[AceCombatFanIN]

Originally Posted by sasta_rider

Escaped Narrowly from a Major Accident involving 2 BMTCs and an Activa

Never ever in my dreams I had thought that I would one day face this: hence 'accident' is termed as 'accident'!
...
Thankfully, I am all safe and what damage I should have got, was taken by my machine is what I can say!
...
Last but not the least: To all those who are reading this, especially to those who commute at Bengaluru, stay as away as possible from a BMTC ahead/behind you, for your good and let your dear ones be aware as well. They are just getting more pathetic on the roads!

Hey, I'm absolutely glad to know that you managed to escape without much damage to either yourself or your bike. I cannot tell you how many close shaves I've had driving my Yamaha Ray on the route between Singasandra and Bellandur. Had my first accident 6 days into ownership when some rash Activa spawned out of nowhere on a narrow road

I especially make sure to keep my gap from BMTC buses after almost being almost run off the road by one not too many years ago when I used to drive a Honda Aviator. Stay safe on the road, God knows what more monkeys exist to give you a thrill of a lifetime.

[100Kmphormore]

Glad to know you are not hurt in this saga. Please share this on Twitter and Instagram and tag BMTC, the traffic police and the law and order police who even had the gall to suggest to ignore with names and locations. They are very active on social media and you may get a response.

As for the green bus, seems like his attempt to avoid the pothole and barricades and squeeze into the right took a very wrong turn. BMTC drivers can be rash while attempting to finish the shifts on time in this maddening traffic and this becomes the result sometimes and handing them an electric bus is bad news, you can’t even hear them approaching. They should dial in significant lag in the low end on these buses so the rash element is gone - also increases battery life. I suspect the green bus driver will already have been fired. I certainly hope the Activa rider recovered from his injuries, it’s traumatic to even read what you’ve mentioned about him being a former scooty rider.

[NiInJa]

Glad that you escaped out a serious accident. Hopefully the activa rider has also recovered fully. I would say don't worry much about the damage caused to your bike, few months down the line it wont matter more than the fact that nothing bad happened to you and the other rider.
Some unusual habits I follow whenever I ride a slow scooter or bike in cities.

1. Never get trapped between two trucks or buses, either on each side or front and back.
try to get out of that situation as soon as possible, even if it means pulling over safely and letting them go. Do not get close to heavy vehicles with blindspots.

2.Try to not be in the 'path' of heavy vehicles. If a truck is approaching you from the right side of the road, make sure you get on the left lane immediately. When stuck in slow moving traffic, i spend more time looking in the rear mirror than looking ahead.

3 Avoid roads which have too much heavy vehicles/trucks. Use alternate roads even if they increase commute time. Take less risky turns even if it means going ahead a little more.

4. Avoid going over flyovers during night and early mornings as people drive crazy fast as soon as they see empty roads and slopes.

[Pennant1970]

Glad to see you got out with just the bike damaged. I won't advise you on riding practices - like you said, it was an accident. They tend to happen. I also understand the trepidation you feel at riding your bike after the accident.

I have had a few scrapes along the way in the last 40 years. The one I remember most is when I slipped and fell in front of a bus on my first scooter, a 1978 Lamby. It was a rained out steep incline and this was my first ride on the scooter I had bought with my own money. Year 1989, age 19. I was embarrassed - the bus driver was kind enough to send the conductor to help me up and we went our different ways. I, a bit muddy and wet and thankful - my scooter none the worse for wear!

I kept that scooter, had it completely restored and painted in the M80 adjacent colours of light gray and red. I had it another two years before exchanging for a 1972 Jawa. I was a sucker for old machines!

The reason I say this is that you should brush this accident off from your psyche, get back on the bike and ride till the joy is back. Then, upgrade if you want. Of course, if you are out of love with two-wheelers, that's different. But don't let one slip define your youth. Happy miles...

[after]

Originally Posted by sasta_rider

This happened exactly in front of Whitefield Police Station (WFPS). While returning from office, I avoid the Hopefarm junction due to traffic but instead, take the pathetic Dinnur Main road towards Hoskote (marked in red in the above image). This road joins the Whitefield-Hoskote road.

