[skanchan95]

Originally Posted by asit.kulkarni93

IMHO truckers are best on 2-lane roads.

I can't agree with you more. When I was based in Veraval, Gujarat, I found the truck drivers there to be very disciplined and helpful i.e following lane discipline, many of them would stop and offer help if your car broke down on the highway, wave you to go ahead if the traffic is clear ahead. All this on a two lane highway (like many of the state and national highways were in Gujarat a few years ago).

Later when these highways converted into four lane highways, the lane driving discipline was still there. I guess this had a lot to do with driving on two lane highways most of their lives where they had no option but to stay on the left lane. It was natural for them to move to the left lane after over taking.

Then when we moved to Mangalore in 2012, I found it extremely irritating when trucks and buses would hog the fast lane on four lane highways. I would honk and flash endlessly at them to move to the left, but they simply would not. You have no option left but overtake from the left.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by redcruiser

I think the police can easily trace the cab driver by looking at the CCTV footages.

The driver was arrested yesterday.

Source:Driver was going at 120kmph, lost control

[binand]

Originally Posted by skanchan95

You have no option left but overtake from the left.

There is that turn of phrase again.

One definitely has options. One can choose to drive following the code of conduct of roads and hope to have a productive career and personal life, raise beautiful kids who'd be among the next generation of nation builders, spend time with one's grandchildren telling them stories, being proud of their achievements, feeding them and putting them to bed.

Or one can choose to ignore all the wisdom collected over many decades of experience, some codified but many handed down by word of mouth (and keyboard, in fora such as this) and increase the possibility of being just a statistic; if one is lucky then it could be a quick death but often it is a miserable, bedridden life with irreparable bone damage, amputated limbs and shattered nerves.

One definitely has options.

[skanchan95]

Originally Posted by binand

There is that turn of phrase again.

One definitely has options. One can choose to drive following the code of conduct of roads and hope to have a productive career and personal life,

Surely one has options. In fact, if you read my post carefully, initially I was reluctant to overtake any vehicle from the left. But I learnt there is no way one can drive sense into such senseless truck/bus drivers to follow basic traffic rules.

And if one follows the rules strictly, and since the truck/bus will not budge from the fast lane, and one is not willing to overtake from the left, one will have to stay behind a truck moving at 30-40 km/h all the way to one's destination. Surely a safe option, but is it practical????

[FORTified]

Originally Posted by skanchan95

And if one follows the rules strictly, and since the truck/bus will not budge from the fast lane, and one is not willing to overtake from the left, one will have to stay behind a truck moving at 30-40 km/h all the way to one's destination. Surely a safe option, but is it practical????

We have to take the rule with a pinch [or more] of salt.
Busses/Trucks stick to the right most lane [overtake lane] and live there at 60 KMPH, while the legal limit on such roads is 80.
So, either we make sure that overtaking from left is safe and execute it
OR
have grand children by the time we reach home

[RajaTaurus]

When I returned from middle east and drove first time on Chennai Bangalore highway, I was trying to make each truck to move to the slower lane, succeeded in some only to be told that "why can't you go from left when there is space". Entire trip was real nightmare. Later after a few months of driving, I learnt to read the trucker's behavior and can now decide if he is going to move or keep going. Whit passing I just give a small honk and many even return it.! Like they say, "In Rome drive like Romans do"!
Peace prevails!

[rr_zen]

This was in today's TOI, Chennai. This is what happens when a novice tries to show-off his brand new car in front of his friends.

A car ploughed into petty shops on the busy Armenian Street in Parrys on Monday evening, leaving at least six people including two advocates injured.
The vehicle came to a halt after hitting a wall of St Antony's Church on the street. The injured people were taken to Stanley Medical College Hospital.
Police arrested car driver, Sekhar, 57, a senior clerk with Chennai Metro Rail.
Police said the driver stamped on the accelerator when he was supposed to slam the brakes.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/53607435.cms

The picture of the new damaged Ford Eco Sport was in the newspaper but not to be seen in the online version.

[arunphilip]

Originally Posted by rr_zen

Police said the driver stamped on the accelerator when he was supposed to slam the brakes.

Pedal mix-ups are sadly all too common, and is supposedly has a good psychological explanation.

When a driver is using the brake pedal to govern the vehicle speed where an idle speed will be sufficient to complete the chosen manoeuvre (e.g. parking), there is always the potential for a pedal mix-up. Their reasoning is as follows: "If the pedal I am using is making the car go forward, then the other pedal must make it stop." When a driver is startled and the vehicle has been recently started, a strong idle will often vault the vehicle forward and create the illusion of intended propulsion. The natural thing to do seems to slam a foot on the other pedal, namely the gas pedal. I have seen this happen in the driving school car hundreds of times, if not thousands of times, over the last three decades.

Such incidents are particularly common with senior citizens, where they often press both pedals, and one explanation offered is:

A physician ... maintains leg numbness is the main reason for the mix-up. When a senior loses the feeling in the right leg, it is very likely that the right foot will actually hit both the gas and the brake at the same time. The gas pedal will initially overpower the brake in this situation. This same physician believes he can predict who will be guilty of a gas-brake mix-up in such circumstances. The doctor believes there is a direct correlation between those older drivers who shuffle along while walking, instead of taking full strides, and those who will inevitably mistake the gas for the brake.

