Team-BHP - Accidents in India

During my lifetime the UK culture concerning both drink-driving and seat-belt laws has changed utterly from being seen as denial of personal rights to being widely accepted. It has become absolutely normal for families or groups of friends to nominate the non-drinking driver for the evening, and that person will often drink absolutely no alcohol whatsoever. This is part of the story of how I became a non-drinker: I decided I preferred driving!

Is it 100% success? Of course not. The day that law is 100% successful, then all the police can be retired. But even among those who have not freely joined the new social attitudes, there is still a fear of getting caught, which acts as a deterrent to many. The punishment can be severe. It starts with loosing your driving licence for a year or more; heavy fines, and, in extreme cases, imprisonment. Even after all that, with a drink-driving conviction on your record, insurance companies are going to charge such huge premiums that driving might become unaffordable anyway. This is one instance in which the purely commercial interests of business conincide quite nicely with the interests of society.

Somebody said that one can change the world, in just one generation... with education. This is an instance in which, in my mother country, I have seen education and deterrent working together to continue to make that change.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by scopriobharath (Post 2609646)

In view of this accident three main people are to be blamed

Parent: .....

Victim (Driver) himself: ....

Policing and Law enforcement: ....

Bar kept open beyond stipulated hours: ....

Now a question for people who drink and are familiar with the effects of drinking. If a last drink is served at 1:00 am, assuming the bar closes by 1:30 am, would a person regain his senses by 5:30 am or does it take more time. If a person comes back to normalcy by 5:00 am, the bar definetly was opened beyond 1:30 am as they were supposedly drunk.

If you ask me, the person at the wheel is the ONLY one responsible. If you are controlling a machine that has the power equivalent of tens (if not hundreds) of horses, you better be sure what you are doing and what you are capable of. Quite a few people do not understand this basic thing and believe that a car is just an expensive toy.

Its unfortunate that some people who do not understand the responsibility that comes with driving a car, learn it the hard way.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SDP (Post 2609660)

Totally Agree to the above. Given the Indian Road Sense Scenario, I consider 200 kmph unsafe even on the Mum-Pune expressway at noon on working day in an Agera or Ferrari, let alone an accord.

200Kmph is insane on any road in any car except race-tracks.

As mentioned in your post, the boy should have hired on-call drivers to chauffer him home. He appears to be from an affluent family and 300/- what call drivers charge should be peanuts to him.

Quote:

Originally Posted by architect (Post 2609635)

Be a good driver. Make more good drivers. Till then, this senselessness will continue. We are lucky we have been alive so far.

I cant agree more. Be it the private bus driver in Kerala, or the sleepy Call center sumo driver in Bangalore, or the villager in his tractor deciding to own the express way in Chennai road. They play the most vital role in my survival .

In this case of the accord accident, as a father of 2 kids, i feel the parents failed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mannubhai (Post 2610556)

I cant agree more. Be it the private bus driver in Kerala, or the sleepy Call center sumo driver in Bangalore, or the villager in his tractor deciding to own the express way in Chennai road. They play the most vital role in my survival .

In this case of the accord accident, as a father of 2 kids, i feel the parents failed.

I wouldn't blame the parents. I would blame the parents if the driver would have been a minor.

If one is operating a vehicle, he/she would be well aware of his/her own capabilities and the vehicle's capabilities.
Everything from "driving slow when you are new to driving or driving a car new to you", to "not mixing drinking & driving" is known to everybody who has a license. Some people believe that these are "guidelines" and not "rules" and take them lightly. Not following the rules is a "choice" that the individual makes and not his/her parents.

May be the parents set the wrong example by not following rules themselves. But still a grown-up person should understand what is right and what is wrong (and not blindly follow examples).

This is why I love this Forum, we are making everyone who is going through this thread, sub-consciously a good driver. No preachings, no lengthy lectures, plain deliberations. And going through this thread and "How do you spot a bad driver" thread has conditioned me on how I should behave on the road!

Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom (Post 2609656)

This is an instance in which, in my mother country, I have seen education and deterrent working together to continue to make that change..

May I add another factor - "enforcement" and a strict one at that, to the list of factors you've mentioned?
In my personal opinion, "enforcement" (well, actually the lack of it) is usually the most significant factor of many irresponsibly social behavior in India. There is a plethora of laws but the enforcement most often leaves a lot to be desired.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anand123 (Post 2607334)

Check this bus accident out

A classic case of brake failure /jamming it seems, in the US the roads which slant down have especially dedicated ramps on their sides at the end of the slope to make sure such casualties don't occur in the case of a brake failure / jam

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iluvcars (Post 2610744)

Yes: by deterrent I mean the entire legal process which starts with a reaonable chance of actually being caught and ends with substantial punishment.

Enforcement might be a better word.

Just an half an hour ago saw an accident on the Mulund East flyover immediately after the Toll, a white Indica crashed into a truck. The Indica was almost half below the truck rear with the front smashed to pulp:Shockked:. I guess there were no causalities. Maybe the Indica was trying to squeeze between two trucks and paid the price for it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by anilisanil (Post 2614959)

I scraped a pillar while reversing in my parking lot, I do not know who moved that pillar overnight, but there is a huge scratch on my bumper now, saddest way to start a Monday! :'(

:D
Sorry, yes, a sad start to a sad day, but that statement made me laugh.
I wonder, too, who moved that pole overnight, but you wouldn't want to mess with him, yes?
Why not put up some pics(of the bumper), some of us may be able to help you out to get it back in proper nick.

Early morning mayhem at Udupi Garden signal, Swift rear ended by BTS Bus. Its common nowadays to jump signal. Seeing Red, swift stopped. But BTS bus driver had different thought, he just banged Swift from back. End result Swift got modified as Ritz! I crossed the signal at 7:30, both are waiting at middle of the road for RTO to come! and take whose fault is that. No pictures as I didn't feel like clicking!