[srvm]

Originally Posted by TheHelix0202

Had a crazy incident yesterday, on NH-46. Just before the bridge after the Shell fuel station (or around there somewhere), there was this Santro that was doing around 70-90 kmph in the middle lane. There wasn't anyone behind us. We were doing 120 kmph on the right....
.....

That's one scary experience. Now, if you don't mind me giving a bit of unsolicited advice to you (and your dad).
I don't know where on NH46 you were and what the speed limit on that stretch is. But a point often missed by drivers, even skilled ones/ BHPians is 120kmph is too fast for our highways for precisely the reasons you mentioned in your post. We have jaywalkers, drunkards, mopeds, careless bikers, cattle etc. sharing space with us even on NHs. The thing is, even if the speed limit is 120kmph on that stretch of NH, it is the maximum allowed speed by authorities, not a mandatory speed to be maintained. You'll be surprised how much more time you would have at your hand (for thinking and executing an evasive maneuver) if you were doing 90-100 instead of 120kmph on that day. And you'll not be too late arriving at your destination either (we even have a separate thread somewhere in TBHP about this).

I remember seeing this placard in a railway crossing in my childhood & I'll never forget it: Its better to be Mr.Late than Late Mr.

To summarize, in your own words: So be careful out there, it's a crazy world, especially on Indian roads!

Originally Posted by JoeMichael

I've had my fair share of misses in the last 25 odd years of driving. The latest one was a couple of months back. I was driving back from Kottayam to Bangalore . To avoid the kuthiran stretch had taken Vadakkancherry - Alathur route where the roads are better but two lane and a narrow two lane at that.
It was around 6:30 in the morning , I was doing around 60-70 enjoying the empty road and morning greenery. But the whole day not just the morning was about to get really bad. Entering a blind curve , I found an interstate bus (Kallada) coming straight on - wrong side- overtaking an autorickshaw and that too no headlights / driving lights.
....

Dear JoeMichael, thank God you came out unscathed from this with only monetary damage. I've never driven in Kerala myself but have seen enough antics of buses (KSRTC as well as Private ones) while being a passenger in them or here in TBHP through videos posted by BHPians.

Don't you think doing 60-70 kmph in narrow 2-lane highways of Kerala, particularly around blind curves is asking for trouble?

Things could have so easily gone very bad had there been less space between shoulder & compound wall! Probably even feature in TBHP's Accidents in India thread. Drive safe brother.

P.S: Gosh! I'm starting to sound like BHPian Thad E Ginathom . All the same, because his comments usually make sense (more like common sense) to me.

[JoeMichael]

Originally Posted by srvm

...Don't you think doing 60-70 kmph in narrow 2-lane highways of Kerala, particularly around blind curves is asking for trouble?...

Not sure if I conveyed a wrong message , I was not doing 60-70 around a blind curve , the route I mentioned has quite a lot of straights and its share of curves and bends. I was doing 60-70 on straights and obviously on a blind curve , brake , gear down and proceed. Yes, If I was doing 60-70 , probably wouldn't be around to tell the tale

[tharian]

Originally Posted by glovins2004

I did swirl the steering to the left, pass him and once again swirl hard quickly to the right to merge with the road, I somehow passed him without a hit and now the drama begins. To my shock I totally lost control of the vehicle (Steering) for almost 6 to 7 seconds (VW Vento TDI), I tried to hold the steering straight, but the car was swinging from right to left and vice versa, it was like a “Z”. It took almost 7 odd seconds to get the car back in control. By god’s grace there was no other vehicles behind or close by, it was a scary moment until I got back full control.
I couldn’t exactly figure out the science behind this behavior (I’m sure the speed was no greater than 85 Kmph and some reason I did not slam the breaks). Also, I’m not sure if any other way to react or how to prevent losing control under such situations. If any thoughts and suggestions will be helpful. Thanks. Vino

You were lucky. The car could have toppled or jumped the divider or hit another vehicle in the process.
The reason was due to the sudden steering input at that speed. When you try to correct it, the back slides the other way. The tyres being worn can be a reason. Slowing down by braking will help. When the car looses control, momentum takes over.
This is my view, there can be other views and resolutions.

Originally Posted by srvm

.

Don't you think doing 60-70 kmph in narrow 2-lane highways of Kerala, particularly around blind curves is asking for trouble?

Driving below those speeds has it's risks too on Kerala roads. In other words, you need to be on your toes with 100% concentration when driving on Kerala highways.

[TheHelix0202]

Originally Posted by srvm

You'll be surprised how much more time you would have at your hand (for thinking and executing an evasive maneuver) if you were doing 90-100 instead of 120kmph on that day.

Apologies, it seems we were travelling at 107 kmph at that time, not 120. I wasn't actually looking at the speedo and just guessed on my part (when penning down my actual post though I had misgivings). It makes sense now, thinking back. The Santro didn't take long to reach us when we slowed down, so he must've been doing around 90-ish, with us just a bit faster. And yes, 120 kmph is quite a dangerous speed in this part of the country, we usually don't cross 110 and even that's restricted to the wide four lane stretch after Ambur, towards Krishnagiri.

