[MT_Hyderabad]

Originally Posted by Kottayamkaran

This happened with me yesterday while I was out on a morning ride. https://Youtu.be/vPpqQfJNBU8

Let me analyse this near-miss for you.

I hope you saw the Accidents in India thread recently where the Goa accident is being discussed. We have a similar situation here:

1. A lorry crosses a zebra crossing (intersection).
2. A speeding vehicle did not anticipate what could be behind this lorry and did not slow down at the intersection.
3. A slow moving vehicle (let's call it an auto) saw that there is nothing coming from that lane and initiates the turn.
4. A fast moving vehicle appears in the picture, when the auto driver cannot see it (neither in his rear view mirror nor if he looks over his shoulder), he has to focus on the oncoming lane at this stage.
5. The fast moving vehicle continues at the same speed, honks and gives warning.
6. The auto still merges into the lane.

I see only one fault of the auto (point 6) and two fault of yours (point 2 and point 5).

Hence, to keep yourself safe, I would request you to slow down at intersections. There could be some ignorant pedestrian waiting for the lorry to pass at the intersection and your silent vehicle could have been involved in something more serious.

The images below are not in chronological order.
First one shows that the auto cannot see you in the rear view mirror or even if he turns his head at 90 degrees.
Second one shows how one can easily miss someone crossing the road behind the lorry.

[anb]

A pickup decided to overtake a slow-moving Alto on a turn. I saw the pickup before the curve and stopped my vehicle to avoid the collision.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bOmFWhO4aw

A scooter joins the main road without checking traffic. There was just enough space for me on the left side to avoid an accident.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zc2svCam4GQ

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by MT_Hyderabad

I see only one fault of the auto (point 6) and two fault of yours (point 2 and point 5).

Hence, to keep yourself safe, I would request you to slow down at intersections.

The driver joining the road has the total responsibility to see and know that it is clear.

Can't see, didn't see are not excuses. I've been there and done that (looking at traffic coming the other way) and I totally accept responsibility for the accident.

But this I agree with: defensive driving teaches that every junction is a hazard, and should be treated as such.

[epiccross]

Honestly, why not slow down and give way instead of trying to just honk and expect them to clear the way? Granted, the biker had the right of way, and absolutely the auto guy should have looked, but it was clearly an intersection. Slow down at intersections. Let others pass. Let's say, had a pedestrian crossed suddenly (there was sort of a blind spot behind that Bolero), how could they have stopped in time? They had ample time to slow down. And the speed is too high for this narrow, interior road, doesn't feel like a 70+ road at all.

[MT_Hyderabad]

I don't know where to capture the incident that happened with me today.
I had a near miss, but the rider had an accident.

https://youtu.be/BwjLWBfOc8U

[Torq]

Originally Posted by epiccross

Granted, the biker had the right of way, And the speed is too high for this narrow, interior road, doesn't feel like a 70+ road at all.

Someone had commented here long long back, "right of way makes no sense while lying on a hospital bed"
I agree with the narrow road and high speeds.

Defensive driving increases ones probability of reaching home safe and sound.

[neoonwheels]

This happened while I was on way to office last year. Thanks to Octavia's braking power, I could stop in time. Most probably that guy was sitting on the tempo which might have braked hard. That guy just stood up and it was business as usual.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKWkJD1NbDk

[StopUnderrides]

Originally Posted by neoonwheels

This happened while I was on way to office last year. Thanks to Octavia's braking power, I could stop in time. Most probably that guy was sitting on the tempo which might have braked hard. That guy just stood up and it was business as usual.

You were following too closely. A 3 second gap should be kept unless you are in crawling traffic

[neoonwheels]

Originally Posted by StopUnderrides

You were following too closely. A 3 second gap should be kept unless you are in crawling traffic

Absolutely agree. I have changed my pattern now. At least 2 cars distance I keep these days. People now find this gap and get into it

[krishnakumar]

Originally Posted by neoonwheels

Absolutely agree. I have changed my pattern now. At least 2 cars distance I keep these days. People now find this gap and get into it

Good for you but sorry to nitpick. A better thumb rule than an "X car length" gap is to take an "X time gap" as the other BHPian mentioned.

You simply have to take reference of a stationary object on the road, a lamp post, tree or any stationary feature and measure what's the time gap from when the vehicle in front crosses that object and when your car crosses the same object. This has to be a minimum of 3 seconds.

This thumb rule is more widely applicable at whatever speeds you go. A 2 car length might be fine at 70kph but may not be sufficient at 100kph. The time gap removes this dependency on vehicle speeds and will work under all circumstances.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by krishnakumar

A better thumb rule than an "X car length" gap is to take an "X time gap" as the other BHPian mentioned. ...

Because stopping distance is speed dependent. One cannot say that a given distance is the right distance ---- but it is ok in, say, city traffic, which is always around/up-to certain speeds.

The most important thing is for people to have a good idea, at whatever speed they are doing, of how much space they need to stop in. This is driving experience, and it should be a pessimistic, rather than an over-confident, estimate --- even at single-digit speeds!

Never forget to consider reaction time. And to consider it with brain, not with ego.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by neoonwheels

This happened while I was on way to office last year. Thanks to Octavia's braking power, I could stop in time. Most probably that guy was sitting on the tempo which might have braked hard. That guy just stood up and it was business as usual.

The driving skill & reflex of the mini truck driver Couldn't help looking a little brighter side to the situation!!

[Gansan]

I am unable to make out where that fellow is falling from. From the preceding tempo, or is he a pedestrian knocked down by it? Is that a helmet rolling alongwith him?

[Bhokal]

Originally Posted by Gansan

I am unable to make out where that fellow is falling from. From the preceding tempo, or is he a pedestrian knocked down by it? Is that a helmet rolling alongwith him?

The rider's head/shoulder seems to have hit the electricity (?) pole. That helmet could be his phone or some other item he was carrying.

[MT_Hyderabad]

Originally Posted by neoonwheels

Most probably that guy was sitting on the tempo which might have braked hard. That guy just stood up and it was business as usual.

That guy parked his motorcycle on the left side of the highway and was crossing the road when this happened. The tempo braked hard after seeing him, but could not avoid collision.