[RGK]

On the Pollachi-Palkkad (through Gopalapuram) route, a Tata Ace was struck by the local route bus (Bus No. 5, a privately owned). It appears that the LCV came in the wrong direction.

[Voodooblaster]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I hope the car repair was very, very expensive.

If the person had a Nil Depreciation policy with all bells and whistles, he need to pay only Rs 1000 to get his vehicle repaired under insurance

For a Nil Dep policy sans the bells and whistles, the vehicle can be repaired under insurance by paying approx 10% of repair amount

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by airbus

Saw this Mahindra Marazzo at a service centre. Car took the impact well, no cabin intrusion.

Looks like it has just rear ended a vehicle with height like bus/truck. Thats not how we can judge things like cabin intrusion. Only the bonnet has taken the impact while the rest of the engine bay is structurally intact, if not cosmetically.

[Lowflyer23]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

It seems that it is all too easy to drive into stationary traffic. Somehow, even if fully alert and awake (and maybe your guy was not) it takes time to realise that the cars we think are moving are stopped.

No offense but I think only an idiot would not be able to see multiple brake lights ahead of him and vehicles coming to a halt.

[theabstractmind]

Originally Posted by Lowflyer23

No offense but I think only an idiot would not be able to see multiple brake lights ahead of him and vehicles coming to a halt.

I know this is slightly off topic. Nevertheless.

There are plenty of idiots on our roads. Once I was rear ended when I stopped at a red light. The guy crashed a good two to three seconds after I stopped with tires squealing. The gentlemen who rear ended me was driving a car five times more expensive than mine, and was possibly a very rich guy. Had me meet him at a high end club and bargained for an amount which would be his son's pocket money.

Yesterday, around midnight, I saw enough idiots in decently expensive cars jumping red signals, or speeding through junctions, as though there's no tomorrow. I was so worried of being rear ended again - yet I stopped at each signal. Hoping to inspire at least one more person. And I do that every time. When alone, or driving with someone. Hoping that, that someone - especially my son, learns to respect the road, and life.

Yes. There are idiots. In Plenty.

[Sran]

Originally Posted by theabstractmind

Once I was rear ended when I stopped at a red light.

I have been nudged at rear atleast a dozen times at signals and stops, generally when my parents are with me. Its a feeling of helplessness.

Yesterday, around midnight, I saw enough idiots in decently expensive cars jumping red signals, or speeding through junctions, as though there's no tomorrow. I was so worried of being rear ended again - yet I stopped at each signal.

I do this especially if I am with other drivers to teach them driving manners. Many people have tried to reason but I am generally adamant. I think it has some effect as few cars also stop seeing one car stopped at red light during night on empty roads. I just want to reach home safe even if its getting late. But the fear of getting rear ended by vehicles especially by dumpers is real, so I am always ready with hands on gear and foot on pedal.

[for_cars1]

Originally Posted by theabstractmind

... Once I was rear ended when I stopped at a red light. ... speeding through junctions, as though there's no tomorrow. I was so worried of being rear ended again - yet I stopped at each signal....

Originally Posted by Sran

I have been nudged at rear atleast a dozen times at signals and stops, generally when my parents are with me. Its a feeling of helplessness.
....I just want to reach home safe even if its getting late. But the fear of getting rear ended by vehicles especially by dumpers is real, so I am always ready with hands on gear and foot on pedal.

One effective way is to turn on the hazard lights after stopping at the signal light, especially during early mornings and late nights when some of the traffic behind is in no mood to stop at signals (which they should do as per traffic rules) and the risk of rear ending is high. The hazard light atleast alerts the trailing vehicles that you have stopped at the signal and serves as a proactive measure from our part during an otherwise helpless scenario.

Sometimes the right turn signal is red while the straight signal is green and if you find yourself waiting for the right turn, better leave your right turn indicator ON, especially if you are the last in line waiting to turn.

[anjan_c2007]

Two on a bike came under the rear wheels of a truck in Bangalore. To avoid a car door suddenly opened, the biker swerved in the nick of time. A speeding truck's wheel knocked them down.

Too tragic!

https://mobile.twitter.com/DCPTrEast...ource=inshorts

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by anjan_c2007

Two on a bike came under the rear wheels of a truck in Bangalore. To avoid a car door suddenly opened, the biker swerved in the nick of time. A speeding truck's wheel knocked them down.

