Friday, February 8, 2008

How to Drive in India


How to Drive in India


from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Metros in India are extremely congested and the drivers can appear to be rough in their approach towards beating the traffic. In Delhi alone there are 2 million vehicles. The roads also play a part in making driving difficult. This article will give you tips for driving safely in India

Steps


  1. Be careful while driving in any city. India is no exception.Remember that in India, just like the U.K. has a right hand/left side drive. So, if you rent a car make sure that you test drive it for a while in a open space before going on the main road
  2. Remember to be super alert at all times. In most Indian cities, though there are lanes, people don't use them and may cut in front of you without warning. Animals or children may come in your way. Whenever your foot is not on the accelerator, it should be resting on the brake.
  3. Acknowledge that insurance in India has various clauses in it such as depreciation charge on metal and plastic. So please read your insurance completely and understand it well. Remember that third party claims are rare in India and in most cases would need a copy of Police FIR. Avoid accidents at all costs.
  4. Be aware that it is not uncommon to find drunk drivers after 8 PM, so be extra careful at nights. Do not tailgate any driver at a speed higher than 30 KM, if possible avoid it completely. People can turn without giving a signal or indicator
  5. Remember that there are all sorts of vehicle on Indian roads such as bullock carts. cycles, rickshaw, three wheeler, cars, SUV, trucks, buses etc. There are no separate lanes for slower moving vehicles so be prepared to drive slowly using brakes very often. There are hardly any automatic transmission vehicles in India so be prepared for a manual transmission. If you rent a car ensure that its clutch pedal is light else you will end up building a stronger calf muscle.
  6. Learn that a marriage party, minister or religious possessions are regular and can hold up traffic. Don't be shy in taking alternative routes in such situations , like driving on the side unpaved road (if its there) or cutting the traffic like others.
  7. When driving to a small town or rural village, roads will be too thin for two lanes. Therefore, traffic coming in the other direction will have to travel on the same path as you. When a car is coming towards you, move to the LEFT so that you are only taking up half the road. It's ok if the left side of your car isn't on the road anymore. The guy coming towards you will do the same thing on his left side. After you have passed each other, come back onto the road.
  8. Remember that case of an accident, if the situation gets out of hand then call the cops immediately. This will save you from getting a beating from the public. In case of an accident public involvement will surely happen and the guy with a smaller vehicle will get the sympathy. Avoid any such pandemonium and try to settle things quickly.


Tips


  • Keep all your car related papers such as registration, insurance and driver's license with you while driving
  • Make sure your brakes are working all the time
  • Keep your vehicle in good running condition all the time
  • Tires play a great role while turning and breaking speed so please ensure that they are in shape and have anti-skid feature
  • Blowing horn is not a bad thing and people do this to express all sorts of feeling or to keep the animals from coming in their way. Use horn in a generous manner
  • Best way to learn how to drive in India is to follow one of the taxi drivers. They have mastered the art of driving on pure instincts.
  • Visit http://driving-india.blogspot.com for a comprehensive review of defensive driving techniques.


Warnings


  • Some of the red lights may not work at odd hours, be careful when approaching such a crossroad
  • You may often see drivers breaking traffic rules (e.g. jumping red lights). DO NOT be tempted to follow their example - not only is it highly dangerous, but traffic police officers (especially in Delhi) are on the lookout for violators. Additionally, some traffic lights are now equipped with cameras to catch red-light jumpers.
  • Always look on both sides while turning, it is not uncommon to find drivers on the wrong side of the road


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