Get street smart
By H. Kishie Singh

THIS is literally a case of being street smart. Get to know your street corners, and bends.

Whether or not there is a line painted on the road, learn to stay on your side of the road. In your mind’s eye you should divide the road in half. At cross-sections and inter-sections the other road also has a line. At the meeting point make an imaginary roundabout. You should be going around this point. Any other move is patently dangerous. (See diagram 1. The dotted line is wrong).

Indian drivers wilfully and with gay abandon join main roads at top speed. Often tyres can be heard squealing on Chandigarh roads. That’s a sign of overspeed and rash driving.

There are stop signs on Chandigarh roads. A driver is obliged to come to a full stop, look right, left, then right again before moving off. If you disobeyed this sign abroad you face a fine, loss of driving licence and a possible jail term. Think about the seriousness of the offence.

At places where there is a stop sign, there should be an ‘L’ shaped line. Or create one in your mind; it should look like this. (See diagram 2).

One particular stretch of road that is horrifyingly dangerous is Uttar Marg. There is an entrance to the High Court. Nearly all scooterists approaching from the lake side cross over to the exit side — from a kilometre away! A car heading towards the lake has traffic flowing on both sides!

Smartly dressed, in black and white, the scooterists form a line of their own and make the road a deadly hazard. A collision can only be head-on. For scooterists on hard tarmac a head-on collision can have serious results.

Some useful hints for being street smart, if the road has no lane marking. In a one-way street if turning right, keep to the right. If turning right on a two-way street, keep to the centre of the road. Keep left if turning left. This move is also recommended while entering a roundabout.

Indian drivers have a chaotic code for indicators, usually used for all the wrong reasons at the wrong time.

Sticking to your lane really helps. The indicators are usually confusing. Don’t play with them. Use them intelligently.

And use that rear-view mirror. A useful ‘hint’ to motorists is the use of rear-view mirrors. Some cars come equipped with two-door mounted mirrors. Use them and see how visibility improves. Good visibility is a pre-requisite to good motoring.

Here again, keep in mind that speed varies according to a rain-soaked street to when it is hot dry tarmac. Road conditions play a major part in vehicular movement. Be aware of them.

While crossing watch out for parked rickshaws. They are usually parked at the apex of a corner, creating a serious traffic hazard. This is also where government cars are parked.

All problems on the road are made by uncaring motorists.

Follow the simple signs and driving on the streets will be a pleasant experience.

Happy Motoring!

This feature was published on May 1, 1999