[Jignesh]

Originally Posted by Gotham_City

After a couple of close shaves, I have decided to altogether skip this highway unless absolutely necessary.

Hello Gotham_City,

I sincerely appreciate the decision.

But personally speaking I will suggest to simply avoid this highway no matter what is the urgency. Looking at the frequent accidents on this highways, I feel passenger cars & taxis should not travel at all by this road.

Afterall life is utmost important. I feel really bad whenever I hear about a accidental death. Our life is very valuable & there is no valid reason to lose it on a deadly highway due to fault of a careless truck driver.

Moderators, sorry for being off-topic, but I really feel that people should start avoiding this deadly Mumbai-Goa highway.

Thanks,

[SDP]

Originally Posted by carzone

May the deceased RIP.

Have heard a lot about this Highway's scenic beauty from many many of friends and had a dream to drive on it one day. With the number of accidents building up, seems will have to keep the drive for a later stage when India has built up a respect for fellow road users. Night driving is a big NO NO for me, being a newbie, and this highway, I feel I should stay away at the moment.

My native is on this highway, so I don't have an option but to use the NH17.
Having said that, I put in 2 years on my Alto before taking it on the NH17 for the first time. And even then I was surprised by many turns where I ended up with one wheel off the tarmac.

I am completing one year with the XUV this week and I took the XUV to Ratnagiri using NH17 last Saturday early morning for the first time. Although I have done that stretch multiple times in my Alto and a couple of times in a Figo, a different vehicle always needs time to get the judgement and I was caught off guard by the body-roll on a couple of sharp turns. Reduced the speed and things were back to normal.

Overtaking with an underpowered vehicle is a huge issue on this highway. I used to struggle big time with the Alto.

Driving at night should be avoided as much as possible. I typically start from Mumbai around 4-4:30am, so that I need to drive only 1.5-2 hours in the night and most of that is getting out of Mumbai , Navi-mumbai and Panvel. During the day, the 3 wheelers especially in the Panvel to Mangaon section are a huge menace. They drive super-slow and absolutely don't budge when you try to overtake. One reason for starting early morning from Mumbai is also to avoid these 3-wheelers.

[carzone]

Originally Posted by SDP

My native is on this highway, so I don't have an option but to use the NH17.
Having said that, I put in 2 years on my Alto before taking it on the NH17 for the first time. And even then I was surprised by many turns where I ended up with one wheel off the tarmac.

I completely agree here SDP. You need to know the vehicle characteristics before undertaking any long trip. Have put in 2.5 years now, and I know how my car behaves under circumstances.

Overtaking is a problem though with a fully loaded car and the low end torque of the K10 engine. I am kind of a relaxed driver in these stretches without a divider and let others overtake and speed ahead. If someone is moving dead slow, I might want to inch ahead.

Leaving early is also on my list always. That helps me stay afresh all throughout the drive and also enjoy the drive to the fullest.

I am completing one year with the XUV this week and I took the XUV to Ratnagiri using NH17 last Saturday early morning for the first time.

So, now we know where you were headed after the meet!

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by abirnale

Hey folks, the quick update on BTP's official FB page on the accident we discussed in last two pages -

Nothing more has been published as of now.

Its a Ford Fiesta taxi. BTP has updated with more information on this accident but it is in the local language. Can any one translate this information?

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...type=1&theater

[RaguHolla]

Originally Posted by arun_josie

Can any one translate this information?

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...type=1&theater

Gist of it,

On 23/06/2013 early morning between 4:15 ~ 4:30, Mr. Hemadri Reddy was crossing road near Bommanahalli junction met with accident with a vehicle travelling from GB palya to Silkboard and died at the spot.
Driver fled the scene after the accident. Police have registered the hit and run case in Madivala police station.

Police have formed the 'secret' team consisting of long list of officers for tracing the vehicle. They came to conclusion that vehicle might went for accident repair, hence went most service station and garages (near by). They found Ford Fiesta bearing KA 51 B 176, given service next day at Lathangi Ford in Bannerghatta road and arrested the driver.

Driver name is Taramurthy alias Raghu Alias Rudrappa residing at 26/2, 2nd cross, Munneshwara Layout, Kudlu, Blore-68 was driving the aforesaid vehicle.

[BLACKRiVAL]

Mangaon is my native place. Except 2 ghats in between , karnala and sukheli khind I feel the road good enough for me as Its memorized in my mind. Once I was going from Mumbai at night I couldn't spot a stalled truck in my lane. At the last moment I overtook it even though the vehicle on the opposite side was very close. Still I drove on the big stones kept around the truck. I literally had my heart in mouth for 5 minutes. I was doing a steady 80 km/hr in my OHC with 4 people on board.

[paragsachania]

Myself along with another BHPian funkykar (Karthik) and another Non-Bhpian drove Mumbai to Bangalore via combination of NH17 and NH206 in Dec 2012. The NH17 part was an all night drive!

We had started around 4:30PM from Mumbai and stopped for dinner at Khed with a quick stop for tea earlier too.

This was the first time we drove on this route knowing that it was infamous and branded as one of the most dangerous highways in India.

We drove in a FIAT Punto 90HP and took turns in between while one passenger at rear rested and the co-passenger gave company to the driver.

This highway has definitely got all the markings and warning signs to warn any moron on the road regarding a sharp turn, hair pin curve, narrow section, incline, village area, continuous yellow line on various curves.These signs were perfectly visible all through the night (we entered Goa around 5:15am) and aided us immensely in slowing down at the right time. In fact, we even faced dense fog between 3-4am.

