Saturday, June 2, 2001
G O O D  M O T O R I N G


What hill driving is all about
H. Kishie Singh

THE heat is on, literally. And that is the best excuse to drive to the hills. For Chandigarhians, this usually means the beautiful, smooth drive on the Kalka-Shimla road, the National Highway No 22 in Himachal Pradesh.

Overtaking on a blind corner can be fatal in the hillsThe road from Parwanoo onwards is under the jurisdiction of the Solan police. In an intensive drive to keep traffic under control, the Solan police has put up signboards along the national highway.

They are the most basic of the road rules. They are meant for your safety. They also ensure the smooth flow of traffic, which is what a drive up to the hills is all about.

 


The Solan police says:

  • Driving in drunken condition is an offence. Punishment: six months’ imprisonment plus Rs 2000 fine. (Strangely no mention is made of parking on the road side and drinking).

  • Overtake only from the right.

  • Give priority to uphill traffic.

  • Speed limits:

Cars -60

Buses & Trucks - 40

Medium Vehicles and two-wheelers -55

  • Give horn on curves and keep to the left.

  • Always keep to the left and be safe.

  • Accident is always fatal in hills. Drive carefully (the first point is not entirely correct. But yes, drive carefully).

  • Ensure that your brakes are in working order.

  • Wearing of helmets is compulsory for two-wheeler riders.

One point of safe motoring that the Solan police has not mentioned: do not overtake on a blind corner. It’s common sense that you should not speed ahead if you can’t see what is in front.

The Solan police has radar traps on NH 22. Documents too are checked all along the way. Make sure all your documents — RC, driving licence and insurance cover — are in order.

There are two bypasses on NH 22 — Solan and Shimla. A bypass is supposed to help you bypass the city and its crowded bazaars and bus stops. But here there seems to be some confusion about what purpose a bypass serves. Building material agents have been treating the Solan bypass as a warehouse. Iron girders, steel rods, G.I. pipes and other hazardous material have been laid on the berms, narrowing the road considerably and defeating the very purpose of a bypass.

Though both the Shimla and Solan bypass roads are wide, you must exercise extreme caution while driving on them. These stretches are extremely dangerous.

Apart from driving carefully and safely, parking must also be done with as much care. The parking space is scarce in the hills, so use as little place as possible. Usually, two or three cars are parked in an area where about six cars could be parked. Please show consideration for other drivers.

Level parking is seldom available in the hills. Your car is likely to get parked on a slope. Remember to cut your steering wheels towards the hillside. This way, in case your car should move by itself or get bumped by another vehicle, it will move no further than the hill side. Stay away from the khud-side. Do not stop or park on corners. It is dangerous. If you have used a stone to put behind the wheel, please remove it when you move off. These stones are a constant source of danger on hill roads.

A very dangerous move that two-wheeler riders make is that they free-wheel downhill. Avoid this. The money you save is not worth the risk. While free-wheeling, you use your brakes constantly. The friction will heat the drums or discs and pads. This constant friction can lead to serious consequences — the brakes may fail.

Motoring is always fun. More so, when, it is a beautiful cool drive in the hills. Drive carefully. Obey rules and regulations and have a good time.

Happy motoring!