[locusjag]

Originally Posted by selfdrive

Interesting example at such short notice! I remember reading somewhere that donkeys are actually very intelligent animals. Unfortunately due to their image as beasts of burden, they are assumed to be stupid.

At the risk of going OT - I read an interesting answer on Quora by a farmer living somewhere deep in Midwestern USA.

Donkeys (a.k.a Bucks) are preferred as guard-animals in farms since they hunt and kill foxes, coyotes and can even kill wolves. They can kick viciously and use their teeth to kill mid-sized predators apparently. You can even find examples (and pictures) of donkeys killing mountain lions, but those are more the exception than the norm. It seems that donkeys instinctively hate only canines.



Here are some links -

https://www.fieldandstream.com/g00/b...a=1&i10c.dv=14

https://modernfarmer.com/2014/06/mod...guard-donkeys/

And a perfunctory google search yields the following results from YouTube and various websites - "donkey kills fox", "donkey kills wolf", "donkey kills coyote" etc.

Who would have thunk it? It would seem explicable now as to why the word "bad ass" exists

[selfdrive]

Originally Posted by locusjag

At the risk of going OT..

.. It seems that donkeys instinctively hate only canines.

Interesting details there, thanks for the links

Further offtopic; my boss thinks he is the lion of the office jungle while we are the donkeys. I should bring these articles around

[ajmat]

Preface - My 19 year old daughter has suddenly discovered the freedom of driving and has appropriated my wife's Swift to travel to Nagar Bhavi for her internship. My wife refuses to be carless and now in the process of taking over my Jetta. I have been riding shotgun over the weekend while she gets used to it.

Today Morning- 6.30 AM

I go for my usual walk in the Bangalore Club. I leave my cars keys in a tray for her to use my car in order to go for her yoga class.

Am walking, enjoying the greenery, the serenity of birds calling, the yummy mummies while listening to my morning podcast!

Am then brutally interrupted by a call from my wife

"Where is the car key, am late, what the hell do you mean by walking off @#%$^&^^*! "

" I left it there in the tray"

"You did not! "

"I did, I made sure that I left it for you, please check"

"You did no such thing" (in a "don't you even try to dare question me tone")

I can feel phone burning in my ear - meanwhile my daughter is trying to tell her something but my wife shirks her off

Taking a deep breath

" It should be there! It has the house key and two Team-BHP key chains on it!"

" I can see that you left the house key there but you "idiot", you took the car key with you?"

" Rubbish, I never separate them except for a car service"

"Well you did, all you left me with was the remote to unlock the car with! ( in a dont even expect any breakfast tone!")

Sigh!

She is looking at this



Groan

"You see that silver button?"

"Yes" in a resigned tone

"Press it"



"Oh!" - I could visually visualise her lips making a perfect "O"

My daughter is as she was trying tell her to press the button.

Perils of an analogue wife in a digital household!

[dailydriver]

How much is actually too much?

A recent online video from Baoding, North China's Hebei province, has attracted web users' attention. It shows an unusual scene — a silver Hyundai Sonata being used as a coffin to hold a dead body as it is lowered into a grave by excavator. It was said the deceased loved his car so much, he made it part of his will to be buried in his own car.

Source

YouTube has the rumoured video of the same.

https://youtu.be/K2Xy2DUGp68

Disclaimer: Posting here after coming across the bizarre incident in a news feed. Goes without saying that I can't vouch for its authenticity .

[comfortablynumb]

Originally Posted by ajmat

Perils of an analogue wife in a digital household!

Since you have a 19 year old daughter, I am sure you are a veteran in knowing all the pitfalls in a married man's life (sentence). However, I consider it my duty as a fellow married inmate to remind you of the following:

Forget that this incidence that you narrated ever occurred, erase it from your memory, wipe the slate clean and NEVER EVER BRING IT UP EVEN BY MISTAKE.

If you do, no one can answer for the consequences, no one!!

