[aaggoswami]

Originally Posted by akj53

1) Maruti Omni is the unsafest vehicle on road. Its production should be banned altogether through out India.

2) Granted we have many more idiotic things going on our road which makes our roads unsafe, but that does not mean that Omni alone should not be banned. we have to make a start some where and gradually more steps against other problems can be taken.

3) Even if some body have paid money for this decision, I would say money well spent. And Maruti cant complain on this point, because they were the biggest beneficiary due to the demise of Nano's Bengal factory and PAL-FIAT's strike which killed the PAL-FIAT-UNO project. Both these cases were bank rolled by some competitor.

1) Have you considered Autos ? And two wheelers ? Any given day, Omni is safer than both these.

2) Problem is, idiotic things leads to more accidents and deaths than Omni alone. And with banning of Omni we are not reducing the idiotic things in a correct way.

Can we have some standards like crashtests for all the vehicles ? And only those vehicles who pass can be sold in India. But this point is often ignored.

Banning a single vehicle without defining any standards and banning the vehicle only a taxi for a single state is something wrong. If tests are brought into picture, even tata Ace will not meet the standards. I am talking of international standards here, not the indian standards that are lagging behind others. Here the intention is to get a ready market for the van based on Ace that is about to be launched ( spyshots are here on TBHP ). No other reason is there behind this move.

3) Maruti/Suzuki never paid others to fight for removing Nano factory from WB or to initiate PAL strike. This is completley off topic and just one more point that has nothing to do with the logic of banning Omni in WB as a taxi.

When Tata said that behind opposition of Nano factory a manufacturer was involved, Suzuki replied that Tata must go on and name the manufacturer which Tata never did.

[McLaren Rulez]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Why not have a poll here?

SS. with all due respect, a poll is not the way to go. If it has to be banned, let someone come up with sufficient reasoning to justify it. Until now, no one has done that, as seen by the fact that the comments for and against the ban are pretty even in terms of numbers. If someone could come up and tell us all why the Omni taxis, and only the Omni taxis, should be banned, feel free. Until then, it simply doesn't make sense to ban it. A poll would have people vote without thinking about the issue in the comprehensive way it should be; most would simply go by their gut feeling.

[MileCruncher]

I feel this is absolutely wrong. Omni may not be safe at high speeds but does offer a good value proposition in the Taxi Market. I feel this is a case of few functionaries getting money from certain manufacturers to keep certain others out. End of the day if Omni is passed by ARAI/VRDE under present day rules, WB govt doen't have any right to stop it from being Taxi.

[blackasta]

Actually comparing omni with auto and 2 wheelers is not right.
According to some old and un enforced law in Kolkata (at least to the extent I know) - autos are supposed to ply on link roads which DO NOT HAVE bus/public vehicle connection.
Now that is flouted all over and thus the scenario of a bus hitting the auto comes into picure. So, as per their intended use - autos are safe.

2 wheelers are not used as for-hire vehicles, and we can leave them out.

Coming to passenger cars in case of a head on or back end collision - I feel omni, especially the omni-e is the most unsafe car.

Also, in Kolkata, traffic is increasing day by day,and roads are not that great - and taxi drivers have a tendency to drive roughly. Don't think omni suits Kolkata taxi portfolio. Better leave that to a new BSIII fleet of ambys which can take the punishment.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by McLaren Rulez

If someone could come up and tell us all why the Omni taxis, and only the Omni taxis, should be banned, feel free. Until then, it simply doesn't make sense to ban it. A poll would have people vote without thinking about the issue in the comprehensive way it should be; most would simply go by their gut feeling.

I know what you mean! I was just being mildly sarcastic at the powers-that-be who take such random decisions.

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

...to compete with auto-rickshaws and two-wheelers in controlling the country's population? Or a third option: Should any vehicle that is instrumental in taking lives be banned (let's go retro - back to the Neanderthal ages!)?

[burnt.]

When the communist party gets the money it asked for anything will become safe.

[PhiGolden]

Originally Posted by burnt.

