Chennai Traffic-Motorbike Tips for the Dummies!

After you buy the bike

Don't throw away the manual supplied with a bike.

Stick to Running in period mentioned in the manual as it will help engine performance for the future.

Before starting the bike

Check brake and horn when you start the vehicle and put on the helmet and strap it securely.

See that the light is switched off when you start the bike to avoid bulb blowing off.

After starting the bike

Don't start the vehicle inside the premises and zoom in to the traffic outside to avert collision for yourself and heart attack for motorists already coming from your left.

Wait for the traffic to pass before cutting through to turn right.

Switch on the light if it is night time but not the high beam.

Turning at a corner

Reduce speed, brake, blow horn, signal even if you are turning left at a corner.

Repeat above when turning right at a corner.

Braking

Brake gently with a pumping action than braking at the last moment without reducing the speed and changing gear.

Press clutch while changing gear but not while braking.

At the signal

At the signal wait for the signal light to turn green!

Switch off the bike if the signal counter shows 50.

Even if you don't follow the tip above at least be on neutral as the bike on gear can jump forward if jerked suddenly, a possibility if another motorist decides to apply brake at the last moment.

U-turns

At a U-turn don't turn immediately after the road divider to avoid tight turning.

Switch off the indicator light after turning.

Overtaking

Overtake on the right.

Blow horn and let the motorist in front know that you are overtaking.

Don't try to overtake on the right a vehicle which has right indicator on.

General

Let the others know that you are on road by horning when over taking and at night by not wearing black/dark dress and not using a black helmet.

Use common sense and don't let other motorists' behaviour turn you into a law breaker!

Drive with confidence and a smile!

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Chennai Traffic-If you drive like hell...

I am a careful, no, very careful driver. Defensive to a default. Always thinking of how other vehicles will behave really or hypothetically. So it is no wonder that it irritates me to see other drivers behave as if there is no tomorrow. Always rushing.

I remember my friend writing in my book more than 25 years ago. 'If you drive like hell you will reach it'. Sometimes I think that I should put it as a slogan on my bike. But seeing the reality I feel that the wordings should be 'If you drive like hell someone will reach it'.

Some months back at a signal everyone was waiting for the red to change. When the green came there was a mad rush as occupying the free space is how people see driving/riding on the road as if it is a poromboke thereby shutting out other drivers. Victory! But as always the case a bike from the right side road who jumped the signal was rushing towards the left thereby coming in the way of the rushing traffic. A bike from this side which won the race came in the path of the offending vehicle. The signal jumper tried to avoid this bike by swerving to his left but a bag on the right side of his bike hit the other bike sending it skidding. The offender just zigzagged his way through and vanished. The lone traffic cop jumped on another person's vehicle chasing the offender leaving the person who won the race lying some 25 feet away, broken! What happened to that person? My friend who witnessed the accident didn't tell me. He was rushing to his office. What happened to the cop's chase? The newspapers didn't tell me.

What is it that makes people think they can jump signal, cause accident and speed away? What is it that makes people throttle the engine even if the count down is at 98!? What is it that makes other people speed away not wanting to help? Is it because in the 'concrete jungle' also 'might is right'!?

I reach my office in time. Of course I start early!

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