Traffic tips
Here are a few quick traffic tips which would be of immense help in Chennai.
Tip1:
Driving in chennai roads is a pleasure, if you go out between 11PM and 6AM that is. So please plan your appointments accordingly 
Tip2:
If you take Kodambakkam High Road in the morning, its better to carry puliyodharai, thengai/thayir sadham, a water bottle, a bed spread, Kumudam, Vikatan etc in a separate bag. You never know when you might need it.
Tip3:
While starting to office, its better to inform your boss immediately that you would be late for work. Atleast you can do the informing part promptly!
Tip4:
There is something called “The zen and art of cycle gapla auto sneaking’. You should be good enough to move your vehicle in inches and then sneak through a cycle gap in a flash. It’s better to be selectively deaf for a few minutes after that though.
Tip5:
In the evening, if two people start from same place to the same home, one at 7PM and another one at 8PM, chances are both will reach home at the same time. So it pays to be late. The later, the better.
Tip6:
If you are in a traffic jam and in a hurry to go, dont worry. Leave your vehicle as it is and start walking. You’d reach your place faster that way.
Tip7:
Before you start your journey, its better to visit the restroom. The last thing you need is an urge to relieve right in the middle of a traffic jam. A restroom on anyday is better than your own trousers I guess. And i’m also hinting you about the dampness you feel on roads after a traffic jam!.
Tip8:
To all of those who are single and available. Never disrespect a traffic jam. Many a love story has began in a traffic jam. So keep your eyes and ears open. Look up left and right. If you are sharp enough, you can avoid dakaltimatrimony later on.
Tip9:
Research has proved that the best treatment for heart patients is letting them drive in a traffic jam. The slow movement of the vehicles teaches them patience. Some even learn breathing exercises and yoga while waiting. With no TV mega serials and news channels, it also gives them a chance to open up with fellow travellers. Some lifelong friendships are born, health tips are exchanged which results in overall improvement in quality of life.
Tip10:
If you are still keen on travelling inspite of all these tips, then only God can save you. Pray more often!
March 10th, 2006 at 7:53 pm
god save pk!!!
secondly its called the ‘art of cycle gap la auto sneaking’
thts wht ppl like us do
March 10th, 2006 at 8:09 pm
hehe…. very good ones… recently your neriya imagine panni eluthireenga pola
interesting..
I loved the 2nd anf 8th tips..:)
March 10th, 2006 at 9:25 pm
Interesting tips! Besides being selectively deaf, what’s ur opinion on learning selective profanity to mouth at the guy who is too busy on his mobile phone to yield the cycle gap we need!:)
March 10th, 2006 at 10:32 pm
Like i was telling Keerthi, you can hone your singing skills while ur on the road. The pace of traffic movement dictates the song and the pace at which you sing it. Volume is at your discretion.
Innikki naan ivalavu periya singer-a irukken na adhukku sing-in-the roads dhaan karanam
And i’m serious!
March 10th, 2006 at 10:33 pm
Tip 2 addition from a regular user of the KH Road :
Pls carry a Calendar too. It would help you in better information dissemination in Tip 3.
March 10th, 2006 at 11:44 pm
heart treatment enna periya pramadham, sholinganallur pakkam irukka road-la ethanayo thaai maargaLukku suga prasavamey nadandhu irukku…
March 11th, 2006 at 12:10 am
pk
this can be applied to any city in india with suitable modifications.
March 11th, 2006 at 4:38 am
Need of the hour : Traffic watch,listening to radio announcements from Chennai City traffic police( if any exists),public following traffic rules,restructuring road rules,
lane system(atleast 2 lanes, one for 2 wheelers, one for 4 wheelers)
maamul vaangatha traffic mama,etc etc..
Given the amount of vehicles in the city that increases ever,the road size is either same or decreasing due to encroachments,potholes,any reason for that matter..should be regulated atleast now.if not its gonna be a nightmare in years to come..
I hope this happens in :Namma Chennai:
March 11th, 2006 at 6:18 am
PK
==
Tip -11 - Remember to carry Soap and a towel ( if you drive a motorcycle ) so that you can reach your destination and have a thorough wash.
==
Tip7 was funny LOL
Romance in Traffic Jams.!! - Umm.!!
==
Empty your bladder - Very true..I suffered once.! Thought I’ll pass out.!! Bottom line - These days I carry a bottle in Hand..Just in Case.!!
