[King_pin09]

Originally Posted by MSMILES

I was cruising along at approximately 50 kmph, but suddenly my attention was distracted by my son who moved to the rear seat. In the split second, I could notice that the Alto went off the road to the left and we were about to land in a ditch.

Kids changing seats is a major distraction while driving.

I too have suffered distraction issues with my younger son who prefers changing positions, jumping on rear seat, playing catch the ball, etc., while the car is in motion. Sensing safery threats, I have made a strict rule from day 1 to kids (infact to all passengers) to remain glued in their positions until the journey ends / or a halt is taken.

[bblost]

Originally Posted by MSMILES

I was cruising along at approximately 50 kmph, but suddenly my attention was distracted by my son who moved to the rear seat.

Originally Posted by King_pin09

I too have suffered distraction issues with my younger son who prefers changing positions, jumping on rear seat, playing catch the ball, etc., while the car is in motion. Sensing safery threats, I have made a strict rule from day 1 to kids (infact to all passengers) to remain glued in their positions until the journey ends / or a halt is taken.

I am sorry but this is completely irresponsible parenting.

Children MUST be secured in the age appropriate child seat at all times.

No one can remain glued to their positions because of physics. Inertia will make then move on and collide.
Children CANNOT use an adult seatbelt without being in the correct child seat. The seatbelt itself can cause significant damage. A parents lap is NOT a child seat.
Child in lap and a seatbelt covering both adult and child will kill the child in case of an accident.

[arvind71181]

Originally Posted by King_pin09

Kids changing seats is a major distraction while driving.

I too have suffered distraction issues with my younger son who prefers changing positions, jumping on rear seat, playing catch the ball, etc., while the car is in motion. Sensing safery threats, I have made a strict rule from day 1 to kids (infact to all passengers) to remain glued in their positions until the journey ends / or a halt is taken.

OT: If there is a kid in the car, they should be strapped to a car seat. Else they are liable to serious injuries in case of accidents. They will become projectiles and will hurt others as well. And no front seats please....

EDIT: Just saw the bblost has posted along the same lines as well. Please delete the post if deemed unnecessary

[MSMILES]

Originally Posted by bblost

I am sorry but this is completely irresponsible parenting.

Children MUST be secured in the age appropriate child seat at all times.

No one can remain glued to their positions because of physics. Inertia will make then move on and collide.
Children CANNOT use an adult seatbelt without being in the correct child seat. The seatbelt itself can cause significant damage. A parents lap is NOT a child seat.
Child in lap and a seatbelt covering both adult and child will kill the child in case of an accident.

As mentioned this was quite a few years back. I have definitely become more responsible as a road user and am more conscious. This was a time when I was also very new to driving and was not aware of the child seat or seat belt.

[aaggoswami]

Quite a while ago, I posted that I dont like steering mounted buttons, mentioned here.

However, now I feel that this is a must due to increasingly dense traffic which knows nothing about discipline. I had 3 concentration lapses due to the fact that my eyes were off the road and on the audio system.

1) Along with my mom, uncle and aunt, I had visited Bali in Rajasthan, a bit ahead of Falna (Rajasthan). Was doing around 100-105 kmph in my Swift when the song being played was pretty boring to me and some conversation among us was going on. I wanted to change the song and hence took my eyes off the road to press the correct button on music system. All of a sudden my uncle yelled at me, and I braked. Dont know why I braked, but I did. It saved me from rear ending a jeep that suddenly changed lanes. It was overloaded with people literally hanging around the jeep.

2) During my trip to Salangpur, Bhimnath, Kot Ganesh which was a 400 kms. drive, exactly the same thing happened near Vataman. Only thing as it was a junction, my speed was 20 kmph. Saved from rear ending an overloaded truck that nudged out of its lane thanks to a two wheeler.

3) While on my way to native village for cousin's wedding function, the same mistake at 110 kmph, and mom all of a sudden shouted at me. Were it only a second late, I would have hit a tractor which decided to cross the highway out of nowhere. These surprise visitors are a real threat, but from my side, I should have been more focused on road than music system.

