[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by binand

And still you continued with the arrangement? Did you not consider moving to a school which had bus service to your home? I wouldn't send my kids to school in an Omni if they paid me. We (my wife and I) went and just parked ourselves at the school - 3 days in a row - until they agreed to extend the bus service from main road to our apartment complex which was 2 km away. I was clear that I'd consider withdrawing my children from the school if they didn't relent.

Here's a hard-hitting cartoon from a famous cartoonist on the topic:

https://twitter.com/satishacharya/st...05147325845504

In my case, the school was at a distance of 4.2 kms from home and i did not want him to go to a far off school.
Yes options like switching over to another school was there but unfortunately did not get admission. With a second baby at home, things were quite tough for me and my wife as well. He went by school van for 1 academic year. from now on, it is school bus.

[pratyush6]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

Mate, let me share my experience. My first son too traveled in a private van to school as the school bus did not ply on the route where we lived.

I appreciate you for trying to talk sense into the school principal - but I simply cannot fathom how you let your child be driven around in (1) an overcrowded Omni and (2) Auto.
My question to you is, why would you not make alternate arrangements? And in the worst case scenario - why would you not try to change school?

I am asking this as I am a father too and I simply would not choose - no matter the cost - to ignore basic safety for my kids.

PS: Edit - Saw your reply above. I just have to make one point - no one in life has the good times all the way. I mean, I have had very tough times, I can cut costs on everything, just not on the safety of my kids. I understand you were concerned and tried to do the best for your kids.

[centaur]

33 people lost their lives last year in Lucknow alone because someone coming in the wrong direction crashed into them. The number countrywide would be running into 100s for sure. These law abiding people (at least at that point in time on the road) had to pay heavily because of someones else's foolishness. Not sure when people are actually going to realize the important of driving on the "right" side of the road. Below is the article -

Wrong side driving is right in Lucknow

Lucknow: Even if you follow all the traffic rules while commuting on city roads, there is the possibility of meeting with a fatal accident. As many as 33 people lost their lives in Lucknow last year because someone else crashed their motor vehicles from the opposite direction.

In an exhaustive survey carried out by the traffic directorate of UP police, the second-most road accidents due to driving on the wrong side took place in Lucknow. The highest number was noted in Aligarh district (178).

A total of 105 road accidents in Lucknow district, which has a road network of close to 3,400 km, occurred as one of the vehicles involved was plying in the wrong direction.

According to additional director general of traffic directorate, Anil Agarwal, the majority of deaths took place on highways. "People have the tendency of speeding on empty stretches. A single bicycle borne villager plying in the wrong direction on a highway, can also be lifethreatening," said Agarwal.

Within the city, plying on the wrong side leads to minor accidents on a daily basis in areas like Chinhat, Indiranagar, Jiyamau, Lalbagh, Naka, Qaiserbagh, and Dubagga.

At times, residents create gaps in the road dividers built on high-speed corridors for a short cut to their destination. Former PWD engineer and member of a body of highway engineers, Devendra Singh, said, "The tendency to take a short cut is the biggest reason for wrongside accidents in the city."

Singh added that apart from improving safety measures, things will not improve without strong enforcement.

In a positive, fatal crashes on Shahid Path have come down as National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) augmented road safety measures after high court instructed them to do so.

Source

And in another case, a student had to pay with his life because of the selfie craze that too on the Mumbai-Pune EWay

Student clicking selfies falls from bridge onto e-way, dies

Pune: A 20-year-old engineering student from Malegaon in Nashik died after falling off the parapet of the Amrutanjan Bridge onto the Pune-Mumbai expressway while clicking selfies.

The accident occurred after the deceased, Tanvel Ashok Kadam, along with his friend visited the bridge around 11am. "Kadam climbed onto the parapet of the bridge to click selfies after his friend left the spot on his bike to buy cigarettes," locals said, adding that while he was busy clicking, he lost his balance and fell off the parapet.

Investigating officer S B Shinde of Lonavla police city police station said when his friend returned to the bridge, Kadam was not there. "He heard some noise from the expressway below. When he bent over the parapet of the bridge, he saw Kadam lying in a pool of blood," Shinde said.

Police tried to inspect Kadam's smartphone, but it was totally damaged in the fall."Passers-by told us that he fell off the parapet while clicking selfies, a claim which will be ascertained only after we study his phone," Shinde said.

Kadam was studying in an engineering college in Lonavla. "We have contacted his parents and they are yet to reach Lonavla," he said.Meanwhile, his classmates said that he was a brilliant student.

Source

Condolences to the family and sorry to be a bit crude with my words but looks like though he was brilliant, he lacked a little in common sense

[WindRide]

A Winger was lying today morning on the Benniganahalli flyover (Bangalore) on wrong side of divider with its back rammed in and doors bust open, most probably after an acrobatic flip. Hope no human casualities.

[Thad E Ginathom]

On the school-run safety issue: I am not a father, but I would rather see my child, if I had one, packed into an overcrowded omni or auto, than taken/sent, without helmet or any other protection, on a two-wheeler.

