ROAD USER'S TIPS

ROAD USER'S TIPS

While on the road, every one IS sharing the road should respect each others presence & their right of advancement on roads. The section points out some basic tips in order to make driving and use of the road a safe experience.

          For Cyclist:                                

Every year there are thousands of accidents are happening all over the country involving cyclists. In order to be safe while cycling on roads, keep the following tips in mind:                             

1. Wear a cycle helmet and appropriate gears.
2. Use the cycle lane, wherever provided. Ride on the left side of the road.
3. Obey stop signs and traffic lights, like the rest of the road user's.
4. Give signal with one hand while riding. Never ride with just one hand on the handle bar except when giving a signal.
5. Keep both feet on the pedals.
6. Look back over your shoulders and take a right turn comfortably, give way to the traffic coming from behind.
7. Never follow any vehicle closely. Maintain safe distance.
8. Avoid big and busy roads with fast moving traffic.
9. Do not enter a street where you see the "No Entry" sign.
10. Stop before you enter moving traffic from a driveway, a parking lot, a minor road, or from behind a parked car or bus. Go ahead only when the way is clear.
11. If you are passing a stopped car be careful, a door may suddenly open.
12. Never stop your cycle on a pedestrian crossing. Never ride your cycle on a footpath.
13. Never try to overtake- if you must, do it only if the driver of the vehicle in your front has permitted or signaled you to overtake. Never try to overtake a vehicle, which is in the process of taking a turn.
14. Under no circumstances should you ride on the wrong side of the road or cross the road abruptly.
15. Never stop suddenly without showing a signal. Watchfully move towards the left while slowing down, but signal your intentions to the traffic following you.

        

  For Pedestrians:               

                    

1. Make eye contact with driver if possible and make sure that they can see you.
2. Avoid walking next to the kerb with your back to the traffic.
3. Wear or carry something light colored, bright or fluorescent in poor daylight conditions. when it is dark, use reflective materials (e.g. armbands, sashes, waistcoats & jackets.
4. Walk between children and the traffic and hold their hands firmly.
5. Always walk on the footpath, where there is no footpath, walk in the right side margin of the road so that you can see the traffic coming in the opposite direction.
6. Cross roads where there are pedestrian crossings. Where there are no pedestrian crossings, watch the traffic on both sides and cross when it is safe.
7. You must not walk on motorways or slip roads except in an emergency.
8. Never walk on the main carriageway.
9. Do not read newspapers or look at hoardings while walking on the road.
10. Do not greet friends on the road.
11. Do not come on to the main road while waiting for a bus. Do not run after a moving bus. Get on or off a bus only when it has stopped to allows you to do so.
12. Do not climb over the barriers or walk between them and the road.
13. You must not get on to or hold on to a moving vehicle.
14. Don't "Drink and Walk."
15. When using any type of crossing you should always check that the traffic.
16. You must not loiter on zebra crossings.
17. If an ambulance, fire engine, police or other emergency vehicle approaches using flashing blue lights, headlights and/or sirens, keep off the road.

            For Children:                                 

Children should be taught the safety code and should always be accompanied on road with thier guardian or parents, until they understand and follow it properly. Children learn by example, so parents and teachers should always follow the Code properly when going out with their children. In order to make children safe on roads, keep the following tips in mind:

1. Always walk on the footpath only. On roads without footpath, walk on the extreme right hand side of the roads.
2. Do not be impatient on the road.
3. Do not rush or run on the road.
4. Cross only at Zebra crossings, traffic signals, subways, foot over-bridges.
5. Cross only on a clear green signal.
6. Do not cross unless all lanes are clear.
7. Never cross a road at a corner or curve.

           For Drivers:          

                           

Drivers usually drive under tense conditions. They should primarily focus on ways to control aggressiveness:

1. Be a cautious and courteous driver. Have consideration for others.
2. Avoid creating a situation that may provoke another motorist.
3. Don't tailgate.
4. Don't make inappropriate hand and facial gestures.
5. Use horn sparingly.
6. Stay far behind a suspected drunken driver.
7. Always wear safety belts.
8. Use low beams in bad weather conditions.
9. Keep specified speed limits in mind while driving.
10. Limit the speed at curves and turns.
11. During night time be cautious about road signs, pedestrians, animals, slow moving vehicles, motorcycles and bicycles.
12. If someone is catching up and wants to overtake, let him.
13. Don't drive faster than the flow of the traffic.
14. Two wheeler drivers should wear helmets.
15. Car drivers and others in cars should wear seat belts.
16. Always carry your driving license and important documents such as your vehicle registration certificate, insurance certificate, road tax, and P.U.C certificate with you while driving.
17. Don't drink while driving.
18. Don't drive under influence of drugs.
19. Obey all traffic signals, lights and signs.
20. Use indicators and signals while changing lanes.
21. Don't use cell phones while driving.
22. Always stay alert while on road and be considerate to pedestrians especially with senior citizens, handicapped and ladies.
23. Don't overload vehicles.
24. Don't use tinted glasses.
25. Always drive in correct gears.
26. Avoid sudden braking and harsh acceleration.
27. Never use clutch as footrest while driving.
28. Left turn should always be from the left edge of the road.
29. Right turn should be taken from the centre and to the farthest side of the approach road.
30. Do not honk in a no honking zone, usually near hospitals & government offices.
31. Truck & bus driver's should always give preference to cars and bikes on roads.
32. Trucks and buses should always use the two lanes on the abrupt left side of the road
 

