[shapra]

I have been driving an M800 in Bangalore for about a month now. My impressions:
1. Yellow-board vehicle drivers are the worst.
2. Many Bikers are next. They dont seem to understand the physics of riding/driving. That most of them get away with no injuries is proof that God exists and is watching over us, in good old India. Considering our police response, our traffic and trauma care standards, you would most likely bleed to death or lose one or more limbs in an accident.
3. Owners driving cars seem to be the most sensible. Some exceptions - drivers of some modified cars that seem to think they dropped out of the sky. Probably spoilt brats living on their parents' dole.

My Rant: Last week, I almost hit a biker. Guy seemed like a techie, but apparently lacked common sense. I was halfway through my right turn at a T-intersection, when this guy zips in from behind on my right and wants to make a left turn, in front of my moving car! If I was slower by a split-second, I might have crashed into him. Startled, I honked. He parked his bike and came over to argue. I pointed him to my position on the road and my blinking indicators. Others started honking behind me, so he rode away.

If you, gentle reader are this biker, please, please desist from such behavior in future. I am sure you have loved ones at home., waiting for you to arrive in one-piece. Mistakes do happen, accept them humbly, learn, resolve not to repeat and move on.

The future is bright -- be there.


Mod's Note: Please do not post the same thing twice. Deleted the duplicate post.

[lambuhere1]

Originally Posted by shapra

I
Mistakes do happen, accept them humbly, learn, resolve not to repeat and move on.

Does it EVER happen in BLR. Only the vehicle owners seems to realise this.

[v1p3r]

There is this fool who works in EGL and drives an Accent. Every evening around 7, he comes out, and proceeds towards Airport Road. But instead of driving towards K'mangala and making a U-turn, he will go down the wrong way till the turn into Park Plaza. One day I'm going to catch him, and all his angels had better be around then. Nothing upsets me more than educated not-so-young people who act like laws aren't meant for them.

Originally Posted by snaronikar

. I only wish if auto wallahs would have also taken to strike, it would have been very nice to drive along. BTW, when is their next strike? Any ideas.

Here's an idea: how about you pick me up and drop me if there's an auto strike? I'm sure I'd save some money as well.

[HappyWheels]

Well, while we are at it, here goes:

Went to Big Bazaar on Saturday afternoon. On the way out (they have a basement parking), noticed that there was a Corolla which has already started and just trying to negotiate out of a tight park. Even before that guys comes out, I am all started and ready to roll. But I just wait to let that guy go. He goes and then I start behind him.

For those of you in Bangalore and been to Big Bazaar at Banshankari, will know how the drop & lift out of the basement parking is - STEEP!

So, I am following this Corolla and this guy goes to the top of the climb and stops there. Right on top of the climb!!! I am 75% up the climb and shocked at what this guy is doing. Honk like mad, security guys are blowing their whistle asking him to move.

What happens next is the icing - the car is driven by a driver. he starts to move the vehicle, but the owner (who looks & talks educated) tell the driver not to move, goes on putting his child in the front seat. He then looks at me and tell me to wait. I am on a steep, facing up and just holding with the clutch / accelerator! I shout back asking him if he is crazy! (the turn out of the parking and to the slope is not the one you can negotiate much when doing a reverse!)

He gets in and then his wife asks me 'Do you expect us to park on the road' (Duh!!!)!!!

I want to respond telling that if not on the road atleast they could have got into their car in the parking itself and not stop where they done now. But did not find any use responding to people who will not understand it!

When the vehicle leaves, the security comes down and apologises and tell me that he will not be able to do much if people jsut wont listen to then. I just smile and drive away - as he said, nothing much can be done with people as these!

What do you guys think of people as these? They were in a 1.8E corolla and they are perfectly well do to have been to good education and society life. But they lacked basic common sense.

The vehicle number is KA 05 $$ 9707. If any of you run into this guy in an issue, be prepared not to expect any sense from him!

[amitoj]

Originally Posted by HappyWheels

I am on a steep, facing up and just holding with the clutch / accelerator!

Dude, no offense but this is one of the situations for which cars come equipped with handbrakes! Please learn to use it. It will do much less harm to your engine as well. I have actually been in this situation where a guy's car rolled back into mine just because he couldnt get the clutch/accelerator combo right and had no clue about handbrakes. On top of it he accused me of banging into him from behind.

Anyway, what you witnessed is quite common in Forum's parking also. I generally dont say anything if old or handicapped people are involved. But when i see young healthy people doing this, i let em have a piece of my horn (much to the annoyance of others, am afraid)

[HappyWheels]

Originally Posted by amitoj

Dude, no offense but this is one of the situations for which cars come equipped with handbrakes! Please learn to use it. It will do much less harm to your engine as well. I have actually been in this situation where a guy's car rolled back into mine just because he couldnt get the clutch/accelerator combo right and had no clue about handbrakes. On top of it he accused me of banging into him from behind.

