[landcruiser123]

Remember the “Law of the Garbage Truck” - google it if you haven’t come across it already. Going by your post, I assume you’re a skilled defensive driver (you anticipated the bus drivers move) but didn’t take evasive action despite knowing what to do in the situation.

A minor inconvenience (accelerating or braking) at that instant of time would have saved you money and time now. Dealing with the public bus drivers is like trying to move a wall by smashing your head against it. Good luck!

My dad was made to run for weeks for nothing but verbal assurances that action will be taken against the driver who damaged one of the doors in our Maruti 800 in 2000.

[SuperSuri]

I lost my father in 1985 due to the carelessness of a DTC driver. He hit my father (who was standing in the front row at a traffic signal) and didn’t even care to stop the bus. The passengers alerted him before the accident but he didn’t stop. A motorcyclist chased him and stopped him. My father died on the way to hospital. We filed a case and DTC had to pay a fine of Rs.200000 that too in year 1995/96 if I remember correctly. The driver was released from the court. That’s the way our system works. It sucks. He brutally murdered my father and was released from the court.

[abhijet.sen]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

How unfair is the world for a DTC driver whose duty extends to 10-12 hours a day, on contract, without benefits? He drives an air-conditioned bus but doesn't get any cool air for himself. He's got a super-long and super-wide vehicle to negotiate narrow roads and unruly traffic. He's got us irate drivers to deal with, as well as the traffic cops who are more than happy to fine him for the smallest traffic violation.

Stop eulogising by trying to create sympathy. DTC is govt. owned and most of its employees including Drivers and Conductors get pretty decent salary. Being Govt. company, its employees (especially Driver and Conductors) are not afraid of actions (as rarely anything happens against them) and even if some action is taken then union will stand up to support them. If they were so good, there will be no accidents from them and on the contrary one can find numerous incidents with DTC bus involved.

[himanshu_trikha]

I would say take as strict actions possible, you may lodge an FIR, drop series of e-mails & tweets, post that Dash-cam video on social media and do whatever else is possible in this digital era.

This menace has to stop and you will be motivating a lot of people not to tolerate shit. Fellow Team-BHPians have already warned enough that its a painful and consuming process but somehow we need to start taking that way and rectify things, one at a time.

I myself work in the system and face a lot of hurdles while rectifying things to be better, it costs me a lot but then I sleep peacefully each day and wake-up smiling while knowing ,the best that could be done is being done.

[Neversaygbye]

Originally Posted by manveet

The traffic police was there in 15 seconds but refused to take any action saying I should call the PCR at 100, as this was not their matter. I have a photograph of the DTC drivers ID card, and the Bus No., the traffic cop, etc.

What should I do if I want some kind of action to be taken.

Speaking from my personal experience way back in 2006 when a DTC bus had smashed my friend's 800 near the Modi Mill flyover, you can go to the nearest police station and file an FIR. Since you have the driver's details and can show the damage that has been done to your car, you should visit the police station of the area where the incident occurred (in our case it was the Friend's Colony PS). Fill in all the details in the FIR (actually the officer on duty is supposed to note it down based on your dictation) including date and time of occurrence and provide hard copy photos of the damage to your car as evidence. Please also provide the registration number of the bus if you have it. We had asked what action the police would take and they had said a case of rash driving would be made out against the driver and a challan would be sent to DTC. I don't know whether this really happened thereafter but at least the police had registered the FIR in our presence and given us an acknowledgement. You can also try this method - no reason why it shouldn't work now if it worked 15 years back.

[Raghu M]

It's DTC for you, it's RTC for us in TS. They just don't have any amount of fear or care for cars/two wheelers. I generally do not even attempt to get into their lane. When I see an RTC bus coming at a certain speed, I just give way. There is no point in following rules when they are around. There would not even be a dent on the bus while our new swanky cars would end up in garages for days together. Sorry for what you have gone through, but glad the kids and you are safe. Try to lodge a complaint, at least the driver will know that he needs to be careful the next time.

[veedub89]

Will all due respect sir, as of now we only have your word or side of the story.

I am not blaming you at all but if we had video proof maybe we could establish that the bus driver did not hit you car deliberately. Not that you are at fault but maybe there is something you missed and that's what led to the collision. After all POVs from different vehicles in different lanes will be significantly variable.

