[Steeroid]

Yes the drivers deserve greater punishment. My friend's sister-in-law was killed when a bus rammed their bike from behind while she was riding pillon. She was killed on the spot, as was the kid in her womb. Friend's brother spent 2 months in hospital and more than a year in a mental hospital after he was told of his wife's (and the unborn child's) death. He still walks around like a zombie - unable to work or live a normal life, while the bus driver walks scot free...

I dont know if the Mallus here watch Asianet, but last week there was a feature on this controversy. The program was the hugely popular 'Nammal Thammil' (Between us), where things turned ugly as the bus owners and driver's association representatives started blaming everyone else and then the host brought forward a schoolgirl who had lost both her legs after she was run over by a private bus...their silence was suddenly very deafening.

[Boom Shiva]

The governor's a great idea. Let's hope they make it nationwide. But I think the speed should be marginally increased to about 60km/h.

[bigman]

Sorry to hear about that steeroid.

Half the problem is these union wale, they only learn if they face a tragedy themselves. They are always ready to block a road even when it is their drivers in the wrong.

A few months ago near Chandigarh a moron bus driver dangerously cut a car up. The car driver was well connected and got some hard men to stop the bus a few KM down the road and gave the bus driver a good driving lesson (thrashing). Next thing you know the union wale were blocking roads etc.

A distant relative had a fight with someone whos uncle was a bus union leader. Next thing you know dozens of bus drivers were running around beating the relative up. It all back fired on them as he was well in with a local MLA and had police cases registered against all the union wale bus scum.

Maybe it should be rasied slighlty higher to 60KM, but just remember that a bus weighs alot so increasing the speed slightly increases the impact force of the bus and this leads to more fatalities.

Most these bus drivers are nothing short of hoodlums who need to be taught a lesson. Truck drivers used to have a bad reputation but it has changed as many truck drivers are owner drivers and so look after their machinery. But bus drivers have state owned buses at their disposal and they treat them accordingly.

[mohit]

The problem here is not speeding but enforecement...Even if they fit some speed governors, how can they ensure that they will not be taken out or disabled? The solution here is decipline and not giving the driver a slower vehicle. If the police is strict enough to enforce speed limits and good driving behavior, half our problems would be solved.... Too bad that they don't have time for what they are supposed to do!

[RedOne]

To think that KSRTC was considering buying and running Volvo's on their long distance routes. I think the proposal is dropped now. Wonder which gear the 240 bhp Volvo would run, at 40 kmph.

Interesting fact: Volvo "loaned" a few buses to KSRTC on a trial basis with the condition that their drivers and not the KSRTC hoodlums would drive them. The union objected and as a compromise, they were allowed to drive from the depot to the city limits after which the Volvo drivers took over.

The inaugral bus from Trivandrum driven by a KSRTC driver took out the gate post of the depot exit gate

Gears,
Red-One

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by RedOne

To think that KSRTC was considering buying and running Volvo's on their long distance routes. I think the proposal is dropped now. Wonder which gear the 240 bhp Volvo would run, at 40 kmph.

Interesting fact: Volvo "loaned" a few buses to KSRTC on a trial basis with the condition that their drivers and not the KSRTC hoodlums would drive them. The union objected and as a compromise, they were allowed to drive from the depot to the city limits after which the Volvo drivers took over.

The inaugral bus from Trivandrum driven by a KSRTC driver took out the gate post of the depot exit gate

Gears,
Red-One

The KSRTC did buy and still do operate long distance Volvos. The drivers are KSRTC employees who recently won some kind of award from Volvo for least wear and tear, though I really wonder how they did it.

Speed governors have been fitted on the Volvo buses too:

http://www.hindu.com/2004/04/02/stor...0213560300.htm

There seems to be some confusion with some newsites reporting 60kmph as the limited speed while other claim 40 kmph. The Indian Express reported that KSRTC buses restricted to 40kmph were running behind schedule...wonder which of these is true.

[MalluDude]

The official limiting speed is 60Km/h. But I don't think the majority the KSTRC buses in Kerala have them. The other day I was going at around 70km/h when a "SUPER FAST" overtook me. Obviuosly he was going over 70k.

[coloneljasi]

I guess everyone will be happy now,whatwith the govt. willing to 'negotitate' with the truck owners on fitting the speed governors.All thanks to the strike in the behest of the truck owners,which as with any strike in Kerala,a huge sucess.This must be the only state in India,where each and every action of the govt. (and at times even that of the judiciary) is protested by means of hartals and strikes.Unbelievably they manage to twist the arm of the law makers (and the poor public in the process) and get things done,as they like it.