Anyway, what you witnessed is quite common in Forum's parking also. I generally dont say anything if old or handicapped people are involved. But when i see young healthy people doing this, i let em have a piece of my horn (much to the annoyance of others, am afraid)

Amit, no offense taken. and thanks, but I am well aware of the use of the handbrakes and know when and where to use (please dont take this as me trying to get into an arguement with you, just putting across my point in good faith. cheers. and you might have noted that I mentioned that I was able to keep the vehicle on the slope well enough using the clutch/acc combo (thanks to those driving classes in Dubai where one is forced to stop and then start again on 'hills', without any movement to the back!).

And I trust my gear/ engine more than the break in such scenarios! :-)

This was never the issue. Its just the attitude shown by the person!

[VJ_MAVRICK]

Such weirdos can be found out in the various malls all across bangy and also else where too. Once an accent guy honks and overtakes me citing that he is a hurry and i felt too menacing and that too in the parking lot of forum.

[HappyWheels]

the best one was in Forum... come down from the 5th floor parking... round and round and round; suddenly on the 3rd floor parking there is this security standing bang in the middle of the path!!! screech and stop (thanks God I changed the tyres!!!)

ask him 'what the %$%$' - and it seems this guy was stopping the traffic (aka me) coming down so that he can get one 800 to park in the small gap near the center pillar!

tried to locate the supervisor to complain - no luck. just went home.

Guess we can never be sure of our right of way, unless and until you built your OWN road!!! :-S

[v1p3r]

Walk politely up to the guy next time, and ask if he is educated. That's it. Watch the embarassment.

[mobike008]

This world is full of these type of people. We just need to control our BP for own good health and evade such idiots and continue with our lives

[Vid6639]

I had this incident with the cops once. My driver was driving the lancer and we were waiting at a junction near GPO. The signal became green and everyone started to move. On the other side at Vidhan soudha there were cops catching 2 wheelers. Suddenly out of the blue the traffic jumps out on to the road to catch a 2wheeler. He jumps out right infront of the 2wheeler and right in front of my car. My driver brakes hard, the 2 wheeler goes around him and the cop has to dart out of the way so he doesn't come under my car's wheels. There is an Maruti van which is not able to brake as well as my car and rear ends my car. Nice big dent on the lancer's boot. The Van is a government car so the cops say they don't want to get involved and the guy challenges my driver telling him there is nothing you can do. Since I had to write an exam we had no option but to leave. I tried shouting at the cops but to no avail, they showed a deaf ear and continued collecting bribe from 2wheelers.

This happened a looooong time back like 4-5 years ago.

[NetfreakBombay]

An example of what people can do if they are determined Mid-Day - Article

[Jaggu]

This again happened on Saturday (not a good day for me lol first phone then this), so i went to drop wifee at MG road for an office get together. I was waiting to take a U turn in front of St Marks intersection, on MG road.

Park lights ON and the Running light\Fog light ON. I notice a fair chap in light blue uniform with white helmet (typical bengaloru cop ones) staring at me. He seemed educated and was holding a walkie talkie thingie.

Anyways i took the U turn and our man asked me to down the glass, so i slowed and downed the glass. He comes and in fluent english tells me (switch OFF the Fog lights). Actual conversation went like this and very fast at it.

"Switch off the fog lights, they are illegal and you will be fined Rs 500, same as using high beams inside city, refer manual" (pointing towards my dash) non stop without a breath or break

I was like duhh! then thought ok finally a cop who could speak good english, so will clarify things further. So i told him i thought they were quite harmless and low enough and hence used it to avoid inconvenience for others.

So again he goes in his fast forward mode of english, actually quite musical also lol. "Law is law, no point in arguing OR you will be fined"

Lucky or unlucky, someone else jumped signal or something and he started running away, so we said cya to each other and parted ways.

Me being me, rushed and parked and referred manual and there is no mention of fog light usage, caution whatsover also not mentioned, only how to switch it ON is mentioned in the manual.

So now comes the real question Are the bumper running/fog lights illegal? My understanding is unless the lights are above the height of the headlight it aint illegal in India.

Though coming to think off it, some of them do throw a bad glare, but unfortunately mine is precariously low to do that harm also.

Anyways point to keep in mind, dont flash those inside city center limits in Bangalore, for now.. coz NO POINT ARGUING WITH WELL EDUCATED LAW TORCH BEARERS

Cheers to all.

[kph]

Once I was fined for using high beam inside city.
I still have that one doubt.
Is using high beam inside city illegal even if it is on a one way (say double road with divider separation between the lanes) ?

[Nitin]

Is there a separate switch to turn on/off the fog lights? I thought that most cars come with fog lights that are incorporated with the terminals of the main headlights. To switch off the fog lights,you'd have to switch off the main lights too.
As long as its not blinding,I don't see why the cops would want anyone to not use fog lights at night. If its the yellow colored fog lights,it would make sense.
On the positive side, that's one cop with a respectable command of the English language..