[darthvader001]

This is for sure a thought provoking post but as others said no transport mode is fully safe. It is all fate however within this boundary we need to try to live as much as possible.

Back in those days, we were doing just what you mentioned i.e. relying on public transport (train, bus etc.). But in current situation of post covid we think it is much safer to travel by our own. Atleast to the destinations which are within day time driving reach. Others we've rely on public transport which would be safer.

Why self drive? -- for convenience, independence and safety too. These days busses also plying dangerously. The RTC or private travels equally are dangerous. So instead of going by busses, we feel personal drive much safer. And we get to drive around in the destination again without relying on local transport like autos (by the way, autos also driving rashly).

Recently drove from Blr to Hyd and back. Drove sedately on 100 kmph and not above. Was able to keep control and able to complete journey safely. No untoward incidents.

You mentioned about using bus as transport -- not sure if you've taken any RTC or private travel for over night journey. If we sleep then fine otherwise better not watch the drive as it scares us, the kind of overtaking, overspeed etc. So in that case why should we take that bus journey instead we could drive our car safely right? (In the daytime)

[ksakotai]

Bike is the most dangerous mode of modern transportation on today's roads. You are exposed from all sides and at the same time, you must pay attention to balance etc.

[igemini]

To be very honest, I think this post was a bit inappropriate in a forum like this, which is meant for car enthusiasts. That have a tag line Live To Drive, Got BHP, Love Cars Live Cars etc.

When you consider train, bus or air travel is safer compared to the road trips on a self driven private car, I am sorry but to humbly disagree with you on this.

The first among the list shall be convenience. Not everyone live in a place where they have access to UBER or 24 hours transportation. Even in cities, at times getting a public transport can be a very tiresome and long process. Imagine you have a medical emergency at home at the middle of the night. Would you rather chose to have a public transportation or would hope to have a self driven car at home?

Second shall be safety. No matter how worst the statistics say about road travel over air or train, I will still prefer me as the driver than any of those and I find it more safe. Unless I have to go somewhere really far, say from Kerala to Delhi or overseas of course.

Road travel is inevitable even if you travel by train or through air. As the airports normally far away from city and you may need an average 1 hr going there and one hour from the destination airport to your final destination. In both occasions, you are not completely ditching the road travel. Instead trusting a cab/auto driver. And you reckon that's safer than driving your own car? I don't think so.
Needless to say about the additional time that we need to waste in the airports.

Similar with train as well. But probably, you'll save some money and travelling time to reach the railway station.

Third is economical aspect. I found the self driven car travel is cheaper even if you are getting a mileage of 9kmpl, including the one in city. Not necessarily true when comparing a single occupants train journey. This is true when we consider road trips below 1000km. For example, if I travel from Kochi to Mangalore and back with a family of four, I can do that for under RS 10k for petrol and toll expenses easily. Whereas, if I use a train, two tier tickets alone would be more than that, for both ways. Let alone the taxi charges and the inconvenience of carrying the luggages with the family including children.

Additionally, the freedom of travelling in a self driven car is unmatched. You can change plans any moment. Visit new places, add or delete places to visit. Eat from the best available restaurants or experiment new foods/culture. You can even pee at your convenience

Not to mention the sense of safety it offers during this covid times, while comparing to public transport.

But that doesn't mean road travel have no drawbacks. It does have but that doesn't means one should ditch it completely. Risks are everywhere. If travelling is a risk, one should only stay at home. Even there you won't be safe.

You live only once and chose the things that will make you happy for the moment. Rather than regretting over it later. For me I love driving and it's a stress buster too for me. But if someone find road trips on a self driven car is unsafe and choose air/train over it, then okay as well. It's their wish, just like how the 5 fingers are different, we all share different view points. But I assume in this form most of us have a common interest and love towards something called cars and driving. I assume most of the BHPians will agree on that.

[saleem_k]

Originally Posted by Sarath_

[i]

FIRST POST : SHORT VERSION:

Why drive a car?

Many of us have our reasons for driving a car and it is an essential part of our lives. Be it a short daily trip or a long journey having a car is indispensable in these times. But why do we insist on driving a car to places where there are other means of transportation, especially much safer ones?