[pganapathy]

Couple of months back was driving from Bombay to Bangalore. A three lane divided highway and in the right most lane doing around 100 to 120. There is a break in the road and some smart Alec from the extreme left decides he is going to turn onto the opposite side. I see him driving really slowly slowly from about 100 or so meters away and have my hands on the horn all the way. He just doesn't seem to stop moving across, and slowly at that. I then keep honking and hit the brakes. I eventually get to the divider in the road and there is a bike there. Somehow managed to get around the car and miss the bike. Everybody on the road is shouting at the driver but he seems disinterested. Possibly he was drunk. Lucky I didn't hit the car or the bike

[BenjiRoss]

This was a near-miss on the Chennai-Bangalore highway for me. For some reason I didnt see the big truck crossing the highway till it was almost too late. Maybe it was the flashing highway lights which blinded me or my own weak low beam (I have Osram Nightbreakers though) or the fact that the truck was not well-lit (its tail lights were working). Thankfully I had already started slowing and could easily go behind the truck without needing to stop.

https://youtu.be/9KHWORxHOuA

[TheHelix0202]

Originally Posted by BenjiRoss

This was a near-miss on the Chennai-Bangalore highway for me.

That was very dangerous indeed. The truck should’ve had reflective stickers on. And I definitely recommend a headlight upgrade, this is just too poor. Even the Rapid comes with a rubbish halogen reflector setup- I’m using Philips RacingVision and the high beam isn’t too great. Btw, which car were you driving?

[sridhu]

Originally Posted by BenjiRoss

This was a near-miss on the Chennai-Bangalore highway for me.

I have a feeling your headlights are not aimed correctly - if you were on low beam, it starts too much up the road

I would do that before I 'upgrade' headlights

[BenjiRoss]

Originally Posted by TheHelix0202

The truck should’ve had reflective stickers on. And I definitely recommend a headlight upgrade, this is just too poor.

I have Osram Nightbreaker Laser lamps which are about a year old. So really can't upgrade unless I go for a different rating etc.
Also the truck tail lights were barely visible from the side. Reflective stickers could have helped.

Originally Posted by sridhu

I have a feeling your headlights are not aimed correctly - if you were on low beam, it starts too much up the road

I would do that before I 'upgrade' headlights

I have had it levelled by Hyundai and locally twice at least. I usually use the dial to focus them a little longer on highways. Having them closer makes it even more difficult to see what's further away when driving at 80kmph on the highway. I'm not sure if i will get the same problem even if i upgrade.

[Rahul Rao]

Originally Posted by BenjiRoss

This was a near-miss on the Chennai-Bangalore highway for me. For some reason I didnt see the big truck crossing the highway till it was almost too late. Maybe it was the flashing highway lights which blinded me or my own weak low beam

Low beams are not meant to illuminate anything above 1.2 M near the car, and they have a falling cutoff line. On a divided highway with hedges to prevent light disturbing oncoming traffic you it is advisible to drive in high beam, and dip to low beam when there is a gap in the hedge, and when road curves to the LH where you risk blinding oncoming traffic even through the hedge. You also use low strictly when you follow another vehicle to prevent blinding the driver through the rear view mirror.

On single lane roads with sparse traffic use high, and when another vehicle approaches you dip to low when that vehicle's light starts to irritate you, the driver of oncoming vehicle will mostly dip as well, combined output from both vehicles, and ambient light is usually adequate to illuminate the patch in between. go back to high just before crossing point otherwise you tend miss something behind that vehicle.

You saw the truck when you closed on to it, you will not see a human or animal jumping out of the hedge till it is too late.


towards the end of the video where you switch to high and back to low it seems that you have focused a bit lower than standard.



Rahul

[BenjiRoss]

Thanks for the tips. This section has very few hedges and hence I was doing low beam. I rarely use high beams. A pedestrian jumping in can be very dangerous - you predicted it right. It almost happened that night - here is a clip later during that drive!

https://youtu.be/TM7OuDqXav4

I was driving in the middle lane and was planning to move to the right lane next to the median for an overtake and noticed the pedestrians trying to cross the road. I wonder if they were drunk! You can see the difference between low and high beams at that instant when i flashed the lights and honked. Another near miss!
I must consider getting the headlights and orientation checked or plan an upgrade.
Also, the dash cam clips are way darker than real life - so visibility is not as bad as it seems!!

[TheHelix0202]

Dear BenjiRoss, wow! You certainly have a knack for attracting the worse on TN roads. Very helpful that you capture heart attack moments like this. Google map images of areas like this would prove useful. Drive safe!

P.S- what dashcam are you using?

[JithinR]

Originally Posted by TheHelix0202

P.S- what dashcam are you using?

The dashcam model is given at the bottom center of the screen grabs.

[BenjiRoss]

Originally Posted by TheHelix0202

Dear BenjiRoss, wow! You certainly have a knack for attracting the worse on TN roads. Very helpful that you capture heart attack moments like this. Google map images of areas like this would prove useful. Drive safe!
P.S- what dashcam are you using?

I use a Viofo A119V2. I've got the GPS attachment with it. So you can see the gps coordinates at the bottom left. Punch it in Google and it will show the exact location.

Originally Posted by JithinR

The dashcam model is given at the bottom center of the screen grabs.

[McLaren Roxx]

Again proving a point why one should both Honk & Slowdown when approaching a blind turn. Always expect a noob to approach from the other end & prepare yourself to take evasive action.

Sharing a near head-on miss from a recent trip to Hassan.

https://youtu.be/DaVwOvQ0r6M