[Gansan]

Originally Posted by Arwin07

Private sleeper bus catches fire in Ulundurpettai, Tamilnadu after it hits a tanker lorry taking U turn. 4 charred to death on spot.

This is why I dread nighttime road journeys, especially by bus and avoid them as much as I can. My son has joined NIT Trichy this year and has to make regular trips home every month for the next four years. There are a couple of ac sleeper bus services that start right in front of NIT and pass through our area in Chennai, and he can easily walk at both ends. But I am uneasy about them and always book train tickets for him well in advance.

[earthian]

Originally Posted by Gansan

But I am uneasy about them and always book train tickets for him well in advance.

I think that is wise. And buy tatkal tickets for those unscheduled, sudden urge trips home. Expect those.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by Gansan

This is why I dread nighttime road journeys, especially by bus and avoid them as much as I can. My son has joined NIT Trichy this year and has to make regular trips home every month for the next four years. There are a couple of ac sleeper bus services that start right in front of NIT and pass through our area in Chennai, and he can easily walk at both ends. But I am uneasy about them and always book train tickets for him well in advance.

I have never imagined travelling in a sleeper bus. Whenever I have had to travel somewhere without driving, then it would be train or a semi sleeper bus. I feel too claustrophobic in the sleeper arrangement and cant imagine having to sleep next to an unknown person if I dont get the single berth.

This design seems to be a jugaad in itself and is hardly present outside of India. Compared to a regular bus with seats, ingress/egress is pretty difficult in an emergency due to the narrow passage compared to a 2+2 arrangement.

[wangdu]

Originally Posted by Arwin07

https://m.timesofindia.com/city/hyde...w/66297516.cms

A woman died and her fiancé injured in a road traffic accident in Hyderabad. CCTV visuals of the accident show that:
1. A pedestrian jaywalks across the road.
2. There is a lane separator (divider) which Xylo spots at the last moment and swerves left to enter left lane.
3. The couple tailgate Xylo in their motorcycle and couldn't spot the divider in time after Xylo swerves. He locks the brakes, no ABS probably, skids and they fall to their right side.
4. A Maruti Ritz which tailgated the motorcycle crushed the woman who died. The guy is admitted in hospital with injuries.

How to prevent this unfortunate accident in future?
1. Never tailgate or allow others to tailgate..
.. Being a motorcyclist, I simply let cars pass if I find them tailgating. I would like to know your experiences how to shake off a tailgater when you are in a car.

2. I couldn't see the pillion wearing a helmet. The guy's helmet came off after he fell. Fasten the helmet.

3. I do not know if there was any warning about road divider..

These are the lessons I learnt from this unfortunate accident.

Extremely unfortunate for the riders. Imagine if the riders were in a car instead; just a broken bumper by Ritz rear ending perhaps and here there's an innocent life lost, such is the risk being on 2 wheelers on our roads.

Negotiating this scenario and all else is something I face every day on my commute which I do on my bikes mostly. The one at fault is clearly Xylo IMO. At :20 the Xylo cuts from right to middle towards left just before the bridge starts. And that's where the rider is blinded; he can't see what's ahead of him and the impression is that the bike is tailgating. In a matter of 2 seconds the rider is completely blinded and call it his bad luck that when he does see the view ahead (after xylo is on left) it's the end of the road. This is my everyday thing to watch out for. At so close to impact & resulting panic I don't know how would ABS help.

Lessons learned for the nth time in this context:
1. when on bike always be in position to have clear view ahead when beyond crawling speed. If not, safely slow down and find that space.
2. Break out from congestion at the earliest by slowing down and let others pass or I overtake quickly.
3. In congested space, anticipate as per the surroundings (bridge/round about/etc) and don't get disturbed by pillion talk or anything when riding. I see so many riders chatting with pillion.
4. And really hope not to end up in the wrong place and the wrong time.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by audioholic

I have never imagined travelling in a sleeper bus.

I am yet to experience this and I am sure I never will, given my height and the limitation with the length of that 'bed'.

But an year back with no choice, I had to book one for my parents as they were headed to Gokak for a wedding while I was driving elsewhere. After they returned the first thing my dad told me was that he will never travel by a sleeper bus for the way he was thrown left and right all throughout the journey as the bus kept changing lanes without slowing down. This was VRL by the way and only driving along with these buses at night will give you a perspective on how dangerously they are driven even with a speed limit of 90 KMPH! The fact is, they never slow down and pass between 2 trucks at the same speeds waving in and out.

[atnyia]

During my morning walk today, I found this. On an empty, almost private road of Oxford Golf Resort (venue for Pune Sunburn Festival), this guy somehow managed to cause this accident and uproot the tree, probably during last night.
Obviously, this was either under influence of alcohol or monkeys were having driving lessons like the Kerala Bus.
The bottomline is, Baleno did alright after impact, driver airbag deployed and driver walked away after the impact. As a Ciaz owner, this gives that slight bit of confidence. We have seen too many badly mangled MSIL cars on this thread.

[sukiwa]

Originally Posted by atnyia

On an empty, almost private road of Oxford Golf Resort, this guy somehow managed to cause this accident and uproot the tree, probably during last night.

It's quite regular for this section to witness such accidents. Sometimes, 2 or 3 instances in a week.

Obviously, this was either under influence of alcohol

Quite possible. Low light, curvy road, good tarmac, uncontrollable speeds would be other factors.