Downplaying the risk?

• Are we unaware of the risks of the road travel or diminish the perils in our own mind?
  
  
• By taking a car to destination served by flight or train or bus are we not putting our and any other members, usually family at a great risk?
  
  
• Is it time to change our travel habits to booking off season flight tickets or train bookings whose service has greatly improved or try out the sleeper or coach buses and ditch the car?
  

An existential question : By promoting cars as a means of transport are we indirectly contributing to decrease in safety on our roads?

Risks are all around us and I agree that cars for long or short drives are also a risk but there are inherent advantages of traveling in a personal car.

1. In the current circumstances traveling in a public mode of transport - air, road or railways - is exposing oneself to the risk of contracting COVID-19.

2. From my personal experience recently, because I planned a roadtrip, I was able to change plans at the last moment when weekend lockdowns were imposed in some states. The monetary loss was well-contained compared to the loss I would have undergone by booking flights/trains/cabs and then cancelling them. Therefore the flexibility this mode offers, is unmatched.

3. The current gen cars are much safer in terms of their build quality and passive safety features. Even in an unfortunate situation, the passengers will get out with minor injuries but I agree all this is just luck/chance and depends on many variables.

4. Instead of curbing traveling by cars it's better to encourage and inculcate the habits of driving safely. Avoid irresponsible speeds, let go of one's ego and do not indulge in racing, take adequate breaks/plan routes to avoid fatigue and loss of concentration, avoid night driving and most importantly be aware of your surroundings. Half the battle is one when we are defensive in our driving, the other half isn't in our control.

5. The real joy of traveling is when you explore the journey too and not just the destination. The best way to explore is through a personal mode of transport, especially car, if one is traveling with family. Again, the flexibility of exploring places enroute, which is not possible when it's not your personal vehicle.

6. Lastly, driving is an emotion for many and not just a task. The pleasure of driving and traveling with family and friends cannot be substituted by converting it into a regular commute.

Therefore, my view is in favour of traveling by car as it can be as safe or risky as one can make it. If we constantly think about risks, can't enjoy any mode of travel.

[sentra26]

I love to drive. I do drive long distances and have been driving for more than two decades. This is a thought that I have had as well. First off, in complete agreement that bikes are unsafe. I agree with you in most of what you said. I have wondered several times if two tons of steel hurtling through the roads at high speeds were the best we could come up with (as opposed to say flying bubble pods ). If there was a safer more imaginative way I am all for it and often think about it.

Originally Posted by Sarath_

But why do we insist on driving a car to places where there are other means of transportation, especially much safer ones?

I drive often even when there are trains/flights available. Of course, the amount of comfort the family is used and the independence when it comes to planning trip start times is a big factor in this. The net risk is of course increased.

First, let us take a look at the statistics to see if somehow we could be relatively safer. Here is the latest morth data (2019). Source -https://morth.nic.in/sites/default/files/RA_Uploading.pdf

2019 saw a total recorded 4.5 lakh accidents with around 1.5 lakh people killed and 4.5 lakh people injured. In terms of those killed, here is the breakup by victim vehicle type.




37 percentage of those killed were in 2 wheelers and a good 17 percent were pedestrians. Add to it the bicycles and autorickshaws the percentage comes to around 60%. For cars (includes vans, LMVs and taxis) it was 16%. Just being being in a car alone reduces your chances of being killed by > 70%. Being a pedestrian is slightly more riskier than being in a car. Which is why we need to step up for more pedestrian friendly design of roads.

If you drive sedately, drive a safe(r) car, drive during the right hours, drive limited distances per day and are well rested you are already reducing the chance of an accident significantly.

And its not that the national highways are unsafe either. you can see from the data that 45% of the road accidents happen in roads that are not national/state highways for obvious reasons (frequency/length etc).

With all these considered still there are morons driving on the wrong side of the highways, people on mobile phones, drunk drivers, to consider. Sure enough if you look at the list of reasons for accidents driving on the wrong side and drunk driving feature prominently. Of course, these are (hopefully) non issues in a train.