One of the worst and most unorganized junctions! People approaching from Hope Farm side take up every inch of road without care in the world for lane discipline. As soon as the traffic reaches Kadugodi bridge, four lanes of traffic merge into 1.5 lanes on the flyover. I have seen countless arguments breakout due to the chaos while merging.

Worst part is, this whole accident would have been avoided had people maintained lane discipline. There is a bus stop + entrance to Kadugodi bus depot on the leftmost lane. If it were left free for buses, BMTC drivers would not have to take the narrow service road which barely fits a bus. For a few days cops had put barricades so that only buses would pass through the leftmost lane, but after a couple of hours the barricades were moved aside, don't know if it was the cops or impatient motorists. Absolutely hopeless to expect people in our country to follow rules on the road.

[SaurAswale]

Hey, I've been following this thread from the start. Especially because I also own a beautiful R15v3. Accidents happen. I am glad that you escaped this accident without getting hurt. Don't worry about the bike. It can be repaired.

Originally Posted by sasta_rider

R15 is no longer giving me the brand new feel anymore. Maybe this small accident has left a dent on my mind or am I just overthinking: I do not know!

Now this I think is not a big issue. I also had the same feeling after my first crash. It'll fade with time.
I'll suggest you to get it checked by a competent FNG. Also, do a couple of long rides and I am sure you'll get over it. It worked for me !!!

You don't need to replace the bike unless there is a very serious issue.

Ride Safe!!

[sasta_rider]

Thank you everyone for the suggestions/concerns/advise! Being a part of this forum has always been grateful.

Originally Posted by TheHelix0202

I understand the apprehension your family might have now that you’ve gone through an accident. And honestly, the passion of motorcycling is something we actively choose being fully aware of the dangers it entails. If you’re still set on touring, it makes sense to upgrade in a slightly higher capacity motorcycle that’s more suited for the purpose while also retaining your R15.

Yes, I do wish to move towards an adventure bike or a higher capacity two wheeler (faired one most probably). We do have a lot of options to choose from but me being someone who always prioritized faired/sports bike than any other two wheeler, it would be a little time consuming (and confusing) for me to decide on this part. But who knows, what lies ahead for future. Maybe someday!?

Originally Posted by GeeTee TSI

Very sorry to read about your accident and very thankful for sharing. Each and every detail in the narration is a nugget of learning. As far as I can see, getting sandwiched between two such monsters in a narrow lane is the highest level of hazard. The traffic fatigued BMTC drivers (not an excuse!) take a lot of liberties and risks to squeeze through and I was counting on their experience, but not any more.

Add to that, these new EV buses are driven by contracted drivers who care two hoots for safe driving practices (not to mention the rapid acceleration of these buses).

I hope you get your beloved machine back to the state you love.

I agree! At least in my case, there were no EV involved in the accident. Both were diesel guzzlers of BMTC, whose grunt can be heard only from the back because their engines are placed on the rear of the vehicle. I could see fatigue on driver's face: the weather, traffic and the workload they have all contributed to this ending.

Yes, I did get my R15 back in good state, but it no longer gives me that "new" feel which I had been enjoying until few minutes before this fate took place! The quickshifter replacement was the only major repair that BMTC gave in this accident.

Originally Posted by 100Kmphormore

Glad to know you are not hurt in this saga. Please share this on Twitter and Instagram and tag BMTC, the traffic police and the law and order police who even had the gall to suggest to ignore with names and locations. They are very active on social media and you may get a response.

As for the green bus, seems like his attempt to avoid the pothole and barricades and squeeze into the right took a very wrong turn. BMTC drivers can be rash while attempting to finish the shifts on time in this maddening traffic and this becomes the result sometimes and handing them an electric bus is bad news, you can’t even hear them approaching. They should dial in significant lag in the low end on these buses so the rash element is gone - also increases battery life. I suspect the green bus driver will already have been fired. I certainly hope the Activa rider recovered from his injuries, it’s traumatic to even read what you’ve mentioned about him being a former scooty rider.

