[V.Narayan]

Originally Posted by abhi7013

Do you happen to know the statistics for road accidents per car during 1950 to 1990 to say that there were many survivors during those accidents? Or is it just an assumption? Such opinions and assumptions need to be phrased carefully so that they don't come out as facts.

The number of cars, speeds they could do, infrastructure that allowed you to go fast, number of pedestrians on road, the number of distractions, etc are also major points you should consider while comparing between decades.

Every statement does not need reams of statistical data for it to be relevant and directionally correct. Human observation counts for something too. I have been driving since 1978 {cars, scooters and occasionally Tata trucks of the 1980s} and I suspect my observation may have some value for other readers. If if doesn't have value for you please ignore it.

Maybe it has not occurred to you that I kept in mind what traffic was like in 1970s & earlier before making my statement. Please read my sentence carefully before getting rattled. After an accident has happened and a car say has rolled over the point is people survived accidents even back then without NCAP ratings.

Other than the new super highways the road infrastructure 40 years ago was not very different from what we have today for the country as a whole.

[abhi7013]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

Maybe it has not occurred to you that I kept in mind what traffic was like in 1970s & earlier before making my statement. Please read my sentence carefully before getting rattled. After an accident has happened and a car say has rolled over the point is people survived accidents even back then without NCAP ratings.

Other than the new super highways the road infrastructure 40 years ago was not very different from what we have today for the country as a whole.

The outright statement of surviving a crash 40 years ago while referencing the current scenario is that what I am referring to and would still say opinions would differ and shouldn't sound factual as they could misguide readers.

Would love to know what your thoughts would be on helmets and seatbelts as well since people did survive crashes without them or the NCAP. How different do you find them?

Also disagree on the road infrastructure as depending on which part of the country you were in, highways and interior roads weren't as user friendly as now except for maybe the mainroads within a city. Appreciate in dropping it here in the interests of the thread but wanted to clarify my thoughts too!
Mods could move or delete these posts if this line of discussion sounds to be off topic to this thread, cheers...

[R_Gowardhan]

Really glad that you made it out unhurt and that the car could be recovered to its original shape without major bank damage.

As much as the discussion is treading towards safe driving, the point here being the unpredictable elements and human behaviour on our highways. In an incident like this, imagine what would have happened if the scooter guy actually came under the wheels? Have been in a similar near miss incident on a highway where a lady suddenly decided to cross a bounded highway, unmindful of any vehicle coming at her. While I simultaneously honked for a good 3-4 seconds straight, flashed the headlights and started progressive braking, the lady didn't bother to stop or look. She was in her own world. I managed to brake to near zero speed and stopped 1-2 meters before her. Unfortunately, a bike in the right most lane couldn't and dashed into her - throwing her atleast 8-10 ft away. The first presumption of the passersby who stopped to see what was happening was that my car hit the woman. It was only when they saw the fallen bike that I was "acquitted" from their perception.

That was the exact moment that I realised how important a dashcam would have been if my car would not have stopped in time. How things would have just gone south on me and there would have been no way to prove my innocence.

The dashcam was the first thing I ordered upon reaching home. I ordered a pretty basic memory card based Procus brand dashcam to start with @~2k. Better to have something than nothing at all. Highly recommended for everyone in a dilemma to invest huge sums in a sophisticated one. If you can spend the money, will advise to go for the better ones (I.e. 4G, 360 degree cam, night vision etc.) to save yourselves from the memory management and ease of access.

[RD150]

This thread is going to be an "eye opener" for many of my friends. My close friends keep trolling me for for my honking habits. They feel that the person riding/walking while crossing a road is very much aware of the traffic on road. But I still honk to make them aware, even on highways if I see a car crossing at a good distance away from me, I honk. HORN OK PLEASE

[Lowflyer23]

I'm happy for the OP to come out safe and sound from such a horrific accident. The thing I hate the most about our roads is that we have to cater for the safety of some idiots (mostly two wheelers) over and above our own. This "Jaldi se Nikal jao" attitude is what kills people at highway and railway crossings, people are so impatient as if they have a billion dollar deal to make and can't afford to wait 10-20 seconds.