And even if the guilt of the bus driver can be established, if you feel that the damage is insignificant then, I would suggest you move on.

With the times being as they are, a little less complication in our lives will do a world of good.

[noopster]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

Here’s a thought, just move on with your life. It’s beyond me why you want go through all this trouble. If you believe you need to play vigilante on anybody breaking traffic rules. It appears there is no or little damage, so what gives.

You have never met this guy before, you don’t know if he always drives/ behaves like this. So go get a life. Get your own life and don’t get upset by the behaviours of others.

Vigilance is just pathetic, be the bigger man.

Jeroen

Am a little puzzled by your response. It's not vigilantism to want to take action against someone who has broken the law. In fact as OP says, it serves as a deterrent to the lawbreaker who will think twice before doing so with someone else.

If this wasn't a case of road rage but say theft or assault and you fail to report it thinking "Oh who'll go through the hassle?" it's quite likely the perpetrator gets emboldened by this reaction and goes on to commit more serious crimes. That's all OP wants to do. Nowhere is he suggesting going after the DTC driver and administer justice to him himself, which would meet the definition of vigilantism.

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by noopster

Am a little puzzled by your response. It's not vigilantism to want to take action against someone who has broken the law. In fact as OP says, it serves as a deterrent to the lawbreaker who will think twice before doing so with someone else.
.

According to Merriam Webster:



I think it fits well as the OP wants his action to serve as a deterrent. If that is not a "self appointed doer of Justice” I don’t know what is.

If the OP, or you, believe it is worthwhile pursuit of your time, by all means. We all make our choices in life.

Personally, I think he should chill out, buck up and move on. Life is too short and too precious to be wasted on these things. If you want to make the world a better place, I would start somewhere else. Get indignant and upset over something that really matters.

Never waste your energy and time on small stuff. Do stuff that moves the needle for you in a positive way. Its no use getting upset over other peoples mistakes like this. As some other members pointed out, it is better to give busses and trucks a wide berth, any time!


Each to its own.

Enjoy

Jeroenn

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by warrioraks

Sir, I don't think it needs to work that way. I would not empathize with the DTC bus driver...

Originally Posted by abhijet.sen

Stop eulogising by trying to create sympathy.

On second thought, I think both of you are correct in not empathizing / sympathizing / eulogizing (with) the DTC bus driver. In fact, none of us need to do any such thing with any other road user. The standard rule is "Might is Right". The bus is mightier than our little cars and bikes, so keep away.

[iamitp]

I have been living in Delhi since 2003. DTC buses have certainly gotten worse in terms of the driving attitude as well as quality of the buses (leading to frequent breakdowns) after the AAP government came to power and started make transport a freebie rather than an efficiently run service. Can't the car owners of India, such as members of this forum, unionize or represent our woes on a common platform? We could then take up these and many other issues on a bigger platform such as approaching the Central ministry.

[warrioraks]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

In fact, none of us need to do any such thing with any other road user.

My humble opinion is - No point in empathizing with (supposedly) reckless drivers. Peace.

[McLaren Rulez]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

If that is not a "self appointed doer of Justice” I don’t know what is.

The OP is not a vigilante - you are simply using the wrong word here. "Self-appointed doer of justice" would be things like beating up the bus driver on the spot for perceived injustice.

Following formal channels of complaint (cops, DTC, etc.) is not vigilante justice - it's what those channels are there for!

[mvadg]

Good to see people let off steam here
Some people want to crucify the DTC driver, some the police, some the government (and very particular about the political party too, lest we antinationals take up the issue with the wrong government!), some the courts. Some are mad at other TBHP members for supporting the DTC driver or for pacifying the OP...
I think we are a nation of really angry people, if only we could harness this anger and fix our nation!

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by McLaren Rulez

"Self-appointed doer of justice" would be things like beating up the bus driver on the spot for perceived injustice.

Following formal channels of complaint (cops, DTC, etc.) is not vigilante justice - it's what those channels are there for!

You have been watching to many Charles Bronson movies.

He has passed judgement. He wants to do it as a “deterrent” and to make sure this guy learns from it. That is a vigilante mind set to me. Irrespective how it is carried out.

Whatever, let's not get caught up in semantics.

I still think it would be beneficial for him to buck up, learn to move on from small mishaps. Life is full of them.

Jeroen