[apachelongbow]

Originally Posted by vpillai

Your below statement somehow managed to convey that meaning. May be that is not what you meant to say. My point is, it is always better to slow down when you pass a stationary/crawling truck. Because your visibility is limited and you do not know what is there in front of the truck, which can come right on to your path within a matter of seconds. And unless you have already slowed down your vehicle in anticipatory, you may not have anything much to do to avoid a collision.

I see. The first part was a joke. The second part was for the highway or free roads. If I slow down for every bus or truck parked on the roadside I may not get anywhere. That apart highways have enough visibility to watch out for crossing public. Forget about the left side, the biggest danger is from the right, people and animals jumping median and on to you. How to cater for that? Drive in the middle of the road? Between two lanes?

[gabrielthomas]

Originally Posted by NPV

A chain snatcher wanted in a case at Bangalore is traced to Pune. Cops apprehend him there and bring him to Bangalore. En route the Innova car in which they are travleing, meets with an accident and the accused escapes

Source (Mugger sneaks away as Cops' car crashes)

Reminds me of Michael Myers from the film 'Halloween'. who escapes from a car crash

When they have been till Pune to arrest him, they should have brought him in a train - I think that would have been more appropriate...

[PrasannaDhana]

Originally Posted by honeybee

So in a nutshell, please don't expect me to be civil when no one else on the road is civil.

That my friend will add to chaos. If I am being civil, the worst things that can happen to me are
1. A dozen mad honks from hasty motorists at the back
2. May be a 5 minute delay in my travel duration.

What is the best thing that happens?-
I remain safe, to the occupants of my car and to the other people/motorists on the road. I may end up saving lives.

After all we aren't sheep to follow the herd.

[FORTified]

Originally Posted by honeybee

So in a nutshell, please don't expect me to be civil when no one else on the road is civil.

Yes, We all get tempted to do so.
But then, what is the difference between THEM and US?
We want everybody to be civil on the road, and lets be the one,
when there are none.

All honks welcome.

[pgupta]

Finally a step in the right direction. Kudos to Telangana Police. Lessons on road safety in school syllabus soon.
http://toi.in/rM6ITa

[vw19d]

This happened yesterday near Krishnagiri in Tamil Nadu. 8 people died on the spot with more than 30 injured.

http://www.sakshipost.com/news/2016/...ent-in-chennai

Read in a local newspaper that it was the container truck that was at fault driving in the wrong side of the road & attempting to take a turn without signalling. It also mentioned that the cleaner was driving the truck and not the driver

[treadmark]

7 lost their lives and more than 30 injured in Chennai ~ Bangalore highway near Shoolagiri on yesterday.

SOURCE

[myavu]

Guys, see this video. I am shocked

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLfWS31u7qg

[pixantz]

Originally Posted by myavu

Guys, see this video. I am shocked

Well, considering the highly stupid way the rider attempted a turning maneuver, the outcome is not at all shocking but perfectly logical.

The way he was behaving, I was thinking he could have been rear-ended too just as easily. On such roads its best to stop all the way left near the road edge and then cross only after both sides are clear.

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[arighna.dutta]

Originally Posted by myavu

Guys, see this video. I am shocked

Really sad. So many accidents could be avoided if all of us take up to (aggressive) defensive driving.
Worst part, the rider was being rescued by the local guys instead of waiting for the paramedics, many a times this leads to fatal injuries.

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[sudev]

Originally Posted by pixantz

The way he was behaving, I was thinking he could have been rear-ended too just as easily. On such roads its best to stop all the way left near the road edge and then cross only after both sides are clear.

Disagree.

The best way is to not to move to left but use indicators and remain on right side near the median.

From left side he looked over shoulder to avoid being rear ended. But the vehicles going forward blocked his (as well as that of oncoming car) view forward.

If he had given clear indication to turn right and waited (or slowed down) while keeping to middle of road the vehicle behind would have slowed down OR gone ahead from his left.

This would have allowed clear view of oncoming lane.

[Horizon81]

Originally Posted by sudev

Disagree.

The best way is to not to move to left but use indicators and remain on right side near the median.

From left side he looked over shoulder to avoid being rear ended. But the vehicles going forward blocked his (as well as that of oncoming car) view forward.

If he had given clear indication to turn right and waited (or slowed down) while keeping to middle of road the vehicle behind would have slowed down OR gone ahead from his left.

This would have allowed clear view of oncoming lane.

My view is that the highlighted part is applicable when there is a median. On narrow two-way roads like these, without any median and only two lanes, I wouldn't want to be at the mercy of drivers from both directions.

With sparse to little traffic, either you indicate, move to the middle and complete the turn (no stopping), or with medium to higher traffic volume, pull to the left and cross the road (its not a wide one) when its clear from both directions.

[dZired]

Saw this rear-ended Renault Kwid on Facebook.

Details about the accident have been posted by the owner on Renault India's FB page.

[jhaji]

Originally Posted by Horizon81

My view is that the highlighted part is applicable when there is a median. On narrow two-way roads like these, without any median and only two lanes, I wouldn't want to be at the mercy of drivers from both directions.

With sparse to little traffic, either you indicate, move to the middle and complete the turn (no stopping), or with medium to higher traffic volume, pull to the left and cross the road (its not a wide one) when its clear from both directions.

Looking at it from the point of view of the car driver, he or she seems to be completely unaware of the bike's existence, till it was actually hit. There was no braking before. It is true, the bike and the car were unsighted to each other for a moment or two because of the other vehicle going from the opposite direction. What is surprising is that neither the car driver nor the biker were scanning the horizon before hand. Visibility was low because of rain. In the final analysis it seems to me that the biker's mistake was more elementary, though the car driver could have avoided the accident with more alert and defensive driving, especially considering the weather.

[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by Horizon81

My view is that the highlighted part is applicable when there is a median. On narrow two-way roads like these, without any median and only two lanes, I wouldn't want to be at the mercy of drivers from both directions.

With sparse to little traffic, either you indicate, move to the middle and complete the turn (no stopping), or with medium to higher traffic volume, pull to the left and cross the road (its not a wide one) when its clear from both directions.

Exactly. I think the biker was not really wrong here - he didn't check the oncoming traffic as much.

I think the car driver is at total fault here. There was a zebra crossing where this two wheeler crossed. There could've been pedestrians as well.

In all likelihood the speed limit for the area would be ~30/50 or so as is often the case for villages. The car guy was going too fast to be able to yield to a pedestrian. Had he been slow enough for pedestrians, he would've been able to brake in time. Stark illustration of the need for defensive driving.