General Tips on Safe Driving

I love fast cars.

I’m never going to say speed and bad in the same breath,

because I do not believe that speed itself is an evil.

Its how we speed or when we do it that counts.

Lotsa people have written lots of things on this topic - so

here’s a few you did not read yet.these may save you fuel,

stress, and your life(or someone else’s)

• try taking that less frequented longer route with a wider

road. Maybe its 4 kilometers extra but 5th gear driving is

less stressful - and you’ll rarely get stuck in a maze.

• listen to the radio - and sing along.

  
  




• if in a lane - stick to it - does not matter if nobody else

  
  

is doing it - it reduces stress and ur chances of hitting

someone.

• I don’t know what rules you might or might not know - but

try this - whatever you do on the road should be so clear

and precise and evident that everyone around you should

be able to predict your next move accurately. Yes its

your responsibility.

• Just a drink is more than enough to affect your judgement

of road situations even if you can still do calculus. You

need to acknowledge that you are not that different

biologically.

• The important call can wait a couple of minutes or more.

If its critical - they’ll call again and then you can

pull into a parking space and then call back. Whatever

did u do before cell phones.?

• Brakes/Tyre pressure is more important than you think.

  
  




• Do you even know about the 4 second gap? Go find out

  
  

more.

• At red lights - esp late in the night - keep looking out

for the guy behind who’s wondering what sort of an idiot

has stopped. Also look out for the stud coming from the

road perpendicular to you once u get a green and he’s

still going strong.

On the highway:

-

• try’befriending’ the driver ahead before you overtake.

Trust me - the much maligned truckers are way better and

more helpful than long distance bus drivers.

• Overtaking:

First leave some distance between yourself and the guy

ahead(u’ll spot oncoming vehicles already alongside him)

Next lean a little to your right(not the vehicle - just

your head) to look for oncoming traffic. If you can spot

him and make out the make of the vehicle - its too close.

If he’s coming downhill - don’t even try - cause he may

be accelerating all the time and you’ll be fighting

gravity. If someone’s overtaking that guy its a NO again.

If its dusk/early dawn and his lights aren’t on and you

can’t be sure if he’s coming or going:)(yes this happens)

forget it.  An overtaking opportunity is way cheaper than

your life - err on the side of extreme caution.

Don’t even try this on a curve - you obviously cannot

see what’s coming.

Indian highways aren’t all that busy/dangerous - all the

mishaps you see are because of too little margin and

overtaking on curves/blind slopes/corners.

If you see a crazy bozo overtaking someone and approaching

you despite you being too close - hit the shoulder slowly

• and make sure you leave lots of margin for him.

  
  




• Seat belts are very useful at all speeds above 10kmph -

  
  

2 cars colliding at 30kmph each head on makes the impact

at 60 - more than enough to fling you out.

• People who ride bikes without helmets must be nuts. Or

suicidal. Avoid them on the road.(Bangalore’s a crazy

place anyway).

• Leave your ego at home before you get on the road. But

never shirk from chastising erring drivers.

* Remember - dying’s easy. Living on with somebody else’s

death on your hands is the tough part*