[gjiyap1]

When you are the driver of your car or bike, you are completely responsible for your road behaviour due to your knowledge, confidence and attitude. And you have the utmost ownership over safety of your self & other occupants.

As Team-BHPians, we do hold an additional responsibility of setting the right example. After all, we are registered and active in this forum because of our love for ourselves & others!

So, what are the generic rules we follow as drivers?

• Take Safety measures seriously
• Obey traffic rules and regulations
• Wear your helmet / seat-belt
• Do not carry more than permitted passengers
• Do not act playful/mischievous and do acrobatic stunts on public roads
• Use the necessary resources only on need (honk when you want to alert someone, sudden brake only to avoid mishaps)
• Avoid road rage and fist-fights and don't create traffic chaos
• Be cheerful, happy and enjoy the drive

Right?

However, what happens if your loved one is driving and you are accompanying him or her during the drive. Will you insist on such obedience in the driver; or will you keep quiet even if they are doing something wrong?

What if your boy/girl friend is making all the mistakes/offenses/stunts just to impress you and create that little excitement?


What if :

• You are a passenger in the hired cab/auto, wherein the driver is either a perfect example for driving (or) a ruthless person who annoys everyone on the road and make your journey an unforgettable one!
• You are traveling in company provided cab or a bus (a regular), and see most of the breach day-in/day-out (mobile talk while driving, wrong side driving, playful acts, terrifies everyone on road with a big Volvo overtaking even autos !)
• You are traveling on state run bus, which got their own rules to obey and take the roads in their hands.

If the Passengers take the courage and initiative to advice / recommend / influence the drivers for better & safe driving - all of us will have better and safe roads and driving conditions!



Few Thoughts / Tips:

If you are with family/friends:

• Ensure safety measures are taken care. Wear Helmet / passenger seat belt, will force the driver to do his/her part
• Talk about bad driving. Talk about why you don't want to be on the wrong side. Talk about why we need to LIVE to DRIVE
• Avoid arguments / hot topics and make sure distractions are less
• Enjoy the journey and make sure you compliment the driver regularly for a beautiful ride!

If you are in Public Transport / Auto / Cab Service:

• Take a moment to observe the behaviour/attitude of the driver
• If the observation continues on bad note (more than few days), do take a moment to report it to the person
• If the recipient reacts badly or foul-mouthed, take a note/details and report it to authorities.
• For Auto/private cabs, post advice - if the person is unchanged, avoid and make sure you say it loud to the person/authorities - why you will not take their service

If you are in a company provider bus/cab:

• Same as public transport, but here you are even more responsible and have more authority.
• If the person is unchanged, report to your organisation administration department immediately
• Do not deviate the rules - just for your self benefit and support the act

Have personally taken few steps in the last few years (complimenting the driving during long travel for a safer drive, warning the cab/auto fellas to stop immediately & settle the bill - at the same time - encouraging by paying a tip for no honking, rule obedient driving, taking the driver / conductor details and reporting it to the respective depot etc) and though am not very sure of the end result, i felt the responsibility & need for doing something.

Maybe if we all can take such simple steps we will have better roads to drive on & the best drivers to accompany us!

Live to Drive.

Cheers,
Jay.

Note :
I personally feel, there are many MANY safe drivers in this country and am so happy to say so. If all were rash and bad drivers, we will have more hospitals than engineering colleges and news papers have special edition on accidents than presential elections in india, USA
Also, the Public transport drivers, cab drivers etc are really having an ordeal running in the Indian road conditions & hats-off to them for transporting majority of the public safe from one place to other

[Rehaan]

Hi gjiyap1,

Excellent topic! I've taken the liberty to format your post a little to present it clearly.

I believe that a personal touch when it comes to sharing such concepts is very important, especially in India, where word of mouth is often valued much higher than written word. Not to mention that most drivers on the road (especially of taxis, rickshaws, buses etc) don't have the advantage of knowing what a difference good road manners can make. Remember that first trip abroad where your mind was blown that 'no one honked' or 'everyone uses their indicators'?

I can't count the number of times I've sat in the front seat of a Mumbai taxi and put on my seatbelt only to hear the cab driver say "Don't worry, you don't need to wear that!". My reply is always "Yeah, but i don't want to die today", and then i proceed to tell them stories i have heard of guys who survived accidents purely because of their seat belts. Not sure if it makes a difference or not, but at least i've given them something to think about.

If that doesn't work, someone i know once very wisely said that "shame can be a powerful motivator". A dirty glare can be the best way to get someone to stop honking continuously, or put on their seat belt.

Sometimes the power of ONE is pretty strong. There is a proverb that shows the power of a single person's actions in an exponential way. Each one teach one. It might not be the most extravagant solution, but its the best solution we as individuals have at the moment!

cya
R

[Parthasarathig]

Very beautiful thread rated it 5 stars.

