Team-BHP - Accidents in India

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiranjitp (Post 4381239)

I just received these photos from a friend of mine, a massive head on collision between a KTM Duke & a Bolero. The accident occurred on the outskirts of Dibrugarh, Assam at the early hours of today. Sadly the guy on the bike didn't survive the accident, no idea about the occupants of the Bolero. The deceased was a Junior of my friend, so I guess he was in his early 20s.

According to onlookers the Duke was doing going in excess of 100 kmph, also by looking at the damage the Bolero suffered we can be sure that it was a high speed crash.

I won't comment who was at fault in this case since we don't have clear reports about the incident apart from the statements by the onlookers.
But speaking in general, Assamese dudes below the age of 25 with KTMs act as if they own the road. On my daily commute to college, I see many of the squids in KTMs riding at speeds of 100+ without any protection gear. The brand KTM has lost its charm due to the abuse of the machines they make by the hands of these so called "young riders". KTM in general is viewed by the public as a bike for the "bigda huwa baap ka aulaad" here :Frustrati

Quote:

Originally Posted by motorpsycho (Post 4380724)

This accident occured in Udupi, no other details have been shared.

1. Carelessness on the part of the bikers, when crossing the road.
2. Target fixation by the Innova driver?

The Innova driver is clearly at fault here...overspeeding at a median-break in the highway which also has a zebra crossing...and most likely attention-deficit (one quick look at phone etc), since the reaction ( steering to the left, into the bike ) is very wrong.

The biker has almost completely crossed the road, and the usual expectation ( even assuming that they have already seen the speeding car) would be that the car has sufficient space behind them to cross over without hitting them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by motorpsycho (Post 4380724)

This accident occured in Udupi, no other details have been shared.

1. Carelessness on the part of the bikers, when crossing the road.
2. Target fixation by the Innova driver?

Main culprit? Bad highway design. It is a 4 lane divided highway and it has no business running through villages or having intersections without lights for people to cross the road.

After that, the vehicle exceeding the speed limit is at fault, which in this case is most likely the Innova.

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Originally Posted by NetfreakBombay (Post 4381331)

While a four laned road is crossing a town, one cannot drive on highway speeds.

Speed limit also get cut in such sections.

Without knowing the speed of the Innova pointed target at it is not correct. I might be ridiculed, but its like blaming the train for an accident at the railway crossing.

Is it not that the vehicle that is cutting the highway should be more vigilant, assuming the vehicle in the highway is as per the speed limits?

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Originally Posted by LoneRidder (Post 4381422)

What is the speed limit at a Zebra Crossing? Have you ever observed how fast a vehicle moving at 100+ speed approaches you when you cross a four/six lane highway?

The fact that the Two wheeler is at the end of road indicates that the innova had sufficient time to avoid it, considering the fact that there are no other vehicle by the side of innova.

As some other member has pointed out there could have been a momentary distraction for the innova driver.The moment he realised what is happening he was fixated on the two wheeler.

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Originally Posted by aadya (Post 4381474)

What is the speed limit at a Zebra Crossing? Have you ever observed how fast a vehicle moving at 100+ speed approaches you when you cross a four/six lane highway?.

Sir, hands down, Zebra Crossings are for pedestrians, and they have rights of way and the speed limit, zero!

I am not debating on the speed of Innova. It is mere suicidal on part of the two wheeler with 3 on board to cross such junctions without even stopping near the median. It is easy to stop a two wheeler at 20 kmph than Innova which might be at 60 kmph.

If you really advice me to drive in your pattern, I am sure I might take days to reach Mysore from Bangalore:).

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiranjitp (Post 4381239)

Sadly the guy on the bike didn't survive the accident, no idea about the occupants of the Bolero.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tanveer02 (Post 4381253)

I won't comment who was at fault in this case since we don't have clear reports about the incident apart from the statements by the onlookers.

It appears to be a high speed crash. More information here

Quote:

Both medical students – Bhargav Borsaikia and James Kamgouhao Sitlhou – died at the spot of accident. 3 occupants of the Bolero have been critically injured and have been shifted to a hospital. That the Bolero’s occupants are critically injured shows the sheer impact of the crash.

Quote:

Originally Posted by motorpsycho (Post 4380724)

This accident occured in Udupi, no other details have been shared.

1. Carelessness on the part of the bikers, when crossing the road.
2. Target fixation by the Innova driver?

No one deserves a violent event as such. Though we are discussing the defaulter in this event, in my humble opinion, responsibility on road is equal to all.

There is no variance in the level of safety that exists when in public. Each one is responsible for self and for others.

The bikers should have had in mind that they are in highway and not merging but they are crossing the path of vehicles which are "heavier" than their vehicle. Waiting for few second, in some cases even milliseconds will decide fate. Even if they have decided to cross the path of a heavier, faster moving vehicle (pressing reason for such decision best known to them), they should have scooted as fast as possible and cleared the road. But I see them strolling, infact meandering with an challenging attitude towards Innova.

The Innova guy should have observed the road before him and his periphery vision should have helped him see cross roads ahead by the virtue of seeing hawkers, gap in median,sand mound pattern that is distinctive of a road leading to the sides and should have taken his "Lead Foot" off the accelerator and kept his leg over the brake pedal as a pre-emptive action.

But then, we are discussing defensive driving rather than care free jay driving that these folks exhibited and bore the price for it.

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Originally Posted by airbus (Post 4381713)

It appears to be a high speed crash. More information here

In most areas of life where a law places restrictions on a matter or instrument or material it is usually illegal to manufacture or sell or use that. Two things which seem the exception and where we lean heavily on the consumer exercising restraint are - Sale of alcohol and speeds/horsepower of automobiles (both 2 and 4 wheelers) for personal use. In both cases hope is placed on the discipline, maturity and good sense of the consumer in the name of freedom. If 100 kmph is the speed limit in the country why should we permit manufacture and sale of bikes and cars that can exceed that speed in a heart beat and more so when that violation is on a common usage asset ie the road. For example all electrical equipment in the country has to abide by the norms set by the electricity distribution bodies on voltage current etc. You cannot sell or install in violation of those parameters. Or take radio telephony band width - it is a common use national asset that is parceled off for various users. You cant say because my ego & machismo demands it I want a cell phone that operates on the Army's bandwidth. Period.

Roads are common use property just like a garden or a water supply. It is meant for all sorts from pedestrians to carts to cyclists and further down the chain from most green to most un-green. I firmly believe (and others are welcome to disagree and jump) it will take two generations or more for us Indians to learn road discipline and an automobile is needed only to lug our 80 kilo backside safely and reasonably. Why do we need cars and bikes that can go faster than 100 kmph for any reason other than our egos and sense of thrill. Not a popular point to make on a forum of young car & bike fans.

These two young men have not destroyed just their own lives but also those of their parents.

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Originally Posted by BenjiRoss (Post 4381758)

Something almost comical to break the intense discussions.
I don't know how this car got its windshield and front damaged, but the driver seems to still find a way of driving it - with his head sticking out of the window!

That's straight out of Ace Ventura lol:

Would it not be easier to just break the glass off from the windshield and drive normally?

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiranjitp (Post 4381239)

Some details regarding the mishap is given on this link:

https://www.cartoq.com/ktm-duke-390-...-students-die/

The KTM Dukes, especially the 390 need to be properly handled. Its not for amateur bikers who get thrills by accelerating and injure or kill themselves.