[sandeepmohan]

Had high hopes to have a smooth run to ITPL via tin factory. No luck. Tin factory was jammed as usual and right up to the start of the KR Puram bridge, at 630am. Switched to my usual detour via old madras road highway, Katta Nallur Gate, Kadugodi, ITPL.

Probably too early to comment, everything seemed normal. I did see a few BMTC buses but they might come to a stop as strike time starts.

[msdivy]

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

Had high hopes to have a smooth run to ITPL via tin factory. No luck.

Traffic might be worse, since people might get their personal vehicles.

[pratyush6]

Reached office really quickly today. My normal commute from Richmond Town to Brookefield lasts for about 50mins to 1 hour around 7:15 am, today took about 35 mins.

Very few BMTC on the road though. I did not see any of the usual cultprits 335Es, so people using buses might face some problems. I however did see some Blue (non AC) buses plying. Maybe wait and watch for them.

Uber was available in the morning, so that could also be option.

[Soumyajit9]

Report from BTM to ITPL:

- Many private cars, bikes
- Company buses
- Many cabbies
- A few Volvos

Traffic is bad, but still managed to do the distance in 1 hour flat.

[rohanjf]

I found the traffic to be very less on Outer Ring Road. Usually, there is chaos around Marathahalli on both sides of ORR, because of two reasons: the U-turn near Innovative, and the randomly stopping private and public transport vehicles near Kalamandir.

Today, there was no chaos. Pollution was so less that I did not even feel like washing my face with face wash after reaching office (I travel by scooter these days, as I have put my car on sale).

Due to low pollution, I did not get my usual morning kick. Imagine if such a small cigarette can give so much kick, how much kick you can get from enormous amount of pollutants you inhale!

Luckily, in order to keep the reduction of pollution in check, the authorities have cut down many trees that grew on the median of ORR around Marathahalli. I hope I get to breathe in more pollutants and toxic gases on the way back, to make up for the loss due to long weekend.

[dark.knight]

Another day another protest in Bandh-galore. It had to come seeing this is the city's most flourishing and perhaps the wealthiest syndicate.. the transport sector.

Its funny why they hold the citizens to hostage every time they have an issue with the government. They have no problem with driving rashly, breaking rules, signals and others vehicles but they have protest when their bullying tactics are being clamped down. I for one hope this bandh lasts forever until they learn their lesson and crawl out of their holes begging for work of ferrying passengers, this time with an ounce of respect for the roads and people in general. All BMTC/autos/cabs are legalized criminals, haven't seen one exception to this. Though from what I can see today most of the syndicate are out and about.. perhaps the best day to double-charge passengers even in broad daylight.

[hrman]

Had a relatively smooth drive to work today. What usually takes 30-40 minutes took about 20 minutes today. Found some autos, airport buses, airport taxis and lots of private vehicles.

Sad that the auto guys are least bothered about starving their families for one day, since they are dependent on the autos for their daily income. Govt transport employees will anyway get paid their salary, irrespective of bandhs. Deplorable state of the administration.

[KiloAlpha]

Originally Posted by hrman

...
Found some autos...

Sad that the auto guys are least bothered about starving their families for one day, since they are dependent on the autos for their daily income....

I am working from home today, so can't report on traffic. However, I went out for about an hour running a few errands in the morning. Saw plenty of autos plying with passengers around Banashankari/Jayanagar area. And none of them had their meters down - which means they are going home to a feast today!! No starvation for these auto drivers' families.

[Soumyajit9]

Originally Posted by hrman

Sad that the auto guys are least bothered about starving their families for one day, since they are dependent on the autos for their daily income.

Didn't get your point of feeling sad for auto drivers, or good ?

Anyways, I am always extremely happy if they don't get to drive their autos for 1 day. I am okay with their family starving because of no income for a day.
The way they behave and show high handedness to customers, they and their family deserve a day of starving which would make them realise that no one gets money for free.
Everyone works hard to earn, even the seemingly "rich" software engineers. That extra 10 rupees that they demand, I have earned that hard, didn't demand from my company.



Am I being ruthless, inhuman ? Yes, I am absolutely ruthless for the auto drivers.
Why ? Because one such inhuman, ruthless guy demanded 200 bucks for a 3 kms ride to hospital, when I had to take my pregnant wife to hospital for some check up. (My car was under some repair work then)
There are good ones also, and I out of my pleasure ask them to keep the change also. But most of them, the majority, are thugs.

[sachinpk]

Updates from South East Bangalore..
1. BMTC buses are off road, the ones I saw were all empty and heading towards the depots. Perhaps they would be the night services buses now returning.
2. Private buses (like Lava Kusha Transport ) etc. are running with no problems. And they have good number of passengers as well.
3. Nobody is trying to gang up and force motor vehicles from the road. Even police presence is minimum on the road. Private vehicles are allowed to run freely.
4. I could also see a campaign in social media that, this is just a strike and general public should ensure that it does not become automatically a bandh/harthal.

Originally Posted by Soumyajit9

Anyways, I am always extremely happy if they don't get to drive their autos for 1 day. I am okay with their family starving because of no income for a day.
The way they behave and show high handedness to customers, they and their family deserve a day of starving which would make them realise that no one gets money for free.

+1. If any group of people I have no sympathy towards, it is these auto rickshaw drivers. If one fellow gets out of the road, that means one less criminal out there. But I don't think so they or their family would ever starve, as using their looting schemes they could make enough money by running for few hours, then buy some booze go home and have a relaxed day.

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by sachinpk

+1. If any group of people I have no sympathy towards, it is these auto rickshaw drivers. If one fellow gets out of the road, that means one less criminal out there. But I don't think so they or their family would ever starve, as using their looting schemes they could make enough money by running for few hours, then buy some booze go home and have a relaxed day.

As regards the auto drivers, after 9 PM it is 1 1/2, late night to early morning, it is double, when it rains the fare is double/treble.

It is not so often that they charge full fare as per meter.

[NPV]

Started from home to office later than my usual time today and contrary to all my apprehensions it was a smooth drive, in fact the fastest in a year
What takes anywhere between 45 and 60 minutes took just 25 minutes today.
There were no buses, fewer autos and just everybody seemed to be well-behaved and driving sanely. I did not see any cops as well and it was a super smooth drive
Unbelievably, the tin factory junction had smooth flowing traffic, but I took the hanging bridge to go via Devasandra.
Everyday I see vehicles turning on Red signals mostly at the KR Puram-Devasandra junction on Old Madras Road but today it was different! Signal was green for me when I approached it to take the right turn and traffic on the other sides were all patiently waiting behind the stop line though the junction was empty. On other days someone would have cut across seeing the junction empty regardless of the whether the signal was green or red for them. Yes, miracles do happen!

[suhaas307]

Richmond Cricle, which is otherwise blocked by traffic (read buses) looked like a ghost town this afternoon.

[abhii176]

Had a very pleasant (read : no errant autos zig zagging around me) drive to work today. Old Madras Road to ITPL via Kadugodi was a pleasantly smooth drive. I did see a few Volvos running on Whitefield road though.

[ashwin.terminat]

Horrible weather in Richmond Town, Victoria Layout, Basavanagudi and surrounding areas.

I could see many, many hoardings perched atop buildings torn and had been carried to adjacent buildings because of the wind.

Many, many broken trees in the same regions.

Please drive/ride carefully.