[Apex1815]

Originally Posted by rajivr1612

Recorded this yesterday, just ahead of Alandur Metro Station, Chennai. (Towards airport).
Was approaching the curve, so couldn't see the reason why it happened.

I also have installed a Red Tiger F7N for my Nexon. My Dashcam hangs whenever there is extreme heat (The video display just stucks at a particular image) Eg Car parked in Sunlight during summers in Banglaore where the temperature is closed to 40 degree C.

The system starts working when car cools down (when AC in ON).

Do you also face this kind of issue ?

[kbnissan]

Originally Posted by anjan_c2007

...criminal act committed by the toddler's father...

...before bulldozing his SUV over the little one...

I am sorry - but, this is a little bit too much.

It is not like the father was intentionally targeting the child. It was a mistake. No justification on the same - but a mistake nonetheless. And a mistake that he has to live with for the rest of his life.

It is easy for us to sit and case aspersions on the father while the family is going through a nightmare scenario. My humble request is that we refrain from commenting further in an accusatory tone on this tragic incident.

[ashkamath]

Originally Posted by Gansan

I am sorry to say, it was gross negligence on the part of your grandfather to allow a twelve year old to drive the car, even if it was strictly inside your compund. And he almost paid for it.

Yes, I agree to your pov to some extent. We have to remember that this incident happened 45 years ago in a Tier 2 city. There was literally no traffic on road those days. No helmet for bike riders nor seat belts for 4 wheeler occupants. The focus on safety was not much as it is today. That was a different era altogether.

Most of us learn driving at a very young age through our parents/ grand parents as we didn't have many other things to do (like the internet or TV or social media etc). In my household, all my cousins and I learnt to drive at a very young age (around 12 years or so) as it was just a natural thing to do for a young kid who is enthusiastic about automobiles. I remember, those days we listened to songs on radio, await keenly for the weekly magazines and perhaps play outdoor games a bit and that's it for our activities. So quite a bit of time was spent around automobiles. We would even simply sit in the car for an hour or two doing nothing just for the heck of it.

Infact my grandfather taught me a multitude of driving skills and /or etiquttes that still holds in good steed which I find it lacking in majority of drivers today.

But, I agree that it was an incident that shouldn't have happened. It was negligence from me and I learnt my lesson and 45 years of No driving / automobile accident history is something I reckon as lesson learnt and mistake not repeated.

[navin]

Originally Posted by electric_eel

I want to tell two stories..

Unfortunately, such incidents are all too common.

THIS morning, I was jogging (as part of a larger group) on Altamount/Carmicheal road (an uphill section, so we had slowed). A school bus had stopped in front of us. A white Honda City chose to drive past the school bus towards us when suddenly, a young child sprinted across the road in front of the car. It was providence that no one was hurt. The kid was so small that the poor driver of the City never saw him.

Meanwhile, the mother screamed. The boy had managed to wriggle out of his mom's hold and just wanted to wave goodbye to his older brother (who was on the bus).

It all happened in a second or so.

[bblost]

A couple of days back, I was right behind a family of 4 in a supermarket.

We exited together. Our cars were parked next to each other.

They were loading stuff into the boot, I had a small bag that I simply put on my rear seat.

After switching on my car as I do my final check before reversing, something just felt off.

I can see the parents behind their car. Their son is standing in front of it. I cannot see their cute daughter.

My car is loaded with sensors. None of them have any warnings going off.

In the few seconds that I spent trying to figure out what was going on, that tiny tot, opened the driver side door of her car.

She had been standing under my outside rear view mirror on the passenger side.

I was incredibly angry with the parents that had allowed the child to be in what was an extremely dangerous location. But it is what it is.

May this tiny angel find herself in heaven. Her poor father is going to be burning in his own personal hell for a very long time. I hope and pray no one has to be in with what his life is now..

[Bh.P]

Originally Posted by GeneralJazz

Link

...I didnt wear seatbelts, and my driving school instructor stood in the middle of the H track to guide me. .... Looks like things havent changed much.

A lot has changed actually. Now, for LMV DL test, the driving school laughs it off if you tell them you will drive your own car on the test track. They insist that their car be used. The instructor sits in the passenger seat and does all the driving from there to ensure you complete the 8 and get the license.
If you want to go on your own, you are treated by the RTO employees as a third class citizen, and are shouted at as if you are there to trouble them. People coming through driving schools are treated royally. (based on experience in Bangalore RTOs).

[electric_eel]

Originally Posted by navin

Unfortunately, such incidents are all too common.

THIS morning, I was jogging (as part of a larger group) on Altamount/Carmicheal road (an uphill section, so we had slowed). A school bus had stopped in front of us. A white Honda City chose to drive past the school bus towards us when suddenly, a young child sprinted across the road in front of the car. It was providence that no one was hurt. The kid was so small that the poor driver of the City never saw him.

Correct me if I am wrong but overtaking a stopped school bus is a traffic violation. Even if it is not, stopped public transport, particularly buses, often have people flocking from all directions. I have been religiously not overtaking them for some years now and patiently wait for them to move out much to the amusement of my co-passengers. But this has saved me (and others) many a time.