Source: everythingzoomer.com

This is why its good when manufacturers like Hyundai offer the feature where if the accelerator and brake are both pressed, the throttle inputs are ignored.

Of course, this cannot avoid errors where someone presses only the accelerator thinking its the brake!

A Japanese inventor has come up with an interesting invention to avoid such mix-ups: a single pedal that accelerates the car when pressed with the side of the foot. More importantly, when the pedal is pushed down, it always activates the brakes.

Source: NY Times

While a good idea, the likelihood of such a change receiving widespread adoption is highly unlikely. The thought of retraining all that muscle memory is tricky, let alone learning to finely modulate the accelerator with a twist of the ankle.

Originally Posted by rr_zen

The picture of the new damaged Ford EcoSport was in the newspaper but not to be seen in the online version.

The online version has a representative image of a Tata Sumo in an accident. Tata must not be impressed!

[Rugged]

It was 27th June 3:30 AM, usual time for me as i log out from work and head to home which is 20 mins away . It was drizzling already i just took a right turn on the uppal to Nagole road and was cruising at 30's when I feel a thud on my left, I could only manage a glimpse of a silver Indica Taxi through the corner of my eye.
In no time i am flying off the bike, landed on my back , towards right side of road. As i turned my head in shock, more horror was in store. I could see my bullet cruising unmanned going down the road like an unleashed bull, the wet-slippery and sloping road further added to its speed. It was heartbreaking to see my beloved bike veering away from me as it crashed into a stone wall on the LHS of road. I was more concerned about my bike than me, quickly got up and ran towards my baby which was still idling in pain.The idiot driver slowed down a bit, noticed that i was up on my feet and sped away, thereby losing my chance of noting the registration number.
A few passerby's stopped and helped me to take stock of the situation, an auto driver tried to straighten the bent handle, took out his tool kit and removed the crumpled mudguard between tyre and crash guard. May God bless these souls, who, at that hour of need helped me to recoup. They also recounted how this Indica taxi was racing with an i20.
I escaped through few scratches on my knees and elbows.
My saving grace was my bag, which cushioned my fall on my back And my biking gear (Helmet, Jacket, Biking gloves, Shoes) without which i don't ride my bullet !
Guy's i highly recommend you all to wear these essentials as you may never know what's in our fate. Rogues are plenty out there, else who would expect an accident while going at 30 kmph speeds?
Maybe luck was on my side, as I survived in a single piece to share my story with you guy's.
I have attached before and after pic's.
The entire front portion including shocks, skull, rim got replaced.
60% was reimbursed through insurance as it's a 2013 model.

[binand]

Originally Posted by skanchan95

one will have to stay behind a truck moving at 30-40 km/h all the way to one's destination. Surely a safe option, but is it practical????

I drive Bangalore-Chennai in 7 hours when others take 5.5-6 hours. The overhead of my style of driving is about 20% extra time.

[racer_m]

Originally Posted by Rugged

It was 27th June 3:30 AM, usual time for me as i log out from work and head to home which is 20 mins away . It was drizzling already i just took a right turn on the uppal to Nagole road and was cruising at 30's when I feel a thud on my left, I could only manage a glimpse of a silver Indica Taxi through the corner of my eye.
Guy's i highly recommend you all to wear these essentials as you may never know what's in our fate. Rogues are plenty out there, else who would expect an accident while going at 30 kmph speeds?

Let me guess, were you by any chance cruising on the right lane at 30 km/h as you felt the thud on your left. It was drizzling, and thats hardly a time to enjoy cruising and to be on your most alert mode.
Not to put the accident blame away from the car driver, but if so, to be safe you should ideally be on the left most lane.
Right lane slow hoggers are definitely one irritant on the road.

[Rugged]

Originally Posted by racer_m

Let me guess, were you by any chance cruising on the right lane at 30 km/h as you felt the thud on your left. It was drizzling, and thats hardly a time to enjoy cruising and to be on your most alert mode.
Not to put the accident blame away from the car driver, but if so, to be safe you should ideally be on the left most lane.
Right lane slow hoggers are definitely one irritant on the road.

Thats true !
As i said, i had just taken a U turn towards my right.
This taxi-culprit came in jiffy, i had no chance to check mirrors.
Will definitely be careful here on wards

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by skanchan95

And if one follows the rules strictly, and since the truck/bus will not budge from the fast lane, and one is not willing to overtake from the left, one will have to stay behind a truck moving at 30-40 km/h all the way to one's destination. Surely a safe option, but is it practical????

That is not at all possible. In such situations, you have no other option but to overtake from the left but one must be watchful if any other vehicle is coming in your way ie overtaking you from your left.
Watch out for vehicles through the rear view mirror and then overtake your hurdle that is moving ahead of you

[binand]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

In such situations, you have no other option but to overtake from the left...

Not again. :-)

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/stree...ml#post4031437

[honeybee]

I think we are deviating from the thread topic. No point debating here on the need or pros and cons of overtaking from the left as everyone other than you will do it and you will become a bottleneck for others. People overtaking from the left are not maniacs on suicide missions, and not everyone has to choose to sit behind slow moving morons all their time.

Let us move on to the main topic and if there are still opinions on this point then maybe start a separate thread.