Impatient drivers on Indian roads & the art of dealing with them

I was in no mood to act like a saint for this rogue. He may have never learnt a lesson but for sure he may realise that at times you just cannot get away with whatever you please.

BHPian paragsachania recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Absolutely impatient driving behavior:

This happened yesterday morning when I was on my way to drop my kid to school. From the dashcam clip, it is obvious that the driver of the Seltos is exhibiting extreme levels of impatience coupled with traits of a rash and negligent driver caring 2 hoots about whatever other vehicles are indicating with the sole intent to overtake one and all no matter what.Here’s what

Regularly checking the mirrors always helps one identify such elements on our road. This one was no different. The way the Seltos overtook the Nexon, I was sure that he will for sure do the next obvious thing – Take a left turn at the T junction by driving parallel to the traffic that is assessing traffic before turning left. You can very well see that he did that too!

I was in no mood to act like a saint for this rogue. He may have never learnt a lesson but for sure he may realise that at times you just cannot get away with whatever you please. He didnt even spare the school bus that was planning to turn right at the railway underpass.

Here’s what GTO had to say on the matter:

My strategies to keep it cool:

• Drive a tough car. 95% of problems with idiots around you are solved. When I’m driving the 530d or Superb around Bombay (especially the haphazard suburbs), everyone + their dog + their uncle cuts me. No one gives me right of way. When I’m driving the tough Thar, 95% of all problems are solved. The same people + their dogs + cats + their uncles + aunties all give way. No one messes with tough cars. Driving the Thar in the city is a completely stress-free experience; driving the 530d in traffic is crazy because the level of craziness has gone up with Ubers, Olas, food delivery scooters, Rickshaws & an overall increasing number of vehicles on the road.
• Within the city, it’s now fun to drive only very early in the morning, late at night, or off-peak hours on weekends (e.g. first half of Sundays).
• Meditate. Will increase your patience levels 10 times over. I hardly ever lose my temper now, compared to very frequently earlier. Strongly recommend the Calm App on iOS / Android. It will change your life personally, professionally & on the road.
• Play some good music, stay well-mannered on the road and fill your mind up with positive or productive thoughts. I do my best thinking when I’m behind the wheel.

Here’s what BHPian sumeethaldankar had to say on the matter:

You’re bound to come across an endless parade of these road warriors. To keep my cool when faced with such daredevils, I like to play a little mental game. I pretend the reckless driver is actually an ambulance speedster on a mission to save lives. As for those zippy two-wheelers, in my imagination, they’re the dedicated kidney couriers, determined to deliver life-saving organs to the hospital in record time . It’s my way of finding humor in the chaos of the road.

Here’s what BHPian Rajeevraj had to say on the matter:

In general I have always been a sedate driver . Now a days, more than ever, I just let everyone go. With the kind of road rages seen over trivial matters and the absolute lack of driving sense, I feel it is better to just let these folks do what they want. It will catch up with them at some point. Everyone seems to be stressed and in a hurry and in a mode that ‘Rules are for others’. Now a days you cannot even judge by the car or the person inside as to what pent up frustration they are coming on the road with. Don’t want to be at the receiving end of it.

The one that really irritates me is on the highways when someone wants to overtake me but does not have enough relative speed or performance to execute it and wants me to make way so that he/she can go in front. This irritates me, If you want to overtake, you plan and overtake. Don’t expect me to give way for you just because you want to go. In such cases I mostly just play dumb and act as if I don’t see the car behind.

Here’s what BHPian shancz had to say on the matter:

Agree with the views expressed and even more, coming from someone who recently did a trip with 3 senior citizens on the roads of Jharkhand, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in a 2016 wagonR. But surprisingly the most number of irritants that we’re discussing happen to me in the cities.

So the “butch looks, road presence” works in the city and the mechanical benefits of a large and heavy SUV work on the highways.

Why are we even thinking of anything other than SUVs ?

Now I see the logic in Thar for city use along with the surging sales of the Scorpio family

Here’s what BHPian swiftnfurious had to say on the matter:

For me, I see a massive difference in my driving style / patience with the genre of music I play while driving. Soft music makes me stop bothering what others are doing around, I drive slower and keeps me cool 95% of the time. With bass heavy / fast tracks, I drive faster and tries to pick a fight with someone who drives bad and tries to cut me off etc.

My observation is most of the new gen wanna be “SUV” drivers are the ones who think they own the road – especially with Creta / Seltos drivers, and the S-Presso occasionally joining the club as well.

Edit : While riding my CBR / Versys, there are these young ones in their Dios / smaller bikes who want to show off their riding skills – what I try to do is to accelerate quick (conditions permitting) to keep a distance + indicating what my bike is capable of. In most cases, the guys drop it there. For others who try to do it again, I slow down and let them have their victory. They usually lose interest after this.

In any case, I don’t make an eye contact with such riders, it’s a simple “I don’t care who you are” attitude I give them – helps take care of such issues to a large extent.

Here’s what BHPian Rajain had to say on the matter:

The message of safe driving is absolutely essential. Though I would say, not at the cost of life or some situation. I have come across multiple situations when people get aggressive even there is no space.

So many of us drive across the country and the one thing I start doing when I enter another state is that I notice how bumper scrapped/dented and/or lights broken the local car/SUVs are. This is a good indicator that people are hot tempered. This hot tempered means they will not hold back in scrapping past my car and will not hesitate in putting the blame on me/gathering some locals and making a scene.

Driving a big SUV absolutely helps. People, including the Uber/OLA breakneck speed guys generally keep some distance.

That said, there are no easy ways if there is a vehicle who is rash, will no stick to the lane and try to squeeze into every 2 inches of space that is visible/available. Sometimes the trade of is, let go – no problem, I would like to reach my destination with a smile. When I see some two wheeler with a mobile phone, I honk and keep a long press – at least he / she realises other drivers on the road are annoyed with that – and hopefully the person on the other side of his/her phone hangs up. This is particularly true for two wheelers. Imagine trying to hold a phone and have a conversation and guiding the two wheeler with one hand.

Close to a tractor, I keep my distance. Tractors, while slow, are not able to brake in a second and if they do, the wheels lock up. And remember there is no argument with a farmer (or a water tanker for that matter).

With a White Scorpio or a Fortuner, I keep some distance. Majority of these are politicians.

So, my approach is some basic profiling with some local knowledge combined with common sense.

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

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