[arun_josie]

SX4 accident looks really scary. As many have mentioned the driver would have dozed off or maybe he was fiddling with his mobile or any other gadgets thinking its a straight stretch.

This is one reason why its good to have the passenger next to the driver to be alert or have a discussion going with the driver.

Good thing to note is, looks like the air-bag deployed even though its not exactly a head-on collision but a major impact.

[Mahesh Prasad]

Originally Posted by BoneCollector

These buses are very notorious. They can put to shame even the rally drivers. During my stay in Manipal from 1999 to 2008, I had numerous travel experience on these flying buses. On my last visit in 2012, I saw them getting afraid of only the intercity KSRTC Volvos.

Originally Posted by chandrda

I have had a couple of narrow escapes from these buses, especially when the Mangalore - Udupi Road was been constructed few years ago. They are the most notorious bus drivers I have ever come across.

Totally Agree, these express buses have been rampant between Mangalore and Udupi since a long time. They just don't have any regards for other road users especially two wheelers and cars. Now since the entire stretch is almost four laned, they have got a free reign. Countless lives have been lost due to their negligent driving & careless attitude. I too usually prefer KSRTC Volvo's if travelling to Udupi rather than these monsters.

Originally Posted by chandrda

Hope the Alto guy is not bullied into paying bribe by the police.

I don't think so, now since the MLA is involved .

Originally Posted by chandrda

OT - Dear Mahesh Prasad, you seems to be a very useful fellow when being in Mangalore as you can reach to the Local MLA

Actually most of them are reachable by anybody. I haven't even met him. I asked the relative of the Alto guy, a lady to call the MLA (looked up the number from google). I'm afraid, the reason why I asked them to call cannot be discussed on this forum though as it deals with politicians & their favoritism.

Originally Posted by BoneCollector

Good that you stayed put to help him.

Thanks, I felt really sorry for him as his vehicle got damaged due to no fault of his and stayed there for a bit of moral support.

[sagarpadaki]

Regarding the truck ramming in to the train, just does on to show how much damage the momentum can do. Train coaches are built strong with reinforcements. To see a gaping hole in the coach makes me shudder thinking how heavily over loaded and ill maintained trucks can turn into Grim reapers. If it was a car instead of a train then the car would be a flat piece of metal by now.

There are many such trucks which ply the NICE road.I remember once on NICE road there was a truck with similar block of stone , without anything to hold the block in place charged down one of the sloping sections of the road and passed me on the right lane. I could feel the shudder in the air. He must have been doing 100 + easily without a care or a thought as to whether he would be able to brake in case of emergency. I also think such drivers do not have any remorse of killing people/animals. Because if they had they would not drive at such high speeds when carrying unstable loads!

Call me optimistic, but its a good thing that the truck crashed into 1st class AC. Had it been to a General compartment or 2nd Sleeper, the causalities would have been higher.

[chakri400]

A colleague and a friend of mine passed away in a tragic accident. He was driving an i20 at the time of the accident from blr to tiripati. An oil tanker apparently driving in the wrong lane collided with the i20 and almost all the passengers perished. Only his 10 yr old son survived! Very tragic and difficult for whosoever is left behind. Another reminder for us to be safe than sorry. A newspaper clipping from a local Telugu newspaper

[msdivy]

More pictures from the train accident:

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by chakri400

A colleague and a friend of mine passed away in a tragic accident. He was driving an i20 at the time of the accident from blr to tiripati. An oil tanker apparently driving in the wrong lane collided with the i20 and almost all the passengers perished. Only his 10 yr old son survived! Very tragic and difficult for whosoever is left behind. Another reminder for us to be safe than sorry. A newspaper clipping from a local Telugu newspaper

Very tragic indeed. Now what about the fate of the kid who survived the accident. I pray to god to give him the strength and courage to move on in life. What time of the day/night did the accident take place??. Did it occur on the 2 lane stretch of the NH??

[itwasntme]

The boulder (must have been already shaped into a square seeing the sharp cut lines) simply tumbled into the train after killing the driver and pulping his cab, and then scooped out the insides of the coach.

Very scary, those coaches are seam welded and are very strong!

[VW2010]

ery scary, those coaches are seam welded and are very strong!

