[selfdrive]

Originally Posted by binand

Service lanes are for offloading local traffic. I think you meant Shoulders. The MPEW has Shoulders (half a lane on each side) throughout except in the actual climb/descent stretches, if I recall correctly.

Well, now that I think of it I mean neither. I am talking about a detour type of road that leaves the expressway and joins it in another half km or so. This half km stretch can be used by resting drivers.
Something similar to an extended dhaba parking lot without the dhaba.

Originally Posted by paragsachania

On top of this, regular Mumbai-Pune buses (NEETA, KONDUSKAR 'et al) stop on the Expressway at various points (Police Station, Beginning/end of Lonavala Entry/Exit Ramp) to alight and board passengers who also wait on the railings of the expressway.

I think we should stop addressing this dual carriageway as an expressway. In fact even the bypass between Katraj and HJW is more of a city road these days what with PMT buses flying all over the place and dividers being punctured at multiple places for crossing over.
Crossing over not into a better place but straight into the fast lane of oncoming traffic.

[sandsun7]

The accident could have been averted if the stationary van had reflective tapes on all sides, says IRF (international roads federation)
The death of over 25 people on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway could have been avoided if a key traffic rule had been followed, the International Road Federation (IRF) has said.
The Geneva-based body said the use of reflective tapes on all sides of buses and trucks for cautioning other road users could have saved precious lives and avoided the accident.
"As per the Indian Motor Vehicle Act, it is mandatory for heavy vehicles including trucks and buses to have reflective tapes on all sides," it said in a statement.
"This helps in checking accidents, and vehicles plying without these reflective tapes have to be fined."
IRF chairmman K.K. Kapila, the first non-European to hold the post, said even vehicle makeres were ignoring this mandatory norm while transport and traffic officials were not even aware of the rule.
"Had the buses, which stopped for tyre change at the eway, had manadatory reflective tapes on all sides, the truck driver could have spotted them from a distance," Kapila said.
On Monday, a speeding truck hit some stationary vehicles, crushing more than 25 members of a wedding party who were going from Mumbai to Pune. The tragedy took place on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway.
SOURCE: IANS/Yahoo News: Mumbai-Pune tragedy could have been averted: IRF - Yahoo! News India

[ritayan]

A freek acident near Sunny Park (Birla Mandir) Kolkata.

























This happened on the night of KKR win, Celebrations going overboard? I do not know any more details got the pictures from friends FB post.

[noopster]

Originally Posted by Fordmanchau

I am not sure noopster, what are you defending here and why ?
I have gone through the news item, and it clearly says that after one of the minibus had a flat, it was shifted to the service lane, and all the other vehicles in the convoy, joined the first one, by parking behind each other in the service lane.

Not exactly service lane but it is a kind of hard shoulder where vehicles can be parked in emergency. It is very dangerous to do so, even with hazard lights flashing (which media is reporting was the case).

The passengers, were standing and sitting between the two vehicle and also between the vehicle and the highway crash guard.
I am not sure why are you assuming that people were on the left lane and the vehicles were parked haphazardly?

I posted what I did yesterday when the news had just started trickling in. The sleeping truck driver theory only emerged later (read about it in this morning's papers). What I was objecting to was characterizing the truck driver as a cold blooded killer, and this point has been accepted by Thad as well. SO don't know what you're getting worked up about.

I agree with everythng else you have posted. This was an avoidable tragedy, which makes it all the more galling.

[amitwlele]

Originally Posted by sandsun7

"As per the Indian Motor Vehicle Act, it is mandatory for heavy vehicles including trucks and buses to have reflective tapes on all sides," it said in a statement.
"This helps in checking accidents, and vehicles plying without these reflective tapes have to be fined."

All the required rules might be in place but how many are actually followed or implemented. Forget reflective tapes how many commerical vehicles have working brake/tail lights? Sometimes i wonder do the drivers even have a valid license.

Originally Posted by ritayan

A freek acident near Sunny Park (Birla Mandir) Kolkata.

Not really sure why you are referring it to be a freak accident. Looking at the snaps it is quite scary. I hope there were no casualties.

