There ought to be a law against driving with High beam headlights

I am not sure if it is all around, but in Pune, people believe, motor vehicles are suppose to be driven with high-beam headlights. People who drive know, how killing this can be. Specially for people who drive 2-wheelers back home (like me ofcourse) at 8-8:30pm. Trucks, Buses, SUVs, Cars with neon lights drive with their high beams as if they did never heard of a low-beam headlight. Yes Yes, there is a low beam. Can you go back to your vehicle and please check and please keep it there.

The high beams at night are very very offensive. It blinds you totally. Most city roads in Pune are well-lit and pretty crowded too. Everyone can very well do with their low-beam headlights.
We need better laws and regulations than the petty penalty of Rs 100/- for "Using High Beam where not required.".

So when is the high beam supposed to be used?

Will Quote "Zack" from yahoo forums to answer that. I think he says it pretty well. Plain common sense actually.

"High beams are meant to be used to give you more visibility at a greater distance in front of you. A driver is supposed to keep them ON as long as he needs to be able to see that maximum distance, EXCEPT when another car approaches in the opposite direction, or, when comming upon another car, ahead, going the same direction.

The lights should be dimmed to prevent blinding the other drivers with the glare of the high beams.

In the case of the car ahead of you, HIS headlights will illuminate the road ahead of him, so you won't need your high beams to do that.

Similar reasons apply to a car approaching yours from the opposite direction. His headlights illuminate the road between his car and the extent of your regular beams."

First Showers

It rained today. I saw the rains through the window but forgot about it and went by my job. Latter in the evening, I see a message from the hubby that said "Heavy rains, you think the peapod would be fascinated or afraid?". And that is when I remembered about the hailstones 2 weeks back. Yes, it rained hailstones here in Pune. The kids it seems had only been bathed and so were locked inside while they watched the little ice cubes land on our balcony through the sliding glass doors. The Uncle & Aunty upstairs were too excited and they kept calling out to the kids while throwing all the ice cubes from their balcony to ours. The duo were totally confused as to what was happening but nevertheless kept yelling out to uncle and aunty, "Veenum Veenum" (You will fall), something we keep telling them when they get over-excited. A very lovable couple and they indulge the kids as much as is possible from balcony to balcony.

I replied back to the hubby saying "Fascinated definitely". When I left office at 8pm, it was drizzling and I thought I should be able to make it home decently. By the time I was a km or so from the office, it stating pouring. The first rains and ofcourse I hit the traffic jams. In the 10km stretch from home to work, the roads have been dug up at 3 places. One is a road widening project, second is a piping project and third I am not sure what are they doing blocking the entire road creating major traffic scenes during peak hours. I am ok with all these projects and the inconvenience caused, as far as, by the end of it, we have decent wide roads and no drainage issues during monsoon. Since I was on my 2-wheeler, it was easy to wade through the traffic. By the time I reached home, I was totally drenched from head to toe. I changed and hugged the peapod tight since I was cold and she was very warm. Mom says, they watched the rains, the thunder, the lightnings running around the house, watching it from each room, each window. They were very very excited.

We will just need to keep the towels and cameras handy to dance on a chance.

Holkar Bridge

The Holkar Bridge in Pune is atleast 150 years old. It is built over the mula river. I pass this bridge to & from work everyday. You will invariably get into a traffic jam during peak hours around this place. The alternate route to this bridge is to travel around the city. This little bridge has side pavements & railings on either side. Other than the normal 2-wheelers & 4-wheelers, all kinds of heavy weight vehicles including buses, trucks, and military vehicles use the Holkar Bridge mercilessly. Most 2-wheelers use the side pavement and that truly in effect have turned out to be the fastest lane.

Yesterday while returning from work, in my 4-wheeler, at the onset of the bridge, I noticed the traffic to be moving at snail speed on the fastest lane. While I was wondering if we were getting into a traffic jam ahead, I saw a pretty young lady walking on the pavement and the 2-wheelers trying to keep their balance on the narrow pavement behind her. It is a dicey feeling to drive over that pavement because in all probability, the railings are also 150 yrs old and with the least help might find ourselves in the river below. Don’t worry, even if it is so, the river right now has enough water to cushion the fall so you might not break a bone or two just that you will emerge with dried flowers, plastic covers (from the flood last year) & algae all over, looking like a pretty little Christmas tree but smelling like shit. Everyone on the road were throwing her looks as if she was the sole reason for all the traffic jams in the history of Holkar bridge and only after she steps down from this pavement can they begin any improvement work and they have been waiting for it for the past 100 years. She realized the awkwardness and jumped on to the road. Now to say of the road, the extreme right & left sides of this lane is occupied by the 2-wheelers and also the gaps in between the bumpers of 4-wheelers. The precision & unsaid discipline is such that an ariel view would probably suggest VVIP vehicles moving. As soon as the confused lady jumped on to the road, the extreme left lane of motorist was all disturbed and started honking. Suddenly she started running, not knowing what to do next. I couldn't help but laugh at the sudden turn of events. So much for the rights of pedestrians & use of pavements.

The Holkar Bridge is under the cantonment administration & that is often used as the excuse for the bad maintenance of the bridge. Our finance minister Mr. P. Chidambaram, last year during his visit to the city is also quoted to have asked

"Which defence authorities' clearance is awaited? It is not the Russian defence authority. It's is our defence ministry."

Do we expect any changes this year?? Will keep you posted. Meanwhile "Long Live Holkar Bridge"(only then I will survive....yeah yeah selfish selfish me)

PWD v/s Rains in Pune

The weather in the last couple of days in Pune can be best compared to that of UK. The day starts with a very sunny morning, sweating afternoons, windy evenings and rainy nights. Yes its pouring here in Pune for the last 3 days and pouring hard.
Of the many things thatz falling apart, its the Roads that the PCMC has just started to repair/build.
I pity the PWD because they waited this long to begin with, which I am assuming is to be 200% sure that the rains are over. In the past because of public protests they did start work only to be outdone by the immediate rains and the roads would be all potholed all over again and only worse this time with the gravel all over the place. It was attracting all the
bad publicity possible for the Shoddy work. They waited long enough but the rains dont seem to be in a mood to oblige and nor are puneries in a mood to accept any shoddy work anymore.