[driving_smartly]

In some of the accidents occurred at night the high speed moving vehicle's has banged either a stationery Truck/Bus parked on left hand side OR a slow moving truck which does not have working tail lights, even basic reflectors are missing which could have avoided the nasty collision.

I my self have been caught in this situation few times where it is very difficult to identify or see a slow moving truck without working tail lights or zero reflector on back side.

In such scenarios where sudden brakes are applied, if the driver and co-passenger are using seat belt i am sure the head injuries can be avoided to a maximum extend.

Also there is poor coverage of reflectors on side of rails in Lonavala and Khandala area which at night can create a blind spot

A couple of accidents near Urse toll naka, where the vehicle coming from opposite side had front collision after crossing the rail/divider and poor souls lost their life's even without their mistake.

Question is how serious will authority take this report work and towards saving precious life's lost.

[nim_peter]

Lane discipline alone can reduce so many accidents. Slower vehicles, lorries, buses should stick to the left or middle lane. The faster vehicles in that case don't have to cut lanes to overtake. Also I've seen so many times the slower vehicles don't drive straight, just when you're about to overtake, they move towards you, creating a panic situation. I think most accidents happen, trying to avoid such maniacs who can't stick to his lane or drive straight. I will even say some drivers do it on purpose just to bully you or they hate being overtaken.

[sschivate]

I am glad someone is really studying these accidents, instead of blaming everything on burst tyres. I, for one, firmly believe that the tyres burst after the driver loses control and hits the divider/crash barriers. I am surprised how all tyre manufacturers are taking this blame lying down...

[skyrocket003]

Originally Posted by nim_peter

Lane discipline alone can reduce so many accidents. I will even say some drivers do it on purpose just to bully you or they hate being overtaken.

+1 to that. I remember being on the passenger seat (with my carpool friend) on the fast and dangerous NH8 from Delhi to Gurgaon. Insane car drivers would just zig zag past each other without caring about the ones following lane discipline. Its like they are all into a fight for supremacy saying to the one being ovetaken "I am better than you, yeah!" Lane discipline can cretainly reduce the number of accidents happening on expressways. Drive Safe !

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by sschivate

I am glad someone is really studying these accidents, instead of blaming everything on burst tyres. I, for one, firmly believe that the tyres burst after the driver loses control and hits the divider/crash barriers. I am surprised how all tyre manufacturers are taking this blame lying down...

+1.

I also hope the state goverment gives such reports a boost by publishing in various media and make people aware of the numbers / root causes and urge on the need of safety devices and options.

Even better if they can get the dealers to highlight such news in their showrooms.


I see a lot of blame on zig-zagging! Now, don't those who stick on to the right most lane at slower speeds deserve a heavier belting? If they move to the left lane when they see a faster vehicle in their rear view mirrors, that would be better as well. I for one, don't usually keep to the right most lane unless I am overtaking.

I have come across numerous morons who drive slower on the right most lane, would NOT budge at any cost even if you honk / flash indicating you wanna over take. What choice do people like me have then?

[luvDriving]

I happened to visit Thane yesterday via the YC Express way. Driving in the rainy season is indeed a beautiful experience since the entire scenery is green all around the express way.

Apart from that, driving while returning to Pune was a horrible experience. Some points that I wish to rant about:

1. People stopping theirs cars on the left shoulder in the ghat section to observe the waterfalls. This was not one or two or even 5 cars, the entire stretch was filled up and one whole lane blocked as a result. Where are the patrol teams ?
2. As usual, a whole mess of trucks in all the lanes driving at extremely slow speeds forcing all other vehicles (including Shivneri) to zig zag. I tried to stick to the middle lane as far as possible but alas I had to indulge in such driving to get out of the mess.
3. Cars being driven in the rightmost lane at speeds of 60 kmph and not giving way to anyone, again forcing all fast moving vehicles to move to middle lane to overtake. Rather some superfast moving vehicles decided to stick to the left lane due to this reason.
4. Why cannot anyone stick to their queues at toll booths ? I say pick a lane and stick to it. At least do not change when you are nearing the booth.
5. Most drivers cannot stick to their lanes in the ghat section. Now some leniency is possible but why venture in another vehicle's lane just to make the turn ?
6. I was in the fast lane in order to overtake a mini truck. An alto was following this mini truck and I am sure he saw me coming in the fast lane. Yet he chooses that very moment to overtake the truck and more irritating was that the alto decided to stick to the fast lane even after overtaking the truck !!