[anjan_c2007]

Originally Posted by ruskinash

Video of the aforementioned news.

https://Youtu.be/Qp9-_CNCpNQ

Thanks for the link.

Originally Posted by ACe_10

There has been a death and therefore the police has to register a case and investigate. Registration of a case does not automatically mean that there has been a criminal act - the courts will decide if there has been a criminal act.

Yes 100% true. Neither the public nor the police but only courts can hear and decide such offences. Here, please view the video above and go through the news links. There is no third party involved here that may aid in acquittal or giving benefit of doubt to the alleged accused father. Its the father and the toddler only.


My simple takeaways from this spine chilling incident for all parents who have little kids is that on a road or public place is "NEVER leave the little one unattended". They are too small to adjudge their own safety and guidance with the dire need for a helping hand are required always.

Yes, as some have rightly pointed out here the father needed to have rolled down the window to be more aware of the surroundings, more so when he had just dropped the toddler. He could have put the toddler inside the home compound and bolted the gate.

[sanjaykk]

Simple rules that I follow wrt kids:

• kids get down last assisted/monitored by someone elder and moved away from the vehicle (taken inside the gate/on the footpath etc.). Unloading the luggage can happen after this.
• kids get in first assisted/monitored by elders

Whoever is the driver needs to take confirmation that the kids are safe before moving the car. It is the adult's responsibility to ensure kids are safe.

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by electric_eel

Correct me if I am wrong but overtaking a stopped school bus is a traffic violation...

It ought to be, but we live in a country where our 'driver training' means if one stops at a marked pedestrian crossing to let people through, there's a non-zero number of motorists swinging around the stopped vehicle to get past, often at dangerous speeds.

It isn't a rare occurence; it's so commonplace that motorists actually stopping for pedestrians at a marked crossing is the rarity.

[rajivr1612]

Originally Posted by Apex1815

I also have installed a Red Tiger F7N for my Nexon. My Dashcam hangs whenever there is extreme heat (The video display just stucks at a particular image) Eg Car parked in Sunlight during summers in Banglaore where the temperature is closed to 40 degree C.

The system starts working when car cools down (when AC in ON).

Do you also face this kind of issue ?

Hi, not faced this issue yet. I bought mine in March this year, and also did a Chennai to KL trip last month.
Could be just with the particular piece, if possible claim under warranty.

[RM Motorsports]

Jeep Compass rear ended a Honda Elevate.

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

[ashbhat2]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHrU0NUHnYo

Captured this on my dashcam while coming back to Bangalore on NH44 on Sunday. Not quite sure how the first swerve happened, but after that, there was no coming back for the mini truck driver. Multiple swerves and then fell on the divider.
The driver jumped out of the truck immediately and was calling locals to help put the truck back on it's wheels so I don't think any major injuries.

Goes to show how high the CG of these vehicles are and how important it is to have a steady hand on the steering.

[navin]

Originally Posted by electric_eel

Correct me if I am wrong, but overtaking a stopped school bus is a traffic violation.

Not that I am aware of. That said, most school buses do not have interlocking doors that incapacitate the bus from motion if either of the doors is open or stopping signals such as hazard warning lights and a stop signal arm whenever either door is open.

The school bus had no warning lights or a signal arm and was ferrying kids to one of Mumbai's more "elite" schools.

[NomadSK]

Originally Posted by bblost

I was incredibly angry with the parents that had allowed the child to be in what was an extremely dangerous location. But it is what it is.

I know people are so oblivious to this “safety aspect” in general life, that they forget to enlighten their kids. I wish they inculcate "safety habits" in their kids during their budding age, not only about road manners, but just in every aspect of life.

Our town ship has a circular road (around 400-600m length) and all along villas exist, it's a one way traffic, the speed limit is 10kmph, all residents maintain that, come what may, various cameras are installed any complaint from any individual for higher speed will get a warning from the company, regular warnings and your residential contract won’t be renewed and it will be noted as MVA (Motor Vehicle Accidents) against you, which is directly linked to your PMP. In extreme case scenario, one's employment can be at risk. You see how the circle is complete. No one can afford any mistakes at any cost.

Now this circular road is used by all ages of kids for running, cycling, e-scooters and some small go-kart like tri-cycles, they go at pretty fast speed. Specially evenings are pretty busy when all come out to play.

So, few week back a resident while coming back from the work, when he enters the compound gate very slowly, he sees the kid on that go cart type 3-wheeler (they are pretty low slung) darting at his car on a wrong way (which we all resident anticipates), immediately he slammed on his brakes, the kid tried to swerve but couldn’t do enough in time and hit his front bumper and he got injured/stitches. There was chaos in the compound and everyone started to blame the car driver.

Eventually, It was time to get the CCTV footage, which clearly showed the car had come to a standstill before the kid had banged the vehicle near left bumper because of his high speed and couldn't stop in time. Now how this could have been avoided - by simply educating the kids for the hazards they might face or if the kid is too small, then not to leave them unattended even for a micro second. Still one can't gurantee the accidents won't happen, but surely it will minimise the probability.

So the crux is, there will be instances when accidents would happen somehow, it won’t be in your control, but to minimize them as much as possible by spreading awareness, anticipate the worst or being slow, especially in residential communities, parking places or reversing the car is utmost necessity of the day.