports for vision correctness.

[Samfromindia]

Lovely report of the event Samba ! This workshop was long due, glad that team Kolkata finally pulled it off. And amazing participation i must say, most members were able to find time for this important and fruitful event

Originally Posted by 1100D

However, as one can read through the entire gamut of factors that contribute to unsafe situations, there was only one reference to the dreaded "S" word (Speed).

Couldn't agree more !

[Thilak29]

This is awesome. I am keen to attend one here in Bangalore, I can even help to organise one in our office (my employer is paranoid about safety aspects) . DM me details please.

[SVK Rider]

Awesome event and initiative.
There are things which we do un mindfully while driving which is a potential risk. Got to know them and trying to clarify on the go gradually. Once again thanks a lot to the whole team.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by Rahul Bhalgat

SS-Traveller, for the benefit of all the members, can you please start a thread on low risk safe driving?

Such a thread already exists: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/drive-...ty-primer.html.

[su1978]

At least Bhpians in kolkatta have had the privilege to attend such a session. Am sure that these gentlemen will educate at least 10 others about this. And then all of these 10 will do it with 10 others. This training holds no sense in Delhi/NCR. Rather it will not find any takers here. We have a Michael Schumacher in every house. Tell them something about these topics and they will teach you a lesson you will learn for life. Try talking to someone on the road about this and he will teach you how to drive or will punch you on your face and will ask you not to give "bhaashan". Maximum drivers here turn into a rogue the moment they have ignition keys in their hands. They assume themselves to be Vin diesel or a fighter pilot.

In case you need to tell someone his fault on the road, have a gun in one hand and then talk to him. Else the second option is- While driving think that apart from you, everyone else on the road is drunk. Save yourself and save others.

[Burn_out]

First thing one needs, to attend a course like this is humility and love of driving. One has to let go of the "I am best" bias, as Samba correctly mentioned at the start of his post. In this community, we take pride in our driving experience and capabilities. That makes it very difficult for us to accept that there are things in our driving styles that can be changed (even bettered). But, with the actual attendance for the training, that logic proved to be wrong.

Thanks to the fantastic efforts of some of our Kolkata BHPians, I attended one of the most engaging and fun workshops, ever. SS da, was fabulous as a trainer. His training style was interactive and encouraged a lot of questions. He even managed to keep a bunch of happy, well-fed, Bengalis awake for the post lunch session. Who says safe driving is a boring topic ?

Now, what did I take away. Post the training, I knew the areas where I needed to work on. During the drive back home I realized, what a moron I am on the road. I counted 10 violations to what SS da had taught and then I stopped counting. Second day is when I started consciously working on improving my CAS, being patient and observant. A week into the training, I now take more time to drive to and back from work, but I my drive is more relaxed. I don't feel the urge to curse at the auto/taxi driver for cutting into my lane, I don't feel the necessity to get into a stare down with the SUV driver who thinks he owns the road. I have started to drive more smoothly, less gear changes, less abrupt braking, less signal to signal races.

During the training, we got a bumper sticker that read "Low Risk Safe Driver". I still have that safely stored in my glove-box, waiting for day when I deserve to put that sticker on my car.

Miles to go before I sleep...

[tacho9000]

A great initiative by Kolkata BHPians Samba and others who were there to ensure that the course and it's attendance went by flawlessly. The course has highlighted a lot of flaws we overlook in the real world thereby creating hazard both for ourselves as well as the people around us. The session really opened our eyes regarding how we should judge the entire driving around us and help improve our overall driving. Matter of fact is that, post this course have been able to keenly observe and react to the varied driving situations around us, which has helped in improving my own personal driving a lot. The Low Risk Safe Driver sticker will adorn my car the day I feel I'm a safe driver and am not being a hazard anymore on the roads. Lastly a big heartfelt thanks to SS-Traveller for the workshop which will no doubt help us improve ourselves day by day


Regards,
Subhra

[Samba]

Changes in my driving style after a week of attending the course-

1) I used to follow the evidence based driving even before.

2) With the counting technique (2 seconds, 3 seconds, 5 seconds rule while tailgating or approaching a blind curve) i found that even earlier i used to maintain it.

3) Earlier in city driving i used to squeeze in through narrow gaps, which i am avoiding now.

4) I used to get angry when someone used to drive wrongly or create nuisance on road but now i feel everyone else (off-course not everyone) is an idiot. So its my responsibility to keep myself safe without judging whether others are right or wrong. This mindset is actually helping me to be, more sedate and relaxed than before.

I did this course after 250,000 km of experience on Indian roads, wish i did it earlier.

[blackwasp]

Originally Posted by Samba

Every driver thinks - 'I'm the best'.

Excellent report and loved to see the large audience ~ who else than BHPians to take the initiative to become better drivers!

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Such a thread already exists...

Sir any plans to conduct the same in Mumbai? I'm sure many of us would be happy to spend a day or two becoming better drivers.

[ARAY]

This by far is one of the most needed initiatives. Thanks for sharing the experience with all of us. Learning is a never ending process and KT from senior folks would be pure gold.
The cake looks ravishing. Macro shots of the buffet is teasing to say the least.
With smartphones getting smarter and data connections getting broader maybe such sessions could have a live broadcast in future, if it's not too much of a hassle.