What was supposed to be the final leg of a relaxing weekend trip turned into a night of horror for Shivasharan (name changed) on August 19, 2024. The 36-year-old software engineer, his wife, and nine-month-old child were returning to Bengaluru when, in order to avoid bumping into the car in front of them, Shivasharan applied brakes near Sarjapur junction. However, 26-year-old Naveen Reddy, who was in a scooter behind them, crashed into their car. Then, all hell broke loose.
Even before Shivasharan could get out to assess the situation, Naveen was banging on the driver’s side door, abusing and threatening him. Despite Shivasharan’s appeals that his baby was onboard, the accused first tried to hurl a huge stone on the windshield before wrenching off one of the wipers, smashing it on the glass and shattering it.
The entire episode, captured on his dashcam and a mobile phone, went viral on social media. “The glass pieces were all over my wife and baby. It took us a while to process everything that transpired in those five minutes. The person was in such a rage that even though passers-by were trying to intervene, I thought we wouldn’t get out of this alive,” said Shivasharan, recounting the ordeal.
Bengaluru’s traffic is infamous and legendary, and its recent byproduct, road rage, a great leveller — from a senior citizen to an IPS officer, from an actor to a techie, to even an ambulance ferrying an accident victim — none has been spared.
Survey finds triggers
Fear, anxiety, and helplessness gripped Sahana (name changed), an HR professional, and her journalist husband when they were travelling from Madikeri to Mysuru in July 2023.
“A car nearly collided with ours near Hunsur at night, and when we tried to confront the driver, he verbally abused us. We did not want to escalate the situation, so we drove away, but he followed us to Mysuru, where he and three of his friends cornered us near a traffic signal. The group began banging on our car windows, leaving us terrified. One of them threw a stone at the driver’s side window, shattering the glass and injuring my husband. They also broke the rear window. We went to the nearest police station and filed a complaint. It took us days to recover from the shock of the incident,” she said.
According to one private survey, road rage was among the foremost triggers of anxiety for car owners in Bengaluru. Of the 22,000 car owners surveyed in the city, 57% revealed that they have experienced some road rage in the last six months. The other triggers included a struggle to find safe and legal parking (67%) and FASTag deactivation over failure to update Know Your Customer (KYC) details (22%).
More reporting by citizens
Addressing the issue of road rage in the city, Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayananda said that it is difficult to definitively state whether such incidents are on the rise or decline but acknowledged that cases are being reported.
“These situations often begin with minor incidents, like a broken taillight, failure to give way, or not using an indicator. These seemingly small issues can escalate into verbal arguments, physical altercations, or even vehicle damage. We have been urging the public to respect other road users, as the road belongs to everyone, and everyone has a right to use it,” he said.
According to data from Bengaluru City Police, the city reported 31 cases of road rage in 2023, with 57 persons being arrested. In 2024, 21 cases of road rage incidents were reported, and 24 arrests were made till August 20.
These numbers may seem low for a city of the size of Bengaluru. That is because most road rage cases are minor scuffles that one must shake off and move past in this sprawling metropolis. But even among those that are reported to the police, a majority are resolved through settlement. Moreover, road rage cases are not treated as a separate offence. “We do not classify road rage as a separate category of crime. Instead, it is typically addressed within the context of related issues such as accidents, physical assault or vehicle damage,” Mr. Dayananda clarified.
| No. of cases reported | No. of persons arrested | No. of rowdy sheets opened | |
| 2023 | 31 | 57 | 11 |
| 2024 (Till August 20) | 21 | 24 | 0 |
Source: City Crime Record Bureau, Bengaluru City Police
The different kinds
The city is witness to two types of road rage. The first and most common is sudden accidental provocation, which in most cases leads to, and is limited to, heated verbal arguments. However, reports are not uncommon of such altercations snowballing into aggressive threats, physical assault, stabbing, pursuit, and even death.
For 21-year-old Mahesh, who worked as a delivery executive for a private firm, a joy ride on a bike with friends turned fatal. It began with a minor incident, but it escalated with the car chasing his two-wheeler, ramming into it and killing him on the spot at Saptagiri Layout in Vidyaranyapura on August 21.
A 26-year-old bouncer was arrested for creating a ruckus and wrenching out the wiper of a car, smashing it on the windscreen and damaging the car of a software engineer who was returning home with his wife and nine-month-old child in a road rage incident in Sarjapur main road on August 19 night. | Photo Credit: special arrangement
The other type is intentional road rage, where miscreants stage accident-like situations and deliberately pick fights with and harass motorists in an attempt to extort money.
Sparsha (name changed), a teacher, had a harrowing experience during an auto ride to work. “We were at a signal when a bike rider came from behind and picked up a fight with the auto driver, falsely accusing him of running over his feet. The elderly auto driver told him that he hadn’t moved since the signal turned red, but the biker started screaming expletives and harassing us. Even after we crossed the signal, the biker followed us for a long time, close to 2 km. I was paranoid about being followed for two days after that incident.”