Now :
No change of music by me when I am driving. Only when car is stationary, things like audio has to be messed with. A/C controls are still easier to operate. Steering mounted audio controls are not just a feature, but they can be very practical too. Should have learnt from the first instance itself, but its never too late. I admit the above concentration lapses and my error first.

[Aakarsh]

I would like to share one which I oftenly face, and I am sure each and every male member onboard would have faced it.

Any female passanger in the car traveling, let it be your mother, sister, friend, etc.
You are driving (at any speed : 20 kmph, 80 kmph etc) and she suddenly screams (dekho, dekho - see see!) or (roko roko - stop stop!) as in, don't know what has happened! Then points out to a shop or a panipuri wala.

The person behind the wheel gets distracted and slightly misses any mishap!

No offenses to anyone but this happens to me, a lot of times. As usual me and my father try to make her understand that it diverts the mind of the driver, but we could only try! Everyone knows. Lol

[VW2010]

No one can remain glued to their positions because of physics. Inertia will make then move on and collide.
Children CANNOT use an adult seatbelt without being in the correct child seat. The seatbelt itself can cause significant damage. A parents lap is NOT a child seat.
Child in lap and a seatbelt covering both adult and child will kill the child in case of an accident.

Completely agree. My son loves child seat and we are teaching him to clip on the belts on his own. And he does that everyime the driver wears the seat belt. In fact i have kept the seat to the center of the rear seat there by giving him view of the front of the car as well.

Buying a 20L car without a Car seat basically defeats the purpose of safety these cars are known for.

On the original Topic. I have learnt my closed calls.After multiple night shifts riding the bull back home at 6AM meant i was basically sleeping while climbing the tambaram bridge. I am just lucky that i woke up to realize i was riding for close to 200meters eyes shut. Stopped, washed my face, and took literally 1Km break as i was no longer controlling when my eyes where shutting down.

Thats the last of it to drive when i am sleepy. No matter where, i pull over, take a quick 60 minute nap and then move on. This has been my norm for last 10 years now.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

Quite a while ago, I posted that I dont like steering mounted buttons, mentioned here.

However, now I feel that this is a must due to increasingly dense traffic which knows nothing about discipline. I had 3 concentration lapses due to the fact that my eyes were off the road and on the audio system.

Audio systems cause many accidents. I don't mind if the button/knob is on the HU or the wheel (am actually about to get my first car where they come on the wheel) but I must be able to reach out and do the necessary by touch only. Long, long before touch screens and whizzo displays, let alone video displays, I felt that car audio was too complex. People have died changing cassette tapes, let alone navigating through an on-screen touch menu system! I even thought, back then, that everything not having only tactile knobs and buttons should be banned.

Now, it is not just audio/entertainment, but navigation. And when I was last in a big, relatively expensive, car, it seemed that centre screen carried quite a lot of car-management information.

[VW2010]

Audio systems cause many accidents.

I for one cannot drive with loud music. I need to hear the environment and i react to that more than just visual aids.

Thats a reason i cannot justify upgrading audio system in cars. When parked listening loud music is fine but while driving its a big distraction for me.

[King_pin09]

Originally Posted by bblost

No one can remain glued to their positions because of physics. Inertia will make then move on and collide.
Children CANNOT use an adult seatbelt without being in the correct child seat. The seatbelt itself can cause significant damage. A parents lap is NOT a child seat.
Child in lap and a seatbelt covering both adult and child will kill the child in case of an accident.

This is one very thing that I like the most about Team BHP, honest and meaningful suggestions. Thanks sir.

I was unaware of this child seat thing, in as much as I do not find too many cars having such seats. Children can be seen oftenly sitting freely on the rear seats or in the lap of front passengers.

Anyway, after reading your post I have ordered a new child seat and awaiting its delivery.

[navin]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Audio systems cause many accidents...People have died changing cassette tapes...

Thad, It's not just audio, people have died from any number of distractions (in-car and out-car).

