[ameyawaghmare]

Originally Posted by Ajitsingh208

There's a new Toll Wow, so I will have to factor that as well in my travel plans,
My Onward flight is at 10 PM from Mumbai on Saturday hence I need to reach by 9 PM,so I was planning to leave at 4:30 PM from Wakad and take the Shivneri.
Will this leave me some buffer given what I have read on waiting times at this new Toll. What's the average journey time like nowdays from Wakad to Vashi?
I am guessing it will take an hour from Vashi to the Airport.

That sounds really very very much on the edge! For a flight at 10 PM, target reaching airport at 8 PM (I am assuming domestic). The bus you have planned, is that booked and departing from Wakad Bridge at 4:30? Expect it to depart by 5 PM with nominal delays and that it would be coming from interiors of the city. I am not sure of seat availability considering the weekend, just in case you are planning to book on the spot. With its standard stops and the new unexpected traffic at Kharghar toll and the peak time traffic of Mumbai at 7-8 PM and a large Volvo bus plying on the streets, I am really doubtful about its arrival time. Does the bus drop at the airport or destined towards Dadar or Thane? If no to airport, then add the taxi time!

I guess 4 hours is the bare minimum to consider by personal car when we talk of Pune to the BOM airport at peak evening times! Pushing your journey an hour ago would be a good idea and avoid those heartbeats when you experience bus getting slow or stuck in traffic.

[prateekm]

I drive twice every week on the expressway. Early morning at 3 AM on 11th April, I encountered this trucker who was driving in the fast lane on the wrong side. This was just before the Pune toll (towards Mumbai).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9E7xa_COZA

[FINTAIL]

Saw an accident today.

A Tavera, which bore MH 04 plates was probably headed towards Pune. This was around 17 km from Panvel. Seems the tire burst, the thingy went through (flew?) the barriers. The barriers were those little yellow concrete blocks. Slightly larger than a brick.

So- these blocks were scattered all over the side facing- or headed towards Bombay. This was because of the crashed Chevy. Went over a couple of those blocks. Ouch.

The vehicle was totalled. Toppled over. Some windows were cleanly broken- I assume that the occupants shot out of them like projectiles. Not wearing seatbelts. Obviously. And their lifeless bodies. Oh goodness. In the hot Indian summer.

Some of the occupants (2 of them, I think) were bleeding, and umm......A tamasha was on the verge of beginning. Many cars stopped. Of course -

This is India. Everyone must have a look.

Fortunately the police came as I stopped- and I left.
Saw an ambulance approaching from the wrong side, in an obvious hurry. This was near Panvel- around 5 minutes later.

I hope the occupants survived.

That said, the expressway is unsafe. No doubt. Idiots everywhere- a Superb (MH 14 BX or DX something) overtook me at well over 140 KMPH, from the leftmost, slow lane! This was near Khopoli, tonight at 9:30 PM ish.

Followed the guy throughout. He seemed to drift at times- and also snake through those trucks in the ghats.

I was happily cruising at exactly 100 KMPH (engine @2750RPM; 5th Gear-BTW), on the rightmost, fast lane. Covered the Bombay-Poona stretch in less than two hours for the first time.

End result- Caught up (and overtook) the (supposedly 'superb' ) guy before Pune, before leaving the e-way.

Conclusion : The highest speed isn't important. The highest *average* speed is important.

And driving skills play a *huge* role.

[pixantz]

Originally Posted by FINTAIL

Conclusion : The highest speed isn't important. The highest *average* speed is important.[/b]

And driving skills play a *huge* role.

First of all, very nice write-up on the e-way sir. Puts a lot of things in perspective. However, your conclusion sparked up a difference of view on my part.
See, your conclusion is of course accurate. But subjective. The way I see it, a journey is not always about the destination.

Its also more importantly how you got there and how much fun you had along the way. So even I have fun zipping along here and there, enjoying my machines power, agility,
handling and overall feel, etc and that's what makes my, or most other driving enthusiast's journey, much more worth it.
We all have an instinct to think a faster driver than us on the road is stupid or something, but actually you never know he's having much more fun! And that's his lookout.

