[invidious]

I couldn't find a thread for rants/issues against bikers. I am assuming anyone who drives cars in Bombay has had issues with bikers cutting in, randomly honking for no reason and a host of other issues.

My latest one honestly topped all of it so far.

It happened near 5 gardens ; a rather pleasant predominantly Parsi neighborhood.

I entered a one way and a random biker who was coming in the wrong way, started gesticulating at me. I ignored him and continued to drive. He turned around and followed me.

Given that he was wearing a mask and had gestured at me and was now following me, I figured it was someone I knew who wanted to say a hi.

Clearly, that wasn't the case as he asked me why I didn't stop to let him pass. I had no clue what he was talking about. For the record, my car was atleast 4-5 feet away from his bike even when I entered the lane. The only thing he had to do was shift from the center of the lane to the side. But apparently that was a herculean task. When I pointed out to him that he had entered from the no entry he pointed to the rest of his fellow bikers coming in from "No Entry" and said - "Sab log aate hain - tumhara galti hai".

I told him it was his mistake, not mine and this seemed to enrage him. My guess is that he was frustrated about something else entirely and decided to randomly pick a fight/argument with a stranger. An old uncle walking around the gardens, just requested me to go which I did as the biker started explaining to the uncle how it was my mistake.

Just another rant.

[adi.mariner]

I can feel your pain. However this is such a common occurrence in Pune (specially the Peth areas) that you are left wondering if you are actually driving on the correct side . I have invested in a Dashcam for precisely these reasons. Just hoping that I do not have to use the footage any day.

[Mr.Boss]

Originally Posted by invidious

I am assuming anyone who drives cars in Bombay has had issues with bikers cutting in, randomly honking for no reason and a host of other issues.

This is nothing specific to Bombay, entire country is facing it. In past I tried to 'educate' them, but end of the day below facts were proven again and again





This should come from self discipline, but with our people nothing will change unless the 'authorities' do their duty.

These days being in 'zen' mode keeps us healthy (mentally and physically)

[rakesh_r]

Originally Posted by invidious

Just another rant.

The last time this happened, the guy on a scooter was coming through the wrong side and almost crashed into me. He started arguing that it was my mistake. Pointed him towards the dashcam and said lets settle this with the cops. The next thing i see was him driving away without saying anything. Shared the footage with the traffic police later.
Always recommended to install a dashcam, more than enough to diffuse the situation within seconds, guaranteed.

[invidious]

Originally Posted by rakesh_r

The last time this happened, the guy on a scooter was coming through the wrong side and almost crashed into me. He started arguing that it was my mistake. Pointed him towards the dashcam and said lets settle this with the cops. The next thing i see was him driving away without saying anything. Shared the footage with the traffic police later.
Always recommended to install a dashcam, more than enough to diffuse the situation within seconds, guaranteed.

I have in one in my car. Was driving my wife's car. Probably should get one for hers too. I guess she is important also.

[am1m]

In Bangalore they ride on the footpaths (whatever precious little footpaths that are there in our amazing city) and honk at pedestrians to get out of the way! (Btw, I use the bike predominantly too in the city (though never on the footpath of course!), so not a random rant against bikers, I'm one too!)

I've gotten into at least four arguments with these idiots. And they are from all across the spectrum- delivery guys, white collar 'IT guys', local goons, older uncles, women. One time one idiot got down to fight, I pulled out my phone and started recording, then he left. It's crazy how many people think it's ok to ride a motorbike on the footpath, and how many car owners think it's ok to park there!

[jigar1791@gmail]

Originally Posted by invidious

I told him it was his mistake, not mine and this seemed to enrage him.

I had an almost similar issue yesterday night while driving home from office.

Happened near Aarey Colony and WEH junction. I turned right from Aarey Colony under the Goregaon flyover to merge onto the WEH northbound lane, towards Borivli.

I, being the first car to take the right turn on WEH and a bike ahead of me, went in to touch about 40 kph on the highway, gradually closing in on the bike (the biker due on his phone!). With a short honk (beep beep), I tried asking for a right-of-way and, prepared myself to overtake him.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, the biker sees his friend, and decides to stop abruptly on the first lane below the flyover. I brake hard, and gave him a loud honk to express my displeasure. The biker dude parks his bike on the middle of the road, gets down, and stands in front of my car, asking - kay zala, horn kashala maarto? (what happened, why are you honking?).
I lower my window down to ask him to park his bike aside, and let me pass (to avoid any confrontation + in no mood to argue about his illegal/wrong abrupt bike stopping event in the 1st lane). Our dude comes near my window, scans it, and a few cuss words in Marathi, after which, he takes his bike aside.

I had a BEST bus behind me, and in the next lane, 2 cars atleast who were witness to the non-sense. Finally, I started driving slowly, and the car next to me waves at me, apparently asking to forget the situation and move on!

For no fault of mine, I was at the receiving end to a biker idiot's non-sense.

Fellow bhpian riders, could we please do something about such irresponsible and idiotic bikers, who are a menace to Mumbai, especially, after unlock?

Originally Posted by rakesh_r

the guy on a scooter was coming through the wrong side and almost crashed into me. He started arguing that it was my mistake.

Don't you all think bikers and auto-wallahs in Mumbai have become too restless/impatient/eager/quick etc, especially after lockdown has ended?

