[VKumar]

Originally Posted by swissknife

I am one that prefers not to honk.

Originally Posted by locusjag

Honks on our roads are just background noise

Depends on how its used gentlemen, normally I am among the ones who honk a lot. While speeding on expressways, if I have even slight sense that the driver ahead may do something wrong; I honk before overtaking, a 1/4 second beep - just a touch.

During late night drives, I honk while overtaking fast moving and rashly driven buses.

While on hilly routes, I honk on the blind curves; especially on the routes like the one on which the accident happened; Mussoorie - Dehradun is a busy stretch. Frequently I have saved the day by honking; windtones do help. The oncoming drivers normally end up slowing down or at times even stop before the narrow sections if you honk.

Come to himalayas, in areas like high passes, Killar-Kishtawar, Pangi valley etc routes; you will notice that bus and truck drivers honk at every possible section where they want other driver to stop at the passage point on a narrow section. And every sensible driver follows this rule there, if you hear a honk - stop your car where giving a pass is possible.

I belong to that category, which believes in doing the right thing; no matter if it's lost in ambient noises - but the point is, if it's heard by the right person once every 5 times; I save 1/5th of my headache. Isn't it?

[for_cars1]

Originally Posted by GutsyGibbon

....but isn't it a moot point to sound horn? .. but for future, we should discourage everyone from using the horn. Hopefully in the next 20 years, when EVs reduce/eliminate noise pollution, people will eliminate this practice of honking for attention.

Unfortunately we still do have a lot of road users who honk impulsively and annoyingly even if there is no valid reason, just to bully through the traffic.

Sounding horn is a rarity in countries where all drivers are aware of road rules as a result of stringent tests for issuing driving licenses and where adherence to road rules is the norm both by awareness/habit and through stringent enforcement.

In our country, hopefully horn use will reduce over time with more awareness and road rules enforcement.

I would personally refrain from sounding the horn as much as possible (or never at all), except in cases where another vehicle is breaking a traffic rule and is a potential direct safety hazard at that instant. Even in this case it would be just a tap on the horn rather than a long Beep.

Originally Posted by swissknife

I am one that prefers not to honk. I would rather ensure that I am aware of my surroundings and take appropriate actions. Warning other people and expecting them to take action is not as defensive as one taking their own actions.

During my recent trip to Kodaikanal, did not sound horn around blind curves based on the same philosophy. I was in my lane around a blind bend and very cautious and slow. All of a sudden, a VW Polo came so fast around the bend almost ending up getting side swiped as he turned back to his lane and just managed to pass by.

Made me realize the importance of alerting the opposite driver around a blind bend. Not necessary around every bend but we need to use our judgement and use the horn judiciously and minimally when safety is at stake.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by for_cars1

The Baleno driver is 100% at fault, unfortunately this is exactly how a lot of drivers drive into a blind curve by going into the opposite lane.

I'd tend to move further to the left on a blind curve! Crossing the line is just madness.

On the other hand

It may sound like fun to venture into the opposite lane on a curve when its empty and when its not a blind curve. Many drivers do this as it makes negotiating the curve easier (less turning). This habit of going into the opposite lane on a curve should be stopped otherwise it tends to become a dangerous habit.

On a clear-vision road, "straightening the bends" is how I was taught to drive in UK. But only when one has a clear view of the oncoming traffic, or, rather, that there isn't any,

I'd rather be shot out of a fairground cannon than take a blind turn on the wrong side. When suicidal behaviour has become the norm, something is very, very wrong.

[Axe77]

Some absolute gems in your post. Agree totally and resonate with my own approach in many situations as well as my own thoughts on the incident.

Originally Posted by VKumar

... the Baleno guys would have denied their fault (especially if it was a family) and would have blamed the biker for being fast.

Thank god for the video so the Baleno's fault is there plain and simple to see.

Originally Posted by VKumar

"Learning the controls is a one day task, it takes years to learn how to move on the road"

Three rules he always taught were (Thad sir may smile at this):

• Overtake only when the route is clear
• Overtake only when you know that there is nothing on the road that may force the other driver to change his lane
• If a ball crosses the road, a kid will follow!

+1 on the ball bit. Similar one is - if a bus has stopped on the left, EXPECT that someone might have disembarked and might be crossing the road from in front of the bus. Don't zip past it, overtake dead slow and that too only if you must.

I routinely slow down at even minor intersections for this reason. You just never know who may come. Its no consolation in any accident that it wasn't your fault. The damage is already done for both parties, one way or the other.

Originally Posted by VKumar

IMO, the Baleno driver is not 99% at fault, it was all his fault and he gets a 100/100 from my end for being plain stupid.

Fully agree. I only said 99 because there were other minor negative factors too but regardless you are right - it is indeed 100% his fault. He simply has no business making that overtake.

Originally Posted by VKumar

If the KTM was leaning, that doesn't mean he was driving zig-zag.

Again, 100% in agreement. In fact he was on a pretty tight safe line within his territory. The only point where he suddenly straightens out is clearly at the apex when he has sighted the most unexpected Baleno straight in his path. Before that he is going in a single tight line, not even running wide, let alone zig zag.

[GutsyGibbon]

Originally Posted by for_cars1

Sounding horn is a rarity in countries where all drivers are aware of road rules as a result of stringent tests for issuing driving licenses and where adherence to road rules is the norm both by awareness/habit and through stringent enforcement.

