Team-BHP - Accidents in India

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Originally Posted by sandeep3in (Post 2247079)

Bikes certainly lacks safety,

But it is up to us that we take a precautionary measure of using helmets for pillion and rider .

A helmet can't save you always. One of our members is critically injured though he was wearing his helmet: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/shifti...aleno-chd.html

To add to this, a Moderator "Rtech" and another BHPian's brother passed away in bike accidents.

Yes, bikes are not as safe as cars but it's a common man's transport in India. But in India, wearing a helmet and following the rules is shunned upon. Indians wear a helmet just for the sake of wearing one and remove it as soon as they are off the highway or have passed a signal where there is a police checking. In my college, I guess I might be the only one who uses a helmet every time. Now, when I have my parents (or some relative) as my pillion rider, I tell them to wear a helmet and they do so without any arguments. But take the case when a friend is sitting back. I never force them to wear a helmet. Why? Because frankly, I have stopped caring about them. Even when I wear a helmet, they start passing negative comments like, "Yaha kaha police pakdega", etc. According to them, a guy wearing helmet while sitting in the pillion has gone bonkers.

Now, one of my friends is in the market to buy a car in the 11-12l range. Now just as a fad, he wants 4 airbags in his car. Now take the point that his parents allow him to drive a car even if he is below 18 and he never wears his seatbelts. When I suggested him to take a Vento, he refused, saying it's just got 2 airbags. At that point, even when I explained him that a crash in a car without airbags at 60kmph might save you but what when you are driving your bike on the highway at 60 without even a helmet? Still they don't get the point of wearing one.

Even I agree to the point made by someone for teaching the basic rules and driving etiquette to students in schools. Generally, they grow up seeing their parents driving without the helmet, not wearing a seatbelt, breaking all the signals, etc. and when they get a bike in their hand they drive in the same manner.

Also, another humorous part are those women riders. They take half an hour wrapping their face with a dupatta to protect their face from the sun but don't wear a helmet. C'mon, wearing a helmet with the strap fastened takes less than 15 seconds ! :Frustrati

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Originally Posted by Arkin evoisrevo (Post 2247119)

Motor Bikes are, I believe, the most dangerous form of road traffic in the world.

You can take the bike and the biker out of India. You can put a helmet on the biker; you can dress him in full protective gear; you can even teach him how to drive properly --- he is still driving the most dangerous vehicle on the road. He still stands a better chance of dying than the other road users around him.

The only thing is, of course, that the factors I mention would ensure that, in an equivalent accident or potential-accident situation, he might well live where the Indian biker would die.

It is unfortunate to see loss of young lives in bike accidents.Not only their families but the entire nation is at loss since most of them are in the most productive age group.
As Thad mentioned bike is the most dangerous form of transport irrespective of the safety precautions one may take which includes the helmet.This is true especially in Indian road conditions where one's driving expertise or skill hardly matters.
Some ride bikes out of passion but most purely for economic reasons.I have seen colleagues and friends drawing six digit monthly salary; who own luxury cars commuting to office daily on bikes.
Once the realization dawned on me
I never take the bike out of my layout.
I never take my family out on bike.
I prefer to travel in bus if not taking my car.

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Originally Posted by poloman (Post 2247953)

This is true especially in Indian road conditions where one's driving expertise or skill hardly matters.

99% of accidents in which a biker is harmed, is mostly his own undoing. The other 1% is due to the lack of emergency services.

Everyday I see moronic riders trying to kill themselves, voluntarily!!. Basic commonsense is lacking. They don't realize how vulnerable they are. I have that fear and I ride accordingly. But yes that 1% gives me the chills.

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who own luxury cars commuting to office daily on bikes.

It would also be to save time.

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Once the realization dawned on me

Good on you. Its better to be safe then sorry. I know quite a few other folks who wont sit on a bike come what may. I too take the bus as much as possible.

Six people including 5 kids killed when school van plunged into river

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Thiruvananthapuram, Thursday, February 17, 2011: Five school kids and a maid were killed as a Maruthi Omni van carrying twelve school children plunged into Paravathy Puthanar canal here. The accident occurred at around 9.15 am near Karikkakam temple in Pettah – Chakka by-pass.
According to available reports, the van was carrying children of Petta Pallimukku Little Hearts Kintergarden School. Locals who swung into rescue operations pulled out the van from the river quickly and rescued those inside the van including the driver. Four children were pulled out at the first stage and others latter. Confusion regarding the number of children in the van still continues and search is on for the remaining.
According to the driver, nine children were inside the van and if this is correct all the occupants of the van has been recovered. Police said five children are under treatment and the condition of one among them is critical. Police is not ruling out the presence of more children inside the ill-fated van.