Of course, if I were to nitpick on the data - People travelling by train from A to B, have to consider these issues as well - From the station, one would still have to take an unsafe car with a driver who might be overworked. Train timings are not always great and I usually don't like being on empty roads with family on a taxi late at night. Even being a pedestrian for brief periods puts you in danger (compared to being in a car). Again, the time and distance spent as a pedestrian is a lot less for most of us so it is definitely better than driving down.

This is how I feel/what I do.

- I drive a lot to remote places and where (even if I could do plane + bus or train + bus) I do not want to depend on local taxicabs for commuting on state highways. I rely on my driving and my car. I drive sedately and I make sure I am well rested and rarely have driven more than 600 kms in one day. I keep the speeds between 80 (with accelerations to 100) even in highways. I don't drive in the nights.

- When I want to travel > 800 kms (one way) and plan to stay a few days I would take a flight and rely on getting a local driver with a sturdy car. I would absolutely ensure that he is well rested and would insist on not doing more than 400 kms a day ensuring adequate rest days or days where the driving is very restricted (say 30 - 40 kms). This works well especially for some family sojourns to the Himalayas where I do have a few trusted drivers who know the terrain that I rely on.

- If I travel alone, without family and there is a flight to destination I would take it over driving.

As always, I am not sure what the right way is but until the floating bubbles become a reality (Of course, the ones that can travel fast and where collisions give you joy instead of rage) I will probably have to drive.

[Zignor]

I'll try to share my thoughts categorically.

Category 1: Philosophical
It's called a road trip, not a destination trip. Life is basically being born and dying but would anyone want to go from A to B directly? Isn't everything in between the most important thing one does. It maybe an incorrect analogy but we're on Team BHP. We Live to Drive. Yes, getting from A to B is the primary agenda for most of the people and there's no harm in that thinking. Some of them are too fatigued by daily driving in heavy traffic that the mere thought of taking the car/bike out for a trip can be exhausting. For them, avoiding a drive is for more mental peace rather than a safety risk.

Category 2: Safety
However, with regards to safety, whether you be on the road or in the train or in the air, the risk is always going to be present. A cycle is risky because you may not be visible to the other vehicles. A bike maybe risky for reasons we all are aware of. A car maybe risky because we're just adding to the number of vehicles on road and congesting them. My major issue with buses are the limited stops, lack of choices for a restaurant and the fact that I don't trust bus drivers easy especially after sitting in an ST bus from Mumbai to Malvan. A train maybe risky because you're thinking of baggage theft, derailment (I for one, can't sleep in a train with the fear of missing out my deboarding station), bad food, cockroaches, toilets. A plane maybe risky because well, in the uneventful case of a crash, chances of survival are minimal. As someone rightly posted in one of the posts, where isn't there a risk.

Category 3: Joy
A short story, I took a train to Bhuj from Mumbai. It was a superfast express which still took 13 hours on the tracks, 1 hour to reach the station, 1.5 hours to go from Bhuj to my destination ahead. For the two of us, I think the total expense was 12,000 in just traveling (food included). All we did was sit first in the auto, then the train and then the cab. A day after returning, I had to back there and this time I took my car. Maps showed 15 hours to reach where I wanted to go and the cost was estimated to be the same. Why am I writing all this? Well, the joy of driving is unmatched. You see so much more when you are driving rather than sitting. The photos I took on that road trip, I wouldn't have been able to take them if I was in a train or a public transport.

So long story short, safety is something you practice and prepare for. Whether it be on the road, or by air or by any other modes of transport, you are eventually leaving your fate in the hands of others' actions. When you're driving, the one constant is you are holding your own steering wheel, everything else is a variable which you don't have control over.

[dicor]

Have a look at this accident.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02LzpRryR4w3gGeHxFt4UW8k gKUdJWbn1i3V47gbaZVwac3wpQQHysQYJA9jDETHFgl&id=100 030330738401&scmts=scwsplos

Seems the poor XUV guy lost his life.

Highways are getting dangerous every passing day.

