[coolclouds]

IMHO, this rule is foolish. While 100 kmph is a safe speed at most of the Indian highways, even 60 kmph is over speed at some highways, eg: Kerala roads!

We have a feeling only cabs are driven rash. Anybody driven to these IT cities after a long weekend can experience how rash our youth are. They really push you out of road sometimes.

I will happily agree if this rule applies to all.. that too with a reasonable speed limit, depending on road and time.

[ecenandu]

Originally Posted by abhishek46

Well, that is debatable.

Alternators in 2 wheelers are generally always 'driven' by the crank at all times (via a chain/gears/pulleys or mount on the crank itself).

I don't think, I have seen/heard of an Alternator which disconnects itself, when battery is full. (Like the AC compressor which disconnects itself from the crank of a Car, when AC is off)

Switching on the headlamps will put extra load on the alternator, whether it disconnects or not.

[coldice4u]

My personal take, its not possible to make everyone happy ! The 80 kmph limit will work for more then 80-90% of the scenarios in India. And that in itself is a good enough number !
Its better to have a rule like this than no rule at all ! There will always be exceptions but that doesn't mean we oppose this cause the road infront of our house is a 120 kmph slick piece of fresh laid tar. We should start thinking of the greater good ?

[sparky@home]

IMHO this is a good rule, may be it looks harsh. What about all public transports, is the rule applicable to them? I have seen buses which are being driven at break neck speed, as too the trucks which are empty, and the ones which are employed for carrying sand are a law unto themselves. I know the buses are supposed to have speed governors but they may have over ridden them.

[vigvr]

It's not just cabs. Rentals too. I recently booked an Elite i20 Zoomcar at Bangalore which had the same rule. Had a speed governor that limited it at 80 kmph.

Max I could take it to was 83 kmph - without throtle, 5th gear and down a flyover.

Though it may be OK for cabs - it's a serious blow to Rentals. You just can't do inter-city runs in Rentals anymore. Driving at the top speed of 80 kmph would provoke reverse in decisions - you would be better off driving your own private car.

[The Rationalist]

The speed limiting ECU has to be welcomed as with current legislations hardly any cabbie follows it. I survived a near death experience in a Uber Cab while traveling from Kempegowda Airport to Bengaluru. The moron braked just in time because I shouted at him, he was driving at 120km/hr and missed going under a truck which had no lights in the rear. The time was 2.00 am. Please find how much time you guys save by traveling at different speeds and the distance needed to come to a halt in case of braking.

d is the distance travelled.

[pankajn1702]

Personally I feel in a country like ours with, putting limitations/ bans only increases people's mindset to go against the rules.

Instead of putting speed limiters, governement should make getting driving license much more tough just like it is in developed countries.

People should undergo road training, manners etc and proper evaluation should be conducted.

We need a control mechanism towards quality of drivers on the road. That can be achieved only through stricter tests, training for obtaining a driver license.

This morning a lady driver was driving very fast in a residential complex. When I hand signalled her while she kept honking while driving fast, she rolled her window down saying her kid is late for school hence the rush.
Absolutely ridiculous reason and highly unsafe of that lady to be driving fast in a residential area.

[extreme_torque]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

This is stupidity. Limiting vehicle speeds to 80kph will solve only one part of the issue........

Totally agree! This is mind numbingly stupid but then given the government at the center I am not totally surprised. Imagine a not so careful overtaking scenario while going uphill, a bus is coming from the front, the car's dead stuck at 80 and cannot accelerate, the bus wont budge, a recipe for disaster! I can come up with 100 scenario's where this could result in serious accidents not to mention the traffic flow that will be disrupted when these cabs are doing 80 kmph in the rightmost lane.

What studies did the government do to arrive at a figure of 80 kmph? How many traffic patterns and accidents did they study? Why only cabbies and not all the vehicles sold in India? Why this discrimination?

As always, our government takes a path of least resistance, ie least resistance for them, the common hard working population can take a hike. How many times do you see a cavalcade of ministerial cars ferrying the VIP at twice the speed limit with sirens blazing? These short cut solutions (it would be infinitely more help if there was no solution) make sure that following the rules is dogmatic, not pragmatic and since majority of the masses are happy, the real questions will never be asked, let alone answered.

So we wont ask our government for better infrastructure (infrastructure just doesnt mean building a wide road, it also means scientifically designing intersections, round abouts and traffic light patterns), for strict vehicular licencing (driving should not a right just because you can afford a car, it should be a privilege), for better working public transport in most big cities, for enforcing strict road rules, having proper signage, having proper drainage so that roads are not flooded at a mere hint of a rainfall but not restrict the speed to 80 kmph because that solves everything. I ask how?

[pvbengaluru]

Originally Posted by coolclouds

I will happily agree if this rule applies to all.. that too with a reasonable speed limit, depending on road and time.

I completely agree with this. We cannot have one standard for ourselves and a different one for cab drivers.

For a crash at 90 kmph, the injuries sustained by me OR a cab driver will be same. Yellow and white board won't matter. Then why limit only them in name of safety ?

My personal experience on the highway is that the rash drivers are mostly the white board ones !!

If there are statistics to show that say majority of accidents are caused by yellow boards going above 80, I would love to look at it and educate myself.

