[Thad E Ginathom]

yesterday, around 10pm on dimly-lit roads, I turned right, across the path of an oncoming bike, as I judged that there was time and space, and I would not get in his way. I was shocked to find an unlit, overtaking biker coming at speed.

It was close enough for an involuntary expletive!

[ankan.m.blr]

Bangalore autos are unpredictable. I had a close call today.

https://youtu.be/qji95xz4cj4

[Samba]

Managed to save these guys on the scooter just by few inches. They simply decided to come out on the middle lane from in-between two stationary buses even without checking the traffic!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YP0K0M0qOAA

[Funny]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fy1MC0y8Dcc

Footage from today morning while driving around in Namma Bengaluru around 7.30AM (Dashcam timestamp is wrong). The driver was too busy attending a call on his phone that he didn't even bother to indicate or check the mirror while making that reckless lane change maneuver. He didn't even bother to apologize or look sorry when I gave him the stare while overtaking, obviously he was still on the call at that time holding the phone against his cheek. Educated private car owners behaving like typical reckless cabbies nowadays

[anjan_c2007]

Now check this one. A truck with trailer, loaded with steel sheets on the Mumbai-Pune expressway, near the Lonavla ghat starts rolling backward due to presumed brake failure as the report says. However, the driver saves the day ultimately.

https://twitter.com/fpjindia/status/...kmARKr8-A&s=19

It shows a failure on the part of either the owner who cares two hoots for periodic maintenance or the respective RTO where it is registered where fitness tests are mandatory.

And the commercial vehicles need fitness certificates every two years till eight years and every year thereafter.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by anjan_c2007

Now check this one. A truck with trailer, loaded with steel sheets on the Mumbai-Pune expressway, near the Lonavla ghat starts rolling backward due to presumed brake failure as the report says. However, the driver saves the day ultimately.

I suppose, as with any smaller vehicle: Footbrake... handbrake... turn the engine off and put the thing in gear. Handbrake, even on cars, often needs adjusting, but vehicles that drive on ghat roads are surely not going to get far without a working handbrake. Disclosure, I've never driven anything much above 15ft on land (44 on water).

If the clutch fails at that point? Well hey, when is everything ever going to fail?* Turn the steering so that the vehicle stops against the side. I guess the driver hadn't reached that point.



*Apparently it happened to my mum, on a steep narrow turn in a small town. I don't know how she came out of that with no damage to any house or car, but... she knew magic

[clevermax]

This happened on NH66, between Trivandrum and Attingal. Since I spotted him right on time, I could brake smoothly to cut down my speed from about 90kmph to some 25kmph. This could have been worse, given the situation I was in. There was a biker guy behind and he was looking for a chance to overtake me.

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

[Thad E Ginathom]

Complete idiot, that biker, not figuring that you might have to swerve right.

Biker lore? What to do when the person in front is almost doing an emergency stop: overtake them.

[clevermax]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Complete idiot, that biker, not figuring that you might have to swerve right.

Exactly. He had ample time to decide whether to slow down or just overtake me. Had I swerved right - which can happen with any experienced driver in a panic situation - it would not have ended well for the two of us.
As I recall the incident, somehow I didn't get the impulse to swerve right. The 'driving center' of my brain sensed danger in doing so

[RRM]

Originally Posted by Funny

Footage from today morning while driving around in Namma Bengaluru around 7.30AM (Dashcam timestamp is wrong). The driver was too busy attending a call on his phone that he didn't even bother to indicate or check the mirror while making that reckless lane change maneuver. He didn't even bother to apologize or look sorry when I gave him the stare while overtaking, obviously he was still on the call at that time holding the phone against his cheek. Educated private car owners behaving like typical reckless cabbies nowadays

This is so common in cities particularly taxi ones (white board is also no less). The same scenario that you have shown is even worse on highways in some cases. The desperation to change lane is so high that the driver wants to somehow get into the right/left lane without even gauging the speed of the vehicle coming from behind, let alone the proper signal. OfCourse as a good practice, 3/5 times the side mirrors are kept folded or not adjusted or not used. I have had such misses due to lane jumps

The moment I see a group of cars trailing trucks/trailers etc on highways, with the anticipation that someone will jump the lane without a remorse, I take off the leg from the accelerator and for sure at-least 2-3 will immediately cross into the lane as if it's the last chance!

