[binand]

Originally Posted by Slick

I think on a Single carriageway the overtake always has to happen from the right.

That's a dual carriageway road. You can see the traffic going the other way on the second carriageway at around 3 seconds into the video.

[adisan]

Part of the road is one-way but Google Maps sometimes show this as two-way.

People can actually report to Google Maps regarding such errors to get it corrected. It would be a great favour for drivers unfamiliar with that road.

[Slick]

Originally Posted by Slick

I think on a Single carriageway the overtake always has to happen from the right. ..

Originally Posted by binand

That's a dual carriageway road. You can see the traffic going the other way on the second carriageway at around 3 seconds into the video.

Hey thanks for pointing that out, a wrong assumption on my part.

@Lord Lucan,
Please ignore my comment, Though still wrong, your move on a dual carriageway is not as disastrous as on a single carriageway at all.

[carthick1000]

Originally Posted by Lord Lucan

I am attaching a similar sample incident below, luckily for me it happened just when I was about to pass the bus hence I was able to brake and recover.

Trying to overtake on the left of a vehicle, which has just begun it's overtake of another vehicle is just plain and simple irrational and suicidal. What if the bus took left faster than it actually did or the vehicle behind you could not brake as hard as you. Glad that you are alive to post it here.

[nitin_knw]

It's a Unfortunate event that could have been avoided, We all know about Government/Private Buses dangerously plying on roads , and chasing at Speed 100 to overtake Bus is a perfect recipe for disaster.

Road rage are something one should always try to avoid , I remembered a news from Indore were 2 person fighting on Road when one of them became aggressive and pushed the other guy who was crushed below a tractor trolley coming from behind, he was in his twenties.

[Srini76]

Hello,

I had a few close (very close ones) with TN state government buses overtaking another 6/8 wheeler without a care for the on coning vehicles, I have been petrified while on my bike all the more - This scant regard to other road users is primarily the though process that the Bus drivers don't have to spend for damages, nor worry about the bus itself per se (Its not owned by them) and the biggest reason is they apparently have a union of some kind which will protect them - all this as stated by a depot manager/supervisor who I befriended losing a part of my door, fender and ORVM to a bus.

The bigger point simply because they are GOVT employees why cannot any action be taken on them ? even the cops dissuade you from taking any action , I am a strong believer that strict penal should be taken against all erring drivers just like how it happens to PVT vehicles - be it a State Transport or a PVT bus or a tipper lorry action should be the same - They just cannot stop and start where they damn well please ! The lesser said the better we cannot even expect the govt (any govt) to even enforce PUC certificates, why bother about discipline and driver behaviour !

Obviously nothing is expected to happen in this regards and as many members said - we have to be safe and save our skins ! Those who reside in Chennai will also know about the (in)famous Share Autos which are a different nightmare for another day !

Regards,

Srini

[Lord Lucan]

Originally Posted by kiku007

Let me break that down for you.

1. Vehicle on the right lane is ahead.
2. Vehicle on the left lane is behind and attempts to overtake the vehicle ahead.
3. Vehicle on the right lane is moving to the left lane but is still ahead of the vehicle in the left lane.
4. Vehicle on the left lane accelerates hard to end up in front of the vehicle on the right lane.

That's plain stupid driving.

Let me break an alternate version for you.

This incident with the doctor happened on a 4 lane express way with a divider in-between.

1. Slow moving Vehicle on the right lane is ahead and hogging the right lane.
2. Vehicle on the left lane is behind, traveling at a higher speed and has started overtaking the vehicle ahead.
3. At nearly the end of the overtaking maneuver, the vehicle on the right lane veers to the left lane sharply.
4. Collision is inevitable and the driver on the left lane has to make a split second decision either to brake or accelerate to avoid the collision. If in the driver’s judgement, they believe that they have a better chance of avoiding a collision by accelerating that that’s what they will do.

Still trying to broaden perspectives ...

Is the overwhelming opinion of this group to avoid such situations is to stay behind the vehicle on the right lane and keep honking till they move to the left lane

[poised2drive]

Originally Posted by Arwin07

A 37 year old TN government doctor (Surgical Gastroenterologist) died on the spot in Madurai ring road today in an accident.

Unbelievably horrific !

Originally Posted by Arwin07

Enter highways leaving anger at home. RIP.

Rightly said.

On a side note, I must say the Bus Drivers in Telugu States, both the RTC and Private, are not as boorish and aggressive as that of Kerala, Karnataka & TN. Being a regular traveler on highways, the buses and lorries in AP & Telangana are rarely the menace and the bikers & Autos take the cake here.

And many a time, to my pleasant surprise, the drivers on the highways are quite accommodating and give way and seldom go racing. Even the city buses in Hyderabad are driven safely than their counterparts of Bangalore and Chennai.

[LaRoca]

Originally Posted by GeneralJazz

Totally agree with the above points. In fact, I had a similar experience a few years back.

