[ambivalent_98]

Posting this since this a rant thread. Also we have a healthy mix of people who drive to work in 4 wheelers and 2 wheelers , I really want to understand the motivation of the rush that bikers are in while driving from place A to B. They just have to get ahead come what may , try their tricks even being on a single road with traffic coming head on and taking undue risks of a collision or near close incident. Even though all vehicles are at a standstill its always the bikers that try some stunt to get ahead in the race and disobey common sense. Many a times a slow moving traffic flow is often made slower by bikers who just push their way and have to get through.
Most of these gentlemen and few cases women are highly educated and employed and are seen going to some IT company or the other. I have nothing against bikers but I really get irked seeing them trying to play a dangerous game of dare every time on the road be it in the opposite direction or same direction.
I have played the same game with them, trust me none of them like it. So why do they expect others to adjust for them and give them way even if that means getting down two wheels of the car down from the tarmac on the shoulder or braking ? There have been so many times when I had to move left to oncoming traffic and I had a biker trying to outspeed me from the left without realising that his manouvere was potentially dangerous for him but also illegal (since I remember that RTO rules say overtaking from the left in a RH drive country is not allowed).

[sbala]

Originally Posted by bejoy

This junction needs some sort of mini island and approaching lane dividers.

There should be a road median for the roads when nearing a junction. This might regulate to some extent. People coming on the other lane to get into other road is the issue here.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by Soumyajit9

He says he is willing to pay more taxes to build infrastructure and stay in Bangalore. How badly I wish that the Karnataka Govt. had heard this discussion !!

The only infrastructure that is practically needed is good roads and upon everything sane drivers. IT corridors are choked mostly due to bottlenecks apart from stupid bus drivers who occupy the middle of the road without giving a damn about people behind them. No matter how many flyovers and underpasses are built, when you have a bunch of careless drivers doing what not on the road, traffic situation will still be bad.

If we consider this, then yes for people who are looking for a peaceful drive to and from office should consider a smaller town such as mysore etc. But that will work only if you have a concrete career. Else, we will end up moving between towns every now and then.

I hear that there is a high profile German visit happening next month to my company which means that we can expect some amount of tar on the roads surrounding ITPL and Sathya Sai Hospital. The road from ITPL to KR Puram has become a single lane road and thanks to the ripped apart left lane. The only respite here is the one way system which IMO is working at least during my daily commute. These days I manage a one hour communte in the mornings and max 90 mins in the evenings BSK to Sathya Sai Hospital covering 25kms.

[dark.knight]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

This is what precisely the govt is doing. More and more buildings,malls without focusing on the basic requirement: good,broad roads to commute, basic infrastructure like water connection, drainage etc.

Forget any infrastructural changes which would need more time and of course a miracle, if just like the hard crackdown on sun-film usage in car windows, if the traffic police can scare the living daylights out of motorists by repeated threats published in newspapers of hefty penalty and even jail time for rash driving, overspeeding, lane changes, using phone when driving, reckless driving by cabs/autos/buses etc the situation will improve 60% overnight. Apparently forcing us car drivers to receive plenty of Vit-D from sunlight by removing tints takes the sole & highest precedence as far as road rules go.

Originally Posted by sachinpk

most of the Tier II cities in South India do have a decent level of educational institutions. These places may not have "International" Schools, but a kid would never become a dumbo by studying in these schools. Many of the folks who work in IT today, would have come from such schools (in Tier II cities) only.

Every month or so I come to this thread just to share the madness happening in this city, each time I do carry some amount of contempt against B'lore as we all do. However in the end I realize that there can be only one such city like this in India. I grew up here but I'm just as familiar with Mumbai & Delhi, what I love about Bangalore is its sheer cosmopolitan nature. From brand awareness to global outreach this city simply out-does every other in the country. I've seen that most luxury/bespoke brands choose this place as the first to arrive in, and also consistently report highest sales here. Its also reasonably safe to live in. There maybe better places to live in but at the end of the day one will always remember the glitzy boutiques mixed with calm, serene residential boulevards lined with trees & the numerous parks. Such a combination is a rare find anywhere (p.s I don't go to pubs & try to avoid malls to the maximum possible except for a movie once a few months). I still HATE the traffic here though.