When the communist party gets the money it asked for anything will become safe.

This statement was uncalled for.

[blackasta]

Originally Posted by burnt.

When the communist party gets the money it asked for anything will become safe.

I guess this was not required in this forum. Arguments of different nature may arise out of this.

[akj53]

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

1) Have you considered Autos ? And two wheelers ? Any given day, Omni is safer than both these.

2) Problem is, idiotic things leads to more accidents and deaths than Omni alone. And with banning of Omni we are not reducing the idiotic things in a correct way.

3. Can we have some standards like crashtests for all the vehicles ? And only those vehicles who pass can be sold in India. But this point is often ignored.

Banning a single vehicle without defining any standards and banning the vehicle only a taxi for a single state is something wrong. If tests are brought into picture, even tata Ace will not meet the standards. I am talking of international standards here, not the indian standards that are lagging behind others.

4. Here the intention is to get a ready market for the van based on Ace that is about to be launched ( spyshots are here on TBHP ). No other reason is there behind this move.

5) Maruti/Suzuki never paid others to fight for removing Nano factory from WB or to initiate PAL strike. This is completley off topic and just one more point that has nothing to do with the logic of banning Omni in WB as a taxi.

6. When Tata said that behind opposition of Nano factory a manufacturer was involved, Suzuki replied that Tata must go on and name the manufacturer which Tata never did.

1. 95% of the Indian drivers are also a threat to safety. Should we ban them BEFORE we do any thing to OMNI (as per your logic). Mate we have to make a beginning somewhere. Autos are not high speed vehicles and this discussion is about Omni, so others factors should not be discussed here.

2. Omni is an unsafe vehicle and by banning Omni, we can remove one of the problems. Wonder why you are defending Omni???

3. Agreed that we should have international level standard applicable uniformly across India for all manufacturers.

4. That is a very tall statement to make. Firstly Tatas have a reputation of not paying bribes to get their work done. And if they had to bribe, they should have paid to people in Delhi to have a national level ban on Omni.

5. How do you know? Are you on their board?

Then Maruti must be a saint. They were the only manufacturer having a competing product in the UNO segment. Uno was a far superior and robust product than the tin box M800. So only Maruti stood to gain from PAL strike.

6. It is very difficult to get a solid proof in such matters. But Tata will not make such statement without any basis.

Rather than taking sides we should look at the problem with an unbiased view.

[ACM]

Obviously TATA could not have named a manufacturer even if it had implied proof to as this would all be done under the table and it would land them in a defamation suit.

[ACM]

The WB Govt. Move is a good one and should have been carried out across the country.

Will add that Auto's too need to be phased out with cars below 1000 cc - like the Nano over time.

[Atul-C]

Originally Posted by Gansan

Will the honorable minister ban the autorickshaws too? Surely they are far worse than the Omni when it comes to safety?

I totally agree with you Gansan. Banning just Omni is unfair. Autorickshaws are more dangerous than these Omnis. They should also be banned throughout the country.

[shamanth]

Originally Posted by Atul-C

I totally agree with you Gansan. Banning just Omni is unfair. Autorickshaws are more dangerous than these Omnis. They should also be banned throughout the country.

Auto can go upto maximum speed of 50 kmph, where as Omni can cross 100 easily, So at this speed Omins are more dangerous than autos.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Dangerous or not- there is a huge market for it, and clearly there HAS to be a safer and affordable alternative to the Omni before it gets phased out or banned!

Nov sales are the highest for Omni in 2009, with 8320 cars sold!

[Gansan]

The ban will not stand scrutiny in the courts and will be thrown out. Not when the car has been homologated and certified by a central agency. The state govt also will know this. Looks like a mere popularity/blackmail stunt to me.

@shamanth
Autos comfortably do 60 KMPH, and are unsafe at any speed. What happens when they are hit by other vehicles doing 100 KPH, irrespective of their own speed? No crumple zones in either Omni or Auto, agreed. But what bout bikes? Dammit, while riding my Splendor, I am the crumple zone!