Yes, I did share it in twitter but got no response from anyone yet. For fellow Bengalurians, you might be aware of "@3rdEyeDude" in Twitter/Instagram, who helps in reporting such accidents to the concerned department. But, so far, I could not get a reply from him on this. I am planning to write an online complaint against BMTC for their negligent driving. This is not the first accident happening because of BMTC in Bengaluru. We have seen/heard a lot in the recent days.

Originally Posted by NiInJa

1. Never get trapped between two trucks or buses, either on each side or front and back.
try to get out of that situation as soon as possible, even if it means pulling over safely and letting them go. Do not get close to heavy vehicles with blindspots.

2.Try to not be in the 'path' of heavy vehicles. If a truck is approaching you from the right side of the road, make sure you get on the left lane immediately. When stuck in slow moving traffic, i spend more time looking in the rear mirror than looking ahead.

3 Avoid roads which have too much heavy vehicles/trucks. Use alternate roads even if they increase commute time. Take less risky turns even if it means going ahead a little more.

4. Avoid going over flyovers during night and early mornings as people drive crazy fast as soon as they see empty roads and slopes.

Totally agree on this part, especially on the 1st point. I always avoid this from Day 1 of owning the bike. My Dad has seen/been in lot of accidents during his young age. So, I was always cautious in such circumstances. But, this one was written to be happened in my fate. I just don't regret it in any way. The service road in this accident was so narrow, that I had no space to escape in those last few seconds of this accident took place!

Originally Posted by Pennant1970

I have had a few scrapes along the way in the last 40 years. The one I remember most is when I slipped and fell in front of a bus on my first scooter, a 1978 Lamby. It was a rained out steep incline and this was my first ride on the scooter I had bought with my own money. Year 1989, age 19. I was embarrassed - the bus driver was kind enough to send the conductor to help me up and we went our different ways. I, a bit muddy and wet and thankful - my scooter none the worse for wear!

I kept that scooter, had it completely restored and painted in the M80 adjacent colours of light gray and red. I had it another two years before exchanging for a 1972 Jawa. I was a sucker for old machines!

The reason I say this is that you should brush this accident off from your psyche, get back on the bike and ride till the joy is back. Then, upgrade if you want. Of course, if you are out of love with two-wheelers, that's different. But don't let one slip define your youth. Happy miles...

Thank you for the valuable advice.

I am currently out of the accident shock but there are few things happening right now which is making me not go back to riding anytime soon. More on this later part of this post!

Originally Posted by SaurAswale

Hey, I've been following this thread from the start. Especially because I also own a beautiful R15v3. Accidents happen. I am glad that you escaped this accident without getting hurt. Don't worry about the bike. It can be repaired.

Now this I think is not a big issue. I also had the same feeling after my first crash. It'll fade with time.
I'll suggest you to get it checked by a competent FNG. Also, do a couple of long rides and I am sure you'll get over it. It worked for me !!!

You don't need to replace the bike unless there is a very serious issue.

Ride Safe!!

I agree on this part. No matter what happens, I prefer to give the bike at ASC for multiple reasons: they work as per the SOP laid down by the OEM, I can question their work if I feel something is not worked on as it was supposed to & at least on the invoice, I can see the transparency.

But with FNG, I do not have any kind of guarantee on the work they carry out. This does not apply if I am giving my R15 (any vehicle) for a FNG mechanic whom I know personally. A random FNG, who has good reviews in Google, I think twice before going for any kind of job! Another aspect is my OCD, which demands perfection in the work being carried out.

Once again, thank you all who have penned down your valuable advice, suggestions and feedbacks. Means a lot!

Health Issues Post the Accident:

As you all have read, the accident occured on 04-Mar-2025 (Tuesday). On 10-Mar-2025 (Monday), I did get my R15 back in good condition from the ASC.

I did start my routine bike commute to office after the accident: I was not scared, I was already out of the shock and was ready to clock more miles with the machine.

On 12-Mar-2025 morning, when I woke up, I got my neck sprain: behind my neck and a little to the right of my spinal cord. Vertically, I could feel the pain travel up and down when I used to move my neck in some pattern. This kind of neck sprains keeps happening with me: vitamin deficiency, dehydration and 'unique' sleeping posture are the usual cause in my case. People say (I have experienced too), this kind of pain automatically fades in another two nights of sleep by itself, without any medication.

