[dark.knight]

Well, it says that she was seated in the middle of the rear seat. I've observed that people taking office cabs to work very rarely belt up because of the sheer number of people who have to squeeze in and unpredictable shifting-around due to male/female employees entering at various stages. Presumably there were to be a total of 5 people in the car and I guess people were seated in their usual positions. I've not seen any cab so far with its passengers belted up, minus the driver anyway.. not even the front seat. In most cabs they even shove back the belt locks to make more room for seating and I've found many Uber cabs like that too. Let me also admit that I've never worn a belt in the rear of an Uber and the same with almost everyone I know who ride with cabs (yes that should change I guess).

Its easy to criticise, mock and make an example after an accident but lets cut a lot of slack here. I feel quite sad reading this particular story and for the child who has already been through a lot due to his father's illness. The airlines as usual is doing PR/ER repair by suddenly issuing compulsory seatbelts rule when riding their cabs.. they didn't see it coming earlier?

We've all not belted up at various points in our life when sitting in the rear, lets admit that.. so lets not blame the poor woman who may have had to shuffle around in the cab making space for others. I too had to take an office cab when I started my first job, squeezing for between 4-5 fully grown adults and even having to move from front to back depending on the arrangement of genders, believe me, unfortunately seat-belts are the last thing that rings in their mind at that time. Among other things, this too was a major irritant for me so I left the job in a matter of months and ever since I've either driven myself or used public transport.

May this be a gentle reminder for anyone reading that seat-belts must be used irrespective of seating location (I will too in my Uber ride in an hour). I also hope that HR and transport personnel of every company use this opportunity to rectify the situation and brief their employees on proper seating and giving room for others to belt up (bags and briefcases must be left in the trunk/boot of the car and not to be carried in person).

[IshaanIan]

Honestly even I never belt up in the rear seat of most cabs. I find wearing the seatbelt in small cheap cars to be very uncomfortable in the rear seat. In Innovas or C2+ segment sedans, I don't mind. Perhaps manufacturers ought to do some more R&D to make it a more comfortale experience? Play around with the height, adjust the recline angle etc.

[binand]

Returned from Chennai yesterday. What was till then an enjoyable drive became a problem when at Krishnagiri, a private bus ripped off my front bumper. Went to Krishnagiri Town police station; where after much cajoling by the bus staff I decided not to press an FIR (that I will have to return there to collect my car after MVI inspection also played a part). They were so relieved that they helped me put the bumper back in place (with ropes!) after which I slowly drove back to Bangalore and this morning to HASS. I just got the SMS that the surveyor's work is done; waiting for the call from service advisor.

The car, at the scene of the accident:



My dashcam footage of the accident:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbP1Z9OWSio

[procrj]

Originally Posted by binand

when at Krishnagiri, a private bus ripped off my front bumper

Sad to see that binand. I am very apprehensive of these T intersections on highways because of idiots who blindly take turns. In fact in most cases I try and tail a truck so that these busses think twice before cutting across. State transport busses are worse!

[NPV]

Originally Posted by binand

I decided not to press an FIR (that I will have to return there to collect my car after MVI inspection also played a part). They were so relieved that they helped me put the bumper back in place (with ropes!) after which I slowly drove back to Bangalore and this morning to HASS.

Sad to see that!
Since you decided not to file an FIR, did the bus guys agree to pay for the repairs ?

Was this at the Chennai NH 46/48 and NH 7/44 intersection ?

Around the 0:09 mark you can see the bus going in a diagonal trajectory as if changing lanes for a right turn, did you miss noticing that ? It was quite close to the junction so maybe you could not slow down in time to let him pass ?
No point expecting these morons to signal, etc. Slight movement away from a straight line should indicate they probably have a lane switch or turning in mind

[hserus]

Originally Posted by NPV

Slight movement away from a straight line should indicate they probably have a lane switch or turning in mind

Or it sometimes simply means that the fellow got a call on his cellphone and decided to practice one handed driving, and that his tyres are unbalanced so that the bus keeps pulling to the right.

Stupid of the driver to commence his turn without completely overtaking Binand's car. But given they were so helpful instead off trying to fight it out, I assume cops were nearby and they knew they were in the wrong?

[Gannu_1]

Originally Posted by binand

Returned from Chennai yesterday. What was till then an enjoyable drive became a problem when at Krishnagiri, a private bus ripped off my front bumper.

I am really sorry to see that binand. I hope you struck some deal with the bus chaps to let them go off like that! Would like to hear about it.

I passed this area yesterday around the same time while returning from Palakkad, noticed a crowd at the T-junction while we took the turn towards Chennai and my co-driver remarked that a bus has brushed with a Civic!

There were 2 more fatalities in the Krishnagiri-Chennai stretch yesterday we had spotted. :(

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

Honestly even I never belt up in the rear seat of most cabs. ...

I put the belt on in any car where I can find both ends: in the back seat of cabs, that is almost never.

[sudev]

Originally Posted by schakravarthy

A bit of excitement in our otherwise quiet street.

How is this an accident? Incident perhaps.

