Jaya,
I am currently in India (Hyderabad), and have been driving for past couple of months (sort of looking to relocate back to India and exploring my options). So far in India, I have driven in Hyderabad and Bangalore. My total driving experience is over 400,000 miles in all kinds of weather conditions (dry, rain, storm, snow, snowstorm etc). I have driven every vehicle from a sub-compact car (comparable to Hyundai i10 or smaller) all the way up to 24-ft trucks. After driving in India, I feel the need to mention a few things that, as a new driver, you may want to consider.
1. Driving is not a right. It is a privilege. Be mindful, considerate and respectful of others on the road (all wheels – two, three, four and more, and especially those with no wheels, i.e., pedestrians). I know this is very hard in India, with no one else doing that. But try and be as much as you can. Change starts with one!
2. Anyone who can sit behind the wheel, effectively switch gears, and move a car is not necessarily a good driver. It takes a lot more than that to be a good driver.
3. Ability to drive fast, switch lanes quickly, cutting off others on the road, continuously moving from one side of the road to another, driving between two lanes (the white line on the road is under your car), all these are considered marks of a bad driver (or reckless driver) than marks of a good driver.
4. On the same note, driving slower than everyone else and staying on the right most side, being overly careful, etc., are also considered bad driving. This is because such habits either block other traffic causing a traffic jam, or worse, cause accidents on the road. Be careful, observant and confident on the road.
5. Knowing “how to move a car” alone does not constitute driving. Knowing the laws, rules and regulations, following them, being polite, turning on lights when the light is less (not only at nights, but also during rains, heavy clouds etc.), realizing that lights on a vehicle are meant not only for us to see the road but also for others to see us
Hope this helps. The above points are due to my frustration with the traffic and ways of driving I have seen in Hyderabad and Bangalore. I intend no offence or disrespect to anyone who reads this. These points are due to my experience only.
Regards,
-Som G
I am currently in India (Hyderabad), and have been driving for past couple of months (sort of looking to relocate back to India and exploring my options). So far in India, I have driven in Hyderabad and Bangalore. My total driving experience is over 400,000 miles in all kinds of weather conditions (dry, rain, storm, snow, snowstorm etc). I have driven every vehicle from a sub-compact car (comparable to Hyundai i10 or smaller) all the way up to 24-ft trucks. After driving in India, I feel the need to mention a few things that, as a new driver, you may want to consider.
1. Driving is not a right. It is a privilege. Be mindful, considerate and respectful of others on the road (all wheels – two, three, four and more, and especially those with no wheels, i.e., pedestrians). I know this is very hard in India, with no one else doing that. But try and be as much as you can. Change starts with one!
2. Anyone who can sit behind the wheel, effectively switch gears, and move a car is not necessarily a good driver. It takes a lot more than that to be a good driver.
3. Ability to drive fast, switch lanes quickly, cutting off others on the road, continuously moving from one side of the road to another, driving between two lanes (the white line on the road is under your car), all these are considered marks of a bad driver (or reckless driver) than marks of a good driver.
4. On the same note, driving slower than everyone else and staying on the right most side, being overly careful, etc., are also considered bad driving. This is because such habits either block other traffic causing a traffic jam, or worse, cause accidents on the road. Be careful, observant and confident on the road.
5. Knowing “how to move a car” alone does not constitute driving. Knowing the laws, rules and regulations, following them, being polite, turning on lights when the light is less (not only at nights, but also during rains, heavy clouds etc.), realizing that lights on a vehicle are meant not only for us to see the road but also for others to see us
Hope this helps. The above points are due to my frustration with the traffic and ways of driving I have seen in Hyderabad and Bangalore. I intend no offence or disrespect to anyone who reads this. These points are due to my experience only.
Regards,
-Som G