Team-BHP - Accidents in India

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom (Post 5552910)

But in this instance, I must support these guys. They are the ones who were hit. The car driver is the one who did it. By my judgement, it was a foolish and dangerous overtake. But these bikers are being accused of everything from potential extortion to goonery! The passenger might have suffered, at least, a bruise.

Don't consider myself to be anti-biker, in almost all cases I let the bikers at sides to pass in front and I carry on slowly behind them till they find another "faster" lane. (most buzz in and out of lanes in traffic) and lots of times, bikers have scrapped my front bumper or ORVMs as they pass by, but I dont chase them down city streets. A normal guy would have said something politely, but these people were aggressive from the very start. They are goons to put it plainly and did all this for some money. (they had ample time to chase ppl around and left after rs 500)
regards kaps454

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rohit_Quad (Post 5552092)

Got the correct info -

Both were on the correct side of the road, the white car was over speeding above 140kmph and crashed into the family inside black car. White car then lost control and crashed into the divider in front of our gate.

This does not look like a 140 kmph crash. I have seen a few pics of high speed crashes (100 kmph+) and the damage would have been a lot more, even after taking Tata's build quality into consideration. Also, this seems to be a head on rather than a rear ending case which is what it would have been had both cars been on the correct side of the road and moving in the same direction. Anyway, whatever was the case, it looks like the occupants were safe. There also does not seem to be much cabin damage - at least from what little I can see. Kudos to Tata for that, but to remove the luck factor, is it not possible for the authorities to change the location of the U-turn, especially as I don't really expect wrong side driving to end, in our country.

Yeah this is certainly not a 140 KMPH crash. Any car would be obliterated at those speeds. Maybe they were doing 140 and braked enough to reduce it to well below 60 (perhaps even 20-40)is the most charitable response. See the GNCAP test for how Tata Nexon for eg. breaks down at 60KMPH. This seems like a relatively low(er) speed crash. People always weave such yarns around crashes to fit some narratives! (Not talking about the poster, but generally people who share these anecdotes).

Quote:

Originally Posted by DetectiveMiles (Post 5553993)

3-year-old goes to sleep in Hyderabad parking lot, dies after being run over

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/stor...056-2023-05-25

https://youtu.be/pWQQJqiogko

God this is chilling. One of the main reasons I went for a 360 camera was this. It will just take a split second for kids etc. to be in your blindspot in the tallboy/SUV type cars. I always look at the 360 cam while parking and that helps both the parking maneuvers and helps me to a bit less anxious about mishaps like these.

Feel like the driver could have avoided this if they had been a bit more attentive but it's INSANE to sleep in the parking lot! I hate why the emphasis is still on the driver and not on letting the daughter sleep in a bloody parking space! Who does that!?

Quote:

Originally Posted by vidyanand (Post 5551142)

Came across this video shared in my society. I asked them to remove it as it was not relevant and anyways description seems wrong.

The drive is at fault for hitting the auto then not even ready to say sorry (irrespective of the damage or not). Instead blames the Auto Driver's reaction. No wonder FIR was not filed.
https://youtu.be/ccgtehFOd7I

How can someone take sides with the auto driver is beyond my comprehension. Yes the car driver could’ve avoided the accident but this does not justify the goonish behaviour of the auto driver. I’m quoting again from my old post “Almost all auto drivers are used to dealing with loan sharks, police and anti social elements on a daily basis. So they always have a gang with them and possibly armed.” The one thing that the driver did right was to not roll down the windows or open the door and confront the violent auto driver.
Police filing to refuse an FIR is a common occurrence that comes from their lackadaisical nature on cases that don’t earn them any praise or publicity.
This is the sad state of affairs every decent driver has to face here in India. What we car drivers or bikers can do is practise defensive driving. It’s a technique wherein we tell ourselves consciously to avoid dangerous drivers on the road. This includes auto drivers, cabbies, bus drivers, lorry drivers(all yellow boards in general). If you find anyone cutting into your lane, just honk once or twice. If they still choose to cut you then gently brake and give way. If accident happens and the other person in behaving violently never get out of the car or roll down the windows.
At the end of the day your family and your mental peace is more important than anything in the world. :)

Cheers!

Quote:

Originally Posted by DetectiveMiles (Post 5553993)

3-year-old goes to sleep in Hyderabad parking lot, dies after being run over

My deepest sympathies with everyone involved in this heartbreaking accident, especially the driver of the car :crying. The news report blames the driver over and over again but we must realise that it is really hard to see something lying on the ground from the driver's seat of an SUV. Also since it was the person's parking slot he must have parked by muscle memory without knowing that someone would be sleeping on the ground there. He/She will have to live with the burden throughout his/her life.

Quote:

but that is a courtesy, not a right. There is no right to overtake.

