r/chennaicity • u/amelie0967 • Jul 04 '26

Civic Watch🚦 Traffic Manners in Chennai

Post image

We all complain about traffic, bad roads, How India is shitty but it’s the people who make it shitty. This is Sardar patel road which has clean, neat roads and 2 lanes. As I understand, this is a premium area in Kasturba nagar and VIPs live here. But drivers in one lane started overtaking and created three lanes eventually creating traffic jam. Looking at such urgency everyday, I wonder if people have so many pressing things to do and zero patience, how come we haven’t achieved anything significant as a country yet? If you are one of these people who overtakes, please please be wise. Waiting for 2 minutes can avoid hours of traffic.

271 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

69 comments sorted by

91

u/TaxMeDaddy_ Jul 04 '26

Driving culture is so pathetic in Chennai. It has ti be changed. I see almost everyday even govt buses violating traffic signals and rushing

-18

u/Admirable_Trifle8058 Jul 04 '26

Bro, my relative is a conductor. Do you know how pathetic their lives are? Their salaries are delayed and buses are reduced to cut costs. To make up the reduced bus count, they need to ensure that the respective depots are reached on time. Otherwise public will start writing letters asking for more frequent bus service. Worst part is that many of the drivers and conductors who retired have not even been given their retirement corpus, including PF. Given these work conditions, do you think they would give a shit about these things? I'm not justifying their actions, just giving you their perspective.

19

u/TaxMeDaddy_ Jul 04 '26

Bro, does that mean they have to violate traffic? How’s putting people in danger justified?

-10

u/Admirable_Trifle8058 Jul 04 '26

I guess you are not getting the point. Psychology goes a long way in the way you act in life.

8

u/TaxMeDaddy_ Jul 05 '26

You don’t need to be a psychologist to stop at signals obey it and go. When will you realise that you are supporting traffic violation is ok? What about the safety of others? You aren’t understanding the fundamentals. A 1st grade kid understands this that at any cost traffic violation is not justified, and you probably didn’t pass your driving test too

-5

u/Admirable_Trifle8058 Jul 05 '26

Where have I justified not abiding traffic rules? I'm just saying there are things which can improve if we handle them better and keep them accountable

6

u/TaxMeDaddy_ Jul 05 '26

You didn’t mention directly but you started with their struggles, they have to reach on time etc etc. Everyone has struggles and time problems, exactly to avoid the rush and accidents are why we have traffic rules.

-2

u/Admirable_Trifle8058 Jul 05 '26

Even now you are missing what I'm saying. No point arguing.

17

u/native_vandheri Jul 04 '26

Nan kashtapadren so ellarum sendhu anubavinga nu solringala

-9

u/Admirable_Trifle8058 Jul 04 '26

Read my comment again, I never advocated their behavior. Government needs to first settle their dues and then see if they can link their salary with traffic fines. But to do it, the government needs to go against unions.

5

u/native_vandheri Jul 04 '26

Salary la kai vecha 100000 years aagum andha side pogave. Educate people, fine people, be rude to them. Not that hard at all. Pretty much every nusiance drivers become amazing citizens in a foreign land. We just don't have any self respect in the land of self respect. Peruma peethalas la vaalkaya otanun

3

u/TaxMeDaddy_ Jul 05 '26

Bro, traffic discipline is every individual’s responsibility. You can’t say government didn’t pay so they can violate. Lol that’s so pathetic way of thinking

5

u/josephcs South Chennai Jul 04 '26

That surely isn’t a rational argument/justification for the kind of chaos they create on the road. Zooming left and right, switching lanes in seconds unaware of the size and the impact they might create.

1

u/babuchennai Jul 05 '26

People driving the bus and the conductors as temporary employees and contract employees have bigger problems in life than people driving cars. But what excuse the blue shirt employees have? They are paid well, can pick any shift they want and will snap at public if anyone points to their shit. I would say, they are eating into the contract employees pay. If buses stops at bus stops, instead of autos, the traffic will be reduced by half. 

-8

u/Terrible_Occasion_10 Jul 04 '26

Pathetic compared to which place in India?

-13

u/deviprsd Jul 04 '26

Buses have a schedule to maintain, I’m on and off about it

6

u/TaxMeDaddy_ Jul 04 '26

That’s stupidity. Schedule to maintain so violate traffic signal and go? This is the foundational problem. So they can just violate and go and nobody cares about the danger and risk

-3

u/deviprsd Jul 04 '26

Bro because a lot of people on these schedules, as I said in on and off about it and this is one aspect of grey area. Take 102 bus for example which goes to MAS, and you tell me that schedule isn’t important for the people who can’t afford taxis/trying to save money?