[schakravarthy]

Originally Posted by sudev

How is this an accident? Incident perhaps.

It was an unintended occuring that resulted in damage and loss. Isn't that what an 'accident' is?
The incident was by accident.

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by binand

Returned from Chennai yesterday. What was till then an enjoyable drive became a problem when at Krishnagiri, a private bus ripped off my front bumper. Went to Krishnagiri Town police station; where after much cajoling by the bus staff I decided not to press an FIR (that I will have to return there to collect my car after MVI inspection also played a part). They were so relieved that they helped me put the bumper back in place (with ropes!) after which I slowly drove back to Bangalore and this morning to HASS. I just got the SMS that the surveyor's work is done; waiting for the call from service advisor.

The car, at the scene of the accident:

Sad to hear this. Did the bus owner pay some compensation from his hand. I know for sure the amount paid may not be high but still the owner is answerable. I too endured a similar fate back in 2012 while driving my TN registered car in Karur. A private bus rear ended my Santro causing a dent. The traffic cop who was the witness supported my argument and I made the bus owner come to the spot to pay for the damage. He only paid Rs 1000 as against my original claim of Rs 5000. I got the rear door replaced through insurance for which I paid Rs 4000 from my pocket.

[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by dark.knight

Well, it says that she was seated in the middle of the rear seat. I've observed that people taking office cabs to work very rarely belt up because of the sheer number of people who have to squeeze in and unpredictable shifting-around due to male/female employees entering at various stages. Presumably there were to be a total of 5 people in the car and I guess people were seated in their usual positions. I've not seen any cab so far with its passengers belted up, minus the driver anyway.. not even the front seat. In most cabs they even shove back the belt locks to make more room for seating and I've found many Uber cabs like that too. Let me also admit that I've never worn a belt in the rear of an Uber and the same with almost everyone I know who ride with cabs (yes that should change I guess).

It depends. You need to set your standards and everyone will comply. I left an oil company ~9 years back but I belt up every damn time. It is your life, your decision. I'm a consultant so I rarely share cabs with more than 1 person but even with shared cabs with 3-4 pax, I'm sure something can be worked out with regular cabs.

Pre-Uber I would often send the cab back, or sit in the front seat if the rear seat belt was unavailable. The vendor and the admin learned their lesson automatically.

Uber is a different issue. Only in the new swift dZire is there a nice cutout for the rear seat belt which makes the seat belt available at all times without troubling the passengers who don't want to belt up. This means that in the cheaper WagonR etc i sit in the front seat. or i take 5 min out and make the dude take the belt out for me. The "chalta hai" (its okay) attitude that is unacceptable mid-air was the thing that killed her. RIP.

[binand]

Originally Posted by NPV

Around the 0:09 mark you can see the bus going in a diagonal trajectory as if changing lanes for a right turn, did you miss noticing that ? It was quite close to the junction so maybe you could not slow down in time to let him pass ?

I was quite aware of the bus; you can see that (but maybe not fully; I could see it in the ORVM) the bus had joined the main carriageway from under the flyover, merged and then straightened in the centre lane. I had overtaken him quite comfortably some distance away from the junction itself. What I missed was that while I dropped my speed in anticipation of, and shifted my focus to the junction ahead, the bus driver just cruised along at 60 kmph or whatever and barged into the junction.

Originally Posted by NPV

Sad to see that!
Since you decided not to file an FIR, did the bus guys agree to pay for the repairs ?

Originally Posted by hserus

But given they were so helpful instead off trying to fight it out, I assume cops were nearby and they knew they were in the wrong?

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

I am really sorry to see that binand. I hope you struck some deal with the bus chaps to let them go off like that! Would like to hear about it.

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

Sad to hear this. Did the bus owner pay some compensation from his hand.

The cops were very nice to me. Maybe they were genuinely helpful, or maybe it was because the Krishnagiri district collector had passed the location at around the same time and had given the cops some dressing down for allowing a traffic block to develop (which they blamed squarely on the bus).

The bus owner apparently told the driver and conductor to deal with it. If had I filed an FIR I think he'd have come running - after all, then it would mean the bus is out of action for a few days. But since I didn't, these two gave me their sob story (working from morning, have to pay from own pocket, daily take-home Rs. 500, haven't eaten since morning...) and offered Rs. 1500. I asked for Rs. 5000 and eventually settled for Rs. 2500. I figured 2-3 cancelled trips in itself is sufficient monetary loss for them.

I got the estimate from Whitefield Honda yesterday - 46K (!!). Now need to see what part of it HDFC Ergo will foot.

[procrj]

Originally Posted by binand

I got the estimate from Whitefield Honda yesterday - 46K (!!)

Wow! that is steep. apart from the left front panel is there any other body damage? 46K just to replace the front bumper is atrocious IMHO

[hserus]

Originally Posted by procrj

Wow! that is steep. apart from the left front panel is there any other body damage? 46K just to replace the front bumper is atrocious IMHO

Why don't you take it to trend automobiles in Electronic City, Binand? Several threads on their denting and painting work.

Though I'd think there's some chassis damage if your SA is assessing 46K