Of course, we did have a lot of private buses and trucks with high wattage headlamps pouncing on us on many occasions but the past experience of having learnt to drive only on such single carriageway roads came to aid when we drove here.

Not even for a moment we felt that the highway was unsafe or scared us only because of 2 reasons: The road conditions were just perfect and the markings and signs aided us at every turn.

The only grouse was the driving time taken to reach Khed as we faced loads of jams nearing Vadkal Naka and traffic was so thick till late evening leaving us with no options to overtake on many occasions.

Improper sleep, rushing to overtake, getting carried away and over-speeding oblivious to the nature of roads, inexperience of driving at night on a single lane highway, tailgating someone ahead and following his overtaking maneuver are perhaps major reasons for accidents on this road.

[funkykar]

100% agree with you Parag on this!

Firstly, until after completing our drive, I had no clue that some perceive NH17 as a dangerous road. I loved my share of drive!!! It was nothing less than a perfect road (comparing to many other single carriage roads). Signages were perfect. The placing of signages too. Even if you are concentrating only on the road/any traffic from opposite side, its very hard for the signages to go unnoticed.

My share of drive was sedate than usual only because, I simply enjoyed that road and did not want it to get over.

I for sure would want to driver here again!

[harit]

A friend of mine lost his brother in a car accident.
There were 5 people in the car, after an overtaking maneuver the car apparently fishtailed, hit a tree, and rolled down the side of the road. The car was a Chevy Cruze, a sturdier car.
Two people died, two were seriously injured, and nothing happened to the driver. Front passenger was asked to use the seat belt 5 minutes before the crash, saving life, but was injured in the back. Three people sitting behind were not belted and crashed into each other and probably the front passenger when the car was rolling, but they would have already got injured when the car hit the tree. One died on the spot, the second after 2 or 3 hours before reaching the hospital, and the third has surgery for internal injuries and a fractured arm.

What I know is that rear passengers should always be belted up, a week before that when I drove out of Mumbai with family of three, I made sure that the rear passenger was belted. It was just common sense.

What I learnt is that there is a possibility that seat bags do not deploy when the passenger is not belted. This is because in case of an accident even if there was only one driver in the car, all airbags would deploy, many of them uselessly as no passenger and cause increase in costs to the insurance company. So in some cars apparently seat belt are connected to the functioning of airbags. Even if this is not true, no need to debate this here, rear passengers must be belted for their safety.

Another point noted was that the vehicle insurance should be comprehensive. What many forget is that there is a small added premium for driver and passenger compensation. I believe that it is a few 100 Rupees. Normally when insuring ones car, one does not realise this and is more concerned about transfer of no claim bonus, amount of premium, cashless handling of settling accident claims etc. One should remember to include driver and passenger claims in the policy.

I am prompted to write this because I heard the dumbest thing ever. Some friends were traveling oustation in Gujrat. Just before returning into a city, those seated in front belted up and one minute later cops were checking for this. It was a Maruti Omni of all things. They dodged the cops,, in case of an unfortunate accident there would have been lots to pay.

Why belting up for all passenger is not compulsory in India I will never know, but its about ones safety and not dodging the law.

harit

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by binand

Are you talking of the PVNR Expressway? Then no, this is the Hyderabad ORR and NH9 interchange at Pedda Amberpet, about 12 km from the Hyderabad IRR (which can be taken as the city edge) and NH9 junction at LB Nagar.

This is the eastbound NH9, connecting Hyderabad to Vijayawada.

Gotcha mate!
My mistake. I ve not seen this high tech ORR you mention. I ve only experienced the PVNR Expressway from the Airport and even there, am stunned at some of the speeds attained by some of the cars who use it!

[zenren]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Gotcha mate!
My mistake. I ve not seen this high tech ORR you mention. I ve only experienced the PVNR Expressway from the Airport and even there, am stunned at some of the speeds attained by some of the cars who use it!

Sample pictures of Hyderabad ORR available in wiki article.

I think entry/exit ramps are also 2-laned in most places. Not sure about this specific instance but my guess is that it is also 2-lanes which might have given the temptation for the driver to floor the A-pedal.

[suhaas307]

Note from T-BHP Support: Requesting members to stick to the topic. This thread is meant for accidents and relevant pictures.

[500ContyCruiser]

Originally Posted by zenren

Sample pictures of Hyderabad ORR available in wiki article.

OT: Is that the place in HYD by name Banguluru (on RHS)? Sorry my geographic knowledge of HYD city is very less.

It can have similar name as Bangalore / Bengaluru. Just cross checking.

Edit: Adding source of the image taken.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...dial_roads.png

[370Z]

Originally Posted by 500ContyCruiser

OT: Is that the place in HYD by name Banguluru (on RHS)? Sorry my geographic knowledge of HYD city is very less.

It can have similar name as Bangalore / Bengaluru. Just cross checking.

Edit: Adding source of the image taken.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...dial_roads.png

It seems it's Bongulur, Andhra Pradesh.
http://goo.gl/maps/mbfdf

[binand]

Originally Posted by suhaas307

Note from T-BHP Support: Requesting members to stick to the topic. This thread is meant for accidents and relevant pictures.

Sorry - if there is another thread where this can be discussed, please let me know. But I feel that if the purpose of this thread stops here - just post press reports of accidents and relevant pictures - then it degenerates into voyeurism and virtual disaster tourism. The purpose of this ought to be to start off discussions on the specific human, infrastructural and environmental conditions that caused the accident, the local characteristics that exacerbated or alleviated the effect and precautionary measures that can and should be taken to avoid such accidents by T-BHP members and the wider driving public.