Check Out Why This Bengaluru Guy's 'Sane Driving' Open Challenge Is Inspiring Indians All Over

Sridhar Vivan
Sridhar Vivan
Updated on Jun 18, 2015, 12:00 IST
High beam light,Fast vehicles.

A Bengaluru-based entrepreneur has used the social media to dare motorists to go without using high beam or honk for a day.

Deepak Dhananjaya, who works at ITPB, has thrown this challenge to fellow- motorists through a campaign after experiencing almost every day the agony of driving through high beam lights from vehicles coming in the opposite direction.

Bengaluru roads' condition makes high beams even more dangerous

"High beams are a big menace in the city. The bikers and those travelling in cars usually become victims of high beams used by the heavier vehicles. As we know high beams literally blind people and are potentially dangerous. The problem is more in Bengaluru due to large number of potholes on the roads. Many a time, the high beams are so powerful that one cannot see a pothole or a bad road in front and end up falling into it. Pedestrians crossing the road, too, cannot be seen (by the blinded driver) because of the high beams. So, I decided to kick-start this challenge," Deepak told BM.

Life threatening light.

YouTube

Deepak drives from his residence in Jayanagar to ITPB almost daily. That is when he experienced first-hand the plight of many a driver on the city roads when the drivers coming in the opposite direction use high beams without thinking what effect it would have on the motorists coming in the opposite direction.

The idea spread through social media

"I have started a page on social sites and sending the challenges to my friends who can challenge their friends in turn. In the next phase (of the campaign) I am planning to get stickers printed on the issue and circulate it among the public. I hope the public takes up this challenge and reduce accidents in the city.

Another techie, R Narasimha Nayak, said he had a narrow escape from the jaws of death on a two-way while on the highway. "I could see only one light on high beam coming from the opposite direction. I thought it may be a two-wheeler. Despite me turning my light to low beam the other vehicle continued with the high beam. Only, when it neared did I suddenly realise it was not a two-wheeler but a truck. 

The incident could have proved fatal for me. The Bengaluru traffic police has banned the high beam inside the city and yet people continue to violate it." In fact, the use of high beams is one of the most debated points in Bengaluru whose traffic police have time and again asked motorists to avoid using high beams. But their message does not seem to have taken effect.

On the contrary, the Bengaluru police website is filled with motorists defending the use of high beam lights saying, "The quality of low beam lights provided in Indian cars is very poor. Using high beam becomes inevitable ... Moreover we don't see any traffic police in parts of the city after 7pm. "

Another has argued: "Low beam or high beam, all lights meet the minimum standards set by Indian standards. However, when people replace the OEM-fitted lights with 'brighter' lights, halogens etc (that) causes safety issues."

What Bengalureans Want

* Action against those changing headlights to neon and LED.

* Random checks against illegal lighting modifications

* Check on bulbs as high as 120/100 watts in city limits 

* Increase penalties slapped on those using high beams number. 

(Originally published in The Bangalore Mirror)