Between the lanes

Risky journey

Drivers of BMTC buses are known for not following lane discipline and for rash driving. This has been leading to chaos on the road and adding to road accidents.

Recently, a teenager was mowed down by a bus and died on the spot as the two-wheeler she was travelling on lost balance.

Bengalureans, who frequently use the BMTC services have been voicing concern about the rash driving of these drivers.

Some of them spoke to Metrolife about the hazards they face on a daily basis and the need for stringent measures.  It’s common to see BMTC drivers taking sharp U-turns, jumping lanes and skipping traffic signals, says Sunaina Krithikar, a homemaker from Yelahanka.

“Most bus drivers try to turn the bus around, even on flyovers, and it’s scary. Recently in Marathahalli, at a crowded junction, a BMTC bus suddenly changed lanes and hit a car which created chaos behind,” she recollects.

“It took more than an hour to clear the traffic there. Thankfully, there were no casualties but this is a regular pattern even at the busiest junctions,”  she says.

“There have been umpteen instances when the buses almost hit pedestrians who were on the zebra crossing at the right signal. Strict training and a filtering process should be in place for the BMTC drivers,” she adds.

Pothole-filled roads are another scary experience for bus commuters, where the bus drivers drive at high speed. 

Poulomi Endow, a finance analyst, who travels on the Outer Ring Road regularly, says, “The drivers drive really fast on broken roads, making the travel a painful ordeal for the passengers. Overtaking unnecessarily is another regular habit,” she says.

Poulomi, like other passengers, feels that there should be a mandatory check on the drivers’ behaviour and driving patterns.

Other commuters like Ishanu Dhar, an IT engineer, who travels from Marathahalli to Hebbala frequently, says that he sees buses stopping frequently in the middle of the road.

“This not only affects the passengers as they try to get off in the middle of the road but also the motorists travelling near the bus,” says Ishanu.  Buses even skip lanes or navigate between lanes suddenly, which is dangerous.

“They also overtake without any warning. Also, there is a constant race between bus drivers and this is scary,” he adds.  He says that a sensitisation programme for the drivers is a must. “There should be training classes held at regular intervals and bus drivers should be reprimanded for breaking rules.”

Most drivers are in a hurry to leave the destination, even when there is a proper bus stop.  “My cousin and I were getting off the bus at Mathikere bus top. The driver stopped for a brief moment and before my cousin could get off, he drove off. She almost fell off the bus and we can’t imagine what could have possibly happened, had she not managed to balance herself on the footboard,” says Ashika Agerwal, a design student.

She says that she tried calling the helpline number to inform about the incident, but the call didn’t go through.

“A friend, who was on the same bus, said that the driver was arguing and fighting with even pedestrians on the road,” says Ashika. She is of the opinion that instilling lane discipline and giving proper driving classes for these drivers are the need of the hour. “Most drivers don’t realise the space that a bus takes up in traffic,” she feels.