This thread will try to put forward some basic rules and guidelines to avoid crashes while driving because of lane changes without appropriate caution, whether by you or another vehicle.
BHPian SS-Traveller recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
Much has been written about lane markings and what they mean. For reference, here are a few links:
Yet, the vast majority of drivers on Indian roads cannot stick to a single lane; if anything, they would persistently straddle lanes as if driving on a monorail, not a road. On undivided highways, the continuous dividing line in No Passing zones is violated more often than not, and one will frequently find oncoming traffic perilously overtaking each other on the wrong side of the road.
OTOH, lane markings in this country are not continuous, and following a particular lane may well lead to a wall or divider, with no indication that the lane ends up ahead. There are rarely any direction arrows indicating which lane to follow to take which turn.
Strangely enough, the traffic police in most (if not all) of the Indian States do not penalize lane violators, which has been leading to even more erratic driving, as hot-blooded young drivers often zigzag across the road at uncontrolled speeds.
This thread will try to put forward some basic rules and guidelines to survive this madness, and avoid crashes while driving because of lane changes without appropriate caution, whether by you or another vehicle.
Rule #1: Keep your car between two lane marker lines, even around a turn
Corollary 1: Do this as much as possible. If your lane is not clear, the first option would be to slow down and even stop, and not to change lanes without looking!
Corollary 2: Drive at a speed appropriate to a static visibility limit of 5 seconds for that lane.
This means that your speed around the curve in the pic above should be enough for you to arrive at that arrow (the furthest visible point around the curve when you spot it) 5 seconds after you spot it. This is also called static CAS. I shall explain what CAS is, in the next post.
On undivided roads, do not swing out to the opposite lane and obstruct oncoming vehicles if your lane is likely to be blocked.
On left-handed curves, do not drift into right lanes.
On right-handed curves, expect other cars to drift into your lane from your right, and increase your lateral CAS to compensate.
Continue reading BHPian SS-Traveller’s thread on lane discipline for more insights and information.
Keyword: The art of following & changing lanes safely