In another instance, which cannot be forgotten (15+ yrs. back). I was riding a 2-wheeler (Honda CBZ) and there was an auto in front of me. At a junction, suddenly I saw a khaki color leg popped out of auto on the right side, as a hand (leg) signal to turn right. I happened to see and hence avoided a hard braking or a potential collision. I had a safe distance maintained somehow. Later realized that the auto's accelerator wire had broken, and the driver had tied the wire to the frame rod behind him and was pressing and leaving the wire to increase or reduce the speed! No one beats Indians on jugaad After this incident I never forget to watch the auto's left or right side for leg or hand signals and also always keep a safe distance than ever used to. Indicators in auto is a joke!

Year 2020, I started from the Bellandur (ORR office) office at 4 pm to avoid the later traffic due to office buses exiting the campus as well as the traffic coming from Marathahalli side. I crossed the flyover and there was a block in front of me. Came to a complete standstill

I was standing just next to the footpath with gap between vehicle and the footpath was enough to just walk past. From the left side view mirror, I noticed a bike coming in full speed, down slope from the flyover. Something in my mind said - this guy is going to crash on me. The moment he came near, braked really hard and hit the rear left tail-light and fell on the footpath. Luckily, he was wearing a helmet

As all traffic was standstill, I quickly went back and made him to stand. He has no injuries or anything and was ok. The rear left tail-light was slightly damaged and a scratch on left side panel, near the light

I asked him - what was the hurry and he said that when he was coming down, he anticipated that he could cross from my left side easily but as he came close, realized that it was an incorrect anticipation and hence the subsequent events happened

He realized his mistake and was quite apologetic of what happened and said he can make it for the damage. I politely declined and ensuring he was able to ride, we both parted. I was very happy that nothing happened to him and least damage to my car!

Indian road driving teaches so many valuable lessons and improves anticipation drastically while driving!

[anjan_c2007]

“In the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, an erroneous proviso Rule 93( 8 ) allowed the plying of vehicles carrying protruding loads on roads upto one metre,” says Save LIFE. In 2013, the NGO filed a writ petition in the Apex Court to strike down the provision and implement a ban on vehicles carrying protruding cargo. The proviso Rule 93( 8 ) has ever since been struck down by the Apex Court.

Despite a blanket ban on carrying of protruding and dangerous materials beyond the body frame, various vehicles including trucks, tractors and animal-pulled carts, are openly flouting rules on city roads, National as well as State highways under the nose of concerned authorities.

I was trailing this truck with protruding goods on a local road, loaded with metal frames for stage support and bamboo poles that have sharply cut ends. Though I maintained a safe braking distance, this is not always possible for every trailing vehicle. There have been losses of thousands of human lives due to these protruding objects penetrating the windscreen of the trailing vehicle and entering into the passenger cabin.

[Pequod]

Had a near miss today, dashcam footage below. Right at the beginning, cycle rider cuts into the road - nonchalant, casual and not in the wee bit bothered about his own safety.

https://youtu.be/2r-fk5Qo16k

[StopUnderrides]

Originally Posted by RRM

He realized his mistake and was quite apologetic of what happened and said he can make it for the damage. I politely declined and ensuring he was able to ride, we both parted. I was very happy that nothing happened to him and least damage to my car!

By declining money from him you encouraged his behaviour since there wasn’t much penalty for him beyond self damage

[MT_Hyderabad]

Another fool breaking the rule when everyone is following the traffic ahead.
He came dashing, went back dashing. Then sanity prevailed in me and to save him from the oncoming monster truck, gave him a safe passage.
I could have braked in the first instance, but that would have been dangerous considering the cars tailgating me.

I don't know why people do this. The road ahead was still clear, he could have just continued rather than forcing me to brake dangerously.

https://youtu.be/WFA70XZlQzY

[StopUnderrides]

Originally Posted by MT_Hyderabad

I don't know why people do this. The road ahead was still clear, he could have just continued rather than forcing me to brake dangerously.

https://Youtu.be/WFA70XZlQzY

One can’t and shouldn’t worry about idiots who are bent on killing themselves. On the road decisions need to be taken in split second. Protect yourself first and then think of saving the idiot.
I was more worried about the red car bullying you to the left since there was a JCB on the shoulder.