[tharian]

Originally Posted by Pancham

Sir, were you inside the City to make this statement?
. We think we are the best and safest drivers untill we are involved in an incident as gruesome as this.

No (please don't call me sir), I was not in her car and I am glad at that.

Most of the members point at the Honda City, why? Overspeeding. Remove the speed factor, the lady could have braked and or even if she did not brake like she did not in reality, she could veered off more when she turned the wheel to avoid collision.
Yes, we all have broken the speed rule and some have learnt the hard way as well.
I had a smiliar incident on my fathers car but on a much smaller scale.
I t-boned a car in a residential area cross roads. Why? Becuase I was overspeeding on cross roads when I had no idea what was going to come across until this car cut right acorss my path and I had a split second to hit the brakes and then rammed into him. Lucky for me, no injuries but both cars had damage.
From the 2 minutes video, it is clear that the only wrong thing on the lady drivers part was speeding. She may have right of way since she was heading straight. Like I said, speeding through a junction is a violation.

Regarding the lady having an emergency, maybe. Does not mean everything else on the road have to disappear.
Genuine mistake- this means the lady was overspeeding and she knew it and did not reduce her speed .
And regarding seat belts in the van- if you look at the news clip video and pause at the point were the cars are parked probably at the police station, the drivers side belt is buckled, but on the seat., so obviously the driver was sitting on the seat belt.

Regards

[akshay4587]

Originally Posted by GTO

If the signals weren't working (and they don't seem to be, by the traffic movement), the Honda City had the right of way. Yes, she was overspeeding but the fact is, it was the van's job to give her the right of way. He was the one crossing across.

I agree,that the Honda City had the right of way,but the speed at which it approached the intersection,it would have been really difficult for the Van guy to spot the car approaching the intersection at that speed.In my books,both of them are equally at fault.

[docaxe]

Having lived near that infamous Nerul junction of palm beach road have vitnessed several accidents before I moved out in 2008. Not only over speeding , on weekends there is a bunch of morons who drag race on that stretch . Too many lives have been lost on that dreaded road since it was built wonder it was any design flaw or plain disregard to safety while driving. What it badly needs is speed breakers or flyovers at all junctions , a wide foot path for pedestrians , a service road cum cycling track. Is that more what we tax payers deserve from our corrupt government? I wouldn't like to comment on who was at fault , it's just an unfortunate accident and my heart goes out to the family members of those who lost their lives. Lets help bring a change and stop playing blame games like our politicians.
Drive Safe and help the needy!

[IronH4WK]

Originally Posted by searchingheaven

Also disturbing is the fact that the indica(standing just near the crossing), saw the accident happening and just went away without a worry in the world. Why is it that the world has come to such a condition?

firstly, that's a Santro. secondly, the person crosses the road, stops and comes over to help (but then the camera changes angle).


just an observation - if you notice the City approaching, it does not try to swerve until the last second. this could be because:

• the driver is not in her senses, as in DUI or
• the driver is not paying attention to the road and is conversing with other passengers in the car or on the phone (have you noticed how distracting it is when you (the driver) are arguing with someone in the car/on the phone? its like tunnel vision; very dangerous.)

either way, the driver of the City had no business driving at such speeds within city limits; the car would have been travelling in excess of 90-100kmph.

not saying the Omni's driver was not at fault - the divider, on the side from where the City was approaching the junction, is not tall and the City's lights would have been very much visible to the driver of the Omni. i'm guessing the Omni's driver was distracted or DUI (see how the Omni doesn't even make an attempt to avoid the collision). was the blood alcohol level of the Omni's driver checked? he's very much a party to the accident to have occurred in the first place.

[pahwa]

One horrific incident. My takeaways:

1. Be a defensive driver - You may be very good driver at high speeds but do not trust other drivers are at same skill level. Some of them may be drunk. There could be kids, barricades, potholes or debris on the road.

2. Wear Seat Belts - If the driver of van was wearing his seatbelt, he would perhaps have not been thrown out of the vehicle so dangerously.

3. Be human - Be a human being above anything else when you are lucky to be only a witness to such an accident. The Santro/Indica driver stopped only for a split second and then drove off, ignoring someone injured & lying in middle of the road. Can't imagine someone being so inhuman and driving away.

[Chetan_Rao]

I've never understood the 'driving fast/reckless due to emergency' concept that some post(s) allude to here.

If you're driving to reach someone facing an emergency, shouldn't you be driving more cautiously (not less), because someone is depending on you to reach them and help, not for you to get into an accident and them having to come to your aid instead (on top of their own emergency)?

