[mansidea]

An exciting thread which is cruising thru its third year shows the real concerns on BAD driving or drivers.
I feel that education is not the real issue. Its the way which our driving schools teach driving. they teach them to operate a mobile machine & nothing regarding road manners. (unlike our play school teachers). The new drivers inherit the driving habits from the so-called experts they see on the road. We are just passing it on to the next generation too.

Dont want to generalise on lady drivers as i have seen some of them atleast put indicators when changing lines & wears seat belts too.

Can we treat those who doesnt wear a seat belt also as a driver to watch out?

But have you guys ever felt that we are just complaining or putting the blame on some one else. If we are a community who sees driving seriously and consider ourselves as educated, dont we have a responsibility to do something for this?

I believe in "If you dont like something, change it. If you cant change it, change your attitude. Dont Complain"

[Mayavi]

Originally Posted by terminator

Most of these problems can only be solved when India can make the other 50% of its Gigantic Population Literates.

Education doesnt imbibe a person with common sense/good manners. A person having a double doctorate may lack the basic manners a road side vendor has. Have you never seen school/college students peeing on road sides? Lack of sanitation facilities in this case is only a part of the problem.
Again, not wearing a seat belt is not an indicator of driving manners IMO. How many cars actually have them anyway?

Good driving manners can only be realized when the government puts an effort in creating awareness of traffic rules and sensible driving practices couple with decent infrastructure. With the road infra on the verge of breakdown and the vehicular traffic increasing exponentially one should not expect good driving from most of the junta.

[elf]

To add to your post, Mayavi, methinks a very strict enforcement of rules for all road users is a must. Fine them, slap them, impound their bloody vehicles if they break the rules. Of decency even.

[unigen]

Education isn't about degrees and certificates: it's about maturity, sensibility and domain knowledge. For example, how many of us turn the head and 'look' at oncoming traffic when entering or turning onto a road? Simply relying on peripheral vision or looking through the rearview mirror won't guarantee that you've covered the 'blind spots'.

India has the laws but what use are they if they are not enforced? Look at peak hour trafic in the world in general, and then look at the traffic in Singapore: not possible to achieve such discipline without the strict laws.

[Torque-ative]

The worst I saw lately was a M800 change 4 lanes at close to 120 kph on NH8, in what was a couple of seconds, and then what do you know,..he weaves right back onto my lane. Now that was scary. It seemed like he had lost it.
This is the scariest part of my 11 km commute to work these days.
We need to have better police presence on these clean streatches, where I have seen a boxter weave thru at what must have been an estimated 180+ kph, that to in rush hour.
No I like to push it once in a while too, but within my lane, and indicate at least 5-8 seconds before I intend to change lanes.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by terminator

I guess this situation is only limited to Hyderabad. As I was also from Hyderabad I know that problem.

Hyderabad Bus drivers will Never allow u to overtake from Right-hand side
I even wrote to Newspapers (they prefer only to write stories about sachin & silpha shetty & not problems faced by common man everyday) & APSRTC officials to properly Train their staff but in vain; you know thats how 'Sarkari' things goes.... Non-owner driven vehicles Rule the roads

1 more common problem in Hyderabad is people sitting in buses Spitting from Window out of a moving vehicles even this goes with drivers of luxury cars and autos chewing pans & Spitting on roads.

Most of these problems can only be solved when India can make the other 50% of its Gigantic Population Literates.

While on the topic of Hyderabad buses, the other day I had to drive from Diamond Point back to my home at Raj Bhawan Road at about 8 pm. I always turn left off SP road and take the 4 km longer route via Necklace Road, jus to avoid the exasperating jams on Begumpet flyover. But unfortunately I could not avoid the Begumpet stretch as my wife had some work there.
I was all steeled up for spending 20 minutes or so to cross the Begumpet flyover in bumper to bumper traffic, which needs special skills due to the slope of the flyover. But surprisingly it was almost free, so I wanted to continue in 4th gear. But two APSRTC buses spoilt my happiness by going side by side on the entire stretch of the flyover at a crawling speed. I guess they were trying to race each other !!
Why don't those nitwits understand that it is difficult to overtake another bus on such a steep flyover ?

[Mayavi]

Originally Posted by unigen

India has the laws but what use are they if they are not enforced?