Of course all this only holds provided the fast guy has safety and consideration for his fellow drivers and of course the rules, as his paramount concern at all times during the drive.
Or else it's certainly not worth it. Just my two cents.

[sgiitk]

I think the highway may have been the greatest, but the Yamuna Expressway beats is hollow. The former has these primitive safety systems, while the latter has broken/cut up fences, and occasional blockage by farmers, in addition to Bluebulls (Nilgai), though I have never run into these.

[Octane_Power]

Originally Posted by prateekm

I drive twice every week on the expressway. Early morning at 3 AM on 11th April, I encountered this trucker who was driving in the fast lane on the wrong side. This was just before the Pune toll (towards Mumbai).

Did you slow down to give him a piece of your mind? Its good he atleast slowed down. Its scary to imagine what would have happened if he hadn't slowed down and had there been a vehicle in the next lane too

-Bhargav

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by FINTAIL

That said, the expressway is unsafe. No doubt. Idiots everywhere- a Superb (MH 14 BX or DX something) overtook me at well over 140 KMPH, from the leftmost, slow lane! This was near Khopoli, tonight at 9:30 PM ish.

Followed the guy throughout. He seemed to drift at times- and also snake through those trucks in the ghats.

I was happily cruising at exactly 100 KMPH (engine @2750RPM; 5th Gear-BTW), on the rightmost, fast lane. Covered the Bombay-Poona stretch in less than two hours for the first time.

Originally Posted by pixantz

So even I have fun zipping along here and there, enjoying my machines power, agility, handling and overall feel, etc and that's what makes my, or most other driving enthusiast's journey, much more worth it. We all have an instinct to think a faster driver than us on the road is stupid or something, but actually you never know he's having much more fun! And that's his lookout. OF COURSE ALL THIS ONLY HOLDS PROVIDED THE FAST GUY HAS SAFETY AND CONSIDERATION FOR HIS FELLOW DRIVERS AND OF COURSE THE RULES, AS HIS PARAMOUNT CONCERN AT ALL TIMES DURING THE DRIVE.

Circa 2002 - Instead of catching a flight from Pune to Bangalore, took a Mumbai Bangalore flight - just to drive down the e-way. Superb road, excellent trip and it was like a magic carpet ride. Worth every paisa of the toll paid.

Circa 2005 - Trip to Mumbai? Of course, it has to be on the e-way and I had to be the driver. The 94 km stretch could be done in just about hour and a half, with a 15 minute break. Road condition still good, the pleasure of touching triple digit speeds, but traffic / driving styles needed to be watched out. Still the toll was worth it.

Circa 2012 - Trips are mostly on Volvo (Shivneri is loosing its sheen, BTW). The old highway is much better option if you want to enjoy your driving - it has been relaid and the traffic is much thinner. Khandala ghat on the return trip from Mumbai to Pune is test of skill, despite the number of times one has driven through...

I have been through a major accident on the e-way (got back ended, because the guy following me couldn't stop), but that didn't take the pleasure out of driving on e-way; rather, it made me give plenty of room to those intent on overtaking everybody else (and there are quite a few of them on any given day).

+1 to what FINTAIL says.

Based on my own experience, pixantz, I am really not sure how many people can handle the triple digit speeds in case of any sudden disaster.... and I am also not sure whether driving on the e-way can be fun these days.

[pixantz]

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

Based on my own experience, pixantz, I am really not sure how many people can handle the triple digit speeds in case of any sudden disaster.... and I am also not sure whether driving on the e-way can be fun these days.

Yes, the Mumbai-Pune e-way is ruined of late. I was speaking of driving on highways in general. Maybe that was wrong to do on this particular thread. My apologies. It's very important that one knows one's limits regarding braking, maneuvering, lane discipline, etc and drive accordingly always staying within one's personal safety zone.

