Hate driving in Qatar? Try India!
Extract from an artcle :
For the benefit of every Tom, Dick and Harry visiting India and daring to drive on Indian roads, I am offering a few hints for survival. They are applicable to every place in India except Bihar, where life outside a vehicle is only marginally safer.
Indian road rules broadly operate within the domain of karma where you do your best, and leave the results to your insurance company.
The hints are as follows: Do we drive on the left or right of the road? The answer is “both”. Basically you start on the left of the road, unless it is occupied. In that case, go to the right, unless that is also occupied. Then proceed by occupying the next available gap, as in chess.
Just trust your instincts, ascertain the direction, and proceed. Adherence to road rules leads to much misery and occasional fatality.
Most drivers don’t drive, but just aim their vehicles in the intended direction. Don’t you get discouraged or underestimate yourself. Except for a belief in reincarnation, the other drivers are not in any better position.
Don’t stop at pedestrian crossings just because some fool wants to cross the road. You may do so only if you enjoy being bumped in the back. Pedestrians have been strictly instructed to cross only when traffic is moving slowly or had come to a dead stop because some minister is in town. Still some idiot may try to wade across, but then, let us not talk ill of the dead. Blowing your horn is not a sign of protest as in some countries. We horn to express joy, resentment, frustration, romance and bare lust (two brisk blasts), or, just mobilize a dozing cow in the middle of the bazaar.
Keep informative books in the glove compartment. You may read them during traffic jams, while awaiting the chief minister’s motorcade, or waiting for the rainwaters to recede when overground traffic meets underground drainage.
Night driving on Indian roads can be an exhilarating experience (for those with the mental make-up of Genghis Khan). In a way, it is like playing Russian roulette, because you do not know who amongst the drivers is loaded. What looks like premature dawn on the horizon turns out to be a truck attempting a speed record. On encountering it, just pull partly into the field adjoining the road until the phenomenon passes.
Our roads do not have shoulders, but occasional boulders.
Do not blink your lights expecting reciprocation. The only dim thing in the truck is the driver, and the peg of illicit arrack he has had at the last stop, his total cerebral functions add up to little more than a naught. Truck drivers are the James Bonds of India, and are licensed to kill. Often you may encounter a single powerful beam of light about six feet above the ground.
This is not a super motorbike, but a truck approaching you with a single light on, usually the left one. It could be the right one, but never get too close to investigate. You may prove your point posthumously. Of course, all this occurs at night, on the trunk roads.
During the daytime, trucks are more visible, except that the drivers will never show any Signal. (And you must watch for the absent signals; they are a greater threat.) Only, you will often observe that the cleaner that sits next to the driver, will project his hand and wave hysterically. This is definitely not to be construed as a signal for a left turn. The waving is just an expression of physical relief on a hot day.
Occasionally you might see what looks like an UFO with blinking colored lights and weird sounds emanating from within. This is an illuminated bus, full of happy pilgrims singing bhajans. These pilgrims go at breakneck speed, seeking contact with the Almighty, often meeting with success.
In the Cookies of Life, FRIENDS are the Chocolate Chips
www.bastook.com
gave me nightmares. Every time we have gone there, they always say you it is the rush hour. The first time was a 4 hour journey to our hotel and I can tell you I needed a stiff drink when we got there. It was light when we set off from the airport, that was bad enough but when it was dark it was crazy. Our bus even overtook other vehicles on blind bends, as some else said you need a big vehicle, that is so too, as when we were in the towns it was just free for all at junctions.
The bicycles we the best, some were even carrying arm chairs on them, lol.
What I liked best were the tuk tuks, we had a ride in one & that is an experience on never forgets my backside was sore for days. lol.
It is better in India as you cannot overspeed the death rate is less than Doha.
Jaguar and Land Rover have been take over by TATA.
In Bangalore the bikes are driven the footpath rather than the Road. So be careful don't walk on the Foot Path.
Instead you should try those GMC yellow monster 1857 models...available still here in Qatar...I myself wish to take one with me for coming vacations...LOL
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that video, am only suprised there wasn't an accident to be seen!!!!
Scary!!
You're right.. i have an old Jaguar, perhaps I'll have to rebadge it now..
britexpat, I wouldnt be surprised, they will have jaguar busses from now on lol.
