Team-BHP - Accidents in India

Quote:

Originally Posted by HappyWheels (Post 1023277)

Ghetto,

That is one hell of an experience. When did this happen?

Hope you have recovered / recovering well!

Unfortunate about the first kid! :(

HappyWheels,

This happened May 29, 2 days after my b-day and on the 2nd day of this trip to India.

Physically it was minor cuts and bruises other than a few stitches on my knees that had to be redone in the US I've recovered ok with Gods grace.

I have been through worst accidents in US in the past once in a Nissan Maxima an another in a Mitsu 3000 vr4. The mitsu was side swiped by a oncoming car and rolled down side of a hill rolling over a few times before it came to rest and had to be cut out of it. The maxima was rear-ended by a 18 wheeler tractor trailer driven by a drugged up truck driver who entered the turn lane just to bless me with a good push through a busy intersection :Frustrati

Both those times I was able to walk away physically and emotionally intact. But this last accident in Punjab left me a little emotionally scarred.

First ofcourse it was the kid who lost his life, blame game aside just witnessing the lack of compassion for a fellow human being first hand just did it for me. I thought this only happened in bollywood movies. First the mob that gathered at the scene who without the understanding of what had just happened didnt hesitate a second to first beat the kid who survived despite his injuries and then later siding with the kid almost beat to death the driver of the bus after he was nabbed by the police and pretty much handed over to the them. Had I not been inside the clinic I am sure I would've gotten my share of trouble.

Yes it is indeed very unfortunate regarding the kid who died. After all of this drama NO ONE came to the aid of the poor family who lost its child, child laborer whose sister is blind and dad is drug addict and no mother, was the only earner in the family. The bus company ofcourse being Punjab Roadways wasn't going to do anything. I have tried to do my part and had helped the family arrange for proper funeral for the kid and have asked my brother in law back in Punjab to help them where he can.

Time heals all wounds but some lesson should be learnt.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HappyWheels (Post 1023277)

Ghetto,

1) When did this happen?

2) Hope you have recovered / recovering well!

3) Unfortunate about the first kid!

1) I think one of the photographs shows the date " 5-6-08 ", so its mostly around early June.

2) I am happy to know that you are safe.

3) Yes, its really unfortunate. But I dont think the bus driver should be held responsible for this. There are more than a few things that need to be considered. First off all, in India the commercial vehicle drivers are not paid well. Then the vehicles are almost always overloaded to the max. Then to add to these problems, the vehicles are badly maintained. This is a perfect recipe for disaster. The bus driver tried, but could not help. Yes they are not well educated about driving, but then more than these human beings, its the people who hire these drivers and let them drive commercial vehicles. Its understood the government does not understand, but then do these people who hire drivers understand anything ? NO.

@GhettoMAX:
Its downright scary. The deformation of A-pillar shows the intensity of impact and the energy the bus was carrying. A-pillar is very critical structural member and in modern cars, the passenger cabin should have minimum deformation and the hood area is the one to crumple. But in this case, even the passenger cabin is damaged badly. Sincerely I hope nobody else has to face this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaggoswami (Post 1023350)

... I dont think the bus driver should be held responsible for this. There are more than a few things that need to be considered. First off all, in India the commercial vehicle drivers are not paid well. Then the vehicles are almost always overloaded to the max. Then to add to these problems, the vehicles are badly maintained. This is a perfect recipe for disaster. The bus driver tried, but could not help. Yes they are not well educated about driving, but then more than these human beings, its the people who hire these drivers and let them drive commercial vehicles. Its understood the government does not understand, but then do these people who hire drivers understand anything ? NO.

@GhettoMAX:
Its downright scary. The deformation of A-pillar shows the intensity of impact and the energy the bus was carrying. A-pillar is very critical structural member and in modern cars, the passenger cabin should have minimum deformation and the hood area is the one to crumple. But in this case, even the passenger cabin is damaged badly. Sincerely I hope nobody else has to face this.

aaggoswami

I agree with you wholeheartedly I wish more people would think like this before conducting mob justice on the spot. That could be one of the main reasons why these drivers always try to flee the scene. My bro in law once told me that no matter what, in India it is always the driver of the larger vehicle that gets it. I guess it was lucky for me that I was inside the clinic while this was taking place and then the cops arrived.

Damn thats terrible accident. Looking at the pics of the car its really nice to know that you had (relatively) minimal injuries.

Quote:

agree with you wholeheartedly I wish more people would think like this before conducting mob justice on the spot. That could be one of the main reasons why these drivers always try to flee the scene.

Yes most of the time they run away & surrender to Police, which is often quoted as if they were nabbed. This is of course purely to avoid mob fury.

Ghetto,

Nice of you to have offered to do something for the boys family! May your tribe increase!

Quote:

Originally Posted by GhettoMAX (Post 1023348)

...Time heals all wounds but some lesson should be learnt.

So true.

Quote:

Originally Posted by white_vdi (Post 1024144)

... the only good point was that you were not hurt. a few bruises are as good as nothing.

With the scale of the accident, this is a indeed a miracle, if not his guardian angel hand!