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My experiments with lane driving
Written By Bheema.Upadhyaya - 10 November, 2010
Traffic Bangalore Road Safety Driving lanes Analysis Transportation Enforcement Honking
After we saw good inputs on this post , I was really interested how would it really look like if some one practised lane driving. So I have given a try in my own way in Hosur Road, which has now clearly marked 3 lanes from Silk Board to Electronic City. So my experience may not be relevant to other roads or any other contexts.
Preparations:
1) Made sure that I have enough time to make this experiments. Usually I used to take 25 mins during offpeak hours to travel. I have made sure that I have 1 hour for this experiment on daily basis for a week and now continuing.
2) Made sure that experiment is done during off-peak hours only, so that I dont create chaos in road, just because of one person.
3) I made double sure that all my lights work correctly.
4) Prepared myself to subject to face harsh/bad words from public, still to maintain peace, or loose out if any arguement happens.
5) Took the experiment when signals where on. (Say 11am to 6pm)
6) Made sure that avoided *really* rash auto/cab/bmtc/van which might be scary.
Preparation were to be more than real experiment due to risk involved :-). And it may not be called experiment in a sense, may be called as learning best practice at risk
Method and observation:
1) Took middle(leaving 1 foot from lane marking) of middle lane and drove at almost constant speed of 60-65KM. I presumed that speed was justified for middle lane of Hosur Road during that time and condition.
Observed:
- Drivers honked me to give way to them when the right lane was blocked due slow moving vehicle. I respected and gave way. But reaction was not good, drivers used to stare at me and continue. Some drivers honked me even if right lane was free to overtake me. They wanted me to give way, just not overtake me for whatever reason. Some drivers even got angry, overtook me just keeping a very short distance to "teach"(threaten???) me, how to "behave" in road.
-Some autos thought it was really "safe" to in middle lane, kept going in 40kmph in middle road. Got really tempted to honk at them, but sustained for a while and overtook from rightlane. Once I overtook, I made sure that I when went back to middle lane and reduced my speed to 35kmph and kept position at just safe distance from them just to "teach" them. Out of 3 instances, 2 auto drivers sensed the logic and took left lane promptly, the third one happily kept same lane, might have thought I am sane:)
- Some motor bikers, kept speed of almost 60kmph and kept their position at left of middle lane. For most of them when I approached, I was at their blind spot. I was not sure if they want to really keep the position or to change lanes. Got really confused, this time I briefly honked at least when I am 5 meters away from them. Out of 2 instance, one guy changed lane to left and continue,another guy followed "auto" patterns, means they reverted once I passed.
2) When nearing signal continued to keep same lane, as I dont need to turn to any other road. Situation is very bad there.
- As I followed middle lane most of the times I was last in que. So most of drivers overtook me from both side to advance.
- When I stopped keeping a safe distance from vehicle in front: A heavy vehicle driver from back felt, I am wasting "space". So kept honking consistently to move me out of his way , but in vain.
- When I stopped keeping a safe distance from vehicle(Lorry) in front: A small car driver felt so happy . Overtook me from left slowly using his full driving "skills" and just managed to keep his/her "nose" in front of my car, so that he "reserved" lane to him. Why not right side? Another instance, same "skill" was shown from right side. Urgency mattered. I was prompted to honk to show my gesture, but sustained and gave way. But see , there were que of small cars and cabs and who aligned and made a new row :). So just manged to "break" row by moving my "nose" "skillfully". You know the result? Their que merged in my (middle) lane.
- When I stopped in front as first vehicle in waiting and kept my position in middle of middle lane: I had a *real* impact, specially when my left vehicle and right vehicle also kept them middle position of their lanes. Most of following vehicles followed lanes, nicely, though I didnt get full view of back positions. Interestingly, all two wheelers happily managed to come forward and postion themselves in racing positions in "zeebra crossing" in front. But when green signal was on, they went ahead immediately without causing any blockage.
- When I stopped in front as first vehicle in waiting and kept my position in middle of middle lane: second scene. I kept my vehicle 2 meters away from signal. You guessed right, driver behind me honked wild. But for a short life, two wheelers covered space, then happy happy.
- To be continued as experiment continues (not intending to extend much)
Update: I have posted picture of my car which is pasted with plain paper banners.Pardon me for simple implementation, its not a sticker. Planning to get a colour printed sticker after sometime. I thought its enough for time being. Is there a better way to implement?
COMMENTS
Good Experiment - I tried on Bangalore - Mysore Highway
Vasanth - 11 November, 2010 - 05:48
I tried a similar thing on Bangalore - Mysore highway. I kept at constant 70 and was on the left lane throughout. It is 4 lane road, 2 on either sides.
