Blame the driver, don’t brand Thar as a car of rogues

The worry behind Haryana DGP OP Singh’s statement is real, the generalisation is not helpful. When I first read his comments — “Thar is not a car, it’s a statement which says, ‘This is how I am’… whoever has a Thar, his mind would not be in its right place” — I had contrasting views. I didn’t like that every owner was being judged, but I understood what he was reacting to because I drive in Delhi-NCR every day.

I have seen the behaviour that is being alluded to. Late night revving, sudden lane changes, small convoys trying to dominate traffic for a video. It is not only the Thar or the Scorpio, but these two are very visible and they stand out. A vehicle does not turn a person into a reckless driver. People make those choices. But certain vehicles attract certain personalities and also change how some people feel behind the wheel. When you climb into a tall SUV with a flat bonnet, big tyres and a commanding seat, you feel confident and protected. That is useful on rough roads and long trips. It can also make a few drivers overconfident in city traffic.

I say this as someone who has learned to respect limits on rally stages and test tracks. Real driving skill is quiet and controlled. You learn to read grip, weight transfer and braking distance. You learn patience. It is the opposite of showing off. That is why I don’t blame the Thar or the Scorpio as products. I blame a small group of drivers who use the presence of these vehicles as permission to behave larger than life on public roads. Their videos and antics create the stereotype that sticks to everyone else.

Many owners I’ve spoken to say they bought these SUVs for road trips, hills, farm runs, practicality or simply because they love the design. They use seat belts. They respect speed limits. They signal and merge properly. They hate being put in the same box as the few who do burnouts at a red light. I hear you, and I stand with you. But we also have to accept a tough reality. The loud clips get more views than good behaviour. The viral minutes shape public memory. When a police officer or an everyday commuter reacts sharply, they are reacting to that memory.

What can actually change things? First, how the industry talks about these vehicles. Brands and dealers can shape culture. I want delivery day to include a short safety talk. Explain how bigger tyres change braking distance. Explain why roof lights and dark films are unsafe and illegal in the city. Explain convoy etiquette. Explain basic recovery so no one blocks a road in the name of rescue. Do it in a friendly way, not as a lecture. Also, be clear about what the brand will not install. If an accessory is illegal or risky, say no and say it publicly.

Second, give people safe spaces to enjoy their machines. Track sessions, off-road parks and beginner training days work. When people try controlled driving in a safe environment, they return to city roads calmer. They get their dose of adrenaline where it belongs. If you have not done a proper course, please try one. You will come back with a new respect for tyres, brakes and smooth inputs.

Third, we need to be realistic about Delhi-NCR, actually many Indian cities now. Roads are wide but discipline is uneven. Everyone is in a hurry. A tall SUV feels practical here. You see better, you feel safer and you have torque to pull out of messy situations. The problem begins when practicality becomes entitlement. I have reminded myself of this every time I drove home after a rally. The same skills that keep you safe at high speed make you gentle in traffic. Smooth steering. Smooth throttle. Early signals. No sudden moves to scare a biker. No pushing a small car out of the lane with a horn. These are small habits and they cost nothing.

Fourth, enforcement should be consistent. Random crackdowns create anger. Predictable penalties change behaviour. If people know that a wrong side overtake, a bull bar or a blinding light will definitely cost them, many will think twice. Police presence at known hotspots helps even more.

Late nights near flyovers, mall exits at closing time and stretches where convoys gather — visible patrols there make a bigger difference than a hundred online debates.

Fifth, insurance can be a positive partner. Voluntary telematics and safe driving rewards are common in many countries. If smooth driving brings lower premiums or service benefits, many owners will opt in. This is not surveillance. This is incentive. Money and convenience change habits faster than speeches.

Now to the DGP’s words themselves, where he even clubbed Thar drivers and Bullet riders as rogue elements on the road: “Saare badmash issi pe chalte hain.” It reads like a stamp on your character because you bought a certain model. I don’t agree with that framing. The focus should stay on behaviour, not on a badge. But I also see why the comment happened. If you handle crash reports and public complaints every day, you will react to patterns you keep seeing. My request to leadership is simple: call out the behaviour strongly. At the same time, invite responsible owners to help set the tone on the road. We can help if the conversation is respectful. Culture shifts faster if we don’t just argue about identity.

It also helps to step back from the model-specific debate and look at what leaders and courts keep repeating. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has said many times that lane indiscipline and chaotic driving habits make our roads dangerous, not just raw speed. The Supreme Court and its Committee on Road Safety have stressed personal responsibility, predictable enforcement, and state-level compliance to cut deaths. In plain terms, this means visible policing at hotspots, steady penalties for reckless moves and illegal accessories, and better engineering of our streets so good behaviour becomes the easy choice.

To my fellow Thar and Scorpio owners, here is what actually changes the mood on the road. Keep your vehicle legal and safe. No dark films. No blinding auxiliary lights. No illegal horns. Keep the exhaust civil. On the road, be boring in the best sense. Hold your lane. Leave space. Merge calmly. Overtake only when you can complete the move without forcing anyone to brake. Yield to ambulances without hesitation. If someone provokes you, let it go. The easiest way to deflate a stereotype is to stop feeding it. People remember courtesy more than they admit.

Behaviour is the issue and behaviour can change. It changes with better training, consistent enforcement, simple incentives and peer pressure from within the community. It changes when responsible owners take pride in being calm and predictable. It changes when brands lead by example, when we confine thrill to a track or a trail and keep city driving uneventful.

I love the Thar and I respect the Scorpio. They are a genuine part of India’s motoring story. They open the countryside for many families and solo travellers and they create friendships around road trips and trail drives. Let them also stand for maturity on public roads. That shift will come from a few thousand small choices each week. Signal early. Pass clean. Wave someone in. Keep the night quiet. It is not glamorous, but it works. And in a few months, the stereotype that bothers so many of us will begin to fade, not because we argued better, but because we behaved better.

— Garima Avtar is a former extreme rally driver and an automobile content creator

What owners and experts say

Anecdotal generalisations don’t help strengthen road safety. Thar and Bullet are iconic brands admired for their capability and style; disparaging them serves no purpose. As someone who drives a Thar and rides a Bullet, I’m not slighted. I’ve never believed in judging a book by its cover. What truly makes laws effective is not stereotyping citizens, but ensuring a law-enforcement mechanism that inspires both respect for the law and

a healthy fear of consequences.

—Gul Panag, actor and Thar/Bullet owner

It’s a very self-defeating statement. Any car can be abused by anyone, specially in the very colourful North where flaunting their macho image is something. There are women who drive the Thar just because it gives them a sense of security, safety and surety. So don’t berate the car for the nut behind the wheel; it is that guy to blame rather than the car.

— Adil Jal Darukhanawala, auto analyst & historian

A car is as good or as bad as the person behind the wheel. It’s a bit unfortunate that the Thar has got this sort of rowdy image and owners need to understand that with great power also comes

great responsibility. I’ve driven the Thar extensively over some difficult terrains and it excels for the purpose for which it is made.

Hari Singh, five-time National Rally champion

(Inputs by Shams Naqvi)