[BhaskarG]

Originally Posted by govindremesh

21:05:18 - The disaster has now started and there is no stopping it. The Bus, truck and the bike are braking. The bus is nudging the biker further to the right but the biker has no space to go. This continues till the bike gets caught between the two heavy vehicles and then the inevitable happens.

I condemn the whole incident and hope these things do not happen again.

My observation is slightly different at this exact point of the video. I think that the bike is already ahead of the truck by now, but it is still continuing to brake. Truck is unable to brake so sharply and so it hits the bike. Once hit, the bike is now strangled between the two heavy vehicles.

Please take look again, and see if I have made a correct interpretation or not. Maybe I am wrong, but I think that finally the bike was marginally ahead of the truck (completed the overtake), and would have not got hit by the truck if the bike had not braked. Yes, the nudging by the bus was there, I am not debating that.

[swiftnfurious]

While I think the fault lies on the bus driver, I am forced to believe that the bikers invited it.

When I look at the video, the biker has NO reason to be in the middle of the road. Makes me believe that they was trying to slow down the bus intentionally by being in the centre, so that the bus couldn't overtake (It's an RC 390, so not a slow bike by nature; even with a pillion). The irritated bus driver overtakes thru the left and tries to bully; the bike hits the truck and they are a nasty memory.

Am a Keralite and we go by one thing - You NEVER EVER **** with a KeSRTC bus ! The bus drivers have timings to meet and I believe they end up paying a penalty if the timings are not met. The green ones (Express) and the Super fasts will dart to reach destination on time. Add to the horrible 2 lane highways, there's no way they'll take it lying down either. You see them - park your car on the side and let them go - there's no two ways about it.

PS: From my memory, any accident cases go on the MD of KeSRTC and not the driver - that's one reason they push it hard. However, a KeSRTC is good / as bad as the private buses - not massively different / reckless. I also have seen very dedicated drivers pushing the (useless) buses to keep up with (well maintained) private buses to get the extra passengers.

[igemini]

What made me surprised here is, there are a few of our fellow members trying to whitewash this murderer bus driver and trying to give him a benefit of doubt. Citing brake checking by the bikers etc. If that happened to anyone we know personally, then I doubt if people would still whitewash such acts.

Those who experience the way the bus drivers driving in Kerala, regardless of state owned or private, will realise how reckless these morons drive, giving zero value to their and other people's life. A vast majority of these bus drivers have some sort of criminal mindset at times, especially when their ego hurts on the road.

Since it's India, we could expect this driver to walk freely from all charges very soon. Again he will be back to work to commit more murders and casualties.

By no means, I said all bus drivers are bad or having criminal mindset. There are a lot of them are sincere good drivers who genuinely drive following the rules. But those kind are a type of endangered species and would be real gems in this era.

This doesn't means the cars, bikes and auto rickshaws are driving like saints in Kerala, if you know what I mean.

[GeeTee TSI]

An eye opener of a video and it has rightfully created an impact leading to an investigation being triggered and hopefully justice delivered

A takeaway for me is that the dashcam is so pivotal for safety and compliance, far from recording ones drive sightings. This incident pertained to another vehicle whilst there could be so many instances of proving one's own intent.

I feel all commercial drivers (starting with KSRTC where government I believe has an obligation for safety) should have a dashcam recording their driving and another one directed at their driver's seat. Compliance from the fear of being watched, along with evidence for gauging their driving habits and need for corrective training is paramount

It does not matter how many years of driving experience one has, how much of it has been done in a safe and responsible manner is what counts!

[antz.bin]

After contemplating on the video for a couple of days, here is my assessment.

What the bus driver did was criminal and he must be punished. Exemplary punishment should be handed out so that the underlying reasons for such behaviour could get addressed. But this does not mean that the rider of the bike was right in his approach. This is a clear example of road rage and the bigger vehicle won like it always does.

Over years of riding a bike on the Indian NHs, it is my philosophy that if I fall and get hurt, it is ALWAYS my fault. Regardless of what happened, I should have been prepared for any eventuality. I am on the smallest vehicle on the road and it is my own responsibility to keep myself alive. So I assume that everyone else on the road is trying to kill me and then I keep myself safe. One way of keeping yourself safe is to finish your overtakes fast and not make a dog's dinner out of it. If your bike has the power, do it fast. If it does not, stay on the left.

These guys were on a KTM (multiple versions saying it is 200/390). 8/10 odds are that it was at least 200cc. These are fast bikes and can definitely overtake a truck faster than any bus can. It can also keep accelerating even post overtake to make sure there is an adequate gap between them and the larger vehicle.

These guys were not on a 100cc econo-commuter and they had no business being between the 2 large vehicles when he could have very easily put a large gap between the truck/bus and themselves. Especially when just a twist of the wrist could have helped him avoid this situation altogether.

[rajeev k]

In the wake of this incident, the Kerala Motor Vehicle Department officials conducted night checks of KSRTC buses and several drivers were caught with banned substances in their possession, even concealed in their innerwear.

Whether action will be taken by the authorities concerned, remains to be seen.

[VinsWagen]

Originally Posted by harimkd

When such an incident happens, and you have dashcam evidence, the golden rule is to submit the evidence at the "right place and time”. However, as a government vehicle is involved, strong unions can divert the issue or turn things around. So I planned to make the visuals public first so that the issue should not vanish in the future.

Respects! That was something extraordinary you did. It may have been basic civic duty but I doubt if I would be able to do the same thing as you did. Besides, it really needs a cool, brave head to present it to the media first rather than to the private authorities.

Nothing much to say about the accident. Such a sad incident. Not uncommon. Yet, an extreme tragedy. Only if, they had fallen behind the wheels rather than ahead!

