[John316_WRC]

No father will do this on purpose. But the blame is 50% the father's & 50% the mother's:

1. As a driver, you have to be aware of your surroundings, especially when you have kids in the house. Doesn't matter if you drive a Tahoe or Alto!
2. If the mother knew that the father has to park the car, Why did she leave an 18 month old baby out of sight? What was possibly more important? How can a 1.5yr old baby come out of the house alone that late at night? Sheer negligence.
3. Possibly the main door/grill gate of the house was left open? Again the fault of the mother/the adult nearby.

A close friend of mine and his wife have 2 kids and they both drive. Once their younger daughter was standing behind their car(Ford Explorer) in the blind spot. As the husband started to reverse the wife screamed out, purely God's grace he slammed on the brakes immediately. The car had knocked the girl to the ground and maybe in 1 or 2 seconds the rear wheel would have run over her. The wife's screams saved the girl's life that day and she was unhurt.

After this incident, Wherever they went, be it shopping, functions, airport, restaurants, outings, or back home, without fail 100% of the time the first thing they would do after getting down, is have one parent hold both the kids hands while the other parked the car.(kids can take off and run at the blink of an eye) It didn't matter if they were getting late for a movie or appointments etc. They followed this till the kids were about 8-9 years old and able to understand dangers of a moving vehicle.

[Joe367]

Originally Posted by anjan_c2007

It was most criminal and unpardonable on the part of the father to drive his car ( looks like a Creta) fatally crushing the little girl child (seen in photo below), aged one and a half year.

That was a bit harsh and unnecessary. Sometimes we forget to check our surroundings no matter how careful we usually are - maybe if we are in a hurry, blocking someone's path or after driving for a long time etc.

I'm sure the father would've never expected anyone to be standing there at that time of the day. They're home after an exciting day, he must have been in a hurry to get the car parked and get back to his family. window might have been rolled up and radio might have been on. It's completely human that he forgot to check his surroundings before moving the car. He was just very unlucky that day and he will be already blaming himself for what happened.

Incidents like these helps me appreciate things like 360° camera, auto parking, self driving features etc. I've always considered them to be gimmicks.

[RunGaDa]

Originally Posted by silver-stand

In my opinion, we have three broader problems:

- Driving culture
- Driving knowledge & patience
- Govt. not doing enough

1. Driving Culture:

Well written. I have been driving for over 25 years, 2/3rd in India and 1/3rd outside India. Yet the number of miles crunched is 4:1 in favour of driving outside India. The scientific roads, dedicated lanes for exits, standardised sign boards, uniformity in types of vehicles (only cars, SUVs, and trucks), knowledge of the rules, roads, and traffic, and driving sense are lacking in India due to poor enforcement and too much leeway given to errant drivers.

Even in other countries, drivers must have been errant in the past. However, they enforced strict rules, punishments, higher insurance premiums, driver's license cancellations, and penalty points to fix the problem. After years and more and more people following, they are now in the habit of safe driving, following rules, and using the public road responsibly. Even Dubai, UAE, emerged to become one of the best places to manage traffic. This could not have happened without rule enforcement.

India, we never learned. We should just follow best practices from the world over and pick the ones with the most stiff penalties. Enforce them ruthlessly. Do this for ten years. Then everyone will be used to it, and they won’t try to violate any rules. The major problem is enforcement, and this problem gets bigger and bigger with the increase in the number of vehicles and the number of kilometers of roads built.

[glovins2004]

I would like to highlight an interesting observation during my regular Nagercoil to Bangalore run. Usually, the traffic is lean between Aralvaimozhi all the way until Salem, so its not a surprise to see many flying cars that the one drives on the road.

I was doing around 100-110Kmph and about to overtake a Volvo SUV in a natural flow, I did not accelerate nor did a deliberate attempt. As the gap was closing by, I felt the need to accelerate more than the speed I am doing. Well, I pushed a bit to quickly overtake and move on, but to my surprise I see the SUV accelerating further, however the gap is not that wide between myself and the SUV.

I am not comfortable tailgating another vehicle like a cat and mouse, we might lose focus on the surroundings and it’s a recipe for disaster.

Finally, I made up my mind to accelerate and move away from the SUV, as I stepped on the gas, I could see the VOLVO SUV accelerating ferociously and darting like a missile.

At this point, he has gone too far, and I am not tailgating the SUV anymore, what a relief, I stay on my pace and enjoyed NH44 until I reached Bangalore and of course enjoyed Selvi mess (Salem) as well.

Why did the driver of that SUV should behave this way? just do not want anyone to overtake. If the vehicle behind him or her also thought the same and ferociously accelerated, might have ended up as another story to talk about in “Accidents in India” thread.

This is just one of the examples, there were several other instances where the other vehicles do the same while I’m halfway through overtaking, how much of a dismay it might be.

There is nothing to prove a point on our highways. Drive safe and enjoy the drive as much as you can.