People driving on wrong side, overspeeding, no strict protocols for getting driving license in India.

So yes it’s unsafe on road, If our house in just besides road, it’s equally unsafe.

I know several people who have driven lakhs of KMs without involvement in any minor accident and I know some who dashed their car right after exiting from showroom.

I have seen train accidents and bus accidents as well.

I would encourage members here to feedback government to improve license procurement process, renewing of vehicle fitness, strict actions on wrong side driving and rash driving.

We will live until god want us to serve the purpose. Don’t think much, Live to Drive.

[clevermax]

Originally Posted by Sarath_

indispensable in these times. But why do we insist on driving a car to places where there are other means of transportation, especially much safer ones?

By taking a car to destination served by flight or train or bus are we not putting our and any other members, usually family at a great risk?

I would dread to travel on a long-distance bus. I feel a hundred times safer when I'm driving myself. I don't feel safer in Taxis as well. To sum it up, it is very rare for me to feel safe when I am sitting inside a vehicle being driven by someone else.

Originally Posted by Sarath_

Is it time to change our travel habits to booking off season flight tickets or train bookings whose service has greatly improved or try out the sleeper or coach buses and ditch the car?

A flight is a much safer mode of transport than driving a car for sure. A train too is a safer option than the road. Then why do we still prefer to drive our own cars? For me, the answer is very simple - convenience & the joy of driving!

If the distances are practical, I would always prefer driving myself to the destination instead of booking a flight or train or a bus. For me, traveling by bus or train doesn't even stand a chance as a comparable option to driving myself.

If I have to rate the whole travel experience, I would give a score of 95 (out of 100) to driving myself and would give a score of 40 to traveling by Bus or Train. A bus or train journey is filled with a lot of hassles, stress, lack of privacy, and whatnot. When you're on a bus, you can't even plan a bio-break properly. If a bus/train journey has to start early in the morning, I can't even sleep properly the previous night. The thought of starting the journey in your car is so comforting since you don't have to worry about reaching the bus/train station on time. Yes, I am spoiled by the car

Another reason why I don't prefer a bus is motion sickness. Just 20 kilometers into the journey, I start getting that worse feeling. It spoils the entire experience and you will feel sick for the rest of the day or even till the next day.

[silverado]

You are asking this question in times when social distancing is the norm!

Lets assume this was asked before covid, and also lets take my case.
I travel between pune-mumbai and to answer your question - i would anyday prefer bus / train travel over my car for eway travel.
There are several options on this route and something like Shivneri has made travel safer and much more comfortable.

So my answer would vary depending on where i have to go.

I wish we had a Rail RO-RO for passenger vehicles. For eg: If i wished to travel to north india from mumbai, i can load up my car on train and then simply sit in the car till train reaches its destination.

This will save a lot of unwanted driving, will keep everyone fresh. Its wishfull thinking since i know this will never happen.

We all love driving, but we cant drag our families in to that, so the decision to do road trips has to be collective.Its up to us to plan and present the plan so that it sounds convincing for the family

[sagaranjos]

A thought provoking post indeed.

I had guessed your profession before you mentioned it. Our brain discounts a lot of the risk involved in driving and riding because most of us don't see the effects of things going wrong. You on the other hand because of your frequent encounters of how things actually go wrong put a higher premium on it.

Also our brains were not designed for fast travel and it would take years of driving or centuries of evolution to get us to be 'designed for' fast travel.

But then the conditions of the roads and the traffic on them will ensure that every time you venture out on wheels you are increasing your risk of bodily harm To yourselves and to people on the roads.

The question boils down to 'is it work the risk?'

[ani_meher]

Originally Posted by silverado

I wish we had a Rail RO-RO for passenger vehicles. For eg: If i wished to travel to north india from mumbai, i can load up my car on train and then simply sit in the car till train reaches its destination.

This will save a lot of unwanted driving, will keep everyone fresh. Its wishfull thinking since i know this will never happen.

This is why I used to parcel my motorcycle in Indian Railway to the destination and would ride there. But with time, many self drive options in bike and car rentals have come up, that made this travelling with your vehicle as parcel thing quite redundant.

