[Suj1978]

We all know about good practices of driving, yet often we don't follow them because many fellow drivers manages to drive ahead ignoring those good practices. If you maintain a safe gap behind a truck, in no time, you will see a biker or a small car manages to overtake you and cover this gap! If you are following a fast lane, you will see a heavy truck at 35kmph moving on the same lane. We need serious road safety education and effective and stricter traffic control measures at government level to prevent such accidents.

[Annibaddh]

Originally Posted by anjan_c2007

Another one from May 2016, from Telangana, where five were killed. Here the video clearly shows the car driver risking himself and all the passengers lives by taking the right turn alongside the truck ( foolishly adhering to the old adage "don't follow me or don't lead me, but let's walk together") and getting hit by another oncoming truck.

Oh this was really scary! The two trucks were anyway on collision course, what with one speeding straight through the junction and the other taking a horribly timed right turn at a speed which was not nearly appropriate for that large a vehicle. Why do I get a sense that the truck turning right was trying to get away and the car trying to catch up?

[amods]

Originally Posted by Suj1978

We all know about good practices of driving, yet often we don't follow them because many fellow drivers manages to drive ahead ignoring those good practices. If you maintain a safe gap behind a truck, in no time, you will see a biker or a small car manages to overtake you and cover this gap! If you are following a fast lane, you will see a heavy truck at 35kmph moving on the same lane. We need serious road safety education and effective and stricter traffic control measures at government level to prevent such accidents.

Exactly the issue I face every day. The so called "Safe distance" is almost immediately occupied by someone going to catch a rocket to Mars. The good point is that they take your danger on their head, but it is really annoying as the gap fills again - and the same story is repeated.

[Rahul Rao]

Originally Posted by Annibaddh

Oh this was really scary! The two trucks were anyway on collision course, what with one speeding straight through the junction and the other taking a horribly timed right turn at a speed which was not nearly appropriate for that large a vehicle.

I don't think that the truck was trying to take a right turn at all. He was probably one of those who drive slow in RH lane for no reason, and when car overtook from LH in his blind spot, and turned right in front of him, he probably turned with the car to avoid or reduce the collision without thinking about the oncoming truck.


Rahul

[Mechy_74]

It is really a scary predicament to be driving in a convoy of trucks (except if you are really passing through a unsafe stretch at night). Apart from following basic driving rules, one can also remain in the company of lighter vehicles. Being mindful of vehicles in other lanes is also very important to have a picture of space for possible manoeuvre in any drastic situation.

Once I had to take a taxi from Lucknow to Delhi via NH-2 (which was the only route as the Sitapur-Bareilly stretch of the alternative and shorter NH-24 was under construction then also) travelling en-family. After crossing Etawah, the driver started to drive in a half-V formation, i.e. the other car was trailing just by a car length in the second lane from right. I had to insist with my driver to lose the other one, which he didn't like much.

Looking more in rear view than or as much looking through windscreen is another helper. Except when one is really unlucky, truck drivers generally follow and appreciate following signals.

It is easier to drive in a four lane undivided road with trucks than it is to drive on 2by2 divided. In double carriageway roads, minimum 3 lanes in each are needed for allowing cars and trucks their respective through-puts.

This is my first message in the mighty Team-BHP forums and it is quite thrilling actually to join the discussions here .

[nec2152]

How much do buses weigh, generally? Even buses can sandwich a small/medium car between itself and another big vehicle and crush it literally, no?

I totally understand that trucks would weigh much more than buses esp. when loaded, but usually trucks are much more sedately driven compared to intercity or city buses. The most common offence I have seen trucks do is hog the fastest lane or all lanes together. Compared to that, errant bus drivers are much worse in terms of recklessness and creating accidents themselves.

I have had some close shaves with buses a few times, esp. on undivided roads. One a PMPML city bus tried overtaking me from left on an undivided road and in the middle of overtaking, tried to push me towards right - directly into the oncoming traffic, and that too deliberately. A sandwich situation was on the cards if I hadn't braked hard to avoid. This was with a PMPML city bus in Pune.

[Ranabegins]

Originally Posted by RaviK

Yes, one has to experience it to realize how dangerous it can be. I suffered it 1st hand more than a decade back on my bike. I was stuck in traffic in GGN, parallel to a truck. I was at 10 feet+ distance from truck, when its tire exploded. Thankfully I wasn't hit by a piece of tire, but the concrete chips hit me with a brutal force on my right side. Was left with several minor wounds, marks on my bike's tank & helmet. My friend (pillion), too suffered suffered some minor injuries. Was not a major accident, but definitely made me alert towards the phenomenon.