[honeybee]

That tree doesn't seem to have very deep and strong roots. That's probably helped as a cushion to reduce some impact.

[saket77]

Yes, that looks like a palm tree; neither the trunk is very solid, nor the roots are deep. This helped matters for the Baleno. But at least good on Maruti that the airbags deployed. No complex 'algorithms, sensors etc' business here.

Regards,
Saket

[atnyia]

Originally Posted by honeybee

That tree doesn't seem to have very deep and strong roots. That's probably helped as a cushion to reduce some impact.

Originally Posted by sukiwa

It's quite regular for this section to witness such accidents. Sometimes, 2 or 3 instances in a week.
Quite possible. Low light, curvy road, good tarmac, uncontrollable speeds would be other factors.

I was more happy to see to airbag being deployed as expected and the driver walking away without injury. These cars (including mine) don't have good structural strength. I always wonder how it'll go, if and when the day comes.

I also happened to see one such accident back in Gurgaon's Sohna Road. The swift hit the divider, the impact was more, yet the airbags deployed and the driver and co passenger walked away.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by saket77

But at least good on Maruti that the airbags deployed. No complex 'algorithms, sensors etc' business here.

So you mean to say Maruti used no complex algorithms and sensors and hence the airbags deployed? Directly or indirectly, such incidents are no means to talk about that.

[saket77]

Originally Posted by audioholic

So you mean to say Maruti used no complex algorithms and sensors and hence the airbags deployed? Directly or indirectly, such incidents are no means to talk about that.

No. I mean to say that good that the airbags deployed in this case without any excuse that are generally made out in case of non deployment. But yes, I agree, nothing as such to be talked about. I will ask mods to clean that up.

[ajayclicks]

Originally Posted by GrandTourer

I don't see why Ritz driver should be punished.
But then it's the victims who are always considered right in the eyes of the police and media, especially if there's fatalities. (Like the Amritsar accident).

Not a legal expert, so take this with a pinch of salt. In my opinion, basis listening to some radio interviews with traffic cops, and general reading:

1. The Ritz driver is not "punished". Only the courts can do that.
2. He has to be booked as the fact is that his car did touch the bike (haven't seen the video, assuming from the sequence laid out)
3. However flawed it may sound, he fell foul of the "defensive driving" philosophy that our rules are based on
4. The court will determine if the Ritz driver is at fault or not, and decide the quantum of punishment.

Ofcourse, the Ritz driver will undergo trauma in terms of having a "case" against him, hiring lawyers etc. Sometimes i envy my acquaintances who haven't bothered to learn to drive and hire a driver instead.

[selfdrive]

Originally Posted by Arwin07

A woman died and her fiancé injured in a road traffic accident in Hyderabad...
How to prevent this unfortunate accident in future?

How poorly designed is that road?
There is no indication of the mess ahead and suddenly a pile of stones pops up. That place would be a nightmare in the dark.

Originally Posted by wangdu

Lessons learned for the nth time in this context:

If I feel like I will fall from my bike, I try to fall away from the faster/ heavier traffic around me.
Of course, for that I also ensure I don't ride around/ near heavy or fast vehicles. At the same time, I keep an eye in the rear view mirrors ot look out for any stunt riders/ drivers and give them way.
Usually I catch up with them before the next signal. If Karma does not catch up with them sooner than me.

Originally Posted by paragsachania

After they returned the first thing my dad told me was that he will never travel by a sleeper bus for the way he was thrown left and right all throughout the journey as the bus kept changing lanes without slowing down.

Years ago, I made an overnight trip by one of these sleeper coaches. I had the exact same feeling of being thrown around. I ended up throwing out everything I had in my tummy. Horrible experience, never again will I use a sleeper coach. Perhaps this is how it must feel to be sea sick.

[sinharishi]

My father met with an accident on Yamuna Expressway around 9:00 PM. He was travelling back from Agra with his colleagues. The accident occurred just after 2nd toll plaza.

Here is a picture made by me and father which will help illustrate what happened.



Yes, on the expressway a truck driver was reversing his truck from 3rd lane to the fast lane to drive towards the toll plaza on the wrong side. My father saw the truck when he was cruising at 110 KMPH (10 kmph above the speed limit), he was shocked to see the truck at a 90 deg angle.

He did not brake, there were 2 more cars on his tail, he instead accelerated and tried to escape before the truck entirely blocked the fast lane. He started honking as soon as he saw the truck, he crossed the truck 20 KMPH over his cruising speed. It could have gone either way, the car came in contact with the truck. My father, miraculously was able to keep the car in control even after the contact. The cars tailing him took the shoulder.

Couple of cars stopped. My father was in shock, he then called up the emergency services number printed on the toll receipt. YEW patrol reached them within minutes. In the meantime, the truck driver sped away with the truck driving on the wrong side towards the toll plaza.

The patrol team and my father drove towards the toll plaza to find the truck, my father could not drive fast enough to chase the truck, the patrol team was unable to find the truck. There is a cut near the toll plaza, he may have gotten into the right side (towards Agra). None of the cars had noted down the truck number.

My father went to the cops for a FIR, they told him to drive 12 kms to the nearest police station as this is just a chowki. We spoke to the insurer and they told us no FIR is required as no one was injured in the accident.

I met my father when he reached home and the first thing he told me was, "Son, your car saved me today"

Screen shot from the tracking device where the accident took place.