Kerala Latest News |Kerala Breaking News |Kerala Latest Headlines

Local news channels says that overspeeding was the reason for the accident. eye witnesses say the driver was speeding and lost control and the van fell into the river.

Very sad, the children killed are my sons age, cant imagine the situation of the affected parents. Some may not even have known this had happened. When will this country wake up and provide basic safety. When will drivers understand the responsibility that they undertake, especially school bus drivers. :Frustrati

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Originally Posted by Spitfire (Post 2248042)

Not true, most of the time. Saw in today's paper a news that around 70 bikers skidded off the road due to oil spill from a stranded BMTC bus in KR puram. Badly designed humps, unscientific dividers, improperly banked curves..etc are all death traps for unsuspecting bikers.
Lot of deaths also happen due to hits from behind and side swiping by road monsters like BMTC buses.The chances of this is more if you are a disciplined driver in a mad traffic place like Bangalore.

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Originally Posted by poloman (Post 2248059)

I would still account all those humps, dividers, curves, oil spills etc to 1% including safety devices on bikes.

I dont know if it is visible in cars, but when i am driving bolero - i can see how dangerously close some bikes cut across.. Especially, in front of vehicles like buses, boleroes, sumo's - who possibly cant brake effectively as well.. Who are these bikers entrusting their lives to?

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Originally Posted by Spitfire (Post 2248042)

+1. Sometimes when I see these morons riding, I feel they think "their safety is others responsibility" !! I tend to keep a distance with such fools [thankfully I drive in non-peak hours mostly] coz even if they come and bang my car,

1. I will be held responsible since I have a "bigger vehicle" - could be manhandled for this and also the car could be damaged by the "responsible on-lookers".
2. I will have to repair the damages at my own cost
3. Waste of time / loss of peace of mind.

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Originally Posted by poloman (Post 2248059)

Lot of deaths also happen due to hits from behind and side swiping by road monsters like BMTC buses.

Any good driver (either on 2 wheeler or 4 wheeler must anticipate the side sweeping. What I mean by side sweeping is the circle the body of bus makes while turning. If you cannot anticipate then wait till the bus or car completes the turn.

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The chances of this is more if you are a disciplined driver in a mad traffic place like Bangalore.

I drive in Bangalore traffic. Rarely I get into unpleasant situations.

I was at the spot , were the accident happened , not sure about the number of little angels passed away. It was a kintergarden owned maruti omini and not a bus , the road was not tarred , it's not a river a small canal completely filled with water , the road is a canal bund converted to road , even a moron will not speed through that way but the omini driver did !

Every one was taking their mobile cameras and busy shooting pictures !

I don't know why , I didn't took any snaps , I was exhausted by seeing all the life less bodies of little angels and their bags , shoes , tiffin carriers , empty water bottles ......

Let's pray for their parents to get strength to face this catastrophe !

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Originally Posted by Spitfire (Post 2248042)

I don't think I'd go as far as 99:1 (maybe 89.5 ;)) but, essentially I agree completely.

Two newspaper reports I read last week about the death of a motorcyclist in Chennai...

1. Reported that a biker had been struck and killed by a bus and the bus driver was under arrest.

2. Reported that the biker had first come up against some other vehicle, and then fallen under the wheel of the bus. Bus driver arrested.

Quite probably, this was no fault of the bus driver. Bikers do not only kill themselves, they ruin the lives of others.

Problem is, there is a misconception that anyone who is able to cut lanes, has a right to do it. It is not a conscious breach of rule, most people are not even aware / haven't even heard that it is wrong to cut lanes. I think MOST of our traffic problems stem from this misconception. It is not only 2-wheelers; it is just that 2-wheelers do it more because they are able to execute it more easily.

I am of the opinion that the problem CAN be addressed to some extent if the police decide to do it. I am seeing a significantly higher number of heads with helmets than before the helmet rule was placed. It is nowhere close to 100%, but it is now closer to 50-60%, whereas earlier it was around 10%. Similarly if police do a "dont cut lanes" campaign left, right and center - thru TV, radio, posters, rallies, etc all over the place then there might be SOME effect.

After 2 or 3 years of this campaign, next can be "leave 10 meter gap" campaign with hypnotic drilling of the same message in every direction they turn. It will not completely change the way everyone drives, overnight. But, even if there is a 10% effect, that will be very, very useful.