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Old 25th November 2005, 09:49   #31
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Minardi
That bus looks more like MSRTC than KSRTC. Just defending my native state
Yes, I checked my trip logs and found that the photo was shot on 18th Nov, 2005, I was driving from Pune-Nashik-Saputara-Baroda-Ahmedabad stretch. It was an MSRTC. Sorry for the error..........

Me from Kerala too but I maintain that KSRTC bus drivers are as mad as any other state bus drivers ....... I have driven all over Kerala for about 15 years, those guys were maniacs, are maniacs and will reamin so for the foreseeable future.

-- Ramky

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Old 25th November 2005, 14:31   #32
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I had a similar experience yesterday on the ring road in Delhi at mid night. I was doing 80-100 KMPH when a @&^%$ of a cyclist came right in front of me out of nowhere riding in the opposite direction -no reflectors nothing. I slammed the brakes hard and the reason that guy is still walking the roads today is because my car skid badly out of his way. If I had ABS-that guys would have been history!
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Old 25th November 2005, 17:42   #33
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Ya man... really traffic conditions here in india should change. LOL in chandigarh which india gove call highways the traffic is more than normal roads and the speed limit is 65 LMAO... Alos a lot of Bhaiyaas who drive three wheelesr here have no sense...

Traffic rules in india needs to change but 1st change the bloody roads.. make them wider.

Phew everyday when i drive car....
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Old 25th November 2005, 17:44   #34
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Quote:
brainscooper


Maybe you can get your friends and relatives to learn some traffic rules from the excellent site maintained by the
Chandigarh Traffic Police
Man come to chandigarh you will see everything is fake... No body obeys traffic rules much and also traffic police that we all call thulaas. are minting money now days... They recently did worth 2 Crores Challans. and they want more money.....
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Old 28th December 2010, 16:52   #35
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re: How safe are our highways?

24th December, 2010. The worst day of my life. The day when I nearly killed my mum, aunt, uncle and my little cousin brother. I have never felt so much guilt weighing me down in just one day. I want to take responsibility for the incident, even though I was assured by everyone that it wasn't my fault. And I know that. But still, the experience has destroyed a part of me. The guilt has consumed a bit of my soul. I am not sure how long I will take to recover from what happened on the 24th. The day before Christmas. I am not severely depressed about it. But depressed nonetheless. Hurt. Broken. Guilty. Numb. Angry. Time is the best healer I guess. But I am relieved everyone is alive. Including me.

We left for a place Kumbakonam, somewhere in Tamil Nadu. The five of us intended to visit a few temples and return the next day back to Bangalore. I have about 7 or 8 years of driving experience. Although, 70% is city driving and the rest on the highway. We left Bangalore at 6:45AM and headed toward Kumbakonam after picking up my aunt's family. The drive was going good without any hiccups. Around 250km into the drive, we met with an accident. I was on the right lane on the state highway cruising at around 100-110Kmph. There were just two lanes on either side of the road divider. There was a lorry on the left lane and out of the blue he swerves to the right WITHOUT INDICATING OR SIGNALLING to take a turn at the gap in the median. At this point, I had very little time to react and I slammed the brakes. I usually pump the brakes in very quick succession so as to not lock the brakes up. I had learnt this technique a few years ago on a drive to the outskirts of Bangalore one night. Needless to say, I learnt it accidentally when I spotted an unmarked speed-breaker on the highway toward Nandi Hills in Bangalore. But sadly, this time around I was unable to because the lorry wasn't stationary and I had no control whatsoever. Unfortunately, the brakes locked up and the car went skidding straight and I ploughed right into the back of the lorry and the lorry driver had already braked. Had he kept his speed I probably could have swerved to the left and avoided the collision. There was no other vehicle on either lane for a good 100+ meters. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

I don't know if its just intuition or something else, a split second before the impact, I let go of the steering wheel and that saved me from getting badly injured. I got out of the car unscathed. But my uncle wasn't very lucky. He tried to hold the dashboard and the glass shards flying around pierced his left palm. He later complained of pain in his left leg. My aunt was in the back seat holding my cousin. The poor boy broke his left shoulder bone. She was in shock and complained of uneasiness. My mum bruised her right leg and foot and had a swollen chin. At this point, I was a bit taken aback and things were yet to sink in. I was upset that they were hurt and I wasn't. I began to get really mad at the godforsaken lorry driver. I lost it when he blatantly lied about signalling. I rained punches on his face. He was unapologetic and that made me even more mad. He tried getting away at one point and I had to drag him to the side of the road and rained some more punches. My folks were trying to hold me back and I wasn't willing to let go. Luckily, there was a gentleman from Bangalore who had stopped a few moments after the accident and he tried to pacify me. I knew it wasn't right to raise my hand. I didn't care about it. He deserved to have a few bones broken because of what he had done to us. There were a couple of locals who kept saying what if the other locals assembled and chopped my hand off. I dared him to call anyone he wants and I was ready to fight. At this point I knew it was low to say something like that. But in the next few minutes, I was overcome by anger and hate toward the bloody arrogant driver who wouldn't accept his mistake and apologize nor display any fear of getting into trouble. Finally, one of those arrogant locals calls for ambulance and the police. Before the police arrived, these locals kept telling us that it was the driver's fault. But the moment the police arrived, they blamed us and said I was right behind the lorry all the while. I felt sick to my stomach at that point. I was in a very good mind to break his face. I had to control myself. I managed to drive the car to the police station and reached a while later.