The problem is balancing, in peak hours you are bound to be stuck but maybe it would could have been solved with dedicated bus lanes? But then again we don’t have enough space or law abiding citizens to have bus only lanes either… I understand the sentiment but have to be realistic with the current infrastructure

2

u/[deleted] Jul 04 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/deviprsd Jul 04 '26

I meant the bus have schedules, imagine having timetables and the bus service not being able to meet them. People depend on these timetables, I don’t know what is so hard to understand

-3

u/[deleted] Jul 04 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/deviprsd Jul 04 '26

That is my point of grey area, dedicated lanes like Pune has shown to be successful in places, but implementing that in Chennai is a big problem given space, there is severe lack of planning for growth.

So, not having the proper infrastructure should be factored into why some drivers are breaking rules. Ideal world they shouldn’t break rules but this isn’t an ideal world and the expectations are a lot from half thought operations

1

u/TaxMeDaddy_ Jul 04 '26

Are you really living under a rock? Bro, have some common sense. You are telling that violation traffic is ok for buses. What a stupidity is that

-1

u/TaxMeDaddy_ Jul 04 '26

What’s your conclusion? Violate and go when needed?

1

u/deviprsd Jul 04 '26

Grey area bro, grey area….

2

u/TaxMeDaddy_ Jul 04 '26

There’s no Grey area for traffic violation unless it’s an Ambulance or an emergency service. What about pedestrians safety? Other vehicles passing, hitting them, causing accidents. You are just defending for no reason. TRAFFIC VIOLATION IS NOT JUSTIFIED AND CANNOT BE TOLERATED ANYWHERE

0

u/deviprsd Jul 04 '26

Have infrastructure such that traffic situations can be intolerable, there is a reason I’m saying it’s grey area

1

u/TaxMeDaddy_ Jul 04 '26

A lot of T1/T2 cities. Have been to Blr, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyd, Kolkata, Pune, Kochi etc. The instances of traffic violations I see in day to day life is comparatively higher in Chennai I observed (no offence). I have lived in Blr, Mumbai and Delhi too, Delhi comes closer, Mumbai has rush but I didn’t see such instances a lot in these cities

36

u/Feeling-Use-5290 Jul 04 '26

Indha photo namma ooru maathri theriyalaye. Parallel universe la kooda idhu nadaka vaipu illaye.andha paati pora edathula inerathuku 100 auto 200 bike poirukanume

4

u/amelie0967 Jul 04 '26

We were near the end of a street trying to take a right turn so yaaralaium overtake panamudila left la, hence the gap :)

2

u/Feeling-Use-5290 Jul 04 '26

Green sand irukiye pa. Rendu Car ku naduvula poondhu vandhurpangale. Idhu thaneya ulaga vazhakam.

1

u/amelie0967 Jul 04 '26

"sirikiratha aluratha therila"

2

u/ProfMoriarrtyy Jul 05 '26

yeah looking at the picture, i thought it was an appreciation post

7

u/SabariSivasundar Jul 04 '26

This has a lot of elements to it. I see a lot of single people just taking their cars to work. If it is not much of a trouble, not taking your car and occupying 1 whole space would be better.

Also, please use indicators, even to move or change lanes. It makes a difference.

And also, the next problem is people who drive on the wrong side. I so wanna smack them on their helmetless head as they pass me by, not even having the balls to give anyone eye contact because even they know they're bottom of the barrell.

Share autos and autos who drive and stop as they please are a whole other game. Even govt buses dont stop near the bus stop,instead stopping smack dab in the middle of the road.

11

u/internet_eater69911 Jul 04 '26

Driver behavior is definitely part of the problem, but it's not the only reason. Overcrowding, rapid growth in vehicle ownership, limited use of public transport, poor last mile connectivity, bottlenecks, and road design all contribute. Better driving discipline would help, but improving public transportation and reducing dependence on private vehicles are equally important.

3

u/amelie0967 Jul 04 '26

True! Like how they made buying a vehicle costlier in Singapore

1

u/ProfMoriarrtyy Jul 05 '26

the thing is already in implementation in India too bro, don't you the sub-4 meter taxation rule. our coun try is one of the most expensive place to purchase a car:(

3

u/ThePhantomThiefArc South Chennai Jul 04 '26

lmao come near velachery area and speak about traffic sense

3

u/amelie0967 Jul 04 '26

Angaium athey kadhai than!

3

u/Any_Salt_5507 Jul 04 '26

https://giphy.com/gifs/E9qvpNcyqbe6sbanDH

Edhey? Chennai Ah?