March 11th, 2006 at 6:37 am
ada-paavi,
very true da!
anand,
nandri hai.apdi ellam illama, i had only the first tip in mind when i started to write:)
casement,
right, i could’ve added that too:)
March 11th, 2006 at 6:40 am
sangeetha kalanidhi (aka) soonapaana,
unga thalai madhiriye sakala vithaigalum therinchu vechirukeengo:D
don,
calendar! gud one:)
balaji,
en kitte yaaravadhu ketta kandippa un office road dhaan solven:D
March 11th, 2006 at 6:43 am
RC,
oh yeah! this is all india stuff
desi-payyan,
>>lane system(atleast 2 lanes, one for 2 wheelers, one for 4 wheelers)
let me not get started on that lane system politics here. that’s saved for another post.
NV,
towel soap idea nalla irukkey!
bottle! shhh! koncham summa irunga, naan dhinam bottle kondu poren
(water pudikka) makkal ennai sandhega padaporaanga
March 11th, 2006 at 2:36 pm
Wow.. Good da maapillai, no wonder I am skipping Madras this time around, Bangalore is no better.
March 11th, 2006 at 3:35 pm
haahaa, good one,
first time here..
esp that kodampakkam road tips is super ROTFL
enga bnglre hosur road vanthu parunga, same blood! (tanq vadivelu)
March 11th, 2006 at 4:39 pm
Leave your vehicle as it is and start walking. You’d reach your place faster that way,” dont wory about ur vehicle, it will be on the same palce, so u can take it when u return from office. 2nd one is nice, we can also take FM or mini TV with us for entertainment. i think if we go in auto, we can reach soon, because avanga thaan cycle gapela phunthu povanga.
March 11th, 2006 at 9:38 pm
LOL… too good PK… applies more to bglr than chennai :-)… chennai, or for that matter any city, can’t beat bglr when it come to traffic!
and wear a light colored (t-)shirt only if u want ur collars to have a natural occuring artificially created design (by the dust and pollution), which never goes off
March 12th, 2006 at 7:44 am
hahahah…that was infact amusing..
you spent that much time listing your views down… terrific!
March 13th, 2006 at 5:26 am
Hello PK, naan oorukku poi irundhappa edhaachum ponnu paatheengala? Kalyanam date fix paneeyaachaa? Eppo? Enge? Ponnu endha ooru?
March 13th, 2006 at 10:57 am
hi prabhu,
that was really really hilarious.
one more tip, if u want to really reach a place late, drive behind an auto. u will learn all the tactics to ride on chennai roads.
March 13th, 2006 at 2:49 pm
hey mukiyama you should mention the same thayir sadam and puliyodarai should be taken two packets if anyonoe crossing the kamla theatre junction and then passing the liberty bridge. Gosh..its more than 5 yrs i drove in Chennai.. Brings back my memories of getting tanned in the my two wheelers and applying breaks every 10 meters.
March 13th, 2006 at 11:55 pm
deepak,
idhu sola oru commenta ? nera kodumai daa..ingey varama engey poiduve?
ambi,
wecome here. bangalore kadhai innum bhageer matter. en heart dhangadu
jeevan,
FM, mini TV ya? apdiye ration card um kettu paaru. apdi dhaan irukku nilamai..
NK,
bangalore is bad, but chennai is increasingly becoming one bangalore..
March 13th, 2006 at 11:59 pm
lavannya,
hey how r u? danks:)
WA,
summa satham pottu oorai kootadheenga. will disclose of anything turns official:D
veda,
dank u.auto ku pinnadiya? nera hospital dhaan poganum… all automen in chennai r capable of acrobatics seen only in jet li movies…gravity defying types..
at a time 180 deg laam auto thirumbum:)
barbienan,
hehe sondha anubhavam nalla dhaan irukku…:)
March 15th, 2006 at 6:41 am
I have a visiting card printed, which says 7 to 7.30 - Nelson Manickam Road.
March 15th, 2006 at 7:38 am
keerthi,
time rombo kammiya irukkey?!:)
November 28th, 2007 at 3:54 am
hi prabu. am searching for historical nuggets on ‘north usman road’ in chennai for a college project my daughter is working on. thought i’d be of some use ! after quite some time on the net, i realise i’m possibly not looking in the right places. your name / blog popped up on a few of my search attempts. i’m looking for a historical perspective on the road. little nuggets. maybe some anecdotal. perhaps a few then- and-now visuals. a commentary on the architectural style. i’m not sure if blog protocol allows such specific requests, but i guess if i don’t ask, i won’t know. and i certainly won’t have the information on north usman road ! regards arup. ps. do pls mail as soon as you can.
July 3rd, 2008 at 8:51 pm
[…] to thamizh blogs. Do check out Gilli for the GPS in Chennai post too. Reminded me of my own traffic tips written two years ago. Total […]