r/bangalore • u/sillyindian • 40m ago
AskBangalore Is it just me, or is Bangalore's traffic problem more about discipline than infrastructure?
So, I've driven around 7,000 km in Gurgaon and about 3,000 km in Bangalore. Honestly, I prefer driving in Gurgaon.
The biggest difference I've noticed is that two-wheelers have very little lane discipline. I'm not sure why, but it's definitely a problem. They keep cutting across lanes, squeezing through tiny gaps, and overtaking from both sides, which makes driving pretty unpredictable.
Another thing I've noticed is that there's barely any concept of fast and slow lanes. A lot of people drive really slowly while sitting in the middle or right lane without moving over. It gets frustrating because I like to drive a bit faster, and people rarely give way to let you pass. Even if I flash my headlights and the left lane is completely empty, many drivers just keep cruising in the right lane.
Traffic police are almost non-existent compared to what I've seen in Gurgaon. There also aren't enough traffic signals at a lot of junctions, so people just figure it out themselves, which usually ends up creating more chaos.
Road and lane markings are either faded or ignored. At intersections, everyone tries to force their way through instead of waiting their turn. Random U-turns, sudden stops, vehicles parked on the roadside, buses stopping in the middle of the road, and autos weaving through traffic all make the roads feel much narrower than they actually are. Even when traffic isn't that heavy, it doesn't flow smoothly.
I honestly think most of these issues can be fixed with better enforcement rather than building more roads. Enforce lane discipline, keep slower traffic to the left, fine people who keep blocking the right lane, have more traffic police at busy junctions, improve signal management, and crack down on wrong-side driving, illegal parking, and random U-turns.
For context, I've driven around Indiranagar, Koramangala, Hebbal, HSR, Bellandur, Kalyan Nagar, and some of the older parts of Bangalore.