Taking note of the spate of such incidents, in August last year, Bengaluru Police had been directed to open rowdy sheets against troublemakers and track their activities. While 11 accused in road rage incidents were rowdy sheeted in 2023, no rowdy sheets have been opened in 2024 so far, according to the police data accessed by The Hindu.
City of distressed people
How did roads become the cause for such heightened angst and ill-temper?
Dr. Manoj Kumar Sharma, a clinical psychologist and coordinator of the SHUT Clinic at NIMHANS, attributed this to physical and emotional distress. “Road rage is a form of distress, which can be caused due to internal factors like personal commitments, a deadline to reach a particular destination or even fatigue. External factors like the condition of the road, traffic snarls, and consecutive red lights can also trigger distress,” he said.
He also noted that people with novelty and adventure-seeking temperament also have a propensity to indulge in rash driving, disregarding road rules, leading to road rage. People who are emotionally dysregulated and impulsive because of distress can also have frequent brushes with road rage, he claims.
How to avoid road rage
With road rage becoming a common sight, making even everyday commute a deeply risky proposition, the Bengaluru City Police have been actively reaching out to the public through social media, advising people not to lose their temper or engage in confrontations.
“If you find yourself in such a situation, stay calm and avoid arguments. Contact the police by dialling 112; we are just one call away and can reach you within a few minutes. If necessary, take photographs or note down the number plate, and when the police arrive, explain your side of the story and allow the other person to do the same. However, taking matters into your own hands by damaging vehicles or engaging in physical altercations is best avoided,” Commissioner Dayananda advised.
Little help
But for citizens like Harigovind, a communication professional, the efforts to reach out to the police during a road rage ended in disappointment.
In October 2023, when he and his family were returning from Goa, a speeding car tried to overtake and hit their vehicle near the end of the Nelamangala flyover. “A few other men accompanied the drunk driver. When he realised we are not Kannadigas, he started yelling, ‘Speak in Kannada’. My wife, who works as an epidemiologist with the BBMP, knew Kannada and tried to reason with them. But by then, more of their friends had gathered. We got inside the car, locked it and tried calling the police.”
Despite calling several helpline numbers, multiple times, there was no response from the police at all, says Harigovind. Even the women’s helpline said the area was “not within their limits”. For almost 30 minutes, the family was stranded as the driver and his gang of friends blocked the car before they finally dispersed after hurling a string of abuses.
“The next day, a policeman called and urged us to file an FIR. But they did not come when we needed them the most, so I did not pursue it. If police can be prompt and answer calls on time, people would feel more confident to file complaints. Otherwise, they feel disheartened,” Harigovind says.
Bengaluru’s traffic is infamous and legendary, and its recent byproduct, road rage, a great leveller — from a senior citizen to an IPS officer, from an actor to a techie, to even an ambulance ferrying an accident victim — none has been spared. | Photo Credit: K. MURALI KUMAR
Rise in dashcam sales
As Bengaluru’s choked, unpredictable roads turn into death traps, dashcam dealers in the city have witnessed a significant surge in demand for the device among car owners.
Praveen Kumar, a dashcam dealer on J.C. Road, mentioned that over the past year, the demand for the camera has steadily increased.
“We’ve seen a sharp rise in interest from vehicle owners, not just for basic models but also for advanced ones with features like night vision and real-time tracking. The market, which previously had only a few manufacturers, is now expanding with the entry of various brands, including well-established companies. This growth can be largely attributed to the rise in road rage incidents and accidents, as more people are keen to protect themselves with video evidence in case of any disputes on the road,” Kumar explained.
Commissioner Dayananda also clarified that footage from dashcams is accepted as evidence in road rage cases. “Thanks to dashcams, what might have gone unnoticed before is now being recorded, which helps us in gathering evidence and conducting thorough investigations,” he added.
How to safely handle road rage incidents
How to diffuse situation
While the city explores ways to improve road infrastructure and tackle road lawlessness, citizens cannot afford to let their guard down. Devices like dashcams are of great help in the event of any untoward incident, but the reality is that most road rage factors are beyond control. So, is there a way to diffuse conflict even before it erupts?
“Take a breath,” says Dr. Manoj. A long, deep breath can bring down emotional distress and impulsivity while on the road and help make rational decisions.
In Shivasharan’s case, the police arrived at the scene in 10-15 minutes, and the accused was arrested the next day as well. But, he says, more than the physical effort of making multiple visits to the police station and the RTO, he is concerned about the mental trauma and financial toll that his family has been through.
“My wife and child were terrified. The baby had a panic attack and was down with a fever for three days after that. This is not the Bengaluru I once knew. Earlier, the perennial issue here was potholes, but today, anti-social elements are making our driving experience and daily life unsafe in the city,” Shivasharan said.
