[GTO]

Originally Posted by deathwalkr

Can we move on?

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I think we should move on.

Agreed, let's move on guys. The matter has been discussed enough. Let's not take this thread anymore off-topic.

Originally Posted by GeneralJazz

The destruction is terrifying!

Holy camoly! Had to look at the pictures a couple of times to just figure out what's what.

[ahmed26]

Originally Posted by Ice

Bad, bad crash on the Madras-Bangalore hwy this afternoon around 2. One side of the road was cordoned off by the cops. Couldn't see much, but the cop told me that two cars had crashed into each other, and a parked vehicle was involved. Six casualties, apparently. One of the cars was a mangled black Scorpio. This was right before the Ratnagiri Muruga temple on the right.

https://youtu.be/5jeC99qDw-o

[Ice]

Originally Posted by ahmed26

..

Holy moly. This looks horrible! For the folks who don't follow Tamizh:

The benz was heading towards Chennai when it avoided a vehicle/pedestrian in its lane. It cut to the right, into the oncoming lane, and ran into a Scorpio and an Indica. 7 casualties as of now.

This stretch is highly populated, and is infamous for accidents involving highway vehicles and locals who cross the highway. Probably a case of overspeeding, or at least proceeding at speeds unsafe for the surroundings - on the part of the benz.

[ajmat]

Ouch, if the driver knew how ABS worked, he could have braked hard and taken proper evasive action

[honeybee]

Originally Posted by ajmat

Ouch, if the driver knew how ABS worked, he could have braked hard and taken proper evasive action

Maybe the driver should have been driving at lesser speeds?

All such instances of crossing the median into the oncoming lane to save or avoid someone or something point to the inherently high speeds a car is doing where the driver cannot safely avoid such obstacles.

Just because the max limit on a stretch is 80 does not mean one MUST drive at 80. However we often take our rights for granted and our responsibilities are conveniently forgotten.

Isn't the driver also responsible for the safety of the occupants of his car? As a driver I feel it's my first and foremost duty to make sure occupants of my car are safe. Everything else, and everybody else, comes second.

[Midas]

Originally Posted by Ice

The benz was heading towards Chennai when it avoided a vehicle/pedestrian in its lane. It cut to the right, into the oncoming lane, and ran into a Scorpio and an Indica. 7 casualties as of now.

As per another report, Benz was trying to avoid a two wheeler which stopped in it's lane, but ended up hitting it and went to other lane.

Out of the 6 deceased(as per the report), 3 were in scorpio, 2 in Indica & one in 2 wheeler. Looking at the condition of Benz, I thought at least 2 were in that car, but shocked when I saw this.

http://www.thenewsminute.com/article...ree-cars-66371

[IshaanIan]

Originally Posted by Midas

As per another report, Benz was trying to avoid a two wheeler which stopped in it's lane, but ended up hitting it and went to other lane.

The report says that the 2 wheeler stopped in front of the C-Class. I remember how easy it was to get my driving license back in Hyderabad. It was a joke. I was even given a geared 2 wheeler license in the same one even though I did not know how to ride a 2 wheeler back then. I only learnt how to ride a bike 4 years after I got that license. If that is the state of affairs in metropolitan cities, I can only imagine how it is like in village areas. So many times I have been scared out of my wits by the way these villagers ride out onto the highway, come on the wrong side, cut lanes without indicating, go from the slow lane to the fast lane without warning to take a U-Turn, once a villager on a bike came on the wrong side of the bangalore-hyderabad highway, in the fast lane, on a blind curve. I had to pull off some crazy maneuver just to avoid crashing into the guy and thank god I was driving my friend's Fiesta at the time which did not lose control throughout the ordeal. This needs to be adressed IMO; Speed limits, seatbelts and helmets are one thing but outright senselessness and a careless attitude that could lead to death and injury of others not just oneself, needs to be eradicated.

[for_cars1]

Originally Posted by Ice

The benz ...ran into a Scorpio and an Indica. 7 casualties as of now.

As per the reports, the occupants of the Scorpio and Indica succumbed. Its a terrible mishap.

In spite of significant side intrusion in the Benz, the front and all-around side airbag deployment appears to have been a life saver.

[sumathindra]

Originally Posted by Ice

Bad, bad crash on the Madras-Bangalore hwy One of the cars was a mangled black Scorpio.

Yes I saw this on my way back from Chennai yesterday. The black scorpio was really in bad shape and I was praying there should have been no casualties. I saw this almost in the late evening and there were still crowds around the accident site. Just wondering how long does it take to clear the accident site to ensure smooth flow of traffic...

[vidyanand]

Originally Posted by honeybee

Maybe the driver should have been driving at lesser speeds?

All such instances of crossing the median into the oncoming lane to save or avoid someone or something point to the inherently high speeds a car is doing where the driver cannot safely avoid such obstacles.

If you notice in Bangalore, this is common to see with even slower traffic. Instead of braking to slow or stop, everybody prefers to cut right or left to avoid any damn thing on road be it 2 wheeler, pedestrian, stray animal or even a slower car in front. No one wants to slow or stop.