I understand what you mean but is it really a legal position that "there is no right overtake"?
I see 4 lanes and 6 lane highways with clear signs marked on certain lanes specifically for overtaking, so it cant be a law, that in india there is no right to overtake and it is a courtesy. I am sure I'd be beaten up on every road if I drive slow and prevent people from overtaking (just because I did not feel like being courteous). 2 wheelers are the one's who overtake the most.

I know it is in everyone's best interest to overtake only when it is safe, but in every trip we take we overtake a dozen vehicles so you cant be dependent on others courtesies.

We were taught from childhood to look left, then right and then left again, before crossing a road. But that does not mean that people dont have the right to cross the road and are dependent on courtesies of others to cross the road (unless you are at a zebra crossing).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zippy_wheels (Post 5554418)

I'd love to nitpick the law, because I always enjoyed that ;) but I'm not qualified. This one comes down to you know what I mean. The mindset that I want to go faster, others must get out of the way is just plain wrong. No, they mustn't; but it's nice if they do. It is also wrong (and may sometimes be illegal?) to wilfully or neglectfully obstruct others.

Quote:

I know it is in everyone's best interest to overtake only when it is safe, but in every trip we take we overtake a dozen vehicles so you cant be dependent on others courtesies.

But we should not, if they are keeping a reasonable speed for the road, demand that they move. And, we should absolutely never demand or depend on oncoming traffic giving way.

I always think of the sea-going rule on this one: it is the duty of the overtaking vessel to keep clear.

Quote:

We were taught from childhood to look left, then right and then left again, before crossing a road. But that does not mean that people dont have the right to cross the road and are dependent on courtesies of others to cross the road (unless you are at a zebra crossing).

In this country, you have picked a very poor example. I don't doubt that pedestrians have the right to cross, but I also don't doubt that most drivers ignore that.

Aside:

Back in my mother country, yes, pedestrian crossings are taken seriously. But, as a small child, I got a big telling off from my dad for crossing one without looking properly. I was cocky, and claimed to have had the right of way. I'll never forget the lesson Dad taught me:

He was right, dead right, as he toddled along,
But he's just as dead as if he'd been wrong.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom (Post 5554438)

In this country, you have picked a very poor example. I don't doubt that pedestrians have the right to cross, but I also don't doubt that most drivers ignore that.

Summed up our road problem perfectly. :thumbs up

We have far too many 'drivers' on the road who does not know how to drive by the books. They simply don't know the rules of the road and hence do not even understand that they are breaking driving rules. (This is exactly why one gets a rude stare from the auto driver once you pass him driving at 25 kmph on an expressways right lane)

Importance of driving rules and following them is simple. If a 'driver' fails to do that, he/she inadvertently put everyone who shares the road at risk. This is a serious offence which a majority are not even aware of.

As many had quoted earlier, Driving is a Privilege, and not a right.

(You type all this and get off to the road just to find yet another young parent riding the bike, slowly and right centre of the road obviously since someone at home told that 'others will take of you', with one kid leaning to the right side of the bike, and the other through the left.
They are having an innocent conversation on the road without realising the mortal danger the innocent kids are going through every single moment they do this circus on the road)

Quote:

Originally Posted by sarathlal (Post 5554665)

We have far too many 'drivers' on the road who does not know how to drive by the books. They simply don't know the rules of the road and hence do not even understand that they are breaking driving rules.

IMHO, driving rules come far later, and I have given up hope on that fully being understood by people who have driving licenses in India. What majority of our people (pedestrians) and drivers (pretty much all!) lack - is basic courtesy towards other citizens around them. The utterly selfish & arrogant approach to everything right since childhood in many cases, shows everywhere, and carries on into how people drive / behave on the road.

If people have basic courtesy and patience - roads will be far safer and actually also much faster. If everyone waits those few seconds more for others - everyone will save minutes at each junction.

Not a video of an accident but a close shave. There was a lot of standing water on the 4 lane highway and the speeds were high too. The vRS went into the water without having seen it. You can see an overtuned vehicle on the divider too. Few points to remember.

It is very important to check speeds in heavy downpour.

Second is to make sure to avoid the lower banked side of the road at all costs and take a different line. Flyover entry and exit points are another source of risk.

It also helps to stay away form the divider as chances of a large water splash from another vehicle on the opposite side blinding you is high.

Another very important thing to remember is not to stop/park like the vehicles seen in the video( the truck and the car) on the side of the road next to the water. It almost forces you to take the water path and closes the door for others to avoid the water and increases risk of a collision if any vehicle where to aquaplane at that place.

Tire treads do not matter if the water depth is beyond a point. So no good tire will save us from going off.

Look far ahead all the time and read the road well in advance. This cant be stressed enough.

https://youtu.be/IhC8cRyA6Pw