[sumathindra]

After almost replaying more than 50 times, I think something/someone being ejected from the city as well, not sure on that. Anyone notice that?

[zwift1819]

The Santro had stopped at the intersection probably because the honda city lady was honking from a distance but the van driver without even stopping to watch for oncoming traffic decided to take the right without halting and looking for the oncoming car. Yes the honda was way too fast that too at a major intersection but still the van could have avoided this first by seeing the Santro stop and then looking for oncoming traffic. Unfortunately the van driver could not judge the speed and resulted in a poor souls death. Felt sad seeing the video.

[IronH4WK]

Originally Posted by sumathindra

After almost replaying more than 50 times, I think something/someone being ejected from the city as well, not sure on that. Anyone notice that?

Don't think that's from the City. I think that is parts of the Omni flying off.

Edit: It could be the City's rear glass?

[Santoshbhat]

Its almost a head on collision. If you pause the video just before impact, both drivers could clearly see each other and there was nothing obstructing their vision. The van guy was at crawling speeds and he SHOULD have hit the brakes once he saw the approaching city.

It looks like the city driver hit the brakes hard. The car was probably equipped with ABS, as you can see skid marks starting to form on the road. But as the car approaches close to the van, there are no skid marks.Though the Santro driver was an innocent by stander , I am sure he contributed to the accident.

The City driver hits the brakes, ABS kicks in, which would have allowed the driver to steer left and away from the Van. The road was wide enough for her to do that. But then she would have hit the Santro which was blocking the left most lane of the road. Accidents are always a combination of events and the Santro driver was very lucky that the City driver's instincts did not allow her to drive straight into a stationery object that her brain had registered well before the van came in her line of sight.

[racer_m]

Originally Posted by Santoshbhat

Though the Santro driver was an innocent by stander , I am sure he contributed to the accident.

The City driver hits the brakes, ABS kicks in, which would have allowed the driver to steer left and away from the Van. The road was wide enough for her to do that. But then she would have hit the Santro which was blocking the left most lane of the road. Accidents are always a combination of events and the Santro driver was very lucky that the City driver's instincts did not allow her to drive straight into a stationery object that her brain had registered well before the van came in her line of sight.

Why blaming the Santro driver. He was there at the intersection even before the Omni and City met in an accident. He had passed the zebra crossing and waited for the passing traffic. At a junction without signals running, if you follow the wait and watch,and only wait you will most likely spend the night at the junction itself. The key is to proceed cautiously and that's what he was doing.
In-fact he did not run or panic. See the video clearly, he crosses the junction, goes to the opposite side where it does not obstruct anyone and parks it with the hazard lights.

He in fact is an ideal citizen in my book by,
1. Trying to not create a road block in a country where people rush out their cameras to film the incident before aiding anyone.
2. Not adding to the already panicky situation.
3. Coming back to help instead of scooting off, even though bystanders may think he may have played a part in the accident

[Jakku]

Originally Posted by fine69

The Honda City was definitely speeding but the Van driver could have been more careful while crossing the road. If only he would've stopped to check whether there was any oncoming vehicle or not it would've been a different story..

I beg to differ with you Sir. Please see the footage again and the van was very slow and had almost completed the turn. Had he been with more speed, he would have escaped the bang.

But, why in this world, do you support that lady (as per the news report) who was almost coming like a bullet? Can't it be like this? The van driver saw the car almost after taking the turn, but assumed he could move on as the car is approaching an intersection and it would be slowing down and not accelerating. Also, realising the danger at the last moment, he could not get enough time to react to the situation.

[Santoshbhat]

Originally Posted by racer_m

Why blaming the Santro driver.

Do not misunderstand. I am not blaming the Santro driver. I did say he was an 'innocent' by stander. He may have unknowingly contributed to the accident, as he happened to be in the City driver's escape path. The City was within inches of crashing into him. He was lucky that lady did not swerve left on seeing the van in her path.

[sourabhzen]

Originally Posted by Santoshbhat

Its almost a head on collision. If you pause the video just before impact, both drivers could clearly see each other and there was nothing obstructing their vision. The van guy was at crawling speeds and he SHOULD have hit the brakes once he saw the approaching city.

Yes, thats the way things work in this country. You ought to be aware of a crazy speeding driver approaching your way. This video is supposed to show the City's speed and not to pause and see its direction of approach.

