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-   -   How safe are you on deserted roads ? (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-car-scene/4467-how-safe-you-deserted-roads.html)

The following tip in the driving tips thread has intrigued me.

Some of the main reasons for having a car are

1) Utilitarian : you need one for everyday use.

2) You love to drive.

3) You enjoy the freedom to go anywhere and everywhere.

Is it really true that in India (as opposed to, say, US) prudence
denies being carefree about going to a deserted place, locking up
the car, and just enjoy the surroundings for as long as you like ?

Would like to hear about personal experiences of BHPians all over India.
If true, it takes away one of the main reasons for owning a car !

you are as safe as your car.
if u have well maintained car ,then u need not worry about getting stranded anywhere and can think of going anywhere.
but if u do not have one that is maintained properly,then you should think twice about going to deserted places.

I think you missed the point. The worry was not that your car
could break down, leaving you stranded. Rather, at a deserted
location (doesn't necessarily mean that nobody else would be
around) how safe your unattended car would be.

Meerkat, i am also a bit confused. Is the tip meant as a safety caution for the passengers/drivers or the car?

Either ways, i have never thought twice before stopping somewhere on the way on a long trip to step out of the car and enjoy the scenery around. Have stopped at the sight of sunflower fields.... small waterfalls... valley view points... river side.... deserts... forests... where not a soul was in sight.

Cheers
Amitoj

Dude,
My cars not safe in crowded areas,it will def. not be safe in deserted areas because thats where most robberies happen.
As long as you have a good automatic and manual lock system and a bat under your seat you are safe.

I think the topic here is not how safe the car is, rather how safe the occupants are if they stop on a deserted stretch of highway.

I guess there is no general answer for that. The best thing is to do your homework on the area you are driving through. There are area's in Bihar, Assam, UP where you don't want to be driving after dark, forget stopping.

Studying the route beforehand and basic common sense can minimise the risks.

I think statistics would show that most robberies happen in urban areas... specially the suburbs.

If i were a robber, i wont spend a whole day waiting at a deserted spot ( remember its deserted coz no one stops there) hoping some shutterbug or silly tourist will stop at that very same spot so i can mug him or his car. Neither would i like to keep driving around hoping to come across a deserted spot where someone would have stopped!

Achha tell me something.. suppose u r on a looong drive... no hotel/restaurant/dhaba in sight... and the 500 ml of coke/pepsi u drank half an hour back is now itching to get out. Now u gotta answer nature's call. wot do u do? wot do u do?

The question is not what you do when you don't have a choice,
but what you do otherwise. I think Rtech is spot on.

Just 10 days back I took my family on a 400KMs road trip mostly in rural Karnataka. I must say we felt very safe while driving through those otherwise terrible roads on deserted stretches. I think it is the way people look at you in the roads.

When we drove through the villages, the looks we got were innocent with idle curiosity. Whenever we asked for directions, they were eager to help without showing any attitude. We don't feel that safe while driving in Bangalore. In fact it is unsafe to drive on outer ring road in the night these days.

I once accidently drove through Patterson, New Jersey at around 9PM. My wife was so scared and was yelling at me to get the hell out of there. It was the demeanor of the people who were walking around. We didn't dare stop the car let alone park. Had a similar feeling when we had to stop at Harlem (NY) at 12.30AM for gas.

wait till u reach a place where u can see some vehicles.and then leak .
if its the nature's call of the other kind lol: just roll down the windows and lift ur bottom to ........u know what.hahha and then look on as if nothing happened.
when on a long drive ,i am immune to all these calls.all i can feel is the road and my car.

Hey amitoj,
Use the coke bottle and throw it out.

I do not know much about Patterson, but yes Harem is very scary. Even during day time.

I wont bother to drive at nightime in india.

I saw an incident in delhi on ring road - 4 motor cycles were speeding and overtook a santro in a very dangerous manner. The driver yelled some abuses and these motor cycle youths turned violent. They stopped the santro and tried to pull out the passengers and assault them. This was right in heart of south delhi and crowded ring road.

As usual no one stopped to help the santro passengers or call the cops.

The second incident was a few years ago near Kurukshetra in Haryana. This had made news in local newspapers. A film was being shot in that area and word had sread that some film actresses would be arriving there. Some goons had got together and were keeping an eye for big cars with females.

And neither did you.Any reasons??

Remember,if one takes the initiative the others follow soon.But shying away or ignoring the situation is something one should always avoid.

X

Sure..you want me to stop my car and fight with 8 goons??