I believe the topic of this thread is somewhat not very accurate as the OP had luck and the almighty on his side clearly that day. It's good that the car saved him, but some posts above just make the efforts of NCAPs irrelevant and it's that casual attitude of which some manufacturers take full advantage of. It's best to go for a well rated car even by extending your budget slightly and I'm surely not blaming those who get lower rated cars because of budget constraints.

[PrasannaDhana]

Glad you are safe.

But let us not give credit to the 2 star car here. Credit to LUCK or God's Grace is what I would call it.

It just wasn't your time.

We have faced a major accident in 1995, when our Mahindra Armada fell into a 30ft deep pit in the foothills of ooty. The car rolled 3 times but we came out unhurt, except for the driver who broke his nose.

It is not that the armada was a safe car. It was a barebones ladder on frame construction with safety in the least of its priorities when the engineers designed it. We were lucky!

I survived a very high speed motorcycle crash with just a broken arm and 6 broken ribs. I was lucky.

Luck gives us an opportunity to learn. I took a lesson from my crash:

Never overestimate your reflexes and skills to compensate for the lack of judgement and road sense of 70% of the population, who suck at riding/Driving or following rules.


Your accident may have given you similar lessons. And one more if you can agree with-

Buy a safer car next time when you are car shopping.

I have a 0 star car and a 2 star car myself in my garage. It was 6 years ago when I bought them. I have made it a point to get atleast a 4 star car when I replace them.

[ABHI_1512]

I somehow don’t quite agree with the thread title. First of all, glad that you survived the accident and you got your car repaired as well. But the situation could have been very different had there been a head on collision with something. Many factors contributed in your case and while it’s easy to comment but I know how you must have dealt with the accident since I have been through one myself.

While no airbag, no ABS car saved you, I for one, would not have survived without them. For a decent cruising speed of around 80/90 kms, a head on collision due to a truck swerving in front resulted in a horrific accident in my case. The airbags saved me and my friend and we both survived to tell the tale. Safety is paramount and airbags do saves lives.

Many factors should be considered in case of an accident. A car with 2 star rating comes with its limitations and I am happy those limitations didn’t become a hindrance in your case Bhaskar and that you continue to drive the vehicle.

Regards.

[sohu9]

OP, glad to see that you came out of this accident without any physical damage. Even though I don't like to honk, I think on our roads sometimes it is necessary due to the idiots who do not have rear view mirrors or could care less about the other vehicles on roads. As if it is our responsibility to ensure that they are alive!

The thread title implies that you are alive because of your car. That is certainly one way to look at it.

The other way to look at it is that you are alive in spite of the 0-rated car.

Am I the only one thinking that the thread title is misleading?

[JithinR]

The thread title seems a bit off. It's confusing a lot of our fellow members because in today age where everyone is agressive on social media it seems most of them are reading it as 'How even a 2 star NCAP car can save your life'. Even the impression of something like this on Team BHP is enough for the hounds to be unleashed on a poor guy who never thought along these lines.

However, on reading the OP experience (@bhaskarG, Hope you car is behaving as good as new sir and you have had no issues from it. Here is hoping that you get a lot more great drives out of it) it seems that it should read 'How I survived a crash in my beloved 2 star NCAP car'.

NOTE: Since the car in question doesn't have airbags I don't think it would qualify for 2 stars on GNCAP anyways.

[DieselAnna]

Wishing you a Healthy life ahead as I can see that you are one lucky guy who lived and remembered to tell the tale! Most people blackout during such incidents and don't remember what led to/happened during an accident.

Horns, Headlights and brakes are the only things that can save you and make you visible, if the person has wrongly gauged your approach speed. There are many "do not honk" campaigns but I don't find it practical. We have to do what we have to do to get the attention of a person, who is roaming on a highway as if it's their drawing room.

Good to see you have repaired the Car but have my reservations with the same. That's for another day.

Drive safe.

[Rambo-RS]

Originally Posted by BhaskarG

The Nemesis
I was inside, numb. My mind was active, but my body failed to respond. I could not move. I could see that scooter-dude in the distance, turning his head and running away. “How can that guy do that? Did I not just almost die to save him? How can one be so inhuman?”