Thats what happens when a movable object meets a destructable force. They are build very strong but when the train is in motion we are talking about multitude of magnitute. Its like getting a slap from someone in the moving train while standing on the platform. Thats just human hands but capable of breaking JAW one of the strongest human bones.


Mere physics says when this happens the train is going to get ripped off.

[vinitbhavi]

Originally Posted by Tanveer_2558

Just today when i was planning to get a dashcam, I happened to have experienced a horrible incident, Driving at around 11pm at around 50 Kph, And i could see a valet person about to cross the road from the opposite side, He was far away from my car, But then someone driving an i20 really fast was coming from the. Drive Safe! (Off to buy a dashcam)

Originally Posted by Tanveer_2558

Thanks for the headsup, Ill keep a check and buy it as soon as the price drops.

That was a closee shave for you Tanveer and horrible that the i20 guy just zoomed off. The ABS was a real savior and the importance of safety equipment on indian roads cannot be made more apparent. Its good the valet guy confirmed about you not being erranous. The need of a dash cam is very important at such times. Do drop in a PM if possible
if any good offers on the blaupunkt one.

[poised2drive]

Originally Posted by chakri400

... Only his 10 yr old son survived! Very tragic and difficult for whosoever is left behind. Another reminder for us to be safe than sorry. A newspaper clipping from a local Telugu newspaper

That is quite tragic indeed and tears roll down from my eyes as I think of that kid. And I read that one Mr.Venkatrami Reddy is injured and is undergoing treatment and looks like he's the Grand dad of the child, not sure though !

I hope at least he survives and would not leave the child to his fate !

[Tanveer_2558]

Originally Posted by vinitbhavi

That was a closee shave for you Tanveer and horrible that the i20 guy just zoomed off. The ABS was a real savior and the importance of safety equipment on indian roads cannot be made more apparent. Its good the valet guy confirmed about you not being erranous. The need of a dash cam is very important at such times. Do drop in a PM if possible
if any good offers on the blaupunkt one.

Seriously! As soon as the i20 dashed that guy, He actually took off even faster, For a second i wanted to chase him and teach him a lesson but well a quick U turn wasn't possible. It took me least an hour to be normal and drive confidently after this incident, I was just imagining what would have happened if my Jetta did not stop on time, And yes i felt the ABS kicking in. I am in the hunt for a good deal for a dash cam, Will surely PM you if i find any.

[for_cars1]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

....I am really surprised as to the extent of damage the train has suffered due to the lorry collision. But to see the lorry literally plunge into the coaches, I am aghast.

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

Regarding the truck ramming in to the train, just does on to show how much damage the momentum can do.

Originally Posted by itwasntme

The boulder (must have been already shaped into a square seeing the sharp cut lines) simply tumbled into the train after killing the driver and pulping his cab, and then scooped out the insides of the coach.

Very scary, those coaches are seam welded and are very strong!

As soon as the truck broke through the crossing barrier and hit the AC coach, the 20 Tonne granite boulder flew off the truck flat bed like a projectile crushing the truck cabin and hit the coach. Due to its enormous weight and momentum, the boulder sliced through the tough metal skin of the coach and exited from the other side of the coach causing a gaping hole.

[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by for_cars1

As soon as the truck broke through the crossing barrier and hit the AC coach, the 20 Tonne granite boulder flew off the truck flat bed like a projectile crushing the truck cabin and hit the coach. Due to its enormous weight and momentum, the boulder sliced through the tough metal skin of the coach and exited from the other side of the coach causing a gaping hole.

Exactly - with due respect, you cannot over-engineer even train bogies beyond a point.

What are the odds of such an accident happening? This is a true freak accident - I doubt the railways can make all coaches able to withstand such huge side impacts, ever!

Even in a car - the side impact has much less survival chances than a frontal impact IIRC - no crumple zone doing its magic.

[honeybee]

For the train accident, I don't see a gaping hole on the other side of the train coach. In fact the other side looks pretty much intact. Also these pics may not be from the time of the accident. The bogie may have been cut open for rescue work.

[bejoy]

Originally Posted by honeybee

For the train accident, I don't see a gaping hole on the other side of the train coach. In fact the other side looks pretty much intact. Also these pics may not be from the time of the accident. The bogie may have been cut open for rescue work.

This is the boulder and I would say it was lucky that the causalities were limited to a few. Had the train been running at greater speed, it could have derailed and the stone could have crushed more bogies.