[ashkamath]

Originally Posted by glovins2004

Why did the driver of that SUV should behave this way? just do not want anyone to overtake. If the vehicle behind him or her also thought the same and ferociously accelerated, might have ended up as another story to talk about in “Accidents in India” thread.

There's a human mindset that believes "might is right" or that "the world revolves around them". There's also the mindset that "Because, I am your boss, I am always right" and then there's this perception that "I am wealthier than you, so I am right and also have the right over you".

This is generally noticable when a 2 wheeler rider is overtaken on the highway by a 4 wheeler driver. It's like "You don't exist and I don't care". As a long distance motor cycle rider, I have experienced & survived the impunity of many car drivers push me to the edge of the road or beyond while in their endeavor to overtake me. Bigger and more expensive, the car (or the deeper the pocket of the driver), he/she believes that they own the highway.

You were doing 100/110 in your VW Vento and were on the verge of overtaking a "VOLVO" SUV, probably a car costing a crore or more. The Volvo driver would have seen you approaching in the RVM and a VW is overtaking a VOLVO SUV? No way! are you kidding? I will just smoke him. But wait. Let me have some fun. I will do it slowly and as and when he tries to overtake me.

I have noticed that when a car is driven by a person with his family in the car, the general tendency is not to bother much about who overrakes you and stuff like that because the safety or the family always reside in the corner of the mind. However if it's a solo driver, young and bored at the wheels who is itching for some action and some bragging with friends later, would take these overtaking as a challenge for their car's prowess and their masculanity and won't let it happen. I would call them as people with an ego or an inferiority complex. why Inferiority complex? Suppose for argument sake, the same VOLVO SUV is about to be overtaken by you, driving a PORSCHE 911, he would have chickened out and even waved you through.

These drivers, look in the RVM, look at the car behind, judge the capability of the car and if it appears to be less potent than their car, they get in the game of challenging the car. If the car behind is a powerful car, they just concede and wave you through. For them it is a ego competition. How big and how fast can your car go against mine? If you are weak I will crush you, If you are strong, I will lick your boots.

If you notice, a similar mindset is exhibited by some high end motorcylce riders. the supersport and litre class motorcycle riders. The idea is "If you ride a litre class or a supersport motorcycle, you got to ride in triple digits, doesn't matter if it is in city, around school or hospital or in traffic, nothing matters. If you ride a highend motorcycle you got to ride very fast weaving through the crowd else you are sissy / chicken and doing a dis-respect to the motorcycle. Imagine the speed these 2 wheelers do on highways. In my riding circle, I have biker friends who boast of touching 300 Kmph on Belgaum - Kolhapur highway. Why? why not? the bike is capable. so why not? and ofcourse they wont allow anyone to overtake them, no car or bike. it hurts them deeply.

I have a principle in highway riding. I maintain a constant 80-85 Kmph. If some one is slower than that I overtake them and if someone is faster than that, they overtake me and that's it. If some one plays the hide and seek game like the one you mentioned with the VOLVO SUV, I quickly realise that this is not worth it ( you don't wrestle with a pig knowing that you only get dirty while the pig is enjoying it thoroughly) and I reduce my speed and keep a distance from the person.

On a recent long distance ride on my KTM Duke 390, I was riding at my sedate 80 Kmph and there was this local bike rider on his Hero Honda Splendor who was riding at 70ish. As soon as I overtook him, he felt challenged and after a while overtook me at about 90-100 Kmph speed. I could see he was gunning his bike to the max it could go and that is around 100 Kmph or so. I maintained my 80-85 Kmph and ignored him and never took that bait and that was the end of it.

You ride at 100/110 Kmph and if there's a slower vehicle ahead you overtake it and if someone is quicker than you, then you yield to them and continue at your own pace. If some one plays challenged and smart like the VOLVO driver, you just slow down to 90 Kmph for a while to build a gap and then continue with your regular speed. That's the end of matter.

[anjan_c2007]

In a gruesome accident, a speeding Bolero pickup hit and dragged a 50 year old cyclist for 2 kilometres near Haryana's Panniwala Mota village on NH -9, on Saturday, 27.04.24. The victim, identified as Gurnam Singh from village Karmgarh, was cycling back to his village from Panniwala Mota when the pickup truck struck his bicycle near a police checkpoint on the highway. Despite efforts from a truck driver behind the pickup truck to signal and stop the vehicle, the pickup driver continued driving, dragging the trapped cyclist under the truck. At last, the truck driver stopped the pickup by overtaking and parking his truck in front of it. The truck driver pulled the injured cyclist from under the pickup truck. The nearby angry bystanders thrashed the pickup driver and his co-passenger.Following the incident, the police were informed, and Singh was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance. However very sadly, doctors declared him dead upon arrival.

A case of murder has been registered against the pickup driver based on the statement of the deceased's relatives. The police have initiated an investigation into the matter.

