[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

Even if you have to walk on damaged footpaths with holes, atleast the control is in your mind as to how we can avoid the holes..

The catch is, some of the slabs look good till we step on it and suddenly starts swaying or breaking. Anyone will be caught unaware in such a case.

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

... but in the case of walking on the road against the traffic flow, one does not have any control over a moron who can knock you down.

Guess you didn't understand what I wrote. It's recommended that we should walk in such a way that the traffic always comes from your front. The other day, one bugger who came against the traffic flow in a one way almost hit me. Now it was NOT me who was inviting any trouble, but the moron who broke the traffic rule and came in the wrong direction (from behind).

[Gotham_City]

Although the video is not from India, it contains some of the universal lessons for bikers.

One thing to remember for all the bike riders - Doesn't matter whose fault it is, it's the biker who always pays the price!

Will request all bike riders on the forum to be very very careful. One can never be over defensive while riding.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMoNK31Wm_k

PS: Mods, if the post feels inappropriate, please feel free to remove the same

[Epic]

Originally Posted by Gotham_City

Although the video is not from India, it contains some of the universal lessons for bikers.

One thing to remember for all the bike riders - Doesn't matter whose fault it is, it's the biker who always pays the price!

In almost all of the incidents here, you notice that these bikers are doing really high speeds with no regards to traffic or junctions. This is the same case for bikers here in India. They believe that if you have a two wheeler, it is your birth right to squeeze into every gap possible while riding with no regard to scratching people's cars to damaging OVRMs. Over that they ride in a zig zag manner in front of other four wheelers and motorists not realizing that the smallest nudge would sent them flying resulting in serious or fatal injuries and when that happens, it is considered the fault of the four wheeler.

[DWind]

Originally Posted by Samba

The place it occurred is a very busy area. The whole incident must have occurred with in a minute or so. With proper co-ordination and then putting the power supply off would have taken atleast 5 minutes. In 5 minutes it would have been disastrous in such a busy area.

Were all these cars crossing an intersection? I am not sure, but dont trams have right of way in their tracks unless they are crossing an intersection?

[planet_rocker]

Originally Posted by DWind

Were all these cars crossing an intersection? I am not sure, but dont trams have right of way in their tracks unless they are crossing an intersection?

The cars stopped at a red light / signal. The Tram was stuck far behind, with the power off.

Unlike earlier times, when the trams had a dedicated pave for their movement, the same has now been brought in line with the main traffic.

The trams usually follow traffic lights. They do have the right of way. They generally get stuck when traffic ahead of them wait for Right Turns - this adds to the fatigue.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Thanks to all, for these and other replies.

I wasn't there so, of course, I did not see what happened. She says that onlookers told the guy he was driving too fast, but to me, speed is not the issue, it is the fact that bikers behave like they are on foot, and see no need to leave space between themselves and anything else, even if it is a soft, unpredictable pedestrian. This was on a quiet, residential road.

Originally Posted by vikram_d

Sad to hear about your wife being hit and glad that she is ok. This is one reason I recommend that when walking on our roads, walk against the traffic flow. That way you can see what is approaching you.

It works ...if people drive on the correct side! Well, ok, apparently this guy was on the left. I think there is no pavement on that road, and Mrs G was walking out around a parked car.

Originally Posted by A350XWB

Sorry to hear about the incident Thad. But please make sure that a thorough check up is done by the doctor to eliminate any possible hidden injuries. I may sound paranoid, but that is due to my memories of multiple people having these kind of small accidents resulting in unpleasant health issues later. The fall might be small, but if you have internal injuries which are left unnoticed, it can haunt you later. Just be safe

She's been x-rayed and poked by a local bone man that we have both been to before. Yes, you are right, and, even though she is not keen on doctors, I insisted on this.

She is a lot better today. She really is amazingly lucky: I did more visible harm to myself when I tripped and rolled on the road coming out of a concert, removing a layer of skin from my elbow. No biker required.

Originally Posted by phamilyman

Sir,

in chennai, you can still be hit from behind. Half the bikers consider the roads their open canvas and ride like they wish.

Nick,

Good that your wife is okay. Such incidents really piss me off. At your ages, a single hit can take months to be solved. It is in cities like Delhi that I feel less sad about mob rage, because such douchebags who ride like this in a way deserve to get thrashed. I know of senior citizens who were bedridden for six months because of bikers who were speeding in small lanes. Or that incident in gurgaon where a toddler was run over by a speeding car driver inside an apartment complex in front of his grandparents.

There is no reason why we cannot respect our fellow citizens and drive at sane limits (10-15 kph in apartment complexes, below 30 in wider residential lanes).

Initially in a recent Aus visit, I was pretty bored seeing everyone go at ~100 on the highway. Then i realized how orderly the traffic was, and how nicely and easily everyone could drive. Here in India we have everything from a bullock cart in the right lane to a cabbie overtaking from the left at 100 kph.

The police should seize that moron's bike and license. He is a threat to the public the way he rides. That's what any civilized country would have done.