Note: These are a collection of rules generally applicable to whole of the driver community as a whole including private and commercial vehicle drivers.

Driving Conditions in Metro Cities

Traveling in India by roads is considered dangerous.

One has to jackrabbit their way through the maze of the traffic. Yet, officials boost about the Indian driving skills stating that "Considering, the conditions in which we drive, our drivers are not killing not many people". Heavy traffic, a norm in India, includes overloaded trucks and buses, scooters, pedestrians, bullocks and camel carts, horse or elephant riders and free-roaming live-stocks.

Driving conditions prevailing on the Indian roads is some what similar across the metros. Traffic is chaotic. Vehicles veer between lanes. Traffic Signals are not always functioning and if found working then drivers generally does not observe traffic rules. They drive fast, recklessly without considering the traffic rules, cross speed limits and try to overtake others by every norms, drive dangerously, cut in front of other vehicles without signaling, honk horns often, they even honk at potholes and speed-breakers and jump traffic signals. Many drivers are undisciplined and lack the knowledge of traffic rules. They sometimes choose to convert the middle of the road into a stop. It is disgusting to note that drivers open the car doors in the midst of the roads to spit pan juice. It is really strange to note that some auto rickshaw drivers, who wedge their way into every possible gap on the road, signal with their feet instead of hands.

Pedestrian crosswalks are lacking as compared to their actual requirements, forcing the pedestrians to walk on the road and fail to yield to pedestrians their right to share the roadway. Pedestrians are treated as street dogs. Instead vendor stands, sign posts and illegally parked vehicles are launched on pedestrian crosswalks, leaving them on the mercy of the reckless drivers. Streets are potholed. Road surfaces are rough and dig every here and there. These are covered with wooden boards as temporary bridges. Travel at night is particularly dangerous, especially on Indian roads. It is important to be alert while crossing streets and intersections, especially after dark as traffic comes in the wrong directions.

Traffic jams as a result of poor maintained roads are common. Traffic Management is inadequate. Roads congested with traffic have poor visibility, inadequate warning markers, local transport crisscrossing in opposite directions is common. We have traffic rules, but lack Traffic discipline. Traffic police is often unreliable. They are possibly one of the hazards in India. Traffic law enforcement is sloppy across India. Traffic policemen have transformed from a law enforcing body to a revenue generating machine, limiting their duties to issue challans and not to enlighten people about their offences and their ill-effects. One can easily break a rule and grease their hands and just flee. In response to this negligence, Indian drivers have made their own rules and follow them without any misbelieve.

Rules Of Indian Roads

Here in India, everybody make their own rules and not misses them. There are no traffic rules of the kind those are found here: Signals: used for littering; Speed limits: No body cares for them. These are listed below:

1. Rule of Mortality
   "If you are afraid of Death, Better stay at Home."
   
2. Rule to Give Way
   "Give way to animals, beggars, double parked heavy trucks, buses and cars. Don't hit them, just flow around them. Amongst the motorists, he who is the loudest has the right-to-way. On road, traffic entering a road from the left has priority. So has traffic from the right, and also traffic in the middle."
   
3. Indian Driver Mantra
   ""To slow is to falter, to brake is to fail, to stop is defeat". In observance of this rule three things are required of every licensed driver:"Good Horn", "Good Brakes" and "Good Luck". Most drivers don't drive; they just aim their vehicle in the intended direction."
   
4. Rule of Horn
   "He who is the loudest wins. Use of a horn is mandatory, if you wish to pass anything, honk horn. If you don't have a horn, shout."
   
5. Rule for Accidents
   "Never stop for an accident, "That's karma," or in the case of a big collision, "That's truckma". Truck drivers of India are licensed to kill."
   
6. Rules of Speed
   "Speed limit is palpably ignored. Signs are ineffectual and traffic will move at the fastest speed possible."
   
7. Rules of Roundabouts
   "India recognizes no roundabouts."
   
8. Rules for Overtaking
   "Every moving vehicle is required to overtake every other moving vehicle, irrespective of whether it has just overtaken you or whether you are in a rush or not. Indian drivers overtake amazingly, especially where there absolutely no sensible opportunity exists."