[Chetan_Rao]

They were probably both in each other's blind spot for the split second that proved fatal.

The video starts at the point where the biker is already at the front left end of the bus. Unclear who was passing whom, but whoever it was didn't leave enough space.

The Innova is parked dangerously and lucky not to have got mixed up in the accident, and so is the biker in the left lane. A few metres either way and we'd be looking at another potential casualty.

[Acharya]

I really wish recent videos (in last 8-10 pages) where two wheeler riders trying to pass thru non-existence gap and end up loosing life, are taken up as serious lessens.

There is no harm in being safe and there is no race that anyone wins by filling all breaking gaps between vehicles.

It certainly does not worth it, just one wrong moment & rider is gone. I really wish more & more people see it & adopt better riding sense.

[Yieldway17]

Originally Posted by sparky@home

Yesterday there was an accident on the main Thrissur/Kunnumkulam road at Muthuvara, wherein an over speeding bus knocked down and ran over a biker. The poor chap was killed instantly. The whole thing was caught on a camera, and it can be seen in the attached video (local news channel) between 05:23 to 05:43.

The car jutting out on to half the active travel lane immediately stands out as one of the culprits of this accident. This kind of parking is common across the country with no consequences.

[Added_flavor]

Received this video on a WhatsApp group. Seems like the Baleno driver severely misjudged the braking distance or he tried but the brakes were not effective/working. I'm inclined to think it's the former.

However, it clearly looks like the car took the impact well. No intrusion into the cabin - the crumple zone did its work well. The airbags deployed too.

Hopefully, no serious injuries to any of the occupants of the overloaded auto as well.







What actually happened can be seen in the video below.

https://youtu.be/4d7OTnAD0X0

[Durango Dude]

Originally Posted by Added_flavor

Received this video on a WhatsApp group. Seems like the Baleno driver severely misjudged the braking distance or he tried but the brakes were not effective/working. I'm inclined to think it's the former. However, it clearly looks like the car took the impact well. No intrusion into the cabin - the crumple zone did its work well. The airbags deployed too. Hopefully, no serious injuries to any of the occupants of the overloaded auto as well.

It was broad day light and the Baleno Driver must have seen the overloaded auto in the centre of the road. He must have anticipated. These stupid auto's have no business being on a highway. Between the Baleno and the Auto; I think the Auto wins hands down in the damages department.

[dark.knight]

Originally Posted by Added_flavor

Hopefully, no serious injuries to any of the occupants of the overloaded auto as well.

I read everything you wrote from the start, then saw the photo and then came back to read the part where you mentioned it was an auto

The video initially has been sped up a bit, until point of impact, so I went frame by frame, seems like the auto was lucky to have been overloaded, a lighter weight and it would've just flown, although the women sitting at the back seem to have had a head-bump with the bonnet at the point of impact. They would be having some injuries due to the absolute whiplash effect of going back upon impact, hitting the bonnet and then being flung forward. The driver who gave the indication as he abruptly moved leftwards was violently flung out of the vehicle as he completed a road somersault before he quickly picked himself up and walked away.. a bit funny, that. Don't think any serious injuries happened though. What is more amusing is that the auto rolled to a halt perfectly at the left side away from the road even after getting hammered towards the right.

As for the car, well you can call it that, a crumple zone.. but the damage does seem overly excessive for what had happened.

[Yieldway17]

Originally Posted by Added_flavor

What actually happened can be seen in the video below.

These so called 'share autos' have no business being on a highway but with what is a highway being highly debatable in our country and there are bigger issues like these highways being the 'only' roads connecting many villages with towns.

But saying that, these share auto drivers are an unruly bunch. He was not only in the passing lane going at what seems like 20kmph, he was overloaded and he switched lanes abruptly with just a hand signal which could be hard to spot.

This accident could have ended way differently if not for the luck of those people in that auto.

Interesting personal observation - the car registration number is only a few digits newer than mine of same RTO and series. The more stranger thing is that the share auto registration number is also very close to my friend's scooter number of same RTO and series.

[locusjag]

Originally Posted by dark.knight

The driver who gave the indication as he abruptly moved leftwards was violently flung out of the vehicle as he completed a road somersault before he quickly picked himself up and walked away.. a bit funny, that.

It could very well be the customary side-facing passenger on the driver's seat. Such passengers can be seen with their knees jutting out and many limb amputations have passed in the 2 decades that we've had these contraptions on the roads. There'd be 2 side-facing passengers, one on each side of the driver, at times.

As for the car, well you can call it that, a crumple zone.. but the damage does seem overly excessive for what had happened.

I echo your thoughts there. I'm not a Maruti-basher, but rather an auto-basher myself. I bashed up an auto in a similar fashion and had only paint scratches on my TUV's fender.