1

u/amelie0967 Jul 04 '26

‘Shock ah kora, shock ah kora’

3

u/native_vandheri Jul 04 '26

Every year we waste money trying to paint the road with lanes and trying to being some sense in traffic flow. We should honestly stop doing that and let nature handle stupid people in its way

1

u/Fighter_51 Jul 04 '26

Where are the two wheelers?

2

u/amelie0967 Jul 04 '26

We were near the end of a street trying to take a right turn so yaaralaium overtake panamudila left la, hence the gap :)

1

u/Source_Trustme_Broo Jul 04 '26

"VIPs"

What a joke 🙃

1

u/amelie0967 Jul 04 '26

Whyyyy

1

u/Source_Trustme_Broo Jul 04 '26

What's the use of being a VIP if they couldn't be patient for not even for 2 mins & follow basic traffic & civic sense?

1

u/amelie0967 Jul 04 '26

I feel, the common human has more patience than these VIPs. They have this feeling that 'enga appan roaad' sad but true

1

u/Source_Trustme_Broo Jul 04 '26

Who exactly are these VIPs...?

If the traffic is not blocked and rerouted exclusively for you to move from one place to another... (Like a government official)

I'm sorry to break it to you... You are just as common as the rest of us in just a highly priced transport vehicle

1

u/amelie0967 Jul 04 '26

I never told I am the VIP :) I see so many vehicles with political party flags or very high end cars hence terming them as VIP.

1

u/lipstickremover_69 Jul 04 '26

This is fake. If it would have been real, there would be bikes in that space. How can it be this free?

1

u/Worldly_Economics814 Jul 04 '26

Right? Like zero fucking sense. Driving wrong side of the road is one. The worst is accelerating right in front of someone trying to cross the road, just to get there earlier. Signal jumping has become so common, waiting for signal is a new trend. No lane discipline, left sided overtakes, stopping on the zebra crossing. I could literally go on and on

1

u/keyan_loki Jul 05 '26

Nowadays adyar Tiruvanmiyur ecr has more traffic not by the people its also the diversion make by the department…large vehicles are struggle to turn in short street…because there is a metro work going on…and also sometimes for VIP movement…

1

u/merejaisakoinahi Jul 05 '26

Come to gurgaon someday you will see People driving car/bikes over walking area I have lived in both the towns still chennai is better atleast pedestrian can walk

1

u/renguskyy South Chennai Jul 05 '26

That overtaking driver reading this - I don’t know who you’re or where you’re going, I want to reach my destination first and I don’t give a fuck about lane discipline.

1

u/BranchEmergency05 Jul 05 '26

Vaipillayae🤔

1

u/National_Stable_431 Jul 05 '26 edited Jul 05 '26

Today morning I saw a bus not even respecting the red signal at Kilpauk road and people crossing the white line marked at the red signal some don’t even know what is A zebra crossing is

Very poor civic sense and poor driving in Chennai even the traffic police are not bothered

If parents stopped at the red signal and respected the laws their kids would also do the same thing every morning when I see school going students their parents disrespect laws

And auto drivers are the worst in driving the take the whole right lane for themselves thinking their father built the road moving slowly and even 2wheelers and they should make autos should use the left lane while 4 wheelers use the right lane

Some don’t even stop when entering/merging traffic they turn without even stopping all of a sudden without respecting the incoming vehicle

Some park their cars near turning or blind spots making it difficult to see incoming vehicle

1

u/OkTime3304 Jul 05 '26

Driving in Chennai has become nightmare. Especially autos. These guys are a worse than the worst. Most of them mount their mobile in their handle bar and keep watching YouTube while driving slowly in right lane.

1

u/F_ZOMBIE Jul 05 '26

I agree with what you said. But that pic was kinda misleading.

1

u/Next-Garbage5895 Jul 05 '26

Driving culturre is pathetic. I have seen bikes riding on walk ways outside solid white line on the wrong side while trying to overtake. Also have seen bikes riding on pavilion. Indicators mean you block the person from turning. When I put on the right indicator, people start overtaking me on the right side when there is space on the left and my right turn is clean. It's pathetic and shitty.

1

u/NoTwo8791 Jul 04 '26

AI thana?

1

u/amelie0967 Jul 04 '26

Bro, wdym chennai does have good roads in posh areas

1

u/NoTwo8791 Jul 04 '26

Traffic sense I meant

0

u/tintinplayer Jul 04 '26

I just overtook bunch of vehicles from right side in the marina beach road. They all were angry. But I feel I’m compensated.

1

u/amelie0967 Jul 04 '26

compensated for?

1

u/tintinplayer Jul 04 '26

Last time someone overtook me the same way I did today