I can literally feel these words sir !

Can't imagine the double shock you were undergoing,
1. the accident,
2. the person whom you tried to save, running away leaving you injured without even looking back.

Thank god you were buckled up or else things might have been worse.

Me too being a very young but confident driver (18 yo) thought horns are a nuisance and meant for noob drivers, but I will now be extra cautious while on road and honk even a bit extra just to ensure not only mine but everyone's safety.

Thanks for sharing this incident.

[MSC]

It is the best thing that you, your wheels as well as the idiot, all managed to get through.
This is the most bitter feeling when you are at loss for no fault of your own.
We are a long way from traffic rule observations. Overspeeding, No belts, no lane discipline, drunken driving, the list is endless.
We are unfortunately a nation where we wear helmets and belts to save a thousand rupees fine rather than saving own life. The pathetic and most linient driving licence issual in our country is one of major causes for the high fatalities.
Any bloke, high on alcohol and drugs returning from a late night out can very easily end up taking life of a sole bread earner of a family of 5. One KO directly and remaining 4 members indirectly. And to make matters worse, due to high contacts, he might even walk away without any punishment.
I live in a hilly state and I have myself seen people from all states, including local ones driving on narrow single lane roads as if there is no tomorrow. Wrong side driving, overtaking on corners on single lane roads, the list is endless.
Law? What's that if you are a high up? The one liner in hindi, " chacha vidhayak hai humare"(my uncle is an MLA), was not made without any reason.

It would be better if you can trade off you car with a better one as how muchever brilliant mechanic may work ok your car, the car will never be the same after a major shunt. Don't take me wrong, but that day Gods were with you, don't know what happens if something similar happens again. ( God forbids).

[VeluM]

There was a video news article recently about a biker who died when he tried to avoid a scooter just like the member in the opening post. There were two issues there, the scooter crossing despite seeing traffic on the main road, and the biker not fastening the chin strap on his helmet.

What caused the death - IMO the unfastened helmet. There will always be fools on the road, and these safety systems are there to protect one if the worst should happen.

A lower NCAP rating is something like an unfastened helmet in my view. It might save you if the situation is right, but then again it might not even in relatively minor accidents.

While I do understand that this is not the perfect analogy, I hope my point is apparent. I am also not suggesting that a 5* will guarantee your safety. 5*s will just ensure that the situations that can cause death or severe harm become less likely, and that you are more likely to be unhurt from common accidents.

I feel that the thread title can be misinterpreted, but the thread itself will clarify. Someone willing to believe something based off just the title likely already believes what they assume about the thread.

The OPs car should have been written off IMHO. It is going to be less safe than before, buy the exact same model new or pre-owned please.

[iamgyan]

The title of the thread caught my attention as it almost seems to justify that a 2star NCAP is good enough. In a country and a forum where we literally have to push so hard for people to understand the importance of car safety, this is misleading.

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

Your sharing will give valuable inputs to young driver-owners today that a NCAP 1 or NCAP 2 or NACP 3 car is not a tin pot crap as some derisively term it. After all in the 1950s to 1990s people did drive and accidents did happen and people did survive without NCAP. NCAP is good and we should strive for the best rating we can afford but we should not assume that a lower NCAP rating car is a death trap.

Sorry to say this but your comments here based on this incident seem too generalised and almost like a classic case of survivorship bias. The dead in such cases won't be posting threads here sir so you'll never know how many didn't make it for the one that did.

@OP looking at the damage and the missing and later repaired A-pillar, I wouldn't drive that car an inch no matter the emotional value it holds. You got lucky once sir, next time it may not be the same. Take a hint. Get a better car.

[armaan_singh]

I always stress that even a 0 star car is equivalent to a 5 star for someone who is upgrading from two wheels especially in the matter of safety. When anyone in my circle is about to buy a 2 wheeler (for commuting on a budget) I always tell them to instead even pick up a used Nano as an alternative on a budget. As we can see in this scenario, whatever be the case you're alive and fine to tell this story and that in itself is a testament to the above statement.