[vikram_d]

Let me give you an example of the kind of common sense that is prevalent in India. Just this morning on my drive to work I encountered a tractor driver inspecting his vehicles broken front bumper. Well the bumper had not actually broken but it looked like the bolts holding it in position had come loose and the bumper was drooping down. When I first saw him he was driving and approaching me from the opposite direction and then the bumper drooping thing happened. This tractor driver stops bang in the middle of the road in a diagonal direction and starts inspecting the bumper. When I reached him I realized that I didn't have enough space to go through. So I rolled down the car's windows and politely asked him to park on the side of the road and inspect the bumper for as long as he wants. Just for asking this much I got an earful and he shouting at me saying can't I see that his vehicle has broken down and what my hurry was. In spite of being polite to that guy I got shouted at.

Well anyway this is just a small example to show what kind of common sense is prevalent among drivers of any kind in India. I have seen this kind of attitude not only from these tractor type drivers but also from well educated drivers in big expensive cars.

[zenren]

Originally Posted by Arun Venugopal

I myself had a scare when a speeding Octavia flashed his lights, I being on the rightmost lane put my left indicator and start to switch lanes to the middle. Next thing I know that idiot passes me from the left.

A good point that you have brought up. Not sure if you're aware of the 'allowing to overtake' signal using the indicator. (I've never really understood the logic though) It could be that the guy in Skoda thought you were signalling him to overtake. The other and more obvious possibility is that he got impatient as you took a lot of time to move over to the left. (normal time to move over could seem like ages for immature drivers coming in at 140)

IIRC, news about the overtaking signal came in atleast some of the dailies in Kerala long back when AC cars were slowly getting popular and hand signals were no longer possible. It goes something like this: Flash your right indicator and stick to your lane to indicate that the guy behind can overtake you. I've never really understand how we can understand if the car in front is allowing us to overtake or if it is actually planning to turn right. I feel left indicator could have been more appropriate if at all we needed to use one of the indicators.

Due to this, I never take the indicators from the car in front for granted and gets cautious for both possibilities. Same is the case whenever I put the right indicator and turn right- always try to be watchful for that 1% who might interpret it as overtaking signal.

If this is accepted practice in other parts of the country as well, please pitch in so that everyone can be aware of how to interpret the signals from fellow road users. Also, if someone knows the rationale behind this signalling, please throw some light.

[Arun Venugopal]

Originally Posted by zenren

A good point that you have brought up. Not sure if you're aware of the 'allowing to overtake' signal using the indicator. (I've never really understood the logic though) It could be that the guy in Skoda thought you were signalling him to overtake. The other and more obvious possibility is that he got impatient as you took a lot of time to move over to the left. (normal time to move over could seem like ages for immature drivers coming in at 140)

IIRC, news about the overtaking signal came in atleast some of the dailies in Kerala long back when AC cars were slowly getting popular and hand signals were no longer possible. It goes something like this: Flash your right indicator and stick to your lane to indicate that the guy behind can overtake you. I've never really understand how we can understand if the car in front is allowing us to overtake or if it is actually planning to turn right. I feel left indicator could have been more appropriate if at all we needed to use one of the indicators.

Due to this, I never take the indicators from the car in front for granted and gets cautious for both possibilities. Same is the case whenever I put the right indicator and turn right- always try to be watchful for that 1% who might interpret it as overtaking signal.

If this is accepted practice in other parts of the country as well, please pitch in so that everyone can be aware of how to interpret the signals from fellow road users. Also, if someone knows the rationale behind this signalling, please throw some light.

I have also seen this sort of a indicating sometimes, have to admit never understood the logic. This is a dangerous trend especially when speeds are increasing. Maybe it is time to have a 'Proper Driving Signals' thread. In the absence of a proper Highway Code I guess that's the way to go...

[Shiv_1984]

Last week i saw a completely deformed car on Agara flyover (ORR), the one going towards Silk board. Tried to get some info on what happened and understood that the car was being driven wrong way on the flyover .
If i guessed it right, it was M800 which was first hit head on by an oncoming Maxicab and then the car went turtle and hit the side rails deforming it from all sides. No idea of casualties.

