[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

Given that our city roads are packed with more vehicles than they can handle, there is usually no space maintained between vehicles, which does not provide for adequate braking distance in case of sudden stops, leading to rear-ending.

While not possible to prevent rear-ending 100%, there are atleast couple ways to reduce the possibility that I try to follow :

1) drive predictably - monitor not just the car in front of you, but the ones even up front, so that you have almost as much reaction time as the guy in front.

2) While stopping, first dab the brakes lightly so that the guy behind gets a bit of an advance warning. Then brake fully. Ofcourse this is not possible in sudden braking scenarios.

The only practical solution is to accelerate & brake gradually in traffic. Our instinctive reaction is to close a gap ahead ASAP (esp. in India where the dreaded biker or jaywalking pedestrian is ever ready to jump in if you don't), but that leaves us vulnerable to rear-endings because the person behind can only react to what he sees (which is us accelerating or braking suddenly, sometimes too late to avoid a bump).


Takes years of practice to control the instinctive impulse (honking and abuse from drivers behind makes it harder), but I've practiced this for a long time and have NEVER been rear ended till date, whether riding a bike or driving a four-wheeler. Account for the following driver's reaction time when driving. There will still be the occasional emergency-braking situations, but closing the gap ahead gradually also gives you some extra space to move into just in case the person behind is coming too fast to stop in time.

[zenren]

Originally Posted by AshwinThekkan

First of all this car was not involved in any street race when the accident took place. The accident was an outcome of an innova which came into the speed track from the opposite lane all of a sudden with out any indication. So the driver of the baleno didn't had any choice rather than moving to the left lane. The truck was parked in the left lane of the of the high way without any lights, thus the car's left side rear-ended to the truck.

Originally Posted by foby.sebastian

It was the police and truck driver who told me about the race , maybe the loud sound from the exhaust pipes was misinterpreted as race. Any way the car was doing high speeds, Also the driver tried breaking hard which saved their lives. Any info on the co-driver’s current status ?

They might have concluded based on the appearance of the car - after market alloy wheels and low profile tyres does give that impression, especially after the damage seen on the car. It wouldn't have sustained so much damage from speeds less than 70.

If the driver braked hard and the Baleno still sustained this damage, he would most likely have been doing close to triple digit speeds. As far as the police is concerned, anything above 70 is over speeding. So they are unlikely to sympathize with an over-speeding car with modifications that indicate that the car is likely to be driven at high speeds more frequently.

One point to note from this is that we need to be extra careful when driving a car with enough external mods. If such a car meets with an accident, the immediate assumption from the police and the public would be that it was that guy's fault.

[foby.sebastian]

Originally Posted by zenren

They might have concluded based on the appearance of the car - after market alloy wheels and low profile tyres does give that impression, especially after the damage seen on the car. It wouldn't have sustained so much damage from speeds less than 70.

If the driver braked hard and the Baleno still sustained this damage, he would most likely have been doing close to triple digit speeds. As far as the police is concerned, anything above 70 is over speeding. So they are unlikely to sympathize with an over-speeding car with modifications that indicate that the car is likely to be driven at high speeds more frequently.

One point to note from this is that we need to be extra careful when driving a car with enough external mods. If such a car meets with an accident, the immediate assumption from the police and the public would be that it was that guy's fault.

Same case in the Honda City accident which happened near Koratty , The news paper reads the modded City was thrown in air 3 times because of the speed. The driver could not have imagined a pedestrian crossing the 4 lane on a lengthier road. Sad that the pedestrian lost his life.

[Dry Ice]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

....there is usually no space maintained between vehicles, which does not provide for adequate braking distance in case of sudden stops, leading to rear-ending. ..

While not possible to prevent rear-ending 100%, there are atleast couple ways to reduce the possibility that I try to follow

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

...but I've practiced this for a long time and have NEVER been rear ended till date, whether riding a bike or driving a four-wheeler.

Rear ending is seldom in one's control. We can drive as safely as we want, but there will always be someone whose not looking ahead and driving!

The only rear ending that I have suffered was due to an Alto trying to fill a gap. An Indicab was slowly trying to inch in between.

When I asked the driver why didn't she brake when the traffic ahead stopped, she said - Excuse me! I was concentrating on the Indica trying to squeeze in, I didn't see you stop!



It was just a minor brush and nothing really happened so I let it go.

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by Dry Ice

Rear ending is seldom in one's control. We can drive as safely as we want, but there will always be someone whose not looking ahead and driving!

The only rear ending that I have suffered was due to an Alto trying to fill a gap. An Indicab was slowly trying to inch in between.

When I asked the driver why didn't she brake when the traffic ahead stopped, she said - Excuse me! I was concentrating on the Indica trying to squeeze in, I didn't see you stop!



It was just a minor brush and nothing really happened so I let it go.

Though there will always be cases where our best efforts to avoid a bump prove futile, we can at least try not to trigger them ourselves. I drive in maddening bumper-to-bumper Bangalore traffic, and see a handful of minor bumps and near-misses almost everyday. In most cases, it's someone accelerating in a gap and then stopping abruptly, and the following driver couldn't react in time or was distracted. We may have cutting-edge reflexes, but the person following us may not. What's the saying about the weakest link? A road is only as safe as the worst driver using it.

Despite all precautions, there's no guarantee of a mishap not happening, like in your case. Just the cost of using our roads, and kudos to you for not making an issue out of a minor incident.