My gripe with laws in India:

1. How many people actually know the traffic rules? Is there any effort on part of the government to create awareness? One should not expect spoon feeding but atleast there should be resources.
2. Does the traffic police know the rules? They seem to invent new rules everytime they need money.
3. Are the rules up to date? There is a 'No turn' sign in one of the streets in Abids, Hyderabad. It was there since I was a kid and then few years back it was made a one way. The sign board is still there, dusty and broken, hidden behing some ad boards and it has no purpose. But the traffic cop extracted 50 bucks from my friend for 'breaking the law'! When asked what law he was breaking the cop pulled out the sign from behind the advertisement board.

Also, why does the top half of vehicle head lamps have to be covered with black tape? It made sense during 1965 or 71 war (when this rule was introduced to prevent enemy air raid) but who the hell is going to bomb Hyderabad or Delhi now?

So there need to be a comprehensive over haul of the system, laws, law enforcement and driving habits of people. There is no magic bullet solution but I think the first step should be to install guided missiles launchers every 10 metres are so on our roads. They would automatically seek and destroy any vehicle that is driving between lanes for more than 10 seconds. That is one less bad driver.

Off-topic:
Since we talked about laws, do you know that Adultery is a punishable offence according to IPC. Introduced in 1850's and unchanged since then. If implemented half the Indian parliament will be behind bars.

[elf]

Originally Posted by Mayavi

... but who the hell is going to bomb Hyderabad or Delhi now? ...

Well, a buncha Pakistanis, maybe the Chinese, & even the Americans, if things go wrong.

Going by the lousy traffic conditions in these cities, I'm thinking half their populations would express a desire to do so as well.

[terminator]

Originally Posted by elf

Well, a buncha Pakistanis, maybe the Chinese, & even the Americans, if things go wrong.

Going by the lousy traffic conditions in these cities, I'm thinking half their populations would express a desire to do so as well.

No need to Bomb the entire Cities I guess; It will be enough if we fire crackers in the Sleeping civic authorities offices.

[moralfibre]

A pictorial illustration of identifying an idiot behind the wheel:

[fiery enzyme]

Originally Posted by terminator

No need to Bomb the entire Cities I guess; It will be enough if we fire crackers in the Sleeping civic authorities offices.

A good one. In Chennai the road condition are so bad that I'm sure every one who drives curses them.
Why did not they think of building those bridges and fly overs 5 years before. Hell, atleast 2 years before would have made a difference.

There is a huge population explotion of cars in Chennai as if all the cars here have suddenly attained sexual maturity .

What gives? Blame it on the booming Indian economy.

[rockingstart]

Also the Rikshaws and 3 wheeler tempos that run in the middle lane spewing clouds of smoke. My thmb rule, never drive behind a lady or an old aged driver, they will never listen to your horn.

[1100D]

Simply go to the Team BHP meets, who ever you don't find there!

[jack7]

Originally Posted by Dippy

Another thing I hate is drivers of cars using hand indicators instead of using the car's indicator lights . Damn I have seen this in big fancy cars too. They just just put out their and cut the lane without looking behind to see if a car is coming from behind or not.. this seems to be a continuation of the point: both side mirrors being folded.

Dippy

Yeah I guess they are trying to say "I don't care where you are but I'm going to take my turn... CAUTION!!!!" LOL

[VJ_MAVRICK]

To me these following groups are a BIG MENACE @least in Bangalore and i feel like sending them back to a driving school with classes held by our esteemed and highly distinguished T'BHPians

1. Autos---->Frustrated souls always cribbing about Techies and their lifestyle and cannot assimilate things seen on a seasoned car driver (and cars)following rules..

2. Cabbies---->these include Indica,qualis and sumo drivers...most reckless of the driving lot..impatient and arrogant always on the verge of making the cars ahead of them jump the signal....i account their behavior to irregular sleeping habits and a jealousy towards the corporate guys

3. BMTC Drivers(State owned buses)------> Most Pathetic in driving and have an attitude that speaks volumes about that says....am a govt owned vehicle driver and who cares attitude.

4.Bikers-------> I call them "FILL IN THE BLANK" souls...does not matter which way or where it is they are always there to fill up voids.

5.Hand on the Cell DRIVERS-----> Offlate this group is rampant and most reckless and highly irresponsible souls who care a hoot not only about other lives ...and even their's.....

PS: ALL these people above do show their ignorance in showing indicators and following proper traffic signals and their very existence on the roads is a big menace and a threat..