Road Rules And Common Courtesies.

[vishkid]

Yeah, these 'narrow' painted medians are a relatively new thing - essentially a measure to introduce some element of safety on roads where relatively high speed traffic moves in opposite directions. It's an intermediate step between a painted single or double line and a raised rib median. Having read through some implementations on different countries, they can replace a single line as well as a double line - hence the ambiguity.

Anyhow while driving you're not supposed to enter it unless avoiding an accident. It's anyway not wide enough to be moved to as a temporary placement to be used when turning right, or just after you've turned right (from a by road) before merging.

Would be nice to know the definitive Sri Lankan law on these.

BTW, I've seen countless drivers getting copped on marine drive for even driving one wheel over the left line of this painted median.

[sathyajithj99]

Less speed - more reaction time

Edited January 20, 2015 by sathyajithj99

[bimalnp4me]

With the influx of new cars to the Sri Lankan roads, many new road users are joining the fray daily. Most of them are new to their cars and most of them are still newer to driving. So I want to start a thread to discuss about what we know about the most common road rules, courtesies we have to afford other drivers and hopefully reduce the amount of idiotic driving habits we see every day on our roads.

Some mistakes and some tips.

1. Not giving right of way. Right is Might according to SL traffic law. No matter how mcuh you will try to weasel your way out of a crash, if you did not give right of way, you are WRONG!

2. Not keeping junction boxes clear. (For instance, Near Apollo Car park entrance, ITS A HOSPITAL PEOPLE! IT COULD BE YOU WHO ARE INJURED NEEDING MEDICAL ATTENTION STUCK IN A CAR BECAUSE SOME IDIOT IN A BRAND NEW PERMIT MARUTI DOES NOT KNOW THE JUNCTION BOX RULE. KEEP IT CLEAR AT ALL TIMES).

3. In the night, use the High Beam only if the road ahead is clear of all on coming traffic. Do not follow another car with your High Beams on. Its a Common Courtesy. Before many of you decide to put on HIDs, learn how to use the headlights you have first.

4. Always follow the 5 second rule when indicating. Indicate your signals a minimum of 5 seconds before turning.

5. Try not to overtake on a single unbroken line. Getting copped is a bad idea and worse is if you cause an accident. You will be charged and the fines are really high. Same goes to zebra crossings.

6. Use a hands free at all times. That call is NOT WORTH IT, if you cause an accident while on the phone. ( I broke both legs of a 3 wheel driver, because I looked down to see who is calling and the taxi ahead stopped. Taxi was condemned and I paid 100,000 in compensation + court charges and fines and a suspension for 2 months. Like I said, ITS NOT WORTH IT).

7. Colombo roads are not race tracks, they are busy, congested and unpredictable. Drive with your wits about you. You wanna race, lets meet up regularly at the usual closed race circuits and race your hearts out with relative safety.

8. Always follow the 3 second rule when following another car. "To determine the right following distance, first select a fixed object on the road ahead such as a sign or tree. When the vehicle ahead of you passes the object, slowly count "one one thousand, two one thousand, three one thousand." If you reach the object before completing the count, you're following too closely. Making sure there are three seconds between you and the car ahead gives you time and distance to respond to problems in the lane ahead of you.".

9. Your life, the lives of your family/friends in the car and the lives of strangers with families and loved ones are in your hands when you take the wheel. Always be cautious and be courteous.

10. Discourage your wives, mothers and others to carry babies in the front seats. Buy a car seat. I am sure your baby's life is worth more than a few thousand rupees. Forget what your elders say about, 'nothing will happen'. When it does, it will be too late. A baby will not survive a trip through the windscreen or hitting the head on the dash board or even a deployed Air Bag. (Air Bags deploy within 0.04 seconds, a force enough to kill a baby)

Thats all I can think of... others are quite welcome to comment.

very good post..

i recently visit UK, and Driving is much better experience ..

1- No tuk tuk..

2- not only Drivers , pedestrians are also responsible , they newer cross a road without zebra crossing , and drivers will stop even when you chatting near zebra crossing.

3-no Horns

4-respect each other

5. No Traffic police and Bribery

I all ways hope we can have that road culture..