The drive to Thane was a breeze with light traffic but the return journey required a very cool head. On a side not, I did not see a single patrolling team or jeep over the entire journey.

[Figopian]

I was coming back from Mumbai airport to Pune yesterday afternoon and saw the Tavera accident site, just after the accident - around 2:00 PM, looking at the sorry state of the vehicle one could easily guess the accident was fatal for a few.
Coming to the point, I observed a few things while seating back in my cab -
1. Increased number of 2 wheeler on the road, I might have seen almost 20-30 2 wheelers but definitely I did not count.
2. A "Delta force Police van" (or some similar name) crossed the divider, entered into the Pune side road around 50 meters ahead of our car, zoomed into the left most lane and continued towards Pune. This was after the Tavera crash site. I observed the driver was talking on his cell phone held in right hand and put on the left ear to hear with only left hand on steering wheel, all the while when he was doing the crossing stunt on E-Way. The divider had an intentional break at that site must be for these policewalas to turn around.
3. The lights in one of the tunnels not working at all
4. So many people stopping along the road to enjoy (not just enjoy but to bath) the waterfalls and for a loo break ( I mean c'mon, cant you hold for 15 mins to reach the next foodmall or something??)
5. Lots of trucks parked alongside the E-way
6. The fence alongside the E-way has been broken long time back, now even the cattles are so dangerously close to the highway, what happens if they start strolling along the high way?


It is utter disgusting to let this happen on the killer highway!!!

[alpha1]

Originally Posted by sschivate

I am glad someone is really studying these accidents, instead of blaming everything on burst tyres. I, for one, firmly believe that the tyres burst after the driver loses control and hits the divider/crash barriers. I am surprised how all tyre manufacturers are taking this blame lying down...

I am quite confident that in may cases tyre burst may actually be the cause.
Allow me to explain.

There are two fuel bunks on the expressway. One on either side of Lonavla.
Which means vehicles would've been traveling about 50 km at 80 mph from either terminal point (Pune or Vashi-Panvel). This is a key point.

Now what do I see at the fuel bunk? A LOT of vehicles filling in air/nitrogen.
The tyre probably had 30 psi pressure at the start of journey. Because of the heat generated while running, the tyre pressure right now is 40-45 psi.

The dispenser instead of filling air actually leaks it to bring the tyre pressure to the 30 psi set point.

So what do we have now? An under inflated tyre!
The less inflated a tyre is the more heat it generates. A very high pressurized tyre which is rock hard will produce the least amount of heat.
Most of the tyre bursting incidents happen with under inflated tyres. Not over inflated tyres.

What do we see here? People perhaps had proper tyre pressure, but they bled the air to meet 30 psi figure. But their mistake is that the 30 psi figure given by tyre companies is for a cold tyre. Not a warm tyre that has been running at 80 kmph for the past 50 km!

[sschivate]

Originally Posted by alpha1

The dispenser instead of filling air actually leaks it to bring the tyre pressure to the 30 psi set point.

Appreciate quoting on an older post!

I agree with the observation here. I, for one, have never filled air on the highway, NH or E-way. However, until we have the co-relation established between filling air on the E-way and accidents involving tyre bursts, I will hold on to my opinion

[ghodlur]

As expected the extended weekend caused the huge traffic jam at the Khopoli and Urse toll plazas on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. The sudden flood of vehicles proceeding to Mumbai and Pune caused a 5 kms traffic jam on the toll plazas. Even the politico Sharad Pawar wasnt spared of the jam and was caught in it. The expressway patrol police started the jam clearing action and in the process a few lucky LMV's were allowed to pass without paying the toll. The same situation migght reoccur on Mondays. So people travelling on the route on Monday, take care and plan to leave early.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/40311692.cms

[yatrik]

Originally Posted by ghodlur

The expressway patrol police started the jam clearing action and in the process a few lucky LMV's were allowed to pass without paying the toll.

