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The tone of the message suggests that the ability to look within and admit that one of their "group" members did a very dangerous and stupid thing is beyond them.

Found these pictures of the new Creta. A minor accident. Happened in West Bengal. The car hit the tree sideway (trying to avoid the tree but failed). The headlight and the DRL is one unit.

Thanks to Ajay for sending this video in. Heartfelt gratitude for sharing it with other enthusiasts via this Team-BHP page!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIrE...ature=youtu.be

^^ since there is sufficient proof, I sincerely believe this driver should quit driving and -

1. Review his decision making ability

2. Read extensively on defensive driving and take scenario based tests

3. Get his night vision checked

4. Google smash

Although the trucker misjudged the turn, it is the car driver who has himself to blame for trying to squeeze through a gap and get ahead of the truck instead of following him.

This experience would be a good lesson for the car driver for defensive driving. Although the truck driver should have looked in the orvm and also indicated his intention of turning left, Ajay should have been more defensive and also know that he can be in the blind spot of bigger vehicles and be more cautious henceforth.

Dear Ajay,

That indeed is unfortunate. At the same time very much avoidable. Here are my observations:

1. The truck driver clearly didn't indicate ahead of turn.
2. You anticipated he would turn right and made the call to pass him on the left. (Never a good idea).
3. You didn't alert him of your presence. You never flashed your lights or honked, even when you clearly saw him turning in to you. You would've been in his blind spot once you got next to him.

To sum it up, I will have to say that you committed more faults than the trucker. While dashcams can save drivers from unwanted blame, in such instances, they can also be quite helpful in making oneself realize his mistakes. Be glad that no party suffered physical injuries and learn from your mistakes.

P.S I don't understand the language you were speaking and really hope you weren't cursing the driver.

I think both of the drivers were at fault here. First the truck driver without indicating his intentions went to the right.
Secondly, Ajay was in the blind spot of the driver, he should have honked before taking the turn.

If I am not wrong he is asking the truck driver to move the truck to the side rather than arguing first.

Needless to say majority will blame Ajay. Personally I have few Golden rules while overtaking especially the big and heavy vehicles -

Never try to squeeze in any gaps as visibility in big vehicles is limited and you might be in their blind spot and easily missed. Precisely I guess what happened with Ajay.

Always and I stress, Always honk before overtaking any vehicle even if it is a small one like an Activa. People often drift away in thoughts while driving or mostly these days are looking at their mobile and change lanes without indication. So, a simply honk may alert them of someone overtaking.

Truck and Bus always have right of way. Assume this and maintain distance and you will be accident free.

The damage to his vehicle is minimum as both were at low speeds. Might have learned his lesson too.

Looks like a 'rookie' Alto; agreed the trucker didn't indicate: Which truck has it's blinkers and brake lights working?? Never go this close to a truck and never squeeze in. Adage that comes to mind is "better safe than sorry"...

It must have been very easy there to assume the truck would be turning right. The lesson is never assume! And also, as mentioned, beep and flash lights: try to make the truck driver aware of your presence. All of this is defensive and does not absolve the truck driver of his mistakes:

1. I don't think any of the rear left lights on the truck were working. This is a big :Frustrati

2. The truck driver is crossing Ajay's lane to make that turn. Some trucks need that amount of space --- but should be sure that it is free.

Not intending to pin-point the car driver here, just wanted to share few observations.

1. Unless there is clear road ahead and there is more than enough gap between a heavy vehicle and roadside kerb or divider, squeezing in between a heavy vehicle and the road kerb/divider is always very risky.
- The truck driver has huge blind spots, a mild honk/flash of lights(at night) is a must before passing a heavy vehicle to notify the driver. If the truck swerves even slightly while a smaller vehicle is overtaking, side-swiping is guaranteed and very risky.

2. The road in this scenario is barricaded at the junction with concrete blocks. The truck needed to be in that right lane for it to turn left through that narrow gap. The truck was at the right place to make that left turn through the narrow gap.
The right turn is quite sharp, there is no way the truck could have turned right by being in the right most lane. If the truck had to even attempt that sharp right turn, it would have been in the left most lane.

3. Overtaking the truck through that tight gap from the left was a big error. There is no way the truck driver would have noticed the car.
After squeezing in from the left, the least the car should have done is to continue passing to the left, it shouldn't have stopped to let the truck pass at all. The truck needed all of that space on the left before the rear wheels passed into that left turn. Any vehicle in that space at that time would be definitely swiped.


General mindset of almost all our drivers on the road is to overtake the vehicle in front at all costs. There is high level of impatience. After overtaking with all those risks, you will still find them not far ahead, they will be struggling to overtake the next vehicle at any cost.

People have to realize that is no significant gain by these overtakings, may be 5 or 10 minutes here and there, hardly matters. Instead, drivers in most other countries are so relaxed, following the vehicle in front and overtaking only when it is safe to do so and yet covering distances easily. High time, drivers in our country stop risky and unnecessary overtaking.

Sorry for the individual driving the Alto. But he should have been more careful in dealing with heavy vehicles. They require a lot of space to negotiate corners and they have a lot of blind spots all around. And this kind of situation is what a horn is supposed to be used for. To warn the other person I'M HERE. LOOK OUT PLEASE. Not for laying on when feeling aggressive. Not even thinking about the truck here. Though the truck driver was navigating his vehicle in the best possible way, there was total lack of indication of intention and he had no blind spot mirrors for him to see around. This is India, what more can we expect from truckers other than colourful hangings behind the windshield?

If you look at foreign countries, the trucks all have visible warnings never to pass on the near side while they are negotiating a turn and never to stay in their blind spot on a highway. And other road users are disciplined enough to follow these warnings and not try to squeeze through. And of course they all have working indicators and proper mirrors without which they would be hauled off the roads by authorities in no time at all. We as Indians need to learn a lot of courtesy and road manners, which is very far off for us currently. Anyone willing to follow this at all would soon be driven out of their mind by other reckless people on the road. There is nothing wrong 'waiting patiently' in our life; not only on roads but anywhere else too. Hopefully two generations into the future we will reach there.

Did we just talk about build quality of Tata? :D

Many here have mentioned the HUGE Blind Spot that truckers have. Yes. That IS one of the causes of the accident. However, there is also another CARDINAL rule that I find MANY drivers and even more riders break with impunity. OVERTAKING FROM THE LEFT. I see that the Alto driver is a regular breaker of this rule and might have stupidly thought that he could execute this sneaky F1 pass and overtake the lumbering truck.

Hope he remembers this RULE the next time and does not ever think of this maneuver again. A maneuver that I hate.

Is it just me or can anyone else see how smug the backside of the Tiago looks after transforming that Beemer's nose? :D

Still. There might be some damage to the Plate behind the Rear bumper of the Tiago. That would need an under body examination while on a lift or Ramp.

Feel sad for the Beemer. But I have a broad smile when looking at the Tiago.