Cheers,
Vikram

[promit]

At 11 PM on Tuesday evening, a friend of mine picked me up and we were on our way to pick up some beverages. We were talking, and out of the corner of my eye I saw a very strange looking Mercedes-Benz, double parked by an ice cream cart buying ice cream bars in a residential lane. Taking a second glance I saw it was a lovely maroon Rolls Royce Ghost. I think it was a man and his wife. Couldn't stop smiling after that.

[Shumi_21]

So I was riding my motorcycle to Lonavala on Saturday morning. There was heavy traffic at a few places on the Sion Panvel expressway, due to potholes and rain. At one such place, traffic was backed up almost a kilometre. I resigned myself to the fact that I will have to wait there for at least half an hour in the rain.

I managed to pass a tourist bus that was right in front of me, blocking my view and the scene in front of me was a sight to behold! All cars waiting patiently in their respective lanes with enough space for me to pass through. There was enough space between consecutive cars in the same lane too. I was able to get ahead of the traffic and at one point a guy in a brown Vento (with a Got BHP sticker) even moved his car so that I could pass! Such road manners are unforeseen in the city.

My friend who was riding pillion, remarked such discipline was mainly due to the lack of auto-rickshaws in that situation

I really hope that we can emulate these good driving/riding habits in our daily commutes too.

[gkveda]

Originally Posted by ajmat

Preface - My 19 year old daughter..

Everyone can easily relate to their own situation in their life from this post. See the number of thanks you have got in this post.

Learning: If anyone wants more thanks for your post, narrate ANY instance that happened between you and your wife. Everyone relates the instance with their life and It will be almost the same scenario everywhere. Hence, you can get max number of thanks

[condor]

Was waiting in traffic and a blue Rajdoot 175 happened to be next to me. The guy was not an IT kind, and didnt look like he was a petrol head either. The paint and overall condition looked good. I smiled at him, he was a little surprised - must have been wondering why. I nodded to point towards the 175 - he got it - and broke into a big smile. Traffic opened up a bit, and he went away - the smile still there.

[blackwasp]

Witnessed an accident on the Mumbai-Pune Eway last night. 3 cars were involved - 2 sedans, of which one was a city and one Eeco. All 3 in fast lane with the Eeco facing the left side. Mostly braking gone wrong. Unfortunately I was alone and by the time I realised the situation, I was quite a bit ahead. It was poring and some other motorists had stopped by so I went ahead. However I thought I'd call the authorities and called 100. The lady said she was from another sector and transferred me to Mumbai division. However, the call got disconnect before someone could answer. Parked the car at the side and I remembered the highway helpline number 98334 98334. Gave it a ring and the person on the other end asked for details. Told him the situation and I remembered seeing the km marker and said that to him as well (17km marker towards Mumbai). This was at 9.49 Pm. At 9.58 Pm I got a call that help had arrived and fortunately only the cars were damaged. There were no major injuries. I was really surprised with this follow-up call more than the first call.

Since we love to travel on the highways, do make it a point to store highway helpline numbers in your phone when you come across the signboards the next time.

[Added_flavor]

A few months ago on a Sunday night, we (wife and I) were battling Monday blues and gearing up for the week ahead. What accompanied us was an orchestra setup in my area blaring out loud music - even at 12 AM! This being not the first time, I decided to do something about it and called 100 - more out of curiosity than the hope of action. To my surprise, got instantly connected to an operator who asked me details on my location and the nature of the issue. I explained to her the blaring noise and the open flouting of rules by the organizers of the orchestra event.

Expecting no action, I decided to make an effort to fall asleep. Again to my surprise, a few seconds later I receive these SMSs.



What followed was even more astonishing - A cop calls me and introduces himself with his name and that he's a part of Hoysala patrol, reconfirms the details of the issue and location of the noise and assures me of action. He even laments that these guys under the influence of alcohol don't keep track of time.

And lo behold! In the next 5 minutes, there's absolute silence! The orchestra has been asked to pack up and I get to sleep peacefully! I sleep with a smile not only because of the silence but also for the fact that I can indeed rely on our authorities for some help and assistance!

The icing on the cake was that the operator who initially answered my first call, called me back at 6 in the morning to confirm if she can close the ticket!