A private bus sideswiped my Baleno, taking out the side mirror and partially tearing off the front bumper. Anyone living in North Kerala knows what a menace the private buses are. Instead of chasing him down, I drove to the nearest police station and reported it. I just had the name and color of the bus, not even the number plates. It took the cops less than 5 minutes to figure out the bus. It was stopped by some traffic cops a few kms outside of town. In about 2-3 hours, the bus owner was at the police station and we worked out a suitable solution.

Self preservation should always be the priority while on the road.

Kudos to Kerala Police. One of the most well behaved and highly efficient police force in the country today.

While I was in the North, all I could see was the cops stopping our company car for no reason and asking for bribes. Never did that happen in Kerala, all the years of my living here.

[ramzsys]

Most of us spend a couple of hours a day on the road and we get physically and mentally tired of the traffic, mannerisms, menace of horn, two wheelers, etc.

And these truckers and bus drivers spend their lifetime on the same roads. Yes it's their job and they get paid for it but the risks they face are simply too much. Modern cars have a lot of safety features and spare firepower under the engine to compensate for the delays, it would be better for us to let go than to engage in instinctive behaviors that puts everybody's safety in jeopardy. The goal for the day is to reach home, the HCV driver including.

[Yieldway17]

I do not know about other state RTCs but almost all drivers of TNSTCs are affiliated to unions which themselves are affiliated to various political parties. They can get endless support even if you are in the right. It's pointless trying to pick an argument or worst a fight with them. One could end up even in jail for no fault of one. Unless injury or death is involved, stay away from them and save your sanity.

[Aravind_M92]

Originally Posted by harry10

Thankfully, Here in NCR most bus drivers drive sensibly, maybe it's the strictness of challans in delhi region. It's the Auto drivers who are the rowdy ones here.

Thanks to those CNG engines in Delhi. What's the best acceleration can those DTC bus reach! I believe those drivers have come to peace and have totally lost hope on road rage! I still remember those days when the notorious Blue line buses used to ply!
Us Southies are blaming KSRTC and SETC drivers for rash driving. The real OGs were those horrendous buses. Each route had atleast one accident on average per day.

Jokes apart, there was a video where an actual route in Kerala by car was shown to be a 13 hour drive on Google maps. The same route is completed by those 'Minnal express' buses under 10 hours! I seriously doubt the safety regards those drivers would take to achieve such targets.

I've been travelling with SETC and TNSTC buses and have spoken to the depot managers. They were clear that each buses are fitted with devices aka fuel line blockages to limit the flow which something are tampered by the drivers to get the 'acceleration' feel. There was once a time when SETC boasted of 6 kmpl fuel efficiency. But in reality it was very well around 3 kmpl. This just shows how hard the buses are driver around.

Private buses are a complete different ordeal. I do get to read about fatal accidents on a frequent basis. Hopefully there are some regulations on these kind of rash behaviours

[Akshay6988]

Originally Posted by ramzsys

it would be better for us to let go than to engage in instinctive behaviors that puts everybody's safety in jeopardy. The goal for the day is to reach home, the HCV driver including.

Totally agree with you sir ! The truck/bus is way bigger than a car and car driver's ego. I never do anything stupid around these guys, I happily follow the car or bus for a minute or two till I get clear window to do the overtake. Yes it gets annoying when one truck doing 40kmph is getting overtaken by another truck doing 45kmph, but the another truck is annoyed too. Just let him pass and he'll get back to his lane. Bonus point - I never get irritated driving, no matter how much traffic I'm in

[kiku007]

Originally Posted by Lord Lucan

4. Collision is inevitable and the driver on the left lane has to make a split second decision either to brake or accelerate to avoid the collision. If in the driver’s judgement, they believe that they have a better chance of avoiding a collision by accelerating that that’s what they will do.

They can do whatever they want as long as they don't expect us to sympathize with them for their suicidal actions.

Originally Posted by Lord Lucan

Is the overwhelming opinion of this group to avoid such situations is to stay behind the vehicle on the right lane and keep honking till they move to the left lane

No.

If that's what you understood from the several posts then, I'm at loss for words.

[prajwalmr62]

Originally Posted by Lord Lucan

3. At nearly the end of the overtaking maneuver, the vehicle on the right lane veers to the left lane sharply.

IF you absolutely have to overtake from the left, then make sure the other driver understood your presence by honking or lights. Because most people do not check their left side mirrors as frequently as right side mirrors. The aim of this, is to reduce the chances of accidents. Because blind spot + on (less monitored) left side + overtake is a recipe for disaster.

Do not tailgate heavy vehicles as they can't see you at all in their rear view mirrors. Keep a sufficient 60-70m gap, so that,

1. They can see you in their mirrors.
2. You get enough time to react and brake, as these vehicles never have functioning tail lights.
3. Some trucks have surprisingly better brakes than our cars.
4. You don't have to test the under-run bar's strength.

---

Even after all these, if the other vehicle veers left or does a sudden maneuver, then the collision is inevitable. If you are accelerating hard at that moment, you will loose the control of the car and will be at the mercy of the road. The best action here would be to keep the current pace and come to a halt slowly.

The priority while driving is,
* Self-preservation
* Car safety