I have been through something similar, just 3 months ago we were on Delhi Chandigarh highway in a XUV 500 and the time was around 2AM in night. Suddenly we felt like someone hit us from behind, we felt a good amount of shock wave coming into the car, initially we thought maybe one of our tyres burst so we stopped the car and realized a truck just behind us burst its tyres and all we were feeling was the impact of that burst. It got me to thinking if a tyre burst has so much shock wave into a SUV it must be very high on a Bike. Just imagine what impact would a bomb has if a tyre can do so much.

[rahulskumar]

I see many people in HYD taking right turn / u-turn from extreme left and momentarily blocking the complete traffic. They don't understand how much risk he is causing to fellow passengers and how he is living on the mercy of others braking for him. When he does this everyday, the chances of him repeating the same mistake unconsciously on highways is pretty high.

If these drivers are driving alone and getting hit, I really don't care nor I do have any sympathy for them. Those days are gone where I used to feel sad

[yogeshsom29]

Nice & thank you for starting this eyeopening thread

I prefer to keep my Ego in the boot whenever I am on road & strictly avoid tailgating, whether on highway or even in cities except in bumper to bumper situation. Even in B2B situation (including tollbooths) I keep sufficient distance for potential roll back for the vehicle ahead. I feel ok to be cursed by the over anxious driver behind

But fast speeds on highways are clearly a different ball game & it is imperative to be cautious rather than being fool hardy; apart from being obvious challenges bigger vehicles have, the way they’re are maintained in our country doubles the risk involved.

A lot of accidents can be prevented by being aware of some of these risks of big vehicles like huge blind spots, acceleration & breaking challenges, big turning radius, malfunction taillights & even absence of reflectors. Add limits of our own vehicles including us, humans, as drivers & following rule discipline, we can increase the probability of safer journeys in multiples.

I may sound like skeptic & yes, I am skeptic by choice while on road but equally hopeful that everyone on road should safely reach their destinations.

PS – I am sedate & safe driver but no slouch & have fun but respect all limitations of my vehicle, road & self

[51morris]

Originally Posted by Thermodynamics

Thanks for sharing, momentum of trucks are humongous no matter how slow they be. That makes us think AEB should be made mandatory for heavy vehicles.

This is really scary stuff. A similar incident happened here in the UK where a truck driver was doing motorway speeds (~70mph/112kmph) and was trying to switch music tracks on his phone. This distraction was enough for him to plough into the back of a mini van that had slowed down due to traffic on the inside lane. Sadly, many young lives were lost in the crash.

[superbad]

https://youtu.be/vI9EIjUx20I

If only all trucks were like Volvos.

[.HEM]

Really scary video.

Don't know if everyone do this, But I usually look into the rear view mirror as soon I stop my car.

In one instance, I stopped at a signal and saw a biker on a Yamaha FZ riding at full speed, I know I cannot stop this, he cam and rammed on the leftside and damaged my bumper and tail light. He had few scratches and heavy frontal damage to his bike.

[Nonstop-driver]

Originally Posted by .HEM

Don't know if everyone do this, But I usually look into the rear view mirror as soon I stop my car.

Ditto, every time I have to panic brake, I immediately look back in the mirror to see it coming. Although it has been only once that I got rear-ended (Creta vs Ciaz), it still makes me look back instinctively every time.

[SR-71]

Originally Posted by anjan_c2007

Here the video clearly shows the car driver risking himself and all the passengers lives by taking the right turn alongside the truck ( foolishly adhering to the old adage "don't follow me or don't lead me, but let's walk together") and getting hit by another oncoming truck.

I doubt if he was trying to take a turn along side the truck, I believe he was trying to overtake the truck and take a right turn and ended up getting sandwiched. Of course there is no confirming this but truck drivers typically slow down when they want to take turn at intersection cause its difficult to control such large vehicles at speed in such 90 degree turn. It looks like the truck driver was taken by surprise when a car cut in front of him and tried to swerve to the right instinctively to try and avoid the car. Well at speed nothing helps. Unfortunately the carelessness of the car driver cost the lifes of the passengers in the car and time & money and the mental trauma for the two truck drivers who had no fault in this most likely.

[vshankarhere]

Originally Posted by superbad

If only all trucks were like Volvos.

Wow Wow Wow. That is some insane braking. A truck that long, shedding speed that rapidly and not fish tailing. That is some stupendous technology. I don't think any human could react faster than that.

I also liked the way the driver of this vehicle capturing the action had distanced himself from the bus that had stopped in front of him. He left sufficient gap and did not try overtaking too from the left considering there were kids getting down. Really matured and safe behavior all around, except the kid of course.