I often draw parallels between Mexico and India for a lot of things. I see India is similar to Mexico for a lot of things, small roads, few markings, lots if road users, no cops, no proper enforcement. Especially in the towns outside of regular tourist areas. One big difference you would see is the sound of horns. You are right that honking has become a habit, I would say it even applies for good drivers who follow all rules.

In India we have asked people to honk and ask for way, as a good driving practice. Yes, honking at stoplights is insane, but honking at a blind turn in the ghat section (instead of approaching cautiously) is still a recommended practice. I will be glad if I am wrong.

[BenjiRoss]

This video has been shared yesterday. Apparently happened in the morning on the Coimbatore Mettupalayam highway. As per the Facebook post, it was an overtaking maneuver that resulted in this crash. Looks like the bus and multiple bikes are involved. There is one person on the road ?injured.
Couldn't find any other news item or more details.

https://youtu.be/uUxOGW_HeSM

Facebook link:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?sto...00006412123372

[The Rationalist]

A family of 5 succumbed to injuries when this Maruti Dzire had a head on collision with a truck near Kottayam, Kerala. The accident happened around midnight. The speedometer was stuck at 80kms, don't know if that was the speed. The car had gone to the opposite lane. 2 airbags were deployed, but was of no use.

[greenhorn]

Originally Posted by Sunilrj

Mumbai, Nov 4 (Agencies): A 35-year-old woman was arrested for allegedly ramming her luxury BMW car into an autorickshaw under the influence of alcohol in suburban Mankhurd, injuring four persons, including a woman, seriously. One of the four injured died in hospital later.

Update to this. The cops had thrown culpable homicide too, but apparently the court held that

Justice Jamadar held that since both the BMW and the autorickshaw were travelling in the same direction and traffic was “sparse” that early in the morning, “mere high speed may not be by itself sufficient to attribute the
element of knowledge” that she could have caused someone’s death.

Source

Wow, I wonder if that argument would have flown for a poor person

[shubhodeepdas@g]

Originally Posted by greenhorn

Update to this. The cops had thrown culpable homicide too, but apparently the court held that

That's a weird defence to have. I guess there are some power plays applicable here as usual. Forget the poor, anyone without a connection will not be able to get out of this kind of a mess, even if they were on the correct side of law.

[balenoed_]

Originally Posted by The Rationalist

A family of 5 succumbed to injuries when this Maruti Dzire had a head on collision with a truck near Kottayam, Kerala. The accident happened around midnight. The speedometer was stuck at 80kms, don't know if that was the speed. The car had gone to the opposite lane.
Attachment 1963167

This was an extremely tragic accident. An NRI lost his father, mother, wife and son in this.

A case of dozing off at the wheels. Some accidents can be thoughtfully avoided.

[GeneralJazz]

Originally Posted by balenoed_

Some accidents can be thoughtfully avoided.

Check this out.

At same time, passengers didn’t get the protection of the air bags as they didn’t wear seat belts, according to MVD authorities.

Not going to discuss about the structural strength of the vehicle in question, but even airbags cant save you if you don't have your seat belts on. A question, aren't airbags dependent on seat belts?

[CarManMotorcycl]

http://youtu.be/4HV-BFTLI5A

My friend was advising me to not go to Mumbai from Pune as there was an accident involving a motorcycle and a car and that the villagers near Lonavla are absolutely angry with motorcycle riders with 'racing gear'. Was browsing through YouTube and watched this video and I am guessing it might be because of this. The camera guy i feel handled the situation well before things got out of hand, as for the guy with the green shirt i hope you get a brain.

As for who is at fault the motorcycle is 50% at fault because we could see the group was speeding and should've reduced speed at the intersection, the car driver like every one crossing a village intersection has crossed without looking.

[BenjiRoss]

This was posted on Facebook without a date mentioned and pisted as happening in Delhi. Couldn't find it in the news. Edit. Just saw it pop up on news - link at end.

https://youtu.be/1zuMNTrN4_o

Cop stops the car for some reason. There is an altercation that starts. I wonder why the passenger started shooting the video during the altercation - was the cop trying to ask for a bribe or was it an unfair claim the cop was making. The news item says it was a routine paper check stop. The driver decides to scoot with the cop hanging on for dear life to the windscreen and bonnet. After a while the driver decided to stop the car and drop off the cop.

Facebook link: https://m.facebook.com/groups/203058...96238127308981

News link: https://m.republicworld.com/india-ne...-in-delhi.html

[fhdowntheline]

Apart from the driver, what the cop is doing is also not justified unless its a matter of significant public security risk. There is no bravery in such an act, as equally as there is no smartness with trying to drive off with the cop clinging on to the bonnet.

[NiInJa]

Originally Posted by CarManMotorcycl

As for who is at fault the motorcycle is 50% at fault because we could see the group was speeding and should've reduced speed at the intersection, the car driver like every one crossing a village intersection has crossed without looking.

The old Mumbai-Pune highway has a lot of intersections like these due to a lot of villages along the way. As can be seen in the video, the dude recording this video is doing a good 97 Kmph on the rumbler strips just before the crossing. The rumbler strips are meant to tell that everyone should slow the hell down as there can be a vehicle crossing the road. Don't think the Brezza was at fault any which way. That guy tries to go ahead of the car by moving towards left of the road does he even think that there are people standing ahead there and he could have taken his bike over them if the Brezza had stopped to avoid collision ?