Originally Posted by Soumyajit9

Motorable = No sand / garbage on the sides, no potholes, no vehicles parked on sides, no tea/cigarette shops, no bus stops. Just pure road.

What you wrote above gave me the chills just by reading it, such a road, IF ever available here would be the most dangerous to ply on because a jaywalker will lie in wait to cross callously without looking either side.. also such roads will have motorists burning rubber going at 150 kph at any cost. The sight of potholes, shops, errant parking & garbage somehow has a soothing effect on such drivers and they do the same antics at 15 kph.

About that, I was calmly driving by through a residential area today when a delivery (some .com thingy as usual) van crept behind quickly and started flashing & honking continuously. I calmly moved on at about 20kph (in a 10 feet wide road). Half of that road was occupied by parked cars making it even smaller, I got to a junction & saw 2 vehicles coming fast from the front and right side so decided to wait to let them pass. This time the honking and flashing only increased & I decided I can't be passive about this any more.. I got out and stared sternly at the driver & asked him what the problem was and if he cant see what's happening. This time he kept still and the franticity stopped, he allowed me enough time to get back & go my way. I understand their need to be reckless in ring roads & our ever choked main roads & if I had space to give I'd have let him go here too, but residential areas are no place to zoom about like a maniac and I will put up resistance when necessary.

[sachinpk]

Originally Posted by dark.knight

However in the end I realize that there can be only one such city like this in India. I grew up here but I'm just as familiar with Mumbai & Delhi, what I love about Bangalore is its sheer cosmopolitan nature. From brand awareness to global outreach this city simply out-does every other in the country. I've seen that most luxury/bespoke brands choose this place as the first to arrive in, and also consistently report highest sales here. Its also reasonably safe to live in

I totally agree with you. I am not saying that Bangalore is the worst place to live in. The city, it's culture is all unique. But the city is indeed undergoing (or undergone) a vast change over the last 20 years. But when it comes to other options, I still feel many South Indian Tier II cities would have a decent level of facilities. And I am sure many old Bangaloreans are not very happy with the growth (?) they see in their city these days. For a person who wants some decent education for the kids, some good medical facilities in the vicinity - pretty much any major city/town in South India (be it Kochi, Salem, Madurai) would fit the bill. But at least when it comes to the major job provider these days - IT - they do not have the charm which Bangalore has .

[sasi@8689]

Originally Posted by alpha1

Would you be willing to take a 10-20% pay cut and move to a smaller town?
To add to it: Perhaps a place where you may not have malls and pubs?

Mostly the answer will be no.

I had the same discussion with my wife sometime back, though not on the traffic mess but in relation to the property prices in bangalore, which are sky high. But come to think of it, in terms of cities with corporate job market, we do not have much options - Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad (may be one or two more cities which i had missed) for the entire country's population. Here i am considering only those places which have a sustained, consistent and cross industry / sector opportunities. So moving to a tier II place has more to do with the available job and career progression opportunities than the requirement of malls or pubs. These days almost all major tier II towns or cities have almost comparable medical and education infrastructure, so that should not be a concern.

It has been over nine years for me in this city and i myself can see a lot of change in what it has become over these years. On a positive side, it continues to be the IT face of India, it is home to a huge number of start ups, got and continues to attract huge variety of talent pool but on the down side, condition of roads and levels of air pollution have become totally worst. I would attribute it to the political scenario prevailing in the city for the last few years; there is not a single leader across all the parties (state level or BBMP) who has got a bit of vision / planning / will to deliver. Corporates or their employees can never be the pressure group in our vote bank democracy and both the sides have their plates full with other stuff.

[rohanak1]

Last 3 days the traffic at Brigade Metropolis and Garudacharpalya seems to have increased a lot. Travelling from Hoodi to my office, traffic slows down from the bhoruka plant all the way till after Garudacharpalya. Taking me 30 minutes to travel less than 4km.

[NPV]

Last evening I finally saw the patching work begin in the stretch between Big Bazaar signal and Zuri and luckily there was a cop also to control traffic at the Prestige Shantiniketan junctions. I do not have much hope on this patchwork lasting very long but let's see how it is today

[Soumyajit9]

TRAFFIC ALERT ON INTEL FLYOVER, ORR:

Around 6:30 AM this morning, an Indica cab rear-ended a mini truck, just a few seconds ahead of me. Had to hard brake and swerve.
The truck was slow, and the cabbie was speeding. Standard conditions.