The police. My god. They didn't have just very dark skin. They had the darkest souls. Insensitive humans. Spineless. Faceless. Crooks. Thieves. Thugs. Rogues. Liars. I can go on and on. But what's the use? The driver accused me of driving rashly. This was expected. The owner's sidekick arrives and tries to boss over us because weren't locals. The police knew our weakness and so did the sidekick. But we didn't let that bog us down. The Inspector takes an hour to write down a rough draft of the FIR. He could barely speak a word of English and that made it even more horrible because our Tamil wasn't very fluent. But my uncle and I managed to convey our message. It took the police 4 hours to file an FIR. That too, they asked me to sign the FIR copy and promised to have the copy couriered to our Bangalore address. I fully knew this would prove very costly later. So I was adamant and demanded the FIR be filed right in front of me. The subordinate responsible didn't agree and said it would take an hour. When we protested he simply walked away because he knew he was trapped and didn't have a genuine reason. He kept loitering around for a while and my uncle began to get very upset. We raised our voices and said our child was hurt badly and needs attention. Finally, the inspector showed some decency and began the mountainous task of filing an FIR. Even then he was very reluctant to file the FIR because he found out that the lorry owner didn't have the documents or insurance for the rogue vehicle. We began breathing down his neck and he had to give in. 2 hours later the FIR copy is in our hands.

I have cut down on the finer details of the wonderful system that is in place in our wonderful country. If I have vent out my anger at what we went through, I would have to go on and on. I haven't mentioned what happened after this. But I can safely say, it was agony. It was a nightmare. This, ladies and gentlemen, is India. The land where great leaders and kings were born. This is the land of people who had great respect for themselves and for others. The land where people were honest and sincere. But that was eons ago. It was only in the history books. Honesty lies buried in moral stories. We can't tell from right and wrong. We can't be honest when it matters the most. We can never be honest for once. We are only interested in what benefits us. We don't care if that is going to be unfair to others. Maybe it is unfair to say this happens at a particular town or city. Something similar, but not so serious, has happened to me several years ago in Bangalore. So it just goes to show, India is the same whether you go up North or down South or East or West. This, my dear friends, is India for you.

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Old 28th December 2010, 21:17   #36
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re: How safe are our highways?

Vishwas, really sorry to hear your ordeal. Always thought that the entire Octy range had ABS/Airbags as standard.
Were you guys all buckled up ?

BTW, that truck was illegal, it does not have that mandatory crash barrier near at the rear end, which are precisely for preventing these kind of impacts.
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Old 28th December 2010, 21:27   #37
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re: How safe are our highways?

@Sajo: Thanks so much for your support. Yes Octy has ABS/Airbags as standard but I am puzzled as to why it didn't work. But then on the bright side, I don't have to shell out a couple of lakhs on getting it fixed. Yes, we were buckled up. I always do. I annoy friends and family until they buckle up. Even if its in the city. I was always mocked at, laughed at, made fun of because I insisted on wearing a seatbelt in a car or wear a helmet while on a bike. I was the butt of everyone's jokes about how "cautious" I am on the road. It hurt initially that I was being sensible and yet was laughed at. But today when I showed them the pictures, there wasn't a single friend who had the courage to laugh at me for buckling up. I guess I proved my point. Had it not been for the seatbelt, I wouldn't have been alive today. Neither would my uncle, who subtly snubbed me when I kept reminding him to buckle up. He's been thanking me ever since the accident that I saved his life. Luckily the little cousin of my was parcelled off to the back seat because he'd been very, as usual, mischievous. I can't think of what would have happened to him had he been in the front seat with my uncle.
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Old 28th December 2010, 21:31   #38
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re: How safe are our highways?

Ok I must have accidentally deleted my previous post.

@Sajo: If you get the update, please can you pass it on to me? PM me. Don't quite remember what I typed just a few moments ago! Lol
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Old 28th December 2010, 22:07   #39
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re: How safe are our highways?

Vishwas,

I am sorry for you and your family about this very bad experience. It should have been an horrifying emotionally.

The airbags in cars dont get inflated till the sensors get activated. It depends on where the sensors are located.

By the way, as per the traffic law, "who ever hits the rear of vehicle in front is at fault" i guess.

They say this & also argue that "the guy behind was not maintaining a healthy distance, hence the accident"

I wish you get the strength to put this behind fast and carry on. There is so much in life otherwise.

Last edited by nandans2005 : 28th December 2010 at 22:09.
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Old 28th December 2010, 22:52   #40
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re: How safe are our highways?

I feel very sorry about the incident. I came to this thread to say about how unsafe our highways are and your article just explained it. Sometimes its better to show off the anger by forgetting all those rules of engagement 'cos in india we still dont know the value of a life and we take so many chances everyday.