"There's good in everyone, sometimes people just get diverted to the wrong path"
You've convinced me. i just ordered a new TATA bus , which i will drive here.
It is true, in India if you are driving a really BIG vehicle the road 'll respect you. And BIG means not a 4 x 4 drive (You just can't afford a 4WD in India due to souring petrol prices), it should be the BIG looking vehicle, exactly...it must be a truck. And if you want to own the road , you should drive the Public Transport Bus...lol. Nobody dares to overtake the bus in India...if you do...you are khallas....!!!!!
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Harry its all about the element of surprise. U never know if the person who hit u was aware of u or not, or he/she drove without giving a shi*
"There's good in everyone, sometimes people just get diverted to the wrong path"
Yeah so its tough to drive in India. Indians ae tough. Only the tough can survive in India. Thanks for the compliment.
I dream of a better tomorrow where Chickens can cross the Road without having their motives questioned - Unknown
Very strange logic.. Go on Red and U turn at roundabouts..
Got to diagree on the niqab.. I have seen more women driving without their face covered , then those with.
Let me tell u somehthings:'
1) In India, the traffic is smooth and it has a flow, in Qatar, the traffic is stuck.
2) In India, u can take a U turn as soon as u get to the round about and avoid the round about.
3) In India, when the light is red u move, when the light is green u stop, the reason is when the light is red, it stays as red longer than green.
4) In India, the cars have their own body language
5) In India, people usually drive small cars, hence less damage, hence less death rate.
6) In India, U know whats going on and how to handle the situation.
7) In India, when local women drive, their eyes have no barricades.
In Qatar
1) The traffic is clogged, due to small roads and traffic lights every 100 meter lol.
2) U have to wait until the light goes green on the round about to make a u turn and until then u have to stay in the traffic for almost an hour.
3) Here we move when the lights r green, hence less time for the traffic to flow.
4) U can't know when some jackasz will come out of no where and hit u with his land crusier.
5) People r scared, cuz of big cars and dumb drivers.
6) In Qatar, driving is like war, element of surprise strategy is used often.
7) In Qatar most women use Niqab, which reduces the opacity to 50%. This is not including the tinted windows.
"There's good in everyone, sometimes people just get diverted to the wrong path"
LOL...LOL...ROFL!
"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach
From video etc it seems that driving in India is more dangerrous and chaotic.. So its perhaps time to lay off Qatar.
well done
mmmm now that question I didn't answer!mmmmm what do you think, not just local women....
"It is dangerous to be sincere unless you are also stupid."
- George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)
Are we talking all women or local women?
Harry99, my problem is with women drivers.......the ones I've encountered are idiots! Women drivers should be banned, KSA got it right.......
"It is dangerous to be sincere unless you are also stupid."
- George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)
yeah right lol
its bad enough here
Coming to the Exhibition Centre roundabout, got totally cut up by an indian in a pickup. He switched from the right to the left entering the roundabout and then went right..Case proven..
I am fine.. thankyou for asking. Will return after a stiff drink.
Yes women are allowed to drive.. Whether they should be is another discussion for another thread (hint)
so true..Qatar is mild compared to India. As Eco video shows pedestrians and motorist all use the same roads..
Also when drivers see pedestrian they usually do speed up instead of slowing down..
I really love the way we abandon the vehicle and run to nearest state on duty trip. Then one of our uncles will report to the nearest police station.....our vehicle is stolen.
Hit and run is really fun
women allowed to drive ?
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Regards.
Abdelkader
Are you talking about their ability to drive or being allowed to drive ?
By the way, the thread was about Indian drivers.
Question maybe already asked : Could women drive in Qatar or Emirates?
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Regards.
Abdelkader
How so?
But how many of them drive?? and thers no way someone's gonna drive like that here....Driving in Doha is a totally different issue!!
I went to a fight the other night, and a hockey game broke out.
Well after reading the post on driving in India, there seems to be shed some light on the driving in Doha. Think about it. Doha is full of Indians!