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by MalluDude

The official limiting speed is 60Km/h. But I don't think the majority the KSTRC buses in Kerala have them. The other day I was going at around 70km/h when a "SUPER FAST" overtook me. Obviuosly he was going over 70k.

Official speed limit on the highways is 70 kmph - this I was informed by a cop who stopped me while I was doing 100+. Apparently they dont have to put up boards announcing the speed limit - you're supposed to divine it.

However, only 600-odd KSRTC buses have been fitted with the governor so far, since this governor, like all other governors, is expensive - Rs.16,000 per piece.

[veyron1]

Official speed limit on the highways is 70 kmph - this I was informed by a cop who stopped me while I was doing 100+. Apparently they dont have to put up boards announcing the speed limit - you're supposed to divine it.

wait a sec....poleesukaru in kerala have speed traps..?? from the numerous times that i've driven there, i've never seen a cop try to stop anybody, let alone actually catch him... but yes, they do catch you if you try to do a wrong turn at intersections, but that too only in the metros...

and as for the speed limit- ever tried the guruvayoor super-fasts?? the damn buses add gasoline (and maybe an additional shot of LPG) to the diesel in proportionate quantities, so that they can outrun their rivals, and "cruise" at about 100 kmph...heck, forget WRCs and those big american truck races, if you wanna see real racing, come down to kerala, where we have bus drivers who can give carlos sainz a run for his money (not surprising, considering every driver has done his Ph.d in automobiles, or mechanics, or. xx, etc. and has years of experience..)...you should see the spirit and precision of them drivers; taking 70-degree turns at 50 kmph with millimetre precision...deep respect...

but yes, accidents due to rash driving by the bus drivers are on a rampage nowadays, and you can see some news or the other related to bus accidents every week...speed governors are a good thing for the buses, and it doesn't matter who goes bankrupt if they become mandatory; no amount of money can compensate a human life, and prevention is always better than cure...i'm not saying the speed restrictors can alone do the job, but heck, at least it's a start...

p.s- sorry to hear about your friend, steeroid....my sincere sympathies....

[sandeepmdas]

The fate of speed governor is almost sealed. The Kerala government(?) has decided to bring out an ordinance to byepass the court order stipulating the speed governor. According to the CM, enforcing it in Kerala alone is not practical...

[carfreak]

is it so?just the case with our c.m.anyway these politicians will never improve.all they want are votes.its a really sad thing if speed limiters will not be made compulsory.in kerala the private bus operators and the ksrtc super fast buses are real killing machines.every auto mag in the country who have tested cars in kerala have commented on the homicidal tendencies bus drivers here have.i was glad to here about speed limiters finally coming-if it doesnt it is a big loss.buses not making it in time is ok,but imagine the situation if we dont reach at all!!

[typeOnegative]

I am not surprised at all. :( Kerala is going to remain a, to put it mildly, backwater state for some time I guess. Very very disappointing.

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by veyron1

wait a sec....poleesukaru in kerala have speed traps..?? ....

They have 2-3 of those hand-held speed radars. Trouble is, they only aim these at the faster (read: more expensive) cars as all of them are bound to be cruising at > the official speed limit (allegedly 70kmph). They overlook the fact that our buses also cruise at the same speeds...

And Veyron, I was an admirer of the precision driving by these bus drivers too - till I started driving on the highways and got into various tiffs with them, and till I started hearing first-hand accounts of the damage they do. I've even taken a video shot of one of those private 'superfasts' powersliding it through the fast sweeping turn from Trichur town into the byepass - I had stopped for a chai and the sight of these buses careening into the corners was so unbelievable that I recorded it on my video cam.

[Abhay]

Originally Posted by Conan

Imagine one bus overtaking the other and both are pushing it. Once the same thing happened on Blore - Tumkur highway here. Two fully loaded trucks were trying to overtake eachother at 30kmph and the whole road was blocked. There was a huge caravan of 20-30 cars following them. No amount of honking changed the situation.
So 60-70 kmph speed limit should be adequate.

Yes thats why I wanted to see an increase in therir power...as Steeroid put it better, increase thir torque figures and not their top speeds....
Also sorry to hear about your friend Steer.