But, the next day, the pain got a little severe. For safer side, I got myself checked at Manipal Hospitals clinic in ITPL Concourse. A general medicine MBBS doctor gave me gastric and painkiller for 3 days. The same day, I had to travel to my brother's place for a small family function. He stays at Chandapura!

That evening, I rode all the way from Whitefield to Chandapura, with a shoulder bag and a tail bag on my R15. A mistake I did unknowingly! Tablets were taken on time and due to the painkiller, the pain used to subside for few hours. But once its power goes off, the pain would increase even more!

On 15-Mar-2025 (Saturday) night, I could not even sleep. Slightest of my neck movement gave jolts all across my upper body, the pain was unbearable. That night, I saw flights to Mangaluru: found an Air India Express flight for the next day evening. Booked the flight without giving a second thought. I badly wanted to be at home!

With the excruciating neck pain, I could not ride my R15 back to Whitefield. Hence, I booked a cab, packed my luggage and left to the airport in the evening. During the cab commute, the neck pain got even more severe whenever the cab went over bumps/potholes: the cab's up and down action caused my neck to send pain jolts vertically! Mid-way, I asked cab driver to stop at a medical store from where I brought a Tynor Neck Collar for temporary relief!

The next day morning (17-Mar-2025), at Kasaragod, I consulted my family doctor (Ortho MBBS). He took X-ray, inspected my neck movements, depth of pain and then gave medication which consisted of painkiller, anti-gastric tablet and vitamin supplement for a week. I could sleep only on one posture, waking from sleep was even more painful at one stage & walking was not possible for extended durations!

Once the X-ray came out, he said there is minor nerve + muscle injury, which was caused during the accident but got triggered a week later during the sleep. This is quite normal in accidents involving sudden jerks! I was advised not to travel for two weeks and get rest being at home. He then advised me to 'avoid' two wheeler for some time, else the injury can get triggered even with slightest of similar jerks.

This is when, I decided to focus a little more on my health and at least temporarily, stay away from two wheelers. On the other side, parents (Dad especially), was not at all comfortable me keeping the two wheeler. He said "for God's sake, can you please sell your bike?. No more compromising on safety and health! I know you follow proper safety, rules and caution while riding but fellow commuters you never know. Two wheelers itself is a big risk these days on Indian roads. Why take a chance?! Be happy that this small yet close-call accident was a eye opener for you".

I too felt and understood his intention this time! All these years, I was against his advise of keeping two wheeler aside because I wanted to enjoy at this young age. But now, compromising on health and safety, due to someone else's mistake, is making me take a tough decision.

Two days back, my R15 was shipped from Bengaluru via goods transport to Kasaragod. I will be selling her off and get onto a four wheeler soon after recovery: going back to being a car-guy yet again!

If not this fate, I did have plans upgrade to 300+ cc sports (faired) motorcycle, but I understand that I need to take time off from riding two wheelers for my own health. This may not be permanent, but for few months from now!

I don't think if I can come up with further ownership review posts on this thread, but my last post will be on how my beloved, beautiful and elegant R15 v4 got sold!

And, Bengalurians, stay away from BMTC as much as possible (whom I will hate even more from now)!

Until then, ride safe!
Sud.

[Pennant1970]

Originally Posted by sasta_rider

I don't think if I can come up with further ownership review posts on this thread, but my last post will be on how my beloved, beautiful and elegant R15 v4 got sold!
~
Until then, ride safe!
Sud.

Sympathise with you. It's a pity when you cannot enjoy a bike ride because you have an injury. If you have some reputable Ayurvedic practitioners (as a Keralite, you will know the ones I mean - not the quacks), they may do better with mitigation of any misalignment of bones or pinching of nerves. If there is cracks/breakage, allopathy is better for healing. Do take care.

[TheHelix0202]

Man, I sympathize with your situation. I wish you a speedy recovery, and may you find yourself back on the saddle soon enough!