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Old 19th December 2013, 20:24   #61
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re: Under-Run Bars on Trucks : Why they are important for you!

Another good thread Rehaan. It is worth discussing about the safety precautions that can be taken by other vehicle (cars) drivers while driving closer to a truck. In addition to all those guidelines you have listed, I would like to add my two cents. I have see many trucks which are heavily overloaded. In may cases, the materials like sand, stones, sugar canes etc falls to road and it may turn dangerous.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gansan View Post
Isn't this bar a statutory requirement? How are trucks registered by RTO without them in place?
It is statutory requirement. They may fit it while taking for inspection at RTO. Once the RTO rituals are over, they will sell it off as scrap.
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Old 19th December 2013, 21:06   #62
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re: Under-Run Bars on Trucks : Why they are important for you!

Quote:
Originally Posted by MaxTorque View Post
It is statutory requirement. They may fit it while taking for inspection at RTO. Once the RTO rituals are over, they will sell it off as scrap.
I see! Similar to the crash bar requirement on bikes, I suppose. This is a far more serious thing to check and seize vehicles for, than stupid sun films.
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Old 19th December 2013, 22:25   #63
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re: Under-Run Bars on Trucks : Why they are important for you!

Excellent article. Just explained this to members in my family right in front of the lappy screen. Just 10 minutes of pure silence ( oh my gawd moment for the video)

Cheers!
VJ
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Old 20th December 2013, 16:09   #64
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re: Under-Run Bars on Trucks : Why they are important for you!

Very informative article Rehaan. Thank you for the same.
I do a lot of highway driving and have never noticed this important fitting on the trucks. Educating the truck drivers would definitely be a productive move. I am sure that nobody wants to be the cause for the loss of life. Truck manufacturers and social service bodies should take this up as a community service project. Members of Team-bhp who are also members of Service oriented organisations such as LIONS Clubs and Rotary clubs etc. Please talk to your clubs to sponsor such projects.
Regards,
Ashok
P.S. I avoid night driving like the plague!
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Old 20th December 2013, 16:28   #65
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re: Under-Run Bars on Trucks : Why they are important for you!

Irrespective of whether a truck has an under-run bar or not, I think we as car drivers should follow the other guidelines that have been discussed in this and other threads.

Follow the 2 second rule, avoid following big vehicles if possible, use car lights wisely, get a vehicle loaded with safety equipments if possible, drive extra cautiously during night time or whenever there's reduced visibility etc.

While the thread is informative I don't think we can do much to get this implemented. Under run bar is just another violation like we have blinkers missing, no tail lights, bald tyres, leaning tower of pisa trucks etc.

When you are on any Indian highway you are on your own, so drive cautiously, try to bring any violations to the authorities and hope that someday somebody will do something about it!
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Old 20th December 2013, 16:54   #66
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re: Under-Run Bars on Trucks : Why they are important for you!

To add up to the views of the gentlemen on this thread, from my experience I can also tell that one should also maintain some distance from the trucks & buses for the following reasons:

1. Trucks often keep throwing up stones, sand etc. loaded into them, which may damage your car, break your windshield or worse; imagine a big lump falling from the truck ahead and it ruins your rims & tyres or hits your car's oil sump

2. Trucks will be inherently taller than your car or SUV, whatever it is. They may be striking against tree branches overhead which many people fail to notice. At times, when luck is not on your side, a branch from a road side tree may fall off due to such a strike and if you are too close to the truck, you will not have enough time to react. You will not be able to brake in time. Even a small branch falling from such height can damage your ride substantially. Also, a sudden incident like this may draw an over-reaction from the driver and cause a severe accident too.

3. Buses: Although, its not a thread related to buses, as the inherent body construction makes it difficult to under run most of them, but be wary of them. They are often in a hurry to get passengers by reaching before the other buses behind or ahead of them. Hence, they drive rash, can pull over without warning the traffic. Also, be cautious if a bus that is stationery and people are alighting from it, as without thinking twice, they may start crossing the road, esp. from the front side of the bus, hence without being noticed by approaching vehicles.

Would like to thank Rehaan for this thread and sharing the insight with us. The videos & animations posted are enough to make the gravity understand to any sane motorist.

Drive Safe!

Last edited by saket77 : 20th December 2013 at 16:58.
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Old 20th December 2013, 19:39   #67
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re: Under-Run Bars on Trucks : Why they are important for you!