Centre lane / Fast lane was really crazy when I used to drive early. Even if we are at 100, some crazy guy will come from back at 120 and honk to change the lane for allowing him to go. How I can change lane at high speed just to 'patronize' back coming car. He has to change lane and overtake me. But people do not understand and everything is murphy's law. Also, there are 'U' turns from where people approach suddenly. Visibility at Centre lane is very minimum and I have seen plenty of accidents taking place. Also keeping pace at 100 kph needs too much concentration on the road. With whole Family in the car, it is always totally unsafe.
So I thought of experimenting to try constantly at 70kph on left lane. It was safe, can relax and drive without have to concentrate hard on road. All the bikers were sticking to left lane. Few were 'educated' travelling towards Bangalore (I was also travelling towards Bangalore) and were sticking constantly to left most path of the lane. Few local rural guys travelling nearby (usually triple ride without anybody wearing helmet) were the problems. Their path and pace was totally unpredictable.
Road width is not good enough. To overtake bikes, you have to take a small portion of the car to fast lane. This is the problem area. Although I had put indicator and shown hand also, none of the drivers coming on the fast lane oblige. They will try to squeeze in almost touching my car. But felt much safer than on the fast lane.
Overall, people do not oblige or respect other driver on the road and that is the problem in entire India whatever road infrastructure we might get.
Bheema.Upadhyaya - 19 November, 2010 - 09:26
Today I am putting a simple white background banner which says "Happily LANE DRIVING" at the rear glass of my car. Anticipating some driver is going to fight with me as I publicly displayed message. May remove if such situation arises. I propose to create a Google Group for this purpose:
1) Create a Google Group namely "Happy Lane Drivers".
2) Create few banners like which I created today, to paste in rear window of cars.
3) Try to implement lane driving in select roads as Praja group. If drivers sees a group of people with same banners at the same time, I think some drivers may catch the message.
4) Same lines of bus-day/drivewell day one time/ frequent events can be organized.
Inputs and efforts are welcome, while I will continue this practice independently.
Bheema.Upadhyaya - 17 November, 2010 - 17:28
Observations after a week of trial:
a) It seems *all* drivers are looking for just minimum space where they can "position" themselves to race ahead.
b) It seems really there is no difference between "so called" educated and other people. I have seen several drivers who seems owning high-tech vehicles and (seem like big shot IT guys with thier company logo), drive in same way. Mostly they think lane marking is only for plane take off :) They are concerned their Toyotas, Hondas may take off if they aligned properly to lane.
c) It seems owners and drivers of more sophisticated cars are more ignorant as they have more "pride"(stupid) and have better control. Yes, they have better control and bound have such egos. Note: Mine is old car, hence risking a little :)) I am jealous about their modern cars :)
d) People thought I am "wasting" space when I align to middle of lane and keeping a space between my car and front vehicle. Moreover, it seems they felt angry when two wheelers are easily escaping(not really, I just left space for my imaginary two wheeler lane line). Happy two wheeler drivers easily passed through to signal front(which looked like war front).
e) It seemed few of our small car/auto drivers are have inferiority complex. Even when they had no competition and had full lane to occupy, they tend to make space for other small cars. Thus unknowingly and with courtesy breaking lane driving. Felt pity for such drivers.
f) As I have become selective deaf (Kannada: ಜಾಣ ಕಿವುಡು) for honking, no note about it, as I would be loosing good spirit of experimenting.
But a positive note : I dont see signal light because fellow drivers, the last vehicle tells me signal is on. Mostly all of you follow same this undocumented signalling. Crowd-sourced signalling - we must invent some good gadget out of this behavior of people, to be patented in my name :)
g) Drivers are really consider even seconds in driving. They want save seconds in road even if they are fine to scheduled meeting half an hour late. They want to save few seconds, and occupy few meters - time is money, space of course a real estate near signal !!! They want to save few seconds , but its ok to loose it in next signal, be first to be there :))
h) It seems Indian psychology (not sure) that we should never have any vehicle in front of our vehicle at least upto a distance of 10 meters. I have seen even though the poor driver moves same as our speed, we tend to increase speed and chase that lane driver out of the way. Even I had inner push to do the same, somehow controlled (required Yoga control !!!). So this is where I became point of observation myself. So dear soul, improve yourself first !!!
i) I have shown courtesy to few drivers who wanted to overtake me in a legal way - knowingly or unknowingly. As per US practice, if someone tail-gaits , we are supposed to leave way. When I tried the same, few drivers face expression showed I have lost competition. In two case, I have got happy faces looking at me with "thank you" smile. Very rare !!!
This post will be continued, till experiment/observations/feelings continue...
Bheema.Upadhyaya - 27 November, 2010 - 03:55
Update: I realized there is spelling mistake for "disclipline". So just take above as illustration, not a real sticker.
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