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-   -   An epitome of disregard to road safety – Young kid driving a truck on the highway! (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/road-safety/190262-epitome-disregard-road-safety-young-kid-driving-truck-highway.html)

Dear all

I’m not sure if this is the worst instance of careless attitude and utmost disrespect for law, health and safety of other road users. Just stumbled upon this video on YouTube where not more than a 10-year old kid is driving a full-sized truck on one of the highways. Initially, the kid is being assisted by the truck driver and later given the full control over the speeding truck. No seat belt, no driver’s license (of-course), no maturity to drive such a thing on highways, no experience (Oh! he might have been driving like this for ages, who knows) and no knowledge of traffic rules and regulations – these are a few things which crossed my mind the moment I saw that video. The other thing was safety – safety of him, the driver with him and every single living thing on that highway! Gave me goosebumps. Forget about you driving safe, within speed limits, absorbing traffic rules and what-not, idiots like these can turn your life upside down in a matter of a few seconds on your bad day. I really can’t understand why people in our country are so casual and inconsiderate when it comes to safety. People driving rash, jumping red lights, no helmets, no seat belts, one b-i-g family touring on that poor two-wheeler etcetera – these instances are so common on our roads that they don’t really surprise any of us anymore but this certainly defines new-low-level of madness and being naïve.

A full-sized speeding truck, needless to say, has all the capabilities to cause catastrophic destruction if not driven carefully. A young, inexperienced kid driving it makes a perfect recipe for disaster – A time bomb waiting to explode! God helps this country and people like us who do everything to ensure safety of our loved ones and other road users while driving.

While I imagine all of you would be baffled to watch that bizarre video, I wonder what can be done to inculcate the sense of being responsible towards safety of your own and other people, not just on the roads but on a daily life scenarios. Redefined elementary education perhaps? Or super strict laws including suspending driver’s license permanently/for a long time; confiscating vehicles or maybe immediate imprisonment? Your views?

Here is the video -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOiG52HKe8k

PS: Mods - Please merge this post in case of similar existing thread. Couldn't find one though. Thanks!

Yes, strict rules are required, but, not just for the Driver.
The owner of the vehicle should also be taken to task, for employing an irresponsible driver.

But can he actually reach the pedals? Seeing the way he is driving he is no novice. The bugger is actually overtaking and playing it straight at these speeds. Suicidal and murderous.

I had once spoken to a kid/cleaner driving a sand truck about the feat of reaching the pedals. He had a big rock in front of the accelerator pedal. He would gently rock this forward and back wards to accelerate. He only drove on the highways. The driver also used this same rock as a primitive form of cruise control.

Agreed.

:Shockked: I wonder what would happen in case of emergency situation. How long would it take for any driver to take control off that rock! Absolutely ludicrous! :deadhorse

While we are on the topic of filming random acts of bravado on the highways, I find it equally outrageous to see well heeled people racing on the highways and filming it.

Driving at 200km and overtaking on the shoulder is really dangerous and needs to be shunned.

The driver mentioned that he just switches to neutral if the rock misbehaves, or gets stuck too forward. The confidence they have in this rock cruise control is spine chilling. :)

Precisely my point. Indian roads are filled with enough morons to send chills down your spine. Imposing hefty penalties like suspension of license and/or vehicle's registration are indeed required to make our roads a little civilized.

I can only laugh at this really. Such a casual attitude towards their own lives is simply beyond me :deadhorse.

People who use stones for cruise control purposes, are well aware that they are behind the wheels of a 15 tonnes plus behemoth, which has momentum on it's side.
In case of a collision with "lesser" vehicles (like cars etc), they know that the car does not stand a chance against "momentum".
It is this false confidence, which leads them to laugh in the face of death.

And no consideration for people on those smaller cars. Such a pity.! I'm an old man and don't really expect our roads getting any better in my lifetime. But I wish I could see people with civic manners on roads and some respect for pedestrians and other road users, just the way it is in the developed countries. During my stay in the UK for a few years, I was taken a back initially when I first experienced drivers being so damn considerate for others, particularly, pedestrians; and everybody was always eager to show respect to each other. Not just by allowing pedestrians to cross the road or giving other drivers way, but how they would ensure that safety of other road users was their utmost priority - no rash driving, no signal jumping, no honking, no over-speeding etc. Yes, a very few would be counted as exceptions but majority of the driving junta there is far more civilized than out unruly drivers.

Yeah, very unlikely to see that here in my lifetime. Sigh.

I am shocked at how the merc driver in the video was overtaking from left at speeds beyond 150. There have been times when I was on the middle lane and an idiot has spooked me by overtaking from left when I was least expecting it. I am not sure if they were trying to play catch with that xuv because the odo was showing 178 and the xuv was still ahead. In spite of i having an xuv I feel that the engine starts straining beyond 120 (not that I advocate speeding). I will never wish to meet such morons/idiots on road with utter disregard to their own lives(which I can bear) but can put mine or others in danger which is unacceptable.

I wish the same kind of enforcement as regards to road safety/rules as followed in certain Other countries can be brought down here. But then if wishes were horses .....