It has been said that many an Atheist has gone to India. After having driven on the roads there, he has returned as a believer of God.
when i lived in bangalore last year i saw a sign which read along the lines "don't talk on the phone while driving,as you wont be talking to long" for those who know bangalore keep a look out next time at the top of brigade road, i know i sure had a giggle!
huever is not impressed with autorikshaws
chk out this one :-p
http://www.easydriveforum.com/showthread.php?t=761
I went to a fight the other night, and a hockey game broke out.
you dont have to renew your isthamara in india which is a very big pain and there are no fines like here
Aww...come on Alexa...everyone knows the humor in the write up is wht counts here no matter who posts it! Btw, this article is not complete I guess Britexpat edited some real funny bits :-P Adding them below.
Auto Rickshaw (Baby Taxi): The result of a collision between a rickshaw and an automobile, this three-wheeled vehicle works on an external combustion engine that runs on a mixture of kerosene oil and creosote. This triangular vehicle carries iron rods, gas cylinders or passengers three times its weight and dimension, at an unspecified fare. After careful geometric calculations, children are folded and packed into these auto rickshaws until some children in the periphery are not in contact with the vehicle at all. Then their school bags are pushed into the microscopic gaps all round so those minor collisions with other vehicles on the road cause no permanent damage. Of course, the peripheral children are charged half the fare and also learn Newton's laws of motion enroute to school. Auto-rickshaw drivers follow the road rules depicted in the film Ben
Hur, and are licensed to irritate.
Mopeds: The moped looks like an oil tin on wheels and makes noise like an electric shaver. It runs 30 miles on a teaspoon of petrol and travels at break-bottom speed. As the sides of the road are too rough for a ride, the moped drivers tend to drive in the middle of the road; they would rather drive under heavier vehicles instead of around them and are often "mopped" off the tarmac.
Leaning Tower of Passes: Most bus passengers are given free passes and during rush hours, there is absolute mayhem. There are passengers hanging off other passengers, who in turn hang off the railings and the overloaded bus leans dangerously, defying laws of gravity but obeying laws of surface tension. As drivers get paid for overload (so many Rupees per kg of passenger), no questions are ever asked. Steer clear of these buses by a width of three passengers.
One-way Street: These boards are put up by traffic people to add jest in their otherwise drab lives. Don't stick to the literal meaning and proceed in one direction. In metaphysical terms, it means that you
cannot proceed in two directions at once. So drive as you like, in reverse throughout, if you are the fussy type. Lest I sound hypercritical; I must add a positive point also. Rash and fast driving in residential areas has been prevented by providing a "speed breaker"; two for each house. This mound, incidentally, covers the water and drainage pipes for that residence and is left untarred for easy identification by the corporation authorities, should they want to recover the pipe for year-end accounting.
I went to a fight the other night, and a hockey game broke out.
In India truck drivers, tanker drivers or drivers of any big cargo vehicles command more respect than cars because they are big ! So basically a lorry driver can do anything he wants - ram his vehicle at lightning speed into a family car and just walk away ignoring the injured and the dead. Even if he is caught, he might walk away with a fine or a prison term of maximum 2 years.
When I go on vocation I used to have a driver for even two wheeler.
Puleeeeeeeeeze of course they take bribes!!! HA HA HA! Dont tell me ur shocked n surprised and all!
I dream of a better tomorrow where Chickens can cross the Road without having their motives questioned - Unknown
Surely you're not suggesting that they take bribes.
I believe that if u can drive in Bangalore, India you can drive anywhere in the world. The traffic and roads and driving sense of people can only get better.
Traffic department will only bother you on month ends.
When they're short of cash;)
I dream of a better tomorrow where Chickens can cross the Road without having their motives questioned - Unknown
please explain.
remember india is not like qatar! do one thing try to exercise the advise in metros of india and u will for sure face the music from trafiic deptt.
Lol...Alexa...its just a funny thread...I hav read it before in an Indian network grp and nobody seemed to be offended...in fact they all expanded with quite a few humorous quips...looking for tht thread!
I went to a fight the other night, and a hockey game broke out.
like one of my frnds said..."All other places in India u drive on the left handside of the road. In bangalore u drive on whats left of the road!!" :-p
Not withstanding all the above , i see much lesser accidents than cud b xpected under such conditions!!
I went to a fight the other night, and a hockey game broke out.
Or shall I call you Miss Pitstop?
People forget what it's like in other countries..
well, that explains why driving in Doha is like the wacky races!!
"It is dangerous to be sincere unless you are also stupid."
- George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)