Hello everyone,
Just thought of creating a new thread where everyone who has been in an accident can point out the lessons which they learnt with the accident.
@Mods, In case there is already an existing thread which discusses these please merge this new thread to that.
IMHO, I think we should mention in the last of our post about the lessons which we learnt which would give an overview to others and they could avoid doing those mistakes when traveling and especially when traveling in those areas.
Story Begins
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Yes, The day finally came to me after I have driven for more than 30K km in around 6 years of my driving. (which no body wants to see, but there are something which are beyond our will).
The incident happened, while I was traveling from Mysore to Belur I missed the turn which my trusted MMI failed to guide me properly, I should have taken right when I entered Bangalore-Mangalore highway while coming out from SH-7 which goes to Arsikere I continued straight as per the instructions I got from MMI.
After continuing straight for around 8 Km, it asked me to take right which through a village and joins me back to the Bangalore-Mangalore highway, and then I realized that I've actually taken a wrong route. But then I checked it was only about 10km distance and then it joins me back to the highway, I thought of continuing on the same route. My
first mistake.
While I was driving in the village, Doddakaradevu near Shanthi Gram some 20 km from Hasan, since it was around 11:30 pm, I was happily going around 60-70 Kmph and then after traveling some 5-6 Km there was one turn, I put on the brakes but didn't tried to put it hard(my
second mistake) as I didn't wanted to disturb my two sister-in-laws sitting at the back seat, and turned the steering only to realize that the turn was very sharp and then I put on the brakes further to reduce the speed, but by then I realized that the car will come out of the road, I didn't panicked and thought even if one tyre goes out of the road, shouldn't be a problem and I continued and then the car hit a big stone which was down the road and with a bang car stopped.
As I always travel with my seat belts on and I make sure everybody sitting in my car is wearing a seat belt, none of us were hurt. And this is where I liked Duster the most. I can't say about any other car I have not driven them but the car just stood at its place, I didn't even felt a jerk when the car hit the stone. The car was pretty stable and I think some cars may have toppled with the kind of impact I had. The bad part on my side was I forgot to take any pictures which could show the impact I had.
And then all of a sudden, where I couldn't see a single person, I was surrounded by around 10-15 people yelling at me in Kannada(the language which I understand very little) and telling me to go slow. I apologized to them and said yes, I will drive slowly now and wanted to get out of there asap. I tried to move the car but the car didn't moved at all. I got down the car and checked the tyre and found it to be fine with air in the tyre and then got back and tried to move the car again. Even then the car didn't moved an inch, I thought may be the stone is on the way so I asked people to push the car, they tried but that didn't worked at all.
And then some people standing on the left hand side were telling me tyre cut agi dia, which means tyre is cut, I got down and then I checked the tyre properly and I found out the axle has broken. And then I realized that nothing can be done and tried to call 24x7 road side assistance and then I found out that vodafone doesn't work there. And we had three vodafone connections.
Then there was some light of hope, one person(Harsha) came to me and told I am going to Hasan, do you want a ride? He told me that he is traveling with his wife and kid and going to Hasan, if we want we can go with him. He had a Bolero. After some discussions with my sister and two sister in laws we decided to leave the car their in the village and go to Hasan and then call 24x7 Road side assistance and then will see what to do.
We get into his car and thanked him and his wife for waiting for us and then moved out of the crash site. And then Harsha gave us his phone(BSNL) which had network and then I called 24x7 road side assistance. Those guys told me that they will arrange the towing vehicle and call me back in 30 min. We waited in the same village some km away from the crash site for 30 min. Then called again, they said we are still trying and told me that they will get back to me in 20 min.
After another 30 min when I tried calling their toll free number, which is by the way the only number, was not reachable. I tried continuously for 1 hour and it kept saying 'The route is busy, please call after some time'. I don't know if that is possible or not, but it looked like to me that they have intentionally disconnected the line somehow. Otherwise it can't be possible that for more than 1 hour the route is busy.
In the mean time Harsha asked me whether I want to wait there or go to Hasan and find out a taxi and a towing vehicle. I said yes, please take us to Hasan and then then we will find out towing vehicle and taxi from there. We reached Hasan around 1:15. When we reached Hasan he stopped the car near two police guys and then he asked them if there is any towing vehicle which can tow my loving car? After making some 5-10 calls we got one towing company and they said they will come in 30 min. Harsha took us all to his house though we told him to just take us to some hotel and then we will wait for the taxi(number we got over internet) but he took us all to his house.
I tried calling Renault again before actually booking the towing vehicle and then around 2:30 - 3 those people told me that they are unable to arrange the towing vehicle as the towing vehicle has gone somewhere else. I thought of beating them but calmed myself and finalized the towing vehicle to tow the car to Bangalore after I came to know there is no Renault service station in Hasan.
I left others at his house and then went to get taxi and towing vehicle. After I got the towing vehicle and the taxi I went back to his house and then we all left in the taxi and the towing vehicle to the village to take my car. Me and my sister and two sister in laws thanked him from the bottom of our hearts and left his house. I can't image what we would have done in that village with no network and no knowledge of local language. It took around an hour to actually make it flawlessly towed to Bangalore.
Took the car straight to Renault whitefield service station and its still there till now. :(
The only reason I made this story so long was because of the fact, I wanted to point out the mistakes which I did and I have learnt few lessons which I would like to mention.
Lessons Learnt:
1. If you think that you should not be driving through the village when you are traveling only on highways, you should turn back to the same position from where you were misguided and check if you actually have to take that route.
2. While driving in a village, even if in the off hours, I would suggest not to go beyond 50 kmph, atleast I won't go from now on, as there can be plenty of situations which you might face. And during that time, I would say we will hardly be 5 min extra late. And the most important don't hesitate to put on the brakes, as putting the brakes would have disturbed the back seat persons but this situation may not have happened.
Few lessons which I learnt from Reanult india perspective which I would like my fellow Renault India owners should know.
From Renault India Perspective:
1. Please don't completely be dependent on 24x7 road side assistance, also try from your side to get as much help you can get which I did in my case for towing my car.
2. And in case you are towing your car, then you can claim the entire amount to Renault India. Which they have promised to pay me after I have called them so many times and shouted.