Too tragic!

https://mobile.twitter.com/DCPTrEast...ource=inshorts

That's just a representational video. It isn't an incident that happened in Bangalore.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by Lowflyer23

No offense but I think only an idiot would not be able to see multiple brake lights ahead of him and vehicles coming to a halt.

You might think so. My friend was not an idiot!

And, anyway...

Originally Posted by theabstractmind

There are plenty of idiots on our roads.

[Arwin07]

Originally Posted by Arwin07

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...w/94055988.cms

A 17 year old died as his two wheeler collided with bus in Oddanchathiram, Tamilnadu. The deceased and two others were 17 year old XII students riding triples in a motorcycle. The deceased boy was celebrating his birthday.

When a vehicle in front of you swerves, follow it. There is something in front they are trying to avoid that you can't see. The private bus swerves to left to avoid the government bus overtaking the lorry. The boys on motorcycle thought it as an overtaking opportunity.

RIP.

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I disagree strongly.

The overtaking bus driver is indeed wrong to be doing so in the face of oncoming traffic. This does not make him responsible for the idiot coming suddenly from the blind spot immediately behind the oncoming bus.

On top of all the other lessons mentioned by others, is the bad habit of treating immediately behind (tailgating, in fact) as the position from which to overtake. This is common in drivers of cars, bikes and others. It is especially a big no-no when there is no visibility through a large vehicle.

The biker is moving out into the unknown, and it turned lethal. How stupid is that, when, from further behind, he could have moved slightly right to check the oncoming traffic etc. From that position he could have got out of the way and would be alive.

This, coupled with the completely ignorant failure to see a vehicle moving out of its line and ask himself why ended his young life.

Those are the two most salient points, according to me. Other things, including the faulty driving of others, are the incidental things.

The following video is a near-miss which reiterates the above discussed points:

https://youtu.be/1kLIFPPWb54

[MT_Hyderabad]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

And, anyway...

Truck drivers have a few things more to consider and calculate than an average car driver.

When they are carrying heavy load, they cannot brake hard, or the load will collapse on the cabin.
They cannot rely on brakes as much as a car driver.
They are constantly befooled by the wide expanse of view they have of the road ahead (height + wide windscreen effect). Making them feel that they are under control when they are not.

In city, what they actually need is a low driving position with a large windscreen. New city buses in Delhi and other cities and even Volvo intercity buses have this capability.

That's why, these trucks should not enter city during peak hours, they are not designed for city roads.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by MT_Hyderabad

Truck drivers have a few things more to consider and calculate than an average car driver.

This is true, and all road users should consider the restrictions of other vehicles.

Seems to me that truck drivers often don't consider the restrictions of their own vehicles! Many of them will tailgate --- with little chance of stopping if the car in front has to brake sharply. Although, to be fair, I have to say that their ability to simply drive, especially on narrow streets, sometimes amazes me*.

All of these things that so often come up in this thread are deeply engrained and cannot easily be changed. Recently, here, there was another police drive on helmet wearing. Now they have forgotten about it and so have the bikers. What does it take to make safety the default behaviour? Several generations of good good teaching, good driver training, proper testing, strict enforcement etc. Starting today: and there is no sign of it starting at all.



*Sidenote:

The guy across the road from us has one of those long articulated cranes parked by his apartment block (apparently they are in JCB/etc business). Our road is tiny. The connecting main street is not only narrow but congested. How does the driver manage it? I salute him!

[sarathlal]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Several generations of good good teaching, good driver training, proper testing, strict enforcement etc. Starting today: and there is no sign of it starting at all.

Unfortunately, this is where most of the problems starts; transition to future generations.
School drops in the morning are mostly critical on time, and there you see all sorts of so called educated parents cutting lines, parking right in middle of the road, yelling at school gate security all right in front of their kids.

They are watching and learning.

They also see that the ones waiting patiently in line and obeying rules are often bearing the brunt of losing out on slots. Am afraid that this daily behaviour is actually teaching future generations that abiding by the law is counter productive. It's a sad sight!

[WhiteSierra]

Hyderabad: In a tragic incident, a woman travelling by two-wheeler was fatally hit by a lorry near the Vivekananda statue on Medchal main road.

The deceased was identified as Priya More (30), and she was leaving for work early on Thursday morning.

While crossing the main road at the divider, a lorry hit her. She fell under the truck’s wheels and died on the spot. City police released CCTV footage of the accident to showcase the dangerous nature of shortcuts on a main road.

The visuals might be disturbing to viewers.

Video

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Source