The worst part is we never have the habit of admitting the mistake, sometimes when you see people's reaction even after their mistake it surprises about how they were able to react instantly with such false face. About the police station, i can just feel like Im there when i read the article. With the language barrier and in an unknown territory, man it makes you feel like killing everyone around you.

I wish to see you getting out of it soon, which is surely a big challenge, but thats the only option.
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Old 28th December 2010, 23:42   #41
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re: How safe are our highways?

Its an unfortunate incident. But I really cant sympathize with you cause you went on an outrage and assaulted the lorry driver which also brings yourself down to his level. I feel sorry for your relatives and family none the less. You ought to realise that you're just darn lucky that the locals did not turn into a mob and attack you and your family there. What do you think you could have done if things went ugly? Do you think you would have been able to defend yourself and your family? What you did was never the wisest thing that someone should do in such a situation.
Imagine what would have happened if the owner of the lorry got the lorry driver admitted in a hospital and gave a complaint and statement to the cops that you had beaten him up resulting in injuries and his hospitalization? You would have been running around courts and would have had jail time by now.
Its a known fact that lorry owners and cops have an unholy relationship and its better not to try and confront them in such a way.
And had you honked before overtaking the lorry? You might say that the lorry driver should have looked in his RVM before doing the maneuver and that he should have signaled. Yes he should have done that, But this is India and you should always anticipate that its a retard or illiterate who's behind the wheel of a commercial vehicle most of the time and you can never be sure what tactic they will show up. You can never be too safe on the road.
And is 110kmph on a highway legal? As far as my knowledge goes its 80kmph max on the NH throughout Tamil Nadu which is further restricted to 40kmph when passing through inhabited areas and in the school zones its 30 kmph. Had you been doing 80kmph, none of this would have happened as your hard braking would not have got the wheels to a lock up and skid.
And like somebody already said, The lorry people have got the advantage here as you have hit from behind, Plus they can easily get some witnesses to testify against you in court as they are probably locals and you have no connections there.
You should know that you were also a contributor to the accident here.
And we have the beautiful system like we have in place, Because everyone is busy running after his rights and needs but least bothered about his duties. How many of us in here really make it a point and go caste a vote in the general elections? How many of us raise a voice against an unfair thing which happens before our very own eyes, but we actually need not care for, since it might not seem to matter us directly? How many people pay their taxes honestly. How many people bribe the system to get an easy way out. My friend we all are responsible to a great extent for the unfair things happening around us because at some point of time we all failed and keep failing to do something for the country.
And I'm not saying all this to offend you. I just say what I feel straight- In the face. You may like me or might feel like punching me, But I still will have my word up.

Last edited by jalex77 : 28th December 2010 at 23:53.
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Old 28th December 2010, 23:54   #42
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re: How safe are our highways?

@vishwas: Really sorry to hear that - had goose pimples imagining the incidence. If its' any consolation - you did extremely well!

The lorry taking a U-turn from the left-lane has happened to me on Mumbai-Nasik-Agra highway, in the middle of the night. It wasn't even a median, just a section with no dividers. Bad memory.
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Old 29th December 2010, 05:38   #43
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re: How safe are our highways?

vishwasvr - Thank your lucky stars that you are safe.
This may sound bad - but traffic laws state you are at fault for the accident as you have hit the lorry from behind (as far as i can deduce from the pictures).
The lorry is at fault for - 1. not having a rearguard 2. for taking u turn illegally.
On top of everything - those nonsense cops take the crown for their devilish attitude. How can someone stroll around doing nothing when a child is at excruciating pain? what has become of humanity?
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Old 29th December 2010, 09:15   #44
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re: How safe are our highways?

Hi Vishwarv,
How similar accidents could be!!!!!
I was on my way to Vaillankanni from madras on the ECR(2001) when a sand laden lorry got in from a lane and immeditely took a right turn inspite of me sounding my horn ,the fault also lay on me that i was doing 120+ in my M800..we all survived and I learnt my lesson that day.I never cross 100 even now in 4 laned highways in my scorpio.After the incident the lorry driver and cleaner vanished.I picked up two stones broke both his windshield and continued.
None of us were hurt even and i could continue on my pilgrimage...sheer grace of god.Car suffered minor damages .
Sorry to note that your folks got injured and i can empathise with you .
But, this incident will make you a better and safe driver, mark my words.

Happy New year and thank God for surviving .
cheers
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Old 29th December 2010, 13:10   #45
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re: How safe are our highways?

Quote:
Originally Posted by jalex77 View Post
Its an unfortunate incident. But I really cant sympathize with you cause you went on an outrage and assaulted the l...
.....
.....
And had you honked before overtaking the lorry? You might say that the lorry driver should have looked in his RVM before doing the maneuver and that he should have signaled. .
I totally agree with you here The lorry driver is not at fault. There was a median in the divider.
There was a steering wheel in his hands.
He turned the steering wheel and the lorry started crossing the road.
It was all the steering wheel and medians fault, and also the fault of the car driver.
Instead of braking why did he not press the jump button and jump over the lorry? What kind of car drivers we have here.
First they do not jump over lorries, and then they blame the lorry driver for the fault of the median and steering wheel.
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