I always find the bikers and the auto-wallahs in a hurry to jump signals, cut lanes, jump queues, stop mid-way etc.

Is it just me, or everyone else with the same opinion/experience?

[TrackDay]

It is always best to let go and be the bigger person. No point in losing you peace of mind over some loser. It is true we might feel insulted, especially if we have passengers in the vehicle, but in the end true respect is earned by being the bigger person. By the way this is not just limited to Mumbai City. In fact not just in India. It is present in most big cities around the World. Come to London and chances are that you will get the same treatment from a cyclist . In fact a fight can take place between a cyclist / motorist/ pedestrian !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBz-edltrj0

I am a biker and I too go on rides. But still I have to say that there are some crazy guys out there set on to bring a bad name to the rest of us. It is best to stop/back off or lose the argument or better apologize even if there is no fault on your side. Reason. A car cant outrun a crazy two wheeler especially in big cities. They will definitely catch up to you. Getting into a fight with such people to prove your point would be like penny wise, pound foolish. It is simply not worth it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dqIPRYTWWA

[GTO]

We already have a Bad Drivers (Bad Drivers - How do you spot 'em) thread; have changed the thread title to make this the Bad Riders thread!

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by invidious

I told him it was his mistake, not mine and this seemed to enrage him. My guess is that he was frustrated about something else entirely and decided to randomly pick a fight/argument with a stranger.

Just another rant.

I feel your pain man. I face the same frustration in central Mumbai. Two wheelers in Mumbai ride nowadays like cyclists. No rules apply to them. They are coolly beating red lights, riding the wrong way on a street and as a matter of RIGHT. It is honestly EXASPERATING. The number of times I have wanted to physically assault one (in my head) is simply not funny. I’m pretty sure people probably look at me funny because we are always (both pillion and rider) in a helmet and stationary behind the white line on a red light even on our little TVS scooter.

[GreyNomad]

I alternate between riding and driving to work in mumbai. While I agree that some bikers ride without a so much as even the most basic road sense, the trend of growing (post lockdown) impatience isn’t limited to bikers alone. Car owners are equally guilty of insensitivity to right of way. It was an unwritten rule (mostly on major roads - WEH, SV Road etc) that the extreme left of the road was left to bikers while cars occupied the rest - an approx 1:4 ratio of vehicles plying adjacent to each other. Perhaps owing to the incessant metro construction this understanding seems to have been broken. I’ve, of late, noticed cars being impervious to a biker’s convenience or even legit right of way. At signals where the left turn opens earlier than the straight and right, cars will occupy the entire stretch without giving two hoots that vehicles behind them can’t take the left when it opens before the other two turns. Below the Goregaon flyover there are two u turns. I’ve noticed a tendency of car owners deliberately blocking the extreme right for bikers to pass through. Hence at the slightest chance bikers start weaving through cars, often brushing past which leads to arguments at worst and angry honking at the minimum.
A biker can legitimately cover the same city distance in lesser time compared to bigger vehicles. However increasingly of late, the cars try to squeeze into tight spaces - behaviour that was earlier restricted to bikes and autorickshaws. While these slimmer and nimbler vehicles can complete the tight manoeuvres, the cars just end up blocking the flow of traffic. This throws the entire extreme left dedicated biking lane into disarray forcing the bikers to weave in and out throughout the breadth of the road.
The increasing number of vehicles post lockdown and the never ending construction work are major factors as well.
Because I ride AND drive during peak hour traffic on a daily basis, I find this change in road consciousness quite stark. On a lighter note, I veer between cursing bikers and car owners on alternate days

[invidious]

Lots of rants; so that makes me feel better. Kind of. I can well and truly feel sorry for those guys on WEH and EEH. I seldom if ever drove on WEH - if I had a meeting I'd always Uber it. One foreigner friend who was visiting, saw the WEH (circa 2009-10) and asked me in all earnestness that with all the digging, are they looking for oil?

[VKumar]

Well, I am having a firm belief that this thread is going to get flooded by the responses from the members.

This encounter I had yesterday itself, and this gentleman is entering a proper divided road at a slightly bad section, still, absolutely zero regards for the traffic:

[AKSarkar1]

Definitely the case in Mumbai. Most of the drivers/riders here seem to have little to no courtesy for the people using the roads alongside them.

In my case I find auto-drivers to be the biggest nuisance. They cut/zig-zag almost like its a habit, even on empty roads! Definitely agree with the other BHPians about not being a fool and arguing with them! In the past I tried my level best to educate them and occasionally yelling at them but none of that seems to work. I feel in Mumbai too we need a strict licence procedure for commercial vehicles in conjunction with MTP having live monitoring for accident-prone areas to fine offenders right away!

Another new nuisance that has recently come up in the past 4-5 years are OLA/Uber drivers! But I feel that is a topic for a different thread altogher

[PrasannaDhana]

Let me post what I had posted in the Bad drivers thread a few days ago.

A bad rider here, with a lady on pillion, impatient and without any sense to look for oncoming vehicles before overtaking a bus that had come to a halt. During the overtake, he gets taken aback seeing a bus coming opposite at speed, and decides to get to extreme right to evade crash (good call in that situation actually).

https://youtu.be/DMjhT5H7H-Y