[libranof1987]

Saw a rather disturbing accident today.

Was returning from office; started from ITPL ~1815 and the bus was stranded at the intersection between ITPL and Big Bazaar.

On the opposite lane, there was a stationary lorry in the right-most lane carrying pipes that were much beyond the lorry's length (actually not sure whether they were PVC pipes or iron rods). A mini-truck (the Tata Ace types) was behind it. I don't know what the driver was doing but the vehicle was in motion (probably accelerating) and he was looking behind. Within moments, the pipes cracked into the windshield and crushed into his neck.

I couldn't bear the sight and turned away immediately but I'm pretty sure the driver wouldn't be surviving it.

May his soul rest in peace.

PLEASE keep your attention on the road at all times and PLEASE maintain a lot of distance when tailing a vehicle carrying anything beyond it's length.

:(

[Pri2]

A Hyundai Getz at Nagarabhavi circle, Bangalore (Today)



Source : :: KARNATAKA PHOTO NEWS :::::::::::::::::

[selfdrive]

Originally Posted by libranof1987

I couldn't bear the sight and turned away immediately but I'm pretty sure the driver wouldn't be surviving it.

RIP is all I can say. I had a similar near hit a couple of weeks ago when a truck full of bamboos swerved at the last minute in front of me. Thankfully I was already eyeing it quite suspicuously and braked well on time.

Originally Posted by Pri2

A Hyundai Getz at Nagarabhavi circle, Bangalore (Today)

whoa! I hope and pray no one was seated on the passenger side in the car. It does look like the doors were opened, so hopefully no casualties/ major injuries?

[mazda4life]

Originally Posted by selfdrive

RIP is all I can say. I had a similar near hit a couple of weeks ago when a truck full of bamboos swerved at the last minute in front of me. Thankfully I was already eyeing it quite suspicuously and braked well on time.



whoa! I hope and pray no one was seated on the passenger side in the car. It does look like the doors were opened, so hopefully no casualties/ major injuries?

According to https://churumuri.wordpress.com/ , the driver of the getz survived...scary

[W.A.G.7]

Originally Posted by ritayan

A freek acident near Sunny Park (Birla Mandir) Kolkata.
This happened on the night of KKR win, Celebrations going overboard? I do not know any more details got the pictures from friends FB post.

How did this happen? Both cars upside down and lights running. It looks like they smashed into each other.

Originally Posted by Pri2

A Hyundai Getz at Nagarabhavi circle, Bangalore (Today)

Ouch! The Getz seemed to be a well maintained example. Pity its not going anywhere now except the scrapyard. But happy to hear the driver escaped unharmed from an otherwise impossible-to-escape crash!

[Thad E Ginathom]

the driver of the getz survived.

Phew. Now I feel able to say that that picture could be titled Hyundai getz it.

I'd hate myself for joking if anybody had died. it's a miracle they didn't. I guess the driver would have been almost frightened to death.

[harit]

Originally Posted by amitwlele

Another accident on the Pune Expressway and this time claiming 24 lives ............................................... it comes out that the tempo driver actually dozed off while driving.

As per the morning papers, the death toll was 27. Hope no more people succumbed to their injuries.

The result of this accident was 27 people killed, and three vehicles damaged. The married couple for whom this was to be a milestone event will for the rest of their lives remember this ghastly incident. And the lorry driver who crashed into them will have nightmares for the rest of his life, having to live with the consequences.
But who is really to be blamed? According to me,
The authorities
The Tempo drivers
The victims
The lorry driver who crashed into them, and all in that order.

How come?
The authorities are supposed to create, enforce the rules and penalize those who contravene them. One rule existing is that you are not allowed to stop on the expressway. About 15 years ago, when dacoities were a huge problem on the express way, they had a very active patrol force under Vikram Bokey. At that time I drove a classic car from Thane to Pune to take part in a rally, after being well into the highway the car started giving trouble and stopped 6 times. Each time, a patrol Jeep reached us within 7 minutes, stayed till we moved on, and were very clear to indicate to others that there was a problem. This very effective patrolling has been reduced, today you can see burnt out vehicles lying on the side for over a year, and so many vehicles are habitually parked on the side. There is no urgency to remove these vehicles. You can take a U turn on the highway, and you can get on and off at unauthorized points. So much for enforcing rules.