[sarathlal]

Incidents on roads (other than pre meditated murders) are accidents. In this scenario, based on the video, the bus driver played major part in causing the unfortunate incident resulting in loss of precious life. But the system should not let go the other aspects as well.

Truth is, every single occurrence we come across daily on road is not turning into an accident, majorly because of pure luck. Add to it is our system's nature of NOT treating non-serious traffic violations as violation of rules.

• We are 'OK' for pedestrians to cut across an express way because of 'inconvenience' of using foot over bridges.
• We are 'OK' for cycles, pedestrians and bikes to hop in and out onto the highways because of 'inconvenience' of using service roads/walkways.
• We are 'OK' for a heavy vehicle to slog on right lane, because of 'inconvenience' caused by the above left lane hoppers.
• We are 'OK' for a vehicle to overtake through left lane because of the above slow moving vehicle
• We are 'OK' for autos and bikes to travel on right lane with no tail lamp during night time.
• We are 'OK' for family of four on a bike to stop in the right lane to take a phone call

Just matter of time for any of the above to result in a catastrophic accident.

Add to this a good dosage of ignorance of technical aspects of road usage. To name a few;

• Not knowing what blind spot is; If one goes and stand next to the cabin of a lorry, the driver can't see you and will run you over if he/she's taking a turn.
• Not knowing that you cannot cut into another lane soon after halfway of overtaking manoeuvre; One needs to complete the overtake, and cut in only after having sufficient gap created. If one simply weaves in after crossing the A pillar of the vehicle, you are running huge risk of going under that vehicle. A small nudge of the bumper is all its gonna take
• Not knowing that bigger vehicles take longer time to brake/accelerate; On the contrary have seen folks jumping in front of speeding trucks expecting that stranger to take care of this fellows well being.
• Not knowing that its not OK to jump a red signal just because there is no cross traffic at a particular minute.

Sorry for the long rant, but seeing all these near misses happening all over almost every time, it just hurts to see that at the end, the loss is only for the ones impacted, and rest of the world moves forward as if nothing has happened.

Hope the system corrects itself and treats laws as law. There is nothing small or big about it.

[manjubp]

Unless someone files a PIL in high-count and seek all the reports and action taken, and court forces the stricter action, nothing is going to change. While Kerala has highest literates and highest number of strikes, I see no action or reaction to road safety. I stopped driving to Kerala and now use flight/train or Bus.

[v1p3r]

Good on you, OP, for releasing this strategically.

This inhuman stain of a driver should fry. Death penalty, nothing less.

[harimkd]

Update

After few days of this incident, police arrested the driver with light charges and immediately released him on bail. Media once again taken up the issue and covered the demands of the family members of the deceased to take strict action against the driver. Few channels conducted debates on this subject which provided some mass coverage for the issue.

Now, based on the public demand, Police department formed a special team headed by Dysp to enquire about the incident. They are doing the inquiry at a faster pace and hope all the facts will come out soon.

State Human Rights commission registered a Suo moto case based on media reports and asked Palakkad SP to provide a report within 15 days.
KSRTC decided to install CCTV cameras in their buses starting with some long distance buses. Officials told that this is done based on this incident and also mentioned that they will install CCTV camers in all buses in a phased manner.

Hope the two unlucky bikers will get some justice..

[Sarinkrc]

A very unfortunate tragedy due to road rage by the KSRTC bus driver. Had it not been for you the bus driver would have escaped the law and the fault would have fallen on the lorry driver. The lorry driver's fault is driving on the fast lane . Perhaps lack of lane discipline and zero knowledge of road rules. Another question ,Were the bikers slowing down the bus is a big question? In the video when the bus is trying to overtake they are pressing the brakes when clearly they cud have breezed pass the lorry and suddenly the bus swerved on them from the right and crushed them . Thanks to your dash cam footage the world knew the truth and I hope that the Ksrtc driver would be charged for murder for killing the bikers.

[naveen.raju]

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

Am a Keralite and we go by one thing - You NEVER EVER **** with a KeSRTC bus ! The bus drivers have timings to meet and I believe they end up paying a penalty if the timings are not met. The green ones (Express) and the Super fasts will dart to reach destination on time. Add to the horrible 2 lane highways, there's no way they'll take it lying down either. You see them - park your car on the side and let them go - there's no two ways about it.

Might be a case of "brake check" gone wrong for the bikers.

They are given insane /unrealistic timings so they have no option but to push for it. Best example is how they manage to reach TVM from Cochin in 3 hours with multiple transits. Without any break, I take minimum 4 to 4.30 hours to reach .

One thing I have noticed is that, when you are involved in an accident with a bus (private or KSRTC), the cops try their best to settle the case. I had this experience when I had the Swift. Absolutely no cooperation from the cops.

Heck even when they violate the rules, no action is taken against them and you get a ticket when you park a wee bit over the white marking on the side of the road.

Even though I have no hope, I seriously hope the family will get justice this time. Let that bring some sense to these drivers.

[GeeTee TSI]

Whether or not the bikers were riding in a 'sloppy' manner (not accelerating swiftly) or if they were deliberately slowing down the bus to give a piece of their mind, it does not give the right to the bus driver to endanger them.

This is a lesson for all of us in dealing with someone 'teasing' us on the road (even if so), we do not have any right to endanger them in a tit for tat. If that happens then the one who chose the unsafe move deliberately should be found guilty. We have some responsibilities while on the road, chief of which is to sense risks and avert them

[TheHelix0202]

Originally Posted by manjubp

While Kerala has highest literates and highest number of strikes, I see no action or reaction to road safety. I stopped driving to Kerala and now use flight/train or Bus.

One can be literate if they simply know how to spell out and sign their name. That doesn’t equate to being *educated*. Regardless, we’re the same country, and a very adamant one at that, when it comes to following rules.