Cannot comment in this particular case as we are not sure if he simply swerved or slowed, hit and then came in front of oncoming traffic.
Speed kills if you are not careful! And in unfortunate incidents like this... killed other un-suspecting folks.

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

I remember how easy it was to get my driving license back in Hyderabad.

It's not too difficult in few Bangalore RTOs as of today as well. Electronics City RTO (KA-51) Test track is a community road where you simply need to be capable enough to start driving and take a U-turn and come back (No one checks on U-Turn part) for both 2 wheeler and 4 wheeler.

[Hammer & Anvil]

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

In several states in the US it is not mandated by law to wear seatbelts thus many cars designed ...

This is wrong.
Only in the state of New Hampshire, there is no need to wear a seatbelt for adults, but a child seen without a seatbelt is an offense.

IN all other states - it is mandatory to wear a seat belt for adults, and the interpretation is as follows-
Primary Enforcement- makes you liable to be stopped if you are seen without a seatbelt
Secondary Enforcement- makes you liable for an additional penalty, if you are stopped- say for speeding and then seen to be without a seatbelt.

As regards Airbags + Seat Belts, I hear conflicting reports and I would only hazard a guess that since the Air bag is a supplemental restraint system- as evident from the 'SRS' printed on the air bags- the idea being that the occupant should not be thrown into a exploding air bag, which could result in severe facial injury.

Newer cars have seats that can dial down the force of the explosion to compensate for smaller occupants like children, teenagers etc. This is often mistaken for compensation for the occupant not wearing the seatbelt. This is erroneous.

Not wearing a seat belt is a mental crime, in my opinion.

[LoneRidder]

Originally Posted by Ice

Bad, bad crash on the Madras-Bangalore hwy this afternoon around 2. One of the cars was a mangled black Scorpio. This was right before the Ratnagiri Muruga temple on the right.

This local news from Kodagu suggests that the Benz car belonged to a contractor from Kodagu. 3 members were travelling in the Benz car from Kodagu to Chennai. Near the accident spot, a two wheeler abruptly entered into the path of the car, resulting in the Benz car applying sudden breaks which lead to Scorpio, Indica to come and ram the Benz from behind.

The report suggests that the Benz car was moving towards Chennai. If the pileup was on the road towards Chennai possible this would be the correct information!

Edit: As per the report, the car was driven by Kirthan who was into two wheeler racing and he was on his way to participate in a race in Chennai. His two wheeler was transported to Chennai couple of days back.

[FORTified]

Originally Posted by Midas

Looking at the condition of Benz, I thought at least 2 were in that car, but shocked when I saw this.

Couldn't believe that people walked out of that mangled mess of a Benz. It did a very good job of protecting its occupants and worth every penny spent in acquiring it. Considering that Scorp and Indica are heavy cars, the impact must be very very hard and I am sure they belted themselves down. Otherwise, they will have to be scooped off the road.

[DRIV3R]

Originally Posted by LoneRidder

The report suggests that the Benz car was moving towards Chennai. If the pileup was on the road towards Chennai possible this would be the correct information!

That is absolutely WRONG. This was no pile-up. The C jumped the median at very high speeds and took away 6-7 lives with it.

The Merc was on the way to Chennai and the Scorpio and Indica were heading towards Vellore. I passed by this mess minutes after it happened.

[IshaanIan]

Originally Posted by Hammer & Anvil

This is wrong.
Only in the state of New Hampshire, there is no need to wear a seatbelt for adults, but a child seen without a seatbelt is an offense.

IN all other states - it is mandatory to wear a seat belt for adults, and the interpretation is as follows-
Primary Enforcement- makes you liable to be stopped if you are seen without a seatbelt
Secondary Enforcement- makes you liable for an additional penalty, if you are stopped- say for speeding and then seen to be without a seatbelt.

As regards Airbags + Seat Belts, I hear conflicting reports and I would only hazard a guess that since the Air bag is a supplemental restraint system- as evident from the 'SRS' printed on the air bags- the idea being that the occupant should not be thrown into a exploding air bag, which could result in severe facial injury.

I am aware of the technicalities as I have researched this topic long back already. Secondary enforcement of the seatbelt is followed in 18 of the 50 states in US where one cannot be stopped for not wearing a seatbelt if that is the only offense. Whether it is mandatory or not, in effect that means that several drivers are practically allowed not to wear a seatbelt. I am not saying that it's a good thing or a bad thing just that that is the way it is and as a result aribag deployment is not solely restricted to wether or not one has worn their seatbelt. Not only because several people are allowed to drive without a seatbelt but also because there are other forces and parameters at play besides I have personally witnessed airbags deploying when one of my friends did not wear their seatbelt in the front passenger seat of an Accord. She did still end up sliding off the airbag and striking the windshield close to the a pillar which lead to her having a concussion on her optic nerve rendering her partially blind for a few weeks by which time it was treated and fully healed.