safe_para

Hi All,

This is my first post on this wonderful forum. I came up with these tips after months of my personal observation.

We see the increasing amount of traffic in cities like Chennai, Bangalore etc., The number of people using the roads has increased a lot and we are slowly but surely running out of Road space. The Traffic department has already sensed this long time back and have started building bridges, under passes, installing signals. But it will take some more time before the congestion eases completely.
Until then, we like or not, riding through clogged traffic has become a every day routine for us. After a long and hectic day at work, this clogged traffic is only adding to our woes eh ?

OK, here are some tips that you can follow while riding through clogged traffic.

These are tips for people on 2 wheels. I need to do some more analysis to provide some tips to people on 4 wheels but I’ll do it very soon. Until then, read this.

First, I’ll talk on the DON’Ts

DON’Ts:
• Don’t lose your cool. I understand that your day at work has been bad and being in the middle of roaring machines of different sizes is really taking on you. But there is no use of losing yourself here. Stay calm and composed. I know its difficult, but practice.
• What ? Music ? on a 2 wheeler ? Never do that. Listening to music through ear s which again goes through a helmet is a STRICT NO-NO. The helmet you wear already filters some external noise (If you are not wearing a helmet, do that first) and ear s muffle external noise even more. As a rider in the busy city roads, you should be able to hear things happening around. So No music on 2 wheels.
• Speeding ? Stunting ? Stop that right there. It is ok to speed within limits in the city on open stretches but in clogged traffic, don’t exceed 20 KPH. Speeds more than that are only going to spoil you and your poor bike. And oh yes, No stunting on city roads. No wheelies, stoppies or burn outs expecting people around you to look at you. Stunting should be only in isolated places.
• Honking ? Never. What is the use of Honking in the middle of the clogged traffic ? Most of us have modded horns in our bikes and like to Honk at everyone else’s ear. In clogged traffic, honking is useless. Where can other vehicles move ? If there had been space, why should a vehicle stand. Don’t let other road users fret by honking.
• Lane cutting ? Please don’t. All of us on 2 wheels find the smallest possible gap and try to squeeze our bikes in them. How many times have you found bikes standing across 2 lanes perpendicular to the direction of Traffic movement not knowing which lane to take ? Many times right ? At least you, after reading this, stop that habit. By Squeezing into gaps and cutting lanes, you are not going to save too much time.
• Cell s ? A big NO. Never ever get into a cell conversation in the middle of clogged traffic. Its not going to help you at all. I needn’t say more.
• High Beams ? No please. First, do all of you know what a high beam is ? If you see a blue indicator on your console after you turn on the Headlight, it means your head lamp is in a high beam position. This is useful only on open roads. In well-lit city roads all that a high beam does is glare at the face of the rider in front through his/her Rear view Mirror. So switch to low beam in the Clogged traffic. If your bike has pilot lamps, I say that is sufficient in the city roads that have good lighting.
• Getting off the bike ? NO. Don’t get off your bike in the middle of a stagnated traffic or Don’t let your bike rest on any one of the stands. You will not be able to predict when the traffic would start moving. So, you don’t want to put yourself in the middle of Honks of different amplitudes in the middle of clogged traffic. Never jump off the bike.
• Letting the Engine Roar ? Not here. If the traffic is stagnated, don’t wring the throttle to show off your engine sound to others. It only increases the stress on the engine and the exhaust fumes go into the mouth of the rider standing behind you.
• Last but most important. No sudden braking in clogged traffic. Your bike may have super stop disc brakes but this is not the place to show it off. The rider behind you may not be ready for a sudden stop and may slam into your back. So don’t just Jab your brakes but apply them progressively.

Now that you have seen sufficient DONT’s and are already exasperated, see some DOs below.

DOs:
• Do keep your bike in proper condition. If you know that your ride will be in the middle of clogged traffic, keep it in a suitable condition to handle it.
• Do stay focussed. It is important to stay focussed and eagle eyed in the middle of clogged traffic. You may suddenly see a bike jumping from the next lane to yours or someone running across the road to get into a bus next to you. You have to be ready for these.
• Do leave a sufficient gap between your bike and the vehicle in front. This will help you if the vehicle stops suddenly and also to get a good view of the traffic ahead. Jutting your front wheel in between the rear wheels of two bikes ahead is not a good idea.
• Do keep the engine turned on. Since you are not sure of when a stagnated traffic moves, you can be ready for surprises. After all, you are not going to save too much fuel by killing the engine and starting over again. If you are riding a geared bike, shift to neutral and give your left fingers a rest. When the traffic starts moving even suddenly, you can shift up and start moving without a hiccup.
• Do follow all safety measures. Use rear view mirrors to get a view of the traffic behind you. Keep your helmet on. If you feel that you are sweating inside, take your helmet off, wipe the sweat and put it back again. God Forbid, the chances of falling in clogged traffic is more than in a fast moving traffic.
• Do keep yourself busy. Look around, observe people, note the different vehicles. Some one may be riding the next car/bike you are planning to buy. Get a good view of it before he zips away.
• Do keep fights off the road. If some one is causing you trouble, take them to a place off the road and settle your disputes there.
• Do respect other road users. Avoid spitting on their bikes, showing them scorn faces or rebuking them. Try to carry a smiling face on the road. Trust me, it helps!
• Lastly, Do follow the rules. Flouting Road rules anywhere, anytime is NOT a good idea. Stick to the rules and ensure you don’t put yourself in any kind of trouble.

So that you have read enough, I’m not urging you or sitting on your head asking you to follow these tips. These are a result of my Months of personal observations. Following these would surely help you. The final choice is yours.
If you have something to say, put a comment below.
Happy and Safe Riding !!