Pedestrian rules in India(Hyderabad to be specific)

[sai86]

Hello Guys,

 

Just wanted to ask if anybody is aware of the pedestrian rules in India(Hyderabad to be specific).

 

Yesterday a weird situation happened to me, I was walking on the right hand side(extreme right corner) of a road(I always prefer walking right hand side as I can see the traffic approaching me) I dropped my phone and stopped to pick it up. A biker with his kid sitting on the petrol tank came in wrong route and hit me from the back, he lost balance and fell down.

 

Now the damages:

• Luckily nothing happened to me, a very small scratch on my lower leg
• Kid on the bike was bleeding due to facial injury
• Guy driving the bike has his shirt torn on the shoulder
• Damages to the bike can be ignored as it is nothing when compared to the human damages

Now the blame game:

Guy driving the bike got up and started blaming me for stopping suddenly.

• Biker: All this happened because you stopped suddenly
• Me: You are coming in the wrong route, you should be more careful, you could have got a helmet for your kid atleast
• Biker: These are not main roads and nobody follows traffic rules, you need to pay for the damages
• Me: Get the first aid done for your kid instead of fighting with me, I can wait if you want and I am not going to pay anything as it's your mistake
• Biker: I am going in this way past 5 years and nothing happened, you are the reason for this, to take a U turn I need to go for 1KM in this hot sun

 

Few people gathered in my support and few in support for the biker, after looking at the kid's situation they moved her to nearby hospital for first aid.

 

I searched a lot for pedestrian rules, but no concrete information is available.

 

Any insights are highly appreciated, it can help other pedestrian too.
Thanks a ton guys!

 

[Gowtham]

Lucky that nothing major happened. If you are on a bike/car you would have been in a mess.
It is absolutely biker mistake.

 

In our country, no one is ready to accept mistake and everyone has their own version of justification.
Next time, when you face such kind of situation try to take a video and pictures.

Never go soft on such idiots and don't share contact/personal details.

 

1 hour ago, sai86 said:

searched a lot for pedestrian rules, but no concrete information is available.

Rules will definitely exist. I tried to search, but worst point is no proper government website.

 

1 hour ago, sai86 said:

I was walking on the right hand side

It is always safe to walk on the right hand side, without footpaths(occupied by small vendors), road crossings and people driving like maniacs.  
Walking on the left hand side of road is disaster waiting to happen.

 

[sagar]

It is so stupid and sad to hear from the biker that he was arguing over the damages over taking a quite first aid for his child. And these people would never change. And I find no wrong in you taking a walk on your right side as you get a view of the on coming traffic. 

In India pedestrians are definitely at fault in 80% of the cases as accidents happen when they cross the roads with no proper sighting of the traffic but, here that is absolutely not the case and the biker is at total fault.

And as per rules, pedestrians are supposed to walk on the right side of the road when there is no footpath available. How ever, very few people are aware of this. Common understanding is to stay left as it is what traffic rules suggest for the vehicles. but, it is unfortunately an assumption to be an assumptions for the pedestrians as well which is not true. 

What you did was absolutely right and I have found a small link for your reference which might help you. (Please refer to the 3rd point in this URL below)

http://myindiarto.blogspot.in/p/guidelines-for-pedestrians.html

[sharma]

I do not find any wrong from your end sai, lack of awareness is the main reason for not having much concern in India related to pedestrians traffic rules or safety. You may not have seen any pedestrian getting fined even if causing an accident
 

[hsudhir]

I am really surprised that the biker has started to blame you over this instead of taking care of his young daughter.
Few things would never change here how much ever awareness you try to bring on and I would say all for this is just the freedom to convenience what people prefer in this country. Convenience has always been the priority over safety and regard to other on the road. Unless there is a policeman there, most of the road users would be breaking the traffic rules and when it comes to pedestrians, police do not have much rights to corr etc them or fine them and so no bother. You r right in everyway even if someone speak rules where as the biker is at stake as he has violated what has to be followed.
 

[sai86]

Thanks Guys.

@sagar @Ranger @sharma @hsudhir

I am relieved to know that I am following the correct rules these many years.

 

8 hours ago, Ranger said:

Rules will definitely exist. I tried to search, but worst point is no proper government website

Yup, no proper government website. I even tried reading the content available for learning licence test, nothing talks about pedestrian rules.

 

6 hours ago, sharma said:

You may not have seen any pedestrian getting fined even if causing an accident

True pedestrians never get penalized even when mistake is at their end, Pedestrians should only carry utmost importance only when they are following the correct rules.

 

People getting drunk and roaming on roads get hit by vehicles, still blames the driver for driving for being careless. This is common sight in India

 

6 hours ago, sagar said:

It is so stupid and sad to hear from the biker that he was arguing over the damages over taking a quite first aid for his child

 

6 hours ago, hsudhir said:

I am really surprised that the biker has started to blame you over this instead of taking care of his young daughter.

Even I felt he so insane, he needs counseling on road manners

 

 

[samson]

In Bangalore they used to fine for jay walking. They do have laws regarding pedestrians.

[Gowtham]

2 hours ago, samson said:

In Bangalore they used to fine for jay walking. They do have laws regarding pedestrians.

India is a country with good set of laws, When it comes to implementation no one cares. 
Lack of infrastructure(foot paths, crossings..) is the main issue.

People try to cross the road at signals, when it is green. 
I had a close call with a guy, who was crossing the road during a green signal.