The video on X (NOT FOR THE WEAK HEARTED PLEASE)

https://twitter.com/lavelybakshi/sta...ailyhunt.in%2F

The news source:-

http://dhunt.in/UcJv1?s=a&uu=0x4a09defdfbda8a93&ss=pd
Source : "Free Press Journal" via Dailyhunt

[RaviK]

Originally Posted by anjan_c2007

In a gruesome accident, a speeding Bolero pickup hit and dragged a 50 year old cyclist for 2 kilometres near Haryana's Panniwala Mota village on NH -9, on Saturday, 27.04.24. ..

Dear lord, this is so horrific.

A small sub-text here - in recent years, due to rapid expansion in infrastructure, market and subsequent logistics job opportunities, almost everyone who has working hands and legs has become a commercial vehicle driver in my area. Not that we had a good record on driver education/behavior earlier, but many of these commercial drivers in my area have come overnight from doing unskilled jobs, to driving powerful logistics vehicles and lack even the basic experience on vehicle behavior, obstacles etc. hence small commercial vehicle accidents have increased manifold in past few years.
P.S. - this place is close to my hometown, I've visited this village a few times in the past.

[anjan_c2007]

In a rare accident, the father-son duo were killed when their Hyundai Verna bearing registration number MH 43 AL 9591, while being driven at night on a rural road near Nagpur city, veered off and plunged into a river.





It so happened that the father had gone to witness a religious procession on Friday 26.04.24 night but didn't come back till late hours. His son with another person drove the car to the religious procession venue to pick up his father. While returning, late at night the son lost control of the car, hit a tree and the car fell and submerged into a river. The third occupant in the car miraculously escaped from the broken windshield and clung to a tree staying as such all through the night. He suffered injuries. But with the ill-fated car, the father and son drowned in the river. Only the next day morning on Saturday, 27.04.24, villagers as rescuers could locate the injured person and police were informed about the car and the gruesome accident.

[ramki.grandhi]

Looks like a parked XUV700 caught on fire and Mahindra hasn't released any official statement yet on the incident.

https://twitter.com/Prateek34381357/...06044967993817

[asmr]

Originally Posted by glovins2004

Why did the driver of that SUV should behave this way?

Well, it is called ego. I have seen this happen way too many times to even keep count. The one driving a bigger, powerful & costlier car thinks it would be an insult to their status if they let a smaller, less powerful and "cheaper" car overtake them.

It is also a sign of an immature driver as well as one that doesn't have much of road sense. My father always said that if someone is overtaking your vehicle, common sense would be let them do so and not actively increase speed. It is just too dangerous.

Imagine if this had happened on a crowded stretch instead of a free one. The risk for confrontations and accidents are that much higher.

[Apex1815]

This is a very sad incidence.

There are many kids including tiny toddlers who play in my Apartment building parking. Following is a kind of my personal SOP while leaving and entering my apartment building :

- Walkaround of my car (Nexon) before cranking the Engine to ensure no toddler is closeby or in the blind spot.

- Always blow horn while starting to alert the kids nearby.

- Blow horn while entering the building premises (Even if people find it irritating) to alert kids. There have been instances of unattended toddlers coming closer to the cars entering in.

- Dead slow at the junctions of Parking.

Last but not the least. It is the prime responsibility of parents to never leave their kids unattended. I have noticed parents busy over phones while their kids trying to preform stunts in front of moving cars in and around the parking premises.

[AltoLXI]

Accident in Rajajinagar, Bengaluru. Camera shows the date as 22nd April.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFwS7mdI5bE

[IamNikhil]

A heavily overloaded lorry topples-over in what seems to be a ghat section. The windshield breaks and the driver has a miraculous escape.

https://youtu.be/1IsTlWPrZpw?si=LGyoczmlsDUN4mol

[electric_eel]

Originally Posted by AltoLXI

Accident in Rajajinagar, Bengaluru. Camera shows the date as 22nd April.

https://www.Youtube.com/watch?v=CFwS7mdI5bE

Just another day for the biker, merrily going about doing his usual stuff (not wearing his helmet, not look at what is coming from his left (the speed breaker should have been treated as a stop and give way sign) and then a bigger idiot comes along, driving through what appears to be very narrow roads, as if his pants are on fire. If this is a contest of who is the biggest idiot, no questions, the car driver wins hands down.

I would like to know the working of the brains of the car driver. How did he think that
he could get away without any incidents driving at that speed through such roads ? Or is it that he does not care if a few "minor" incidents does happen. In other words, is it malice or plain simple ignorance ?

[anjan_c2007]

Overloaded Bolero pickup carrying 35 people; Dead of the night; Driver drunk; Near Raipur, Chattisgarh; Hits parked truck; Perfect recipe for disaster; 9 killed including 5 women and 3 kids!

Happened during the wee hours (1.30 am) of Monday 29.04.24. It had all the ingredients fit for a disaster including encountering the parked truck enroute, in Bemetara dist about 55 kms away from Raipur. According to the report for about 45 minutes, there was chaos and panic as the injured screamed in pain and the dead lay scattered on the road. Eight persons were killed on the spot, while a survivor died during treatment.

Gruesome!

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/.../109704242.cms