[pratyush6]

Originally Posted by arvind71181

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities...share=d086df8a

Is the truck driver at fault? I see umpteen speeding attempts by parents to drop their kids in school. RIP the kid, just 7 years old :(

Originally Posted by shaktisarangi

I am not saying that children should not travel on 2 wheelers l, but utmost care needs to be taken while driving and precautions in the form of a helmet should be compulsorily adopted. Truly sad to see a young life snuffed out in this manner.

There is almost nothing more tragic in this world when a child dies for no fault of theirs, specially in front of parents. Yet, this is reduced to a mere statistic in our country, where we have zero regard for safety. I remember a statistic that we lose over 300 people everyday on or roads, yet; neither the Govt. nor the mango-people seem to care about this.

As a country which puts plastic covers on 5 year old remotes and screen guard on phones, we sure seem not want to wear helmets, drive badly and still complain about everything.

In Pune they even had a public outcry over imposition of helmets!
https://www.mid-day.com/articles/pun...torship/405232

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

....
Maybe though, our medians are built simply to discourage wrong-side driving. Sometimes they seem to do the opposite!

I've had multiple idiots tell me they wouldn't be on the wrong side of the road if the median didn't exist!

'There's traffic on the other side and this bloody thing is too tall to climb over, what am I supposed to do? Wait in line?'

'Err...yes?'

[GeneralJazz]

Originally Posted by Added_flavor

Received this video on a WhatsApp group. Seems like the Baleno driver severely misjudged the braking distance or he tried but the brakes were not effective/working. I'm inclined to think it's the former.

However, it clearly looks like the car took the impact well. No intrusion into the cabin - the crumple zone did its work well. The airbags deployed too.

Got this as a forward too. Looks like the driver was expecting the auto to stay in the right most lane. Probably the auto just took a U turn from the break in the divider. Its usual practice to take a U turn and stick to the right lane. The driver might have decided to overtake from the left when the auto suddenly cut to the left too.

Yes the Baleno took the impact very well. These images were followed by a barrage of 'pappad' memes in the groups. But the crumple zones have done their job very well.

Originally Posted by Durango Dude

It was broad day light and the Baleno Driver must have seen the overloaded auto in the centre of the road. He must have anticipated. These stupid auto's have no business being on a highway. Between the Baleno and the Auto; I think the Auto wins hands down in the damages department.

It is probably the extensive damage on the Baleno that saved the ladies sitting in the back of the auto. Most of the energy of the crash was absorbed by the car, reducing the stress on the occupant of that jugaad piece of crap. Agreed autos have no place on a highway. I am of the opinion that they should not be allowed to leave the city area.

Originally Posted by dark.knight

The driver who gave the indication as he abruptly moved leftwards was violently flung out of the vehicle as he completed a road somersault before he quickly picked himself up and walked away.. a bit funny, that. Don't think any serious injuries happened though.

So the guy in the white shirt was the auto driver eh? I was wondering where that guy came from! Seems he mysteriously appeared after the crash!

[pavi]

Originally Posted by Durango Dude

Between the Baleno and the Auto; I think the Auto wins hands down in the damages department.

Thank God it was an Auto. What Baleno has in plenty are crumple zones, no one will be having a slight doubt about the same. Heard from my brother yesterday that his colleague died in an accident even though the airbags in the Baleno was deployed. I think there is something alarming in the Baleno build as most Baleno accidents result in lot of casualties and the car will be smashed like it went to an Avengers film fight scene.

[amrutmhatre90]

Originally Posted by Added_flavor

Received this video on a WhatsApp group. Seems like the Baleno driver severely misjudged the braking distance or he tried but the brakes were not effective/working. I'm inclined to think it's the former.
Hopefully, no serious injuries to any of the occupants of the overloaded auto as well.

I think the driver reacted pretty late, on highways according to me reaction and your sightings matter most. Most of the highways are filled with stupid bikers, cyclists, bullock carts. One has to be super careful when you spot some of these. In these cases I slow down and start honking.

[the_skyliner]

Originally Posted by amrutmhatre90

I think the driver reacted pretty late, on highways according to me reaction and your sightings matter most. Most of the highways are filled with stupid bikers, cyclists, bullock carts. One has to be super careful when you spot some of these. In these cases I slow down and start honking.

I agree. Besides, there was a signal as well as warning signboard few meters before the opening in the road divider. The car driver completely ignored it and maintained his speed and also reacted too late.

This accident which was easily avoidable.

[shubhodeepdas@g]

Originally Posted by amrutmhatre90

I think the driver reacted pretty late

The driver seems to have reacted and then decided to overtake the auto from the left. Even if he braked hard when he saw the hand waving left, he could have avoided this. There seems to be no audio, but my guess is he used the horn instead.

Originally Posted by GeneralJazz

Its usual practice to take a U turn and stick to the right lane.

That is the correct practice provided there is space, but vehicles should match highway speeds after the U Turn. That auto is definitely not capable of 60 - 80 kph with that load. That said, the driver of the Baleno is blazing past a gap in median with a blinking amber light at a pretty high speed.

There definitely should be a minimum speed limit on our highways.