In fact, I find that most of the times the cab with driver rental will cost as much as the self drive rental, if you have sizeable kilometers to travel. So off late, I lean more towards hired cab with driver than self drive for long distance travelling. It keeps me fresh and free for actual sight seeing, and transfers any risk of a financial loss by vehicle accident to the cab owner.

[amitayu]

HI

We shifted base from Delhi to my hometown Kolkata last February under COVID conditions, and are presently in the process of shifting back from Kolkata to Delhi.

Last year, we drove from Delhi to Kolkata and am planning to do the same this time around.

Reasons for driving down last year:
a. I was not comfortable about giving my car to Movers & Packers because of many factors such as paperwork required, concerns about how they will handle my car, The drop and pick-up points are usually quite remote, car transportation requires longer time and I want my car with me.

b. We were not comfortable traveling via air or train during those times due to concerns of social distancing. Car allowed us to travel in a bio-bubble with minimum exposure. We carried packed food and water to avoid stopping at dhabas. Thankfully bio-breaks are not a major challenge in Indian hinterlands.

I am thinking of driving back because:

Reason a cited above.

b. I LOVED the experience last time. It was the only fun part of an otherwise hectic shift! It is like 2 days of being off the hassle and having a break!

[king of cochin]

As a student and unemployed youth I had done my fair share of travelling in Public Transportation, and the biggest impression was the feeling of helplessness, the lack of freedom, of having to depend on others for the basic function of mobility. The hours spent waiting for a bus or a train, the helplessness of having to hitch hike with random strangers when no bus or train is unavailable. These emotions ensured that when I was able to own a personal vehicle I never took public transportation again.

Several years later I too started considering switching to Public transportation and decided to do one family trip from Bangalore to Kerala exclusively using Public transportation. Starting with a Metro from my office to Bayappanahalli, a local train to Cantonment, a train to Kochi, Auto to my hometown and more trains and buses the old feeling of helplessness returned.

For all the development in infrastructure there are vast areas of our country that still have poor to no public transportation. As salaried people saving our meagre leaves we really cant afford to be at the whims of random bus timings. Also the bus I took from Guruvayur to Trichur during that trip was the scariest travel I have ever done.

Several times during bus trips between Bangalore and Kochi I have observed how the women have to suffer for lack of a bio break. While we men have the luxury of relieving ourselves on random roadsides the women have to depend on the whims of the Bus staff for the mercy of stopping at a place with a clean rest room. One time I in fact had to sit on a "dharna" next to the driver to force him to make a stop.

Any travel where I have to drive around my hometown or travel to inlaws or relatives' place then only option is to self drive. It is only in cases of extreme emergencies, like a death in family that I would not trust myself to drive.

Simple fact is I believe I have earned my freedom from public transportation by working hard and earning the money to afford my vehicles and afford the fuel. Safety is illusory and ephemeral, it is better to have some form of control by being on the driving seat. Besides driving has a meditative effect on me and the associate psychological health benefits outweigh any demerits of driving.

[Sumer]

Many a times, public transport (specially when the option of arriving in the comfort of your own car) is very inconvenient. For 300-400km journeys, with my wife, 2 kids and lots of luggage, it is a no brainer for me. Defensive driving, a safe car, good roads (whenever available) and strictly daytime driving are some things I practice. I agree that every action has some risk and benefit and sometimes the risk may be fatal, but this is a risk I am willing to take, specially when public transport is unorganised and lacks basic facilities.

[Abhinav V]

We drive not because we have to get to places.
We drive because we live to drive as team bhp says.
We drive because we get to meet our best friend - car!
When we're frustrated, the first person we dial is our best friend and for us bhpians our cars is our best friend!
At this point I would like to quote Jeremy Clarkson's famous line!

“You’re a car, but most of all, what you are, what you’ve become, is a mate. And that’s what makes a car special. That’s what makes a car great. You start to think of it as a person. You start to love it.”

There's nothing safe in this world that we live in. What's safe today could become unsafe tomorrow. Heck! When there's risk even in the air we breathe, would a different mode of transport be any safer?