[amit.s]

Originally Posted by blackwasp

Incase of existing vehicles, unless the vehicle is fitted with an ARAI/RTO approved speed governor, it won't be declared fit.

Urgently required, at least for all the call center BPO cabs running havoc on the city roads. They need to have max speed limit of 60.

[RaghuVis]

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

Totally agree! This is mind numbingly stupid but then given the government at the center I am not totally surprised.

Let us not get political here. There might be other threads for that. Any new rule will take time for people to get used to.

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

Imagine a not so careful overtaking scenario while going uphill, a bus is coming from the front, the car's dead stuck at 80 and cannot accelerate, the bus wont budge, a recipe for disaster!

The driver is fully aware that his car cannot go past 80. Can't he be more sensible to wait for the uphill to finish to overtake?

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

I can come up with 100 scenario's where this could result in serious accidents not to mention the traffic flow that will be disrupted when these cabs are doing 80 kmph in the rightmost lane.

I am sure the number of accident scenario's in a car which has speed limit 80 is definitely going to be less than the present situation.
Just Imagine what you are telling. 100's of new accident scenario just because you are told to drive your car a bit slow (It's just 100 to 80!)

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

What studies did the government do to arrive at a figure of 80 kmph? How many traffic patterns and accidents did they study? Why only cabbies and not all the vehicles sold in India? Why this discrimination?

Am sure both of us are not aware of the amount of study that was conducted. If you are very certain that they did not do any study, then I will agree with you. Usually these rules and amendments are results of many studies done by independent bodies and their suggestion for better road safety.

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

As always, our government takes a path of least resistance, ie least resistance for them, the common hard working population can take a hike. How many times do you see a cavalcade of ministerial cars ferrying the VIP at twice the speed limit with sirens blazing? These short cut solutions (it would be infinitely more help if there was no solution) make sure that following the rules is dogmatic, not pragmatic and since majority of the masses are happy, the real questions will never be asked, let alone answered.
So we wont ask our government for better infrastructure (infrastructure just doesnt mean building a wide road, it also means scientifically designing intersections, round abouts and traffic light patterns), for strict vehicular licencing (driving should not a right just because you can afford a car, it should be a privilege), for better working public transport in most big cities, for enforcing strict road rules, having proper signage, having proper drainage so that roads are not flooded at a mere hint of a rainfall but not restrict the speed to 80 kmph because that solves everything. I ask how?

Agree with you. Truth is that we have not seen any government doing dedicated work to all these issues. Further discussions on the above lines would result in getting political which is not what this thread deserves. On a lighter note, next time you are so disappointed with any government, be present here during elections and vote them out!

[sourabhzen]

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

What studies did the government do to arrive at a figure of 80 kmph? How many traffic patterns and accidents did they study? Why only cabbies and not all the vehicles sold in India? Why this discrimination?

The idea might be the brainchild of a bureaucrat or a minister who travel in a car with blaring sirens. They do not need to conduct a study. They must have put a number of folded slips with different speed numbers and put them in a fish bowl. 80kmph got lucky, that's all.

[extreme_torque]

Originally Posted by RaghuVis

The driver is fully aware that his car cannot go past 80. Can't he be more sensible to wait for the uphill to finish to overtake?

If the drivers were fully aware of what their cars can and cannot do at all times, there will be no accidents. The point is mistakes happen, this solves one problem and introduces too many others. One step forwards, 2 steps back.

Originally Posted by RaghuVis

I am sure the number of accident scenario's in a car which has speed limit 80 is definitely going to be less than the present situation.
Just Imagine what you are telling. 100's of new accident scenario just because you are told to drive your car a bit slow (It's just 100 to 80!)

Why stop at 80 then. Let's just walk. They are not asking you to drive at 80 kmph, they are stopping you from driving over 80 kmph under any circumstance! There's a huge difference.

Originally Posted by RaghuVis

Am sure both of us are not aware of the amount of study that was conducted. If you are very certain that they did not do any study, then I will agree with you. Usually these rules and amendments are results of many studies done by independent bodies and their suggestion for better road safety.

Usually any rule or regulation in India is as random as they come. We do not send law makers to the parliament, we send them there to mock each other and one up man each other.

Originally Posted by RaghuVis

Agree with you. Truth is that we have not seen any government doing dedicated work to all these issues. Further discussions on the above lines would result in getting political which is not what this thread deserves. On a lighter note, next time you are so disappointed with any government, be present here during elections and vote them out!

Guess what I was and I did not vote either for the cumbent or the incumbent.

[anshumandun]

If this rule is to stay, automobile companies should start thinking of launching taxi specific vehicles.

Dezire tour should be launched with an Alto engine.
Toyota should launch Innova with an Etios Engine.
Xcent with Eon engine.

Of course the engines will need to be tuned to work well in the big cars but overall it will be good for everyone:
Better margins for manufacturer.
Low initial cost for owners for cab fleets.
Higher fuel efficiency.
No parallel market to unlock the speed limiter.

[abhishek46]

Originally Posted by ecenandu

Switching on the headlamps will put extra load on the alternator, whether it disconnects or not.

Can you explain 'technically' how?
I am curious to know.