Now, the scenario of this accident. A Tempo Traveler got a puncture, stops on the side. Another Tempo also stops, people get down, sit between the two vehicles. The authorities should have seen this and sent the second Tempo away, preferably taking the other passengers to the next exit point. They would be living today.
But, the other Tempo also stops, all get down. We know that you are not supposed to be on the highway, whatever the circumstances. The people died because they were crushed between two Tempo's. If these people had kept off the road, either stayed in the Tempo or stood at the side, or preferably even had crossed the fence, many more would have been alive today.
The authorities do not make and enforce rules, and they do not publicize them. Keeping left is so important, there is no sign to keep left along the entire stretch of the expressway other than for heavy trucks to keep left. In the old days of 1970's, every small junction in Mumbai had a "Keep Left" metal pillar.
Initially when I used the expressway I tried to follow European/American rules, but got frustrated when donkeys driving didn't yield to faster traffic. On my very last drive a month ago I kept extreme left for 60% of the drive, it was stress free and I hardly had to overtake anyone. Most kept in the center lane or on the right lane and I simply passed by them. Vehicles have to keep left, rules should be introduced, publicized and then enforced. When rules are in place the driving stress is reduced making journeys safer for all. This can be enforced with video cameras to catch stupid obstructionist drivers.

Now we hear that the driver of the lorry may have fallen asleep. If that were true, and the scenario was as per the rule book, he would have just crashed into a Tempo, maybe injuring himself. Some called him a murderer, how silly, in an accident when there is no evil intention, he could not be termed a killer. People died because of their own carelessness, if they were not aware of the rules, the lorry driver is not at fault.

A safe expressway is one where rules are applicable, followed, enforced. Then there have to be emergency facilities and driving discipline More facilities have to be created to remove stranded vehicles, park them off the main road and enforce rules.

How many times have you seen a broken down lorry, with a helper/driver sleeping under the vehicle (for shade) and a branch hanging on the side with stones on the ground. These are not visible in the dark. All vehicles go through RTO fitness inspection, do they check for the medical kit of the reflective triangle which should be placed on the road to warn approaching traffic? Many of these reflectors are permanently nailed on the lorries.

In a foreign country the lorry driver could consider to sue for damages, he caused an accident but the result was more severe due to the negligence of other causing excessive mental trauma.

I have thought about this post quite a lot, stand by it and willing to debate with an open mind. Every death is sad, more so if it was needless caused by callousness. Our traffic sense is practically non existent, like the infrastructure in most of our metros.

No cheers for non existent expressway etiquette.
harit

[khoj]

None Indeed

Originally Posted by harit

No cheers for non existent expressway etiquette.
harit

At long last a post that truly reflects the conditions on the road(s) as they are and the feelings of driver(s) who want to drive safely but are not able to.

[R-Six]

Originally Posted by sandsun7

Read about an accident on the Kalhatty ghats near Ooty. 2 ladies perished when the SUV they were travelling fell into a gorge at the 31st hairpin bend.
The report in times of India is here..
Two killed in road mishap near Ooty - The Times of India

Anyone who has driven on this ghat would know how difficult it is. total 36 hairpin bends to negotiate, that too with steep ascent and descents!

May their souls RIP!

But after reading the post, it looks like an overloaded vehicle. With 13 individuals in an SUV, the vehicle must have certainly lost the balance! Driving through these ghats is no child's play. And driving an overloaded vehicle just adds the risk factor associated with it.

Drive Safe mates!

r-six

[amitwlele]

Originally Posted by harit

The married couple for whom this was to be a milestone event will for the rest of their lives remember this ghastly incident.

Read in the papers today that some of the relatives/folks are now blaming the bride for being inauspicious and causing the accident. At the same time it was heartening to read the bridegroom standing by the bride and supporting her with the words that he does not believe in superstitions and it was an accident.