Everyone was allowed to pass without paying the toll, Even the Mumbai-bound cars were let go without paying the toll at the Khalapur toll plaza. Also on the ghat section where it was a major jam, I counted atleast 15-20 cars stalled.

[turbodude]

Today morning I left chinchwad at around 6 am to reach my navi mumbai office by 8.30 am. There was no sunlight visibility till 6.40 am (till I reached the Talegaon toll plaza).

I was most annoyed by the truckers and travel buses. Truckers were travelling on left and middle lanes, some in the top lane. I had a hard time because everytime I encountered a truck in middle lane in which I drive most of the time; I had to look back for fast going cars (read - 160 kmph and above) and then take a decision.

Police patrol is useless because I even saw 2 wheelers which go from the leftmost side happily. Most of the trucks I saw, did not have any tail light or stickers on back side. I saw one overloaded truck when I was nearing Panvel and I was wondering how did it pass from toll plaza. It was overloaded with grain sacks and it felt like entire truck can overturn anytime soon.

Since couple of months, 1 lane between Talegaon and Lonavla has been closed for maintenance work and driving in that patch is also a nightmare. The GO SLOW board is for loosers it seems to me. Everyone was driving by at least 100 kmph in that zone.

Lane cutting is another major issue. Most of the fast going cars go from left to rightmost lane within a second. No fear of law at all. All scorpios, taveras, XUVs, BMW, Audi, Fortuner go by at least 120 kmph speeds and bully small cars.

They take 195 Rs. toll but it cannot be justified. Its the most unsafe highway in Maharashtra. Old 4 lane mumbai pune highway is pretty safe because you cannot drive on that even with 100 kmph speed. Its secured with speedbreakers and you are forced to keep speeds low.

[ameyawaghmare]

Thanks to the traffic pile up in the night hours in the ghat section, I have taken the oild highway (only for that stretch) and enjoyed the drive.
If you are going from Pune to Mumbai in the night hours ro early morning hours when truckers are still present, try taking the Lonavala exit, cross the entire town and as you move ahead after the Khandala Rajmachi point, you will experience how swiftly you have crossed the Amrutanjan bridge from the top while all vehicles below you are in a long long queue.
The road again connects to the expressway after Amrutanjan bridge and I have found it to be relatively fast moving after that point where you connect on the Eway back. Saves time and no extra tolls!

On the return from Mumbai towards Pune, I find going via the old highway is a better alternative than taking the expressway at all. For one, the road is really good now. Take the regular expressway entry from Panvel, and take the exit for Shedung. You join the old highway at a point where you have bypassed Panvel town traffic conveniently. Fantastic road with 3 speed breakers till Khopoli that are well marked with signages. Enjoy the drive up the Khopoli/Khandala ghat that is empty most times. This way, you can avoid some on the expressway traffic in the ghat section but on the return leg, the Amrutanjan bridge choke-up is unavoidable.

[djpeesh]

I've started taking Palm Beach Road, going to Uran and then onto the old road as the lines at the toll booth at kharghar are insane. I don't get the point of reducing the travel time by 20 minutes by making the road signal free and then spending 40 minutes waiting to pay toll.

Last weekend, the traffic was backed up all the way beyond the Taloja flyover. I went through Taloja and it was so much faster.

[honeybee]

The highway police are a joke. Recently I had a repeat of the phenomenon where truckers hog all the lanes, especially on the climb near Lonavla exit. I must confess the audacity of a container truck driver surprised me as he tried to overtake another truck which was in the middle lane, knowing very well the long container would never be able to make a tight turn. Result? The guy stood on the brakes at the last moment, leaving just a few inches between my car and the truck.

I now think the highway police should be punished first, before these errant truckers.

On the return leg, the leftmost lane between Talegaon and Lonavla is closed off for over a month now. God knows what is going on There.

Problem with the old highway is barring the Lonavla Kamshet stretch you hardly find anything on the eWay.