In the old days we used to make our own mix of songs on tape, today we have "play lists" of MP3s. I set my Playlist before I start my driving (just like I wear my seat belt and check my rear view mirrors before I start my journey) be it dropping my son to school or a longer drive. It is called discipline.

Originally Posted by VW2010

I for one cannot drive with loud music...Thats a reason i cannot justify upgrading audio system in cars. When parked listening loud music is fine but while driving its a big distraction for me.

For the record: A good system need not be a loud system. Few OEM systems can reproduce 40hz (low E on a 'regular' bass guitar) at 85db (not terribly loud) accurately. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bass_guitar_tuning

[SyncNest]

I found it difficult in the early mornings. I think toll booths are the only respite if your are driving at around 3 in the morning. You stop, you take your wallet out, count the money, take stock of the odometer readings before you, fold the receipt methodically - everything matters, because there is little else going on, on the highways before the dawn. Stopping somewhere on the highway to take a break isn't a wise option either. I am happy to pay more as long as the welcome distractions keep coming.

Not advocating driving in the mornings. But if you have to cover 900 kms, you had better start at 3 in the morning.

[Ryuu]

Originally Posted by Aakarsh

Any female passanger in the car traveling, let it be your mother, sister, friend, etc.
You are driving (at any speed : 20 kmph, 80 kmph etc) and she suddenly screams (dekho, dekho - see see!) or (roko roko - stop stop!) as in, don't know what has happened! Then points out to a shop or a panipuri wala.

Every single time. I don't give a damn who says what while I'm driving. They need to tell me a KM early where I need to take the turn or stop. Otherwise, I'm deaf. I'll rather take an long U-turn than abruptly stop in the middle and create confusion on the road.

[drsingh]

In my early days of driving, I was a medical student and a night owl and then an EMO doing night duties. A Caffeine junkie.

So when I had to take up driving responsibilities to drive my parents around without a good night's sleep, I'd just take a large chai /coffee shot and go. This was usually not a problem.


But at one time I had to drive 450 kms to and fro with barely half an hour rest. Started feeling sleepy but in my ego filled stupidity thought I could push through as I was about 10 kms away from home.

Let's just say I almost missed a major bridge and was headed to the canal.

My mom shouted at me and I quickly redirected the steering wheel. Close call.

Since then I never drive without a good night's sleep, don't take caffeine from 5 PM to 9 AM. And tell my co-passenger in the front seat that he/she is a navigator and should tell me if I'm doing something stupid on the road.

I will also absolutely find a place, a petrol pump, highway restaurant to park my car and take a nap if I need to despite my co passengers protests and take caffeine of some sort.

And in general avoid driving over 80.


I'm getting old

[jkrishnakj]

This has happened to me quite a few times. I have had my shares of Sleep deprived driving, the sudden excited screams of the women in the car, my son who jumped around once in the back seat etc.. The latest was last week, when i was returning back home from Work, and that too, it happened during rush hour, with bumper to bumper situations.

So - there was this 2nd Gen Honda City, in front of me. He was fairly slow, and in the evening rush hour, he was driving as if he had no where to go, and there were vehicles getting over him from either side, and i didnt have a chance to sneak either to his left or to his right, due to severe traffic, all moving between 20-30 KM/Hr.

At this point, we reached the dreaded Eco Space junction on ORR with many more cars coming in and joining the road. I was getting a little fed up since it was almost 2-3 KM's that i could do nothing but tail him. Just when we were about to get onto the ramp after crossing Eco Space, he suddenly decided to take the road to the left leading to Sarjapur. That is when i could cross him from his right, and for that momentary irritation moments, i wanted to see who he was ( and i still don't know what i enjoyed by trying to stare at him), and looked to my left. Must not have been more than 4-5 seconds and when i got my eyes back on the roads, i had to really brake HARD, since i almost rear ended a Tavera Cab. Boy - that was real close.

Learning - doesnt matter if you are trailing someone, overtaking would only take you 10 metres ahead, and there is absolutely NOTHING i will gain by trying to look or stare another driver down, on the roads.