Indeed it is the need of the hour. Everyday things just seem to get out of hand on the road.Im not going to elaborate each and every detail in fact there are so many examples on the Bad Drivers thread.

I believe we should take the initiative To one day travel by public transport and impart some education to these drivers and also our friends who ride bikes and drive cars. We maybe very sedate drivers and riiders but many a times we have seen our friends ripping through the streets on their disco cars and bikes.

Once we tell people to show compassion to fellow road users and try following the rules, if not 100 out of 100 cases, but even if 1 changes his behaviour for the good, then i guess we can call ourselves successful in such an endeavour.

I wish we, as BHPians, could,from time to time, educate others on the road about following the rules. Or maybe give one or two points how their wrong way of maneuvering or not wearing helmets etc could endanger their own lives.

On another note we can also stop handing out TBHP stickers to those whom we think dont drive properly. And maybe put it as a challenge to them that they will only earn the stickers after they start following the rules.

Cheers

[AlphaKilo]

Well said.

Adding to your point, I would say, as a co-driver/passenger, it becomes our duty to prevent our driver/other driver getting into a road rage with each other.

Secondly, do not disturb the driver, trying to be a "back-seat Driver". Unless, the above discussed conditions are encountered. But still, instead becoming a commentator/back seat driver, would be better to suggest the driver to drive sanely or any other methods discussed above.

[gjiyap1]

Thank you Rehaan - for the edit & moving it to this section.

Yes - word of mouth and a small initiative to talk through with the driver does result in small change.

In the last 2 days, taken a step or two. a) Posted a pic of cab driver talking on mobile while driving - to chennai traffic police FB page. b) Noted cab detail and the escalation number (pasted on the office commuting cab) & informed the cab agency about rash driving.

Am not solving a problem here - but only attempting to address it. The moment we talk, we are 25% ahead !.

[josejoseph]

As co-passengers we do have a great responsibility to help/advice the driver follow rules.

Remembering a recent incident happened to a guy I know. He brought his new Swift from Kerala to Bangalore and during a weekend took his colleagues to Mysore. On the way they encouraged him to test the top speed and this guy tried to impress them. He finally lost control and banged into a lady driving an Activa.

A scene was created and he was man handled by the local people. Damage was done to the new car as well. Some one who posed as the relative of the injured lady demanded money and his colleagues took his card, went to an ATM and gave this guy 20K. After getting money this guy and his colleagues disappeared from the scene.

No police case was registered as the lady had no license and scooter did not have papers. The guy finally lost almost 80K including compensation and hospital charges.

All this happened because he tried to impress his co-passengers.

[gjiyap1]

Taking Rehaan's point more seriously, am glad - be able to convince 2 people (1 - a good friend of mine in mumbai & 2 - a cab fella in chennai) to following some of basic mentioned above. Again - those inputs are given as a 'co-passenger'. They promised to follow them - though not guaranteed for teaching others, but am sure - once they are convinced with the advantages & 'peace of mind' following simple practices - they shall definetly go ahead & educate others.

On a different note - how about Vehicle Manufacturer's (2 or 4 wheeler) are mandated to build their vehicles with 'Warning signals' for seat Belts & Helmets - may be !

Guess this is implemented partly (beep in Honda's, Light blinking in Swift etc) - but not sure - that is the case in all vehicles.

Am sure - if this feature comes with all vehicles, our janta will start getting used to it - and this will definetly same some life - some day !

[Zed]

Originally Posted by gjiyap1

On a different note - how about Vehicle Manufacturer's (2 or 4 wheeler) are mandated to build their vehicles with 'Warning signals' for seat Belts & Helmets - may be !

Guess this is implemented partly (beep in Honda's, Light blinking in Swift etc) - but not sure - that is the case in all vehicles.

Am sure - if this feature comes with all vehicles, our janta will start getting used to it - and this will definetly same some life - some day !

Simple - most cab \ CV drivers will first fasten their seat belt and then sit on top of it. That takes care of the beeper. I dont mean to narrow this discussion to seatbelts but the fact of the matter is that most professional drivers & many owners have a notion that wearing a seatbelt makes them seem less professional. That peers would consider them less worthy road user. I have observed time and again that drivers of cabs would strap themselves in - well most of the time they'd just tuck the belt under their backsides as opposed to actually buckling up - when approching a check point or a policeman and then undo the belt as soon as they are clear. And every time I questioned this strategy they would come up with a variety of answers none of which, not surprisingly, made any sense.

It comes down to the fact that it somehow is 'uncool' to wear a seatbelt.

If this is indeed the case, the powers that be ought to think of ways to change this perception. Which means the solution lies in the social rather than the judicial or technical realms.

Which is why I believe that social influencers - film stars for instance, in the some of the southern states - could play a significant role in improving the situation. If they are seen wearing seat belts in their next block-buster, perhaps with a line or two that creates the impression that its a cool\manly thing to do, that sort of thing could get the masses to rethink their attitude towards seat belts.