What will be going through the minds of those drivers who attempt driving on wrong side on a flyover . BHpians regular on this route might be aware of this incident.

[AutoIndian]

I have never seen/heard such a horrible accident in the recent past. News & picture courtesy Sakal Papers.

In the wee hours on 24th Dec, a white Ford Figo with 5 people in it was traveling on Palm Beach Road (must be doing triple digit speeds). When car came at the Kille Gavthan crossroads, it failed to notice a huge container going from Uran Phata to JNPT & went underneath the container exactly at the centre & came out from the other side. Result, the roof of the car was ripped apart & three of the occupants in their mid twenties have to pay the price with their lives. RIP



Full news in Marathi can be read here.

http://epaper.esakal.com/Sakal/25Dec...City/page4.htm

[vikram_d]

Originally Posted by AutoIndian

three of the occupants in their mid twenties have to pay the price with their lives. RIP

I wonder how the other two survived such a horrific accident.

[black_rider]

This happened at 1:30 pm, opposite Tin Factory, Old Madras Road, Bangalore. Heard a loud boom and saw people disembarking from this BMTC bus, which caught fire soon after. People from nearby Petrol Pump tried to douse flames with their extinguishers, but soon gave up. The bus burnt for about 20 minutes, after which fire fighters put it off.

[Blue Thunder]

Originally Posted by AutoIndian

...the roof of the car was ripped apart & three of the occupants in their mid twenties have to pay the price with their lives...

Truly horrific accident . May their souls RIP.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/17749371.cms

Looks like one of the passengers survived with minor injuries because he was lying down on the back seat.

[Vizay]

Originally Posted by zenren

A good point that you have brought up. Not sure if you're aware of the 'allowing to overtake' signal using the indicator. (I've never really understood the logic though) It could be that the guy in Skoda thought you were signalling him to overtake. .....

+1. Also, I have seen this as a common practice of the water tankers when they water the plants in the median. They just stick to right most lane and switch on their left indicator. (meaning you can overtake from left). but highly confusing when you see the same in the middle of highway when you are doing 80+ speeds.

[mooza]

A bus conductor was crushed to death between 2 buses while guiding the driver who was reversing the bus:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/17750516.cms


I have just sent a feedback mail to KSRTC, requesting them to install reversing cameras on all their buses.

Hope they install reversing cameras soon, to avoid such needless loss of life.

[Santoshbhat]

Originally Posted by vikram_d

I wonder how the other two survived such a horrific accident.

Maybe they ducked right before the collision. No way one could've survived this sitting upright. Horrific accident, really.

[rohanjf]

Originally Posted by mooza

A bus conductor was crushed to death between 2 buses while guiding the driver who was reversing the bus:

It is far cheaper to compensate the deceased's family for KSRTC (since insurance money is not paid by it) than install reversing cameras in all buses. After all, such incidents are not common.

Of course, that comment is full of sarcasm. Really, you should see the chaos in KBS during peak hours. You'd be surprised how conductors don't die daily.

[mjothi]

Seen this horrible accident while travelling to Madurai last Saturday near karur (NH7)

Was enquiring the people over there and this was the version.

This has happened around 5:30am. There was a oil tanker who have taken U-turn, and this car did not notice it in sufficient time. Seems like the front left corner of the car touched the tanker, lost control, flew and hit head on to a coconut tree. Turned and hit the 2nd coconut tree right in the middle of the car, which resulted in the below fate.



Notice the yellow paint in the front corner. I guess this would be the place where the car hit the tanker. I could not see any other hit on the car.









All 3 people have died on spot. Still not able to believe what i saw. How can a car tear like this? The entire base in torn, the roof got cut near a pillar.

[DRIV3R]

OMG! This is like the 4th Ford am seeing getting wrapped around a pole/ chassis split into two!! Coincidence?

May the deceased RIP.

[vikram_d]

These are the kinds of accidents that coined the term "wrapped around the tree".