Originally Posted by Santoshbhat

It looks like the city driver hit the brakes hard. The car was probably equipped with ABS, as you can see skid marks starting to form on the road.

Do you mean that the driver was innocent as he/she tried to avoid killing by using the brakes. He/she should not have been speeding while approaching a crossing at the first place.

Originally Posted by Santoshbhat

It looks like the city driver hit the brakes hard. The car was probably equipped with ABS, as you can see skid marks starting to form on the road. But as the car approaches close to the van, there are no skid marks.Though the Santro driver was an innocent by stander , I am sure he contributed to the accident.

The City driver hits the brakes, ABS kicks in, which would have allowed the driver to steer left and away from the Van. The road was wide enough for her to do that. But then she would have hit the Santro which was blocking the left most lane of the road. Accidents are always a combination of events and the Santro driver was very lucky that the City driver's instincts did not allow her to drive straight into a stationery object that her brain had registered well before the van came in her line of sight.

Wow, now you may also blame the the camera installed as it might have distracted the City driver, street lights as they could have caused the glare, any other person/vehicle visible to the driver as they were moving and causing confusion.

I dont understand how can we defend killing by overspeeding. We must understand that any accident due to overspeeding may kill and the lost life could have been saved if the person was driving at sane speed.

[searchingheaven]

Originally Posted by Pancham

Sir, were you inside the City to make this statement?
Just by seeing a 2 min clip how can we derive such conclusions that the lady did not try to help. We don't know the truth. Are we pure saints? Dont we speed occasionally. The passengers in the van were unfortunate. Who was at fault? Who to blame? We just can't say it. Maybe the lady was having an emergency . Maybe it was a genuine mistake . Maybe the van did not have seat belts. Who knows. ? Tell me which one of us daily drivers have not had near accidents. We think we are the best and safest drivers untill we are involved in an incident as gruesome as this.

My replies, sentence by sentence(according to quoted para):

1. Her husband & sister were in the car. If they had asked her to slow, wouldn't she have done so?
2. Please elaborate the 'lady trying to help' part.
3. What truth/more information do you need/want to know about? Any data/point i/others are missing?
4. 'Speeding occasionally' and driving at 60mph in city are 2 entirely different things. And even if i kill/hurt someone while speeding occasionally, i should still be jailed/put on trial.
5. I hit you with my car and it is my mistake/negligence. So will you call yourself unfortunate or me wrong?
6. She was returning after shopping from Vashi. So no emergency.
7. Genuine mistake, as in? I drive recklessly, kill someone and call it a mistake? Is it possible?
8. Yes the van's occupants were wearing belts.( Read tharian's post)

Originally Posted by Lalvaz

I do think you are being unfair or misinformed if you think that the lady has been charged with a lesser crime.

Regarding the video being released so late, well, I have no idea, and have not wondered why the police released the video so late, as you allege, but I think in government terms, any action in less than 30 days is actually considered very prompt.

304. Punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.-- Whoever commits culpable homicide not amounting to murder shall be punished with 1[ imprisonment for life], or imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine, if the act by which the death is caused is done with the intention of causing death. or of causing such bodily injury as is likely to cause death; or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, or with fine, or with both, if the act is done with the knowledge that it is likely to cause death, but without any intention to cause death, or to cause such bodily injury as is likely to cause death.

Get it? Also, the link where it is written that the video was released a month late. Also, trial in a month is okay, but i am talking about the video release. NDTV Link

Originally Posted by tharian

Regarding the lady having an emergency, maybe. Does not mean everything else on the road have to disappear.
Genuine mistake- this means the lady was overspeeding and she knew it and did not reduce her speed
Regards

As i said earlier in this post, this wasn't a emergency. Also, thanks for pointing out the seatbelt part.

Originally Posted by IronH4WK

He parks and comes out to help. Camera angle changes.

Thanks. i stand corrected.

Originally Posted by Santoshbhat

SHOULD have hit the brakes once he saw the approaching city. It looks like the city driver hit the brakes hard. The car was probably equipped with ABS, as you can see skid marks starting to form on the road. But as the car approaches close to the van, there are no skid marks.

Agree on the van hitting his brakes part. But if there were skid marks on the road, that would be because the city had no ABS. Skid marks will only be there if wheels lock up. ABS will not let that happen.

Originally Posted by sourabhzen

I dont understand how can we defend killing by overspeeding. We must understand that any accident due to overspeeding may kill and the lost life could have been saved if the person was driving at sane speed.

Absolutely correct. Seeing some BHPians defending the lady is not understandable.