Thanks a lot Rehaan for bringing this up…

I would say this is enlightening information on how to safeguard from trucks. Seems that most of us vote that even if the truck has a RUPD, still chances are that the accident may be severe, leaving the only options in front of us that is to DRIVE SAFE… Owing to present driving conditions in India - Roads without dividers, haphazard driving mannerism, and as mentioned by fellow friends the lack of enforcing Law by authorities… I think we are in grave danger and if we do not take safety precautions no one can save us…

Accidents will occur when we fail to control the vehicle with respect to the objects ahead and behind it, and this can be more prone to trucks because they tend to have comparatively low speeds than most of the cars especially on a highway, and if we tend to drive slow we have no option than giving others chance to overtake us, which will again increase risk for us and them.

Sorry bit OT, but I think I read of Augmented Reality dashboards (AR’s), on a site, and it also mentioned that BMW is developing similar dashboard gadget to identify an object in front of the vehicle and inform what its distance is, and how quickly you are approaching it. The display of such information is on the windscreen, but it can be managed on the monitor – to lower its implementation cost. Such gadgets are the real help in such moments because it will help prevent running into any trucks…

More info on http://www.howstuffworks.com/under-t...ies.htm#page=3

Alas ! It might take time to reach majority of cars in India

Last edited by spyder918 : 20th December 2013 at 19:41. Reason: spell check
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Old 20th December 2013, 21:08   #68
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re: Under-Run Bars on Trucks : Why they are important for you!

Interesting articles below, regarding the regulations in EU and Australia.
http://www.etsc.eu/documents/CARS%20...Feb%202012.pdf
http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/F20...0Material/Text
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/secto...otor-vehicles/
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Old 21st December 2013, 12:13   #69
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re: Under-Run Bars on Trucks : Why they are important for you!

Quote:
Originally Posted by spyder918 View Post

Sorry bit OT, but I think I read of Augmented Reality dashboards (AR’s), on a site, and it also mentioned that BMW is developing similar dashboard gadget to identify an object in front of the vehicle and inform what its distance is, and how quickly you are approaching it. The display of such information is on the windscreen, but it can be managed on the monitor – to lower its implementation cost. Such gadgets are the real help in such moments because it will help prevent running into any trucks…

More info on http://www.howstuffworks.com/under-t...ies.htm#page=3

Alas ! It might take time to reach majority of cars in India
That will just be another fancy device in my honest opinion.
And if the guy behind the wheel cannot judge the above practically, then all data fed into his head by these devices will be like GIGO - Garbage In/ Garbage Out.
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Old 22nd December 2013, 22:04   #70
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re: Under-Run Bars on Trucks : Why they are important for you!

Excellent article Rehaan! I just returned from a highway drive and did a lot of driving on rural roads, not sure if its been mentioned above , tractors with trailers are also equally dangerous I guess. Like others have already mentioned,most private buses have no under run bar too.

I spotted so many of them and NONE had working rear lights forget a under-run bar. I think a sedan/hatch will easily go under one should they rear end such tractors.
On highways (NH-4,SH-209) etc was happy to see atleast a few trucks with under-run bars. Atleast something is better than nothing

Last edited by shashank.nk : 22nd December 2013 at 22:05.
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Old 23rd December 2013, 18:33   #71
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re: Under-Run Bars on Trucks : Why they are important for you!

Saw this while driving from Bangalore to Delhi. I was in a very low two seater sports car. There were at least 5-6 trucks carrying these windmill fan blades.
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Old 30th December 2013, 14:18   #72
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re: Under-Run Bars on Trucks : Why they are important for you!

Rehaan very nicely written article.

Without doubt the rear under-run bar in trucks is actually a life saver, and I am myself a testimony to this. This good fortune in an unfortunate incident happened a few months back, and actually i am not sure whether I should be more furious on this truck driver for having parked on a express way, or be more thankful to him for having the RUP bar installed.

Under-Run Bars on Trucks : Why they are important for you!-024701.jpg

But the sad fact is truck drivers dont realize the importance of this, nor do the cops who ignore this as not even worth a few bucks of bribe. It actually can save lives.
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Old 30th January 2014, 13:14   #73
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This what happens a car bands into a truck which does not have the under-run bars.
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Old 19th February 2014, 20:17   #74
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re: Under-Run Bars on Trucks : Why they are important for you!

I am uploading a few images where the OEM has adhered to the norms ( or atleast attempted it ), but the greedy owners mend do not budge risking lives of many as they are sure to get away with impunity.

The images make it very clear that the standard loading bay was modified to fit in more luggage/goods.
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Old 2nd April 2014, 12:37   #75
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re: Under-Run Bars on Trucks : Why they are important for you!

A case where the purpose of providing the under-run bar is beaten. Spotted this AMW trailer in our company premises yesterday:

Under-Run Bars on Trucks : Why they are important for you!-wp_20140401_18_01_17_pro.jpg

That 60 mm thk plate was overhanging by at least 2 meters and just 2 reflective stickers at the corners doesn’t cut it especially during the night when the plate wouldn’t be clearly visible to the trailing vehicles behind.
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