[svsantosh]

Originally Posted by arun_josie

14 dead in multiple collisions in Krishnagiri. This involves a car, bus and lorry.


https://www.Youtube.com/watch?v=yYmi3Yf2BWk

Being a local resident, I came to know the other-sad side of the above story. The accident, being so horrific and on a very busy NH stretch, attracted a lot of samaritans on bikes and cars - who didnt think of anything beyond helping the needy.

Many 2 wheelers, particularly those costing above 80Kish range were stolen away by unsuspecting people!! Cars were targeted and whatever little things one could lay hands on, was stolen.

Sad state of affairs! As many as 13+ stolen-bike cases are opened after this accident!

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by svsantosh

......
Sad state of affairs! As many as 13+ stolen-bike cases are opened after this accident!

Pretty common state of affairs across the country, unfortunately. Though I've never witnessed vehicles being stolen when people stopped to help (yet), I've seen overturned goods vehicles and accident victims looted mercilessly on multiple occasions, absolutely nauseating and makes one want to weep for humanity.

[Jakku]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

-- My first son too traveled in a private van to school as the school bus did not ply on the route where we lived. This is one of the primary factor as to why people choose private vans. --

Originally Posted by binand

-- We (my wife and I) went and just parked ourselves at the school - 3 days in a row - until they agreed to extend the bus service from main road to our apartment complex which was 2 km away. --

https://twitter.com/satishacharya/st...05147325845504

My family had to shift to Hubli from Chennai (this Jan) as my wife got selection in Railways, my first worry was how to sent my daughter to school. She just started her pre-KG and I decided to discontinue for the last academic year and I am not to lose anything here (like an year). But, my daughter didn't have any friends here at Hubli and language was a barrier to freely mingle and she wanted to go back to Chennai so that she can go and be with her Mam there. I got her transferred to Hubli branch Kidzee and I hired a private rickshaw to send her to school (this guy was staying very close to us and that made it easy). The van the school had was overcrowded (for me) and I don't want to send in other ricks. But this was a costly affair, however, I had peace of mind sitting around 1000km away.

Now after getting her to a different school for Jr.KG onwards, I was in a different dilemma, my rick guy was not maintaining timeline (he may get a savari and cannot forefeit it for the school trip) and I didn't want to continue and the school didn't have a bus of their own. All were the ricks (share auto types that we see in Chennai) and I was not comfortable. My wife's parents shifted to Hubli as the creche facility here is very limited, neither we were comfortable sending her to one. My FIL can drive 2 wheeler and I bought a scooter (Duet) for him, but he is not at all comfortable taking my kid along with him. So, the compromise he arrived at is, got a rick which has an other kid (just 2 of them) to the same school and my FIL follows the rick all the way in scooter and then go there before time and follows back home !! I owe a lot to him and nothing in this world can equate this sacrifice.

[sudev]

@MODS : this topic needs a page of its own. How to ensure safety traveling to & from school.

I twice deleted my comment earlier on this. During change from command economy, where we have many people chasing after fewer goods and services, to market economy the consumer has the burden of forcing change. That said all of us (especially parents in this context) need be aware that road travel is one of the most dangerous activities undertaken in our daily lives. Even following rickshaw (as shared above) cannot prevent stupidity of another. Walking or rickshaw to school is safer provided you stay on roads that do not have high speed traffic. Let's discuss this in detail in dedicated thread

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by sudev

@MODS : this topic needs a page of its own. How to ensure safety traveling to & from school.

Let's discuss this in detail in dedicated thread

We do have 'safe commute to school' thread.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street...tml#post851923

[honeybee]

Originally Posted by centaur

And in another case, a student had to pay with his life because of the selfie craze that too on the Mumbai-Pune EWay

Condolences to the family and sorry to be a bit crude with my words but looks like though he was brilliant, he lacked a little in common sense

Today's papers suggest he committed suicide over poor exam results. Just shows that spot analysis reported by media is often not true.

[IndigoXLGrandDi]

Originally Posted by Vik0728

Link

The picture below of the car says it all:

Attachment 1519700

2. The report states that the driver lost control of the 'Ford Figo' !!

Sorry for one liner. But the Boot Lid says it's a Ford Fiesta.

[Rudra Sen]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Not to blame either of the parties here without knowing what exactly happened but its a fact that School Buses in our Country have a very long way to go in terms of Safety of the children inside it.

Two children (my colleague's relatives) were right on the back of the van.
That van was waiting to take a turn towards the school with direction indicator on.
Bus came with high speed and landed right behind. Private buses are always competing with each other in these small towns.

Look at the picture again. Left front of the bus is damaged and it indicates that it was trying to overtake someone from the left side.
It's a clear case of carelessness and rash driving.

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by Rudra Sen

....
Look at the picture again. Left front of the bus is damaged and it indicates that it was trying to overtake someone from the left side.
....

I don't see it. It is the right front of the bus that should be damaged if overtaking from the left.

[sudev]

If the van was waiting to take turn right then bus could not have hit it on van's right side.

Secondly see the pictures of van. It seems to have been hit on the left side. Not at back.

My reconstruction would be the van took the right turn and the bus coming from opposite side T boned it on the rear left side. The van has turned half a circle on impact but right side is reasonably intact.