All absolutely correct. She didn't take any details, just let the guy go. I suppose it is to his credit that he stopped at all --- even if it was only to blame her!

Of course, as drivers, we can get pretty fed up with pedestrians. I can't say that I actually rate Mrs G's traffic sense very highly, but, the fact remains that she has stayed alive in her native Indian traffic for almost five decades longer than I have lived here.

[RSR]

I'm sorry to hear about your family members getting hurt by pig-headed riders/drivers, Thad and Rajeev. Glad to know they are okay.

On another note, is it just me, or has anyone else noticed a dangerous new trend with some pathetic idiots who ride motorcycles & scooters in Chennai - that of riding with all lights switched off at night? Not just the headlamp, they don't even bother to switch on the parking lamp. On top of that, they ride in their usual way - without any consideration whatsoever for other road users, or for their own safety. They have given me many brief scares when they suddenly pop up closely out of nowhere.

This is yet another solid case for making daytime running lamps mandatory for ALL motorised vehicles in India - even if the moron behind the wheel/handlebar does not switch on his/her lights, the DRLs will at least indicate the fool's presence to other road users at night (and obviously increase it during the day).

[Thad E Ginathom]

Not just motorised. It is ridiculous to be on the roads at night without lights. This goes for cycles too.

[Rajeev1]

Bad start to the weekend. Got sideswiped by a speeding BMTC bus on outer ring road this evening (6:00pm) while I was on my regular route on my way home. I was joining the ring road from one of the service roads at Banaswadi. I was very slow, attentive and joined the traffic flow carefully. Did not notice the BMTC bus which was speeding towards me. The rear portion of the bus (rear wheel and the rear overhang ) hit the front right fender. Needless to say - the bus sped on as if nothing had happened and I was left cursing myself for not having noticed this bus barrelling into my path.

A couple of questions which Bhpians could help me our with -

1- Is there any recourse at all if a BMTC bus hits your vehicle?

2- Can anybody recommend a good denter , painter in north Bangalore to help me restore the damaged car ?




Sent from my iPhone using Team-BHP

[tharian]

Originally Posted by Rajeev1

Bad start to the weekend. Got sideswiped by a speeding BMTC bus on outer ring road this evening (6:00pm) while I was on my regular route on my way home. I was joining the ring road from one of the service roads at Banaswadi. I was very slow, attentive and joined the traffic flow carefully. Did not notice the BMTC bus which was speeding towards me. The rear portion of the bus (rear wheel and the rear overhang ) hit the front right fender. Needless to say - the bus sped on as if nothing had happened and I was left cursing myself for not having noticed this bus barrelling into my path.

A couple of questions which Bhpians could help me our with -

1- Is there any recourse at all if a BMTC bus hits your vehicle?

2- Can anybody recommend a good denter , painter in north Bangalore to help me restore the damaged car ?

BMTC has this stupid policy that any contact made on the sides of their buses are not their problem. If you search through the BMTC thread here, you will find it.
As for the damage, lucky it's not much. If would suggest driving a little extra and visiting Trend Automobiles on Hosur road.
Bangalore North doesn't have any good places as far as I know.

[binand]

Originally Posted by Rajeev1

I was very slow, attentive and joined the traffic flow carefully.

Did not notice the BMTC bus which was speeding towards me.

Aren't you contradicting yourself here?

[ad3952n]

Originally Posted by Rajeev1

Bad start to the weekend. Got sideswiped by a speeding BMTC bus

2- Can anybody recommend a good denter , painter in north Bangalore to help me restore the damaged car ?

Hello Rajeev, After seeing the pics I can say there is nothing to worry about. Just use the rubbing compound/ brake oil on the bumper and it will be rectified. For the front fender edge you just go in for paint touch up.

Drive Safe!

Thanks.

[//M]

Source: http://www.telegraphindia.com/114062...p#.U6U3FpSSzdq

A tram stalled by a power cut sprang to life without the driver in his cabin and smashed nine cars as it hurtled down Ballygunge Phari, chased by two young men who got in and stopped it 300 metres away.

Drivers and passengers emerged from the pile-up with cuts, scrapes and bruises amid screams for help from others who witnessed the driverless tram ploughing through the rush-hour traffic on Thursday morning.

Slum-dwellers Dinesh Lal and Jaggu Kapadia were the saviours, catching up with the runaway train after a 100-metre sprint and fumbling with the controls for a while before finding a lever that brought tram No. 516 to a halt.

[saket77]

Gosh! That is scary. A driverless tram...although they always looked very feeble to me, but looking at the damages done, I can only say that it's a monster in disguise. The driver must be charged with negligence as he certainly did not pay attention to the checklist before getting off the tram.
On the technical front, there must be a fail safe mechanism that in such cases, the trams don't start moving by themselves just at the supply of power. Don't think that this modification will break the bank of the concerned department.

[Octane_Power]

Most of the cars are a total loss, aren't they? Or are they repairable?
It is so sad that because of someone's carelessness so many people have to suffer loss of lakhs of rupees without any mistake of theirs.

-Bhargav