I appreciate and thank her profusely for their work and start my week thinking - maybe India is indeed changing.

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by Added_flavor

A few months ago on a Sunday night ... an orchestra setup in my area blaring out loud music - even at 12 AM...

A colleague who lives in an upmarket community in Bellandur area had the problem of earth moving equipment and construction machinery active late into the night, rather the wee hours, in the adjacent plot. She called the cops, ticket assigned, Hoysala arrived, then silence for an hour or so. The noise began again, she called the cops again, same story repeated. Twice. By then it was dawn and she had no other choice than carry on with the usual chores. This was a few months ago and not a recent development. There's a spanking new apartment in the plot in question, now. Her baby has now gotten used to the noise. And life goes on.

[paragsachania]

Incident, Rant and then some good measures:

Sometime during the last Academic Year, when I was just about to reach my home, I noticed the school bus that usually drops my kid home nearly parked instead of halting, dropping and driving off. As I come closer, I noticed the driver of the bus walking around the bus and I was both wondering and worried till I got near the gate and I asked him what was the matter and if my kid was dropped to which he responds in affirmative.

However, he mentioned to me that just 200 meters before my home, his bus brushed against a 2 wheeler coming out of a by lane and merging onto the main road and they have asked him to pay up for the damages.

He felt alone as I noticed a bit of crowd gathering and so I told him I will come back after parking my car. I hence parked my car in the basement and came out and tried to understand more about the incident.

The illustration in the below image will give you idea:

• 2 Wheeler rider along with Pillion emerge out of the Lay-out to merge with the main road, turning left
  
• School Bus is already on the main road heading beyond the point of incident
  
• 2 wheeler brushes against the bus, suffers fall, driver stops, the bus attendant confirms there is no physical injury and even offers first aid and water and moves ahead as the next drop was another 150-200 meters away

The argument:

• The Bus driver did not see the 2 wheeler coming out of the narrow lane onto the main road and hence brushed with the 2 wheeler
  
• The reflector on the side of the bus was knocked off and the rider duo were carrying that with them and showing it to argue that it was bus' fault, merely on that basis

Reality as seen from the damage:

• There was a visible mark on the bus' left body with starting point halfway through the length of the bus for around 2.5-3ft and this is where the reflector had fallen off
  
• There was no damage to the 2 wheeler on the right side but the headlight fairing, LHS Fender and Rear brake lever had cracked due to the fall after the brush

The scene there after:

The 2 wheeler rider was a lady and so was her pillion. They would not say anything but demand compensation for the damage. Couple of Soldier Auto drivers along with Patriotic tea shop/bakery customers gather and obviously start to support of the 2 wheeler rider (no further explanation or rationale needed here). The rider calls her relative who is about to arrive while the Bus driver calls his transport in-charge who too is arriving shortly.

Just then, a Police Jeep vehicle was passing by that stopped seeing the crowd and the cop seated inside who appeared like a Senior Inspector yelled at the Autorickshaw drivers to vacate the spot immediately and they ran like there was no tomorrow He then asked us about the matter and we explained. He realised it was one of the daily incidents that he comes across and told us to amicably settle it or else visit the Police station to lodge a complaint and they leave.

The rider's relative comes, with just one aim that he will make sure the bus driver pays for the damages without even listening to anything. By then the transport In-charge arrives who calmly disagrees to pay full compensation solely on the basis of Bigger vehicle Vs smaller vehicle argument. He was clear that if full compensation is expected, then he will prefer visiting the Police station.

By now the other party mellows down and then we have a discussion that we visit the Yamaha Service Center nearby, get the estimate of the damage and the Bus driver pays the difference amount after insurance is claimed to which the rider's side agrees. I take my car out, drive along with the bus driver and in-charge while the rider's relative takes the 2 wheeler till the Service center.

Service center estimates 4000 INR and 50% depreciation for plastics if claimed. The Bus driver and transport in-charge agree to pay 2000 INR instead to amicably settle the matter. The driver pocketed out 2000 and paid to the rider's relative who by now was little uncomfortable that he was