The front right side Headlights + fender + bumper has gone off. No injuries to passengers.

The Indicab stopped in the middle lane of the flyover top check for damages. The mini truck stopped a little ahead on the right lane.

Please expect some jams till both the parties fight out the survival of the fittest.

Originally Posted by NPV

Last evening I finally saw the patching work begin in the stretch between Big Bazaar signal and Zuri and luckily there was a cop also to control traffic at the Prestige Shantiniketan junctions. I do not have much hope on this patchwork lasting very long but let's see how it is today

The patch work is fit for a cycle or a 2 wheeler to travel. It is a joke to patch like that. The rest of the road is in tatters. So it would be still a slow moving traffic. The only benefit is, bikers will now be able to accelerate hard on the tarred patch.

[Mr_Bean]

Originally Posted by Soumyajit9

Please expect some jams till both the parties fight out the survival of the fittest.

The traffic was clear when I passed by at 8:10, Saw those truck and cab neatly parked at the end of the flyover, still fighting it out, more cabs have joined for company.

I dread such a situation

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by Mr_Bean

The traffic was clear when I passed by at 8:10, Saw those truck and cab neatly parked at the end of the flyover, still fighting it out, more cabs have joined for company

These cabbies should understand the fundamental difference between a slow and fast moving vehicle. Only then they will be able to judge vehicles and drive accordingly.
Since they rip like mad, they expect every other vehicle to follow suit irrespective of whether it is a 2 wheeler, car , bus or a truck.

[Soumyajit9]

Originally Posted by Mr_Bean

The traffic was clear when I passed by at 8:10, Saw those truck and cab neatly parked at the end of the flyover, still fighting it out, more cabs have joined for company.

Typical scenario, when two people meet with same brain-level / IQ !!

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

These cabbies should understand the fundamental difference between a slow and fast moving vehicle. Only then they will be able to judge vehicles and drive accordingly.
Since they rip like mad, they expect every other vehicle to follow suit irrespective of whether it is a 2 wheeler, car , bus or a truck.

I have been in such situations, while overtaking from the right, and suddenly spot a truck ahead on the right lane. Panic braked.
It is very difficult to judge the speed of a truck, specially on an uphill incline !
However, there is no excuse for tailgating a vehicle.


By the way, did anyone notice a Grey coloured Ritz lying at the Graphite India signal, with the left hand side bumper and wheel (probably) ripped off ?
The car is on the footpath next to the police stand. So while coming from Kundanahalli side, while turning left towards SAP, look on the left side.

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by Soumyajit9

an Indica cab rear-ended a mini truck...
The truck was slow, and the cabbie was speeding. Standard conditions.

Originally Posted by Mr_Bean

The traffic was clear when I passed by at 8:10, Saw those truck and cab neatly parked at the end of the flyover, still fighting it out, more cabs have joined for company.

There was only one of the cronies when I passed the area at around 8:50. The "healthy debate" was still on though. The Indicab had a badly damaged bonnet, while the RUP bar of the truck (it was an Eicher 10-tonner) was visibly pushed in

Originally Posted by Soumyajit9

Typical scenario, when two people meet with same brain-level / IQ !!

I'd rate the truck driver far higher than the impatient cabbie.

Had the pleasure of irritating a tailgater this morning - a red Punto was so close to the rear bumper that I was barely able to see even his wipers through the IRVM. There was a steady flow of vehicles in the opposite direction, and I gradually slowed down to a crawl for a hundred feet or so, before I accelerated to overtake the slow water tanker in front of me at a gap, leaving tailgater behind it.

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by NPV

Last evening I finally saw the patching work begin in the stretch between Big Bazaar signal and Zuri and luckily there was a cop also to control traffic at the Prestige Shantiniketan junctions. I do not have much hope on this patchwork lasting very long but let's see how it is today

Part of this that was done from Hope farm to ITPL is already broken even before the road roller that was used to repair was removed from the spot

[msdivy]

Quintessential Cabbie



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