One could extend this logic to other aspects of road safety.

[vineethvazhayil]

I would think you are all lucky to have co passengers who agree to valid inputs on safety when they drive. I have had negative experiences every time I suggested something to someone (mostly elders) - these include my family, family friends, drivers we know very well etc. Apart from becoming totally defensive of themselves, they often feel offended when a younger person tells them about road safety. I have tried to tell them about the benefits of seat belts, not honking profusely or cutting lanes etc. 1 in 10 people paid heed, the rest just ignored!

[ciddharth]

It was nice reading this. I will share this with the driving members at home. I have been driving since about a year now and am praised by my co passengers (only during day driving). However my night driving is very harsh. I have some queries regarding night driving. Hence when possible I avoid driving at night, but cannot continue the same for too long.
1)I am unable to judge potholes and braking distance in dark. So I think I need to check for eye correction.
2) Also I feel very helpless and lose focus whenever an errant driver drives on high beam from the opposite side. My eyes hurt.
3) I maintain the required speed limit whole driving. But feel nervous when a hurried driver keeps flashing light from the rear in a single lanewhich blinds me again. or if someone keeps honking I start speeding and braking abruptly.
4) I lose composure when I face all this.

Members suggestion and help is appreciated. Thank you.

[phamilyman]

Dear gjiyap1,

Here is a counter point:
- Know your limit and keep quiet once you realize that the driver knows what he is doing.
- Keep an open mind. Consider that sometimes the driver may actually know more than you, even if he is not saying anything & driving "rash" as per your standard.

I am a fairly aggressive driver but I know my limits and drive rather safe/use min clutch, but not necessarily the "smoothest" - the way some "drivers" do. Sometimes some relatives may give unsolicited suggestions / silly ideas on how to drive. I would just wish that they realize the limits of their experience and keep their well meaning ideas to themselves.

Some backseat drivers can be a painful lot and I have to say it, lack of judgement in exercising your otherwise well meaning ideas, irritate the hell out of the actual drivers.

Some are even so silly as to suggest that my 1 year old son (in his car seat) is not feeling mother's warmth and is not fully protected in his mother's loving embrace (lol).

@Cid: do you wear glasses? Try wearing night driving glasses (zero powered) if u dont have glasses - for 1, you will need to upgrade your lights though.

@Vineet: Yeah sometimes anyone (wife/relatives) who complain about my aggressive honking are simply asked to move to the driver's seat Mind you, I can nitpick and nag as much as anyone else - so that typically seals the deal.

[AlphaKilo]

Originally Posted by ciddharth

1)I am unable to judge potholes and braking distance in dark. So I think I need to check for eye correction.
2) Also I feel very helpless and lose focus whenever an errant driver drives on high beam from the opposite side. My eyes hurt.
3) I maintain the required speed limit whole driving. But feel nervous when a hurried driver keeps flashing light from the rear in a single lanewhich blinds me again. or if someone keeps honking I start speeding and braking abruptly.
4) I lose composure when I face all this.

Members suggestion and help is appreciated. Thank you.

1. Check eyes - Use glasses as suggested by Phamilyman

2. No solution! Universal problem.

3, 4. I suggest you get your blood sugar and blood pressure level checked. (no offence intended!Even I had this problem, only to find out I had slightly higher than normal BP) - Curable. Please keep a calm mind set while driving. Practicing yoga might help you have a cool head.

Phamilyman sar, your solution is the best, when it comes to family members over-advicing. I too do the same, give them the wheels and ask them to drive, as they suggest me to! Of course, then its my pay back time.

[gjiyap1]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

Here is a counter point:
- Know your limit and keep quiet once you realize that the driver knows what he is doing.
- Keep an open mind. Consider that sometimes the driver may actually know more than you, even if he is not saying anything & driving "rash" as per your standard.

The point is not about 'back-seat driving'. Definetly the driver knows more than the passenger & the spiderman quote is quite apt here - "With great power comes great responsibility"

Aggressive-ness is subjective. And all of us have our own intelligence to draw our limits.

When my wifey says, reduce the speed (the speedo only shows 50 & the road is neat, in that odd hour) - i do obey - because the passenger is uncomfortable with speed.

The primary purpose is to transport people and as long as the job well done - no complaints.

Am sure - we all can distinguish the free adivce - a) coming from the care they have for you OR b) they have tendency to comment on anything & everything under sun.

Prior - i will consider, Later - i will ignore !

[Rehaan]

Very cool stuff from The Fun Theory :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iynzHWwJXaA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AbQSE4ZKvk

cya
R

[AlphaKilo]

Originally Posted by Rehaan

Very cool stuff from The Fun Theory :

cya
R

Thanks for bringing this up Rehaan! Very Novel idea from VW. Wish they do something like this for our country too!