[S_U_N]

Originally Posted by pixantz

Yes, the Mumbai-Pune e-way is ruined of late. I was speaking of driving on highways in general. Maybe that was wrong to do on this particular thread. My apologies. It's very important that one knows one's limits regarding braking, maneuvering, lane discipline, etc and drive accordingly always staying within one's personal safety zone.

As I see that is not enough. Knowing own limitations and vehicle's capability maybe be insufficient by itself, when due to no fault of yours, someone else makes a mistake at high speeds.
Imagine you are driving at 100 and a horse comes across (e.g. on NH4).
You brake hard and stop well before the horse (you have disk brakes all around and ABS and EBD and what not).

Unfortunately the guy behind you is unable to stop in time. Bang!

[pixantz]

Originally Posted by S_U_N

As I see that is not enough. Knowing own limitations and vehicle's capability maybe be insufficient by itself, when due to no fault of yours, someone else makes a mistake at high speeds.
Imagine you are driving at 100 and a horse comes across (e.g. on NH4).
You brake hard and stop well before the horse (you have disk brakes all around and ABS and EBD and what not).

Unfortunately the guy behind you is unable to stop in time. Bang!

That's another story. This could happen even you are parked safely at the side of the road and some ninja driver can come and rear-end you even then. If an accident is going to happen, it's going to happen. It's not always to do with somebody's fault. That's why it's called an accident. Also IMHO, accidents have nothing to do with speed actually. Speed may tend to be a cause directly or indirectly, sometimes, if you solely want to blame speed also,that is. An accident can happen at 100, 140, 180, 80, 25, 255, or even if you are at 0kph.., is what I believe. I think we're getting off topic here. Forgive me mods.

[mayuresh]

Govt to place protective ropes around the highway. (Article has no technical details. Can anyone clarify on the kind of ropes?)

Trauma care units and air ambulance cleared among other decisions.

http://maharashtratimes.indiatimes.c...w/46925521.cms

[khoj]

These would be steel ropes, similar to those seen on the ghat roads of the Goa Bombay highway.

Originally Posted by mayuresh

Govt to place protective ropes around the highway. (Article has no technical details. Can anyone clarify

[abhi182]

Wonder how much that would help
I do this stretch once a month on an average and find it to be one of the scariest roads to drive on

Given the recent spate of incidents of speeding vehicles losing control and jumping over the median, I have started trying to stick to the left/middle land all the time (not that it would help much if such a thing were to happen but it probably gives me some mental peace)

It is surprising how ridiculously reckless some people get on this road
I try stick to a steady 100 (with 225 R17 tyres and ABS+EBD) yet feel a bit jittery all the time when on this road

Yet I see vehicles with 165/175 tyres (who knows who worn the treads are) weaving in and out of lanes at 120+
The situation gets worse in the rains - This section usually sees some heavy rains each year yet I have seen vehicles speeding beyond belief when mere mortals like us are trying to avoid hydroplaning

[ghodlur]

The Amrutanjan bridge spot before the bridge and after the bridge right before the tunnel is becoming a perennial jam spot. Advertently on any given day or time, a heavy vehicle is parked on one the lanes making the traffic converge to two lanes with vehicles literally jostling and cramming into every possible inch available. The attempts to overtake in such conditions shows the drivers in poor light. The worst part is that immediately after the bridge when drivers get the cars out of the jam, they unnecessarily speed inside the tunnel with the blinkers on making it difficult for the rest of the vehicles to maintain lane discipline.

Had encountered this issue on my recent and few past trips to Pune.

[alpha1]

Originally Posted by FINTAIL

I was happily cruising at exactly 100 KMPH (engine @2750RPM; 5th Gear-BTW), on the rightmost, fast lane. Covered the Bombay-Poona stretch in less than two hours for the first time.

Ah so it was you that day ... But from what I recall the speed limit displayed on the Expressway road is 80 kmph.
And why were you hogging the right most overtaking lane all throughout even when I honked and flashed my lights to overtake you.

:P

All this was in jest, I don't have a superb and I was not on the road that day. But still my points are not entirely baseless.