[Soumyajit9]

Talking of rear endings, there was an accident in Bangalore, ORR, In front of JP Morgan (near Kadubisenahalli, i guess i got the name right).

Yesterday night around 10:30pm, I was driving towards Marathalli and on the opposite lane, towards Bellandur, there was this long trailer truck and some glass pieces around, with some cops manning the traffic. I couldn't see what had happened.

Today morning, while coming back, I found a rear ended Zen (1st Gen). The rear seat was completely crumbled. Looked like a nasty rear-ending !!
Adding to that, if my eyes were correct, I saw a black and red sticker (akin to the Black LCLC Team BHP sticker) on whatever was left on the rear of the car.

Did any other Bangalorean see this or has any clue to the accident ?

[goandude]

was driving to Pondicherry on Old Madras Road on Monday early morning. Just before the 2nd toll booth at about 120 kmph and an empty road (so it seemed) a dog ran out from the side of the road on a collision course with my car. I just gripped the steering firmly and the car's Lt front bumper hit the dog. I felt a thud and then a scraping noise. Pulled over to inspect for damages
Dog was dead and parts of the bumper strewn along the road. A part of plastic mud guard was still attached to the car. Pulled it off. Started the car and found temp sensor, horn and indicators kaput. Steering was ok and no pulling to any side. still had approx 300 kms to go and an angry wife besides me. she wanted to go back but I had to go for my friends son's wedding so pushed on and found a helpful mechanic at Ranipet who diagnosed a blown fuse. so got the indicators and one horn working and completed the journey there and back.

[Pheonix]

Originally Posted by goandude

was driving to Pondicherry on Old Madras Road on Monday early morning. Just before the 2nd toll booth at about 120 kmph and an empty road (so it seemed) a dog ran out from the side of the road on a collision course with my car..

Glad to know that you didnt swerve the car to "save" the dogs life and held on to the wheel. else you would have been in a worse situation. A mistake most people often do and end up in bigger disasters.

[S.MJet]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

Though there will always be cases where our best efforts to avoid a bump prove futile, we can at least try not to trigger them ourselves.

IMO rear ending can be avoided to a great extent by keeping adequate distance between you & the vehicle ahead.

If vehicle ahead stop abruptly, you will have you sufficient stopping distance & time naturally giving similar advantage to person behind you.

Of course you will have to let go your urge to close in the gaps and possibly allow someone to sneak in.

I follow this habit and touch wood have not been rear ended till date

[rohanjf]

I have had two incidents with animals. The first time, I was probably doing 40-50 KMPH just outside Bangalore city limits. I saw the dog jumping over the median and in front of my car. By the time I could react, the dog had hit my front bumper. It cost me about 2000 Rs to fix the lower part of the grille, and fog lamp cover (of Palio Stile MJD).

Exactly one month back, I was driving from Mangalore to Goa. At about 5 AM, I was probably doing 90-100 KMPH near Kundapur. I was blinded by an oncoming truck's multiple headlights. Then there was a loud thud. I knew I had hit something, and I also figured it was an animal. I had no chance to react, but I had not seen a thing on the road! I didn't bother to stop right there, and drove on. I kept an eye on the engine temperature indicator. Luckily, there was no problem for the next 300 KMs or so.

After parking my car in Goa, I was relieved to see that the lower part of the grille had come off, and had gotten stuck between bumper and radiator. I am yet to fix it back though. Until then, the radiator remains exposed :-(

[srishiva]

I am rear ended mostly by two wheelers who drive looking somewhere else. I always keep an eye on my rear view mirror and only thing I see is the guy coming and banging me.
I blame it on my black shiny almost invisible car

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by Soumyajit9

Talking of rear endings, there was an accident in Bangalore, ORR, In front of JP Morgan (near Kadubisenahalli, i guess i got the name right).

Yesterday night around 10:30pm, I was driving towards Marathalli and on the opposite lane, towards Bellandur, there was this long trailer truck and some glass pieces around, with some cops manning the traffic. I couldn't see what had happened.

Today morning, while coming back, I found a rear ended Zen (1st Gen). The rear seat was completely crumbled. Looked like a nasty rear-ending !!
Adding to that, if my eyes were correct, I saw a black and red sticker (akin to the Black LCLC Team BHP sticker) on whatever was left on the rear of the car.

Did any other Bangalorean see this or has any clue to the accident ?

I drove past this scene around 11.15PM yesterday night. There was a huge bunch of onlookers even at that time of night, decided not to add to the mess as the cops were already on the scene. Seemed like a light-colored(?) old-model Zen rear-ended by a heavy vehicle, by the looks of the smashed up rear-end.

Driving on the Marathahalli-Silk Board stretch of ORR late at night is a scary experience. Uneven patchy roads, jaywalkers, lots of Tempo Travelers & Wingers cutting & racing across all lanes at high speeds, mixed with heavy vehicles with no tail lights. I'll skip this route if I have to drive back late next time.

[AshwinThekkan]

Originally Posted by foby.sebastian

Any info on the co-driver’s current status ?

He was in the ICU for 1 day. Now he is better, but still at the hospital itself.

[balechaparka]

Saw this today opposite to Esteem mall Hebbal,hit to signal poll.

[iVento]

Originally Posted by balechaparka

Saw this today opposite to Esteem mall Hebbal,hit to signal poll.

This happened early morning. Fully loaded truck. This created a massive traffic jam in the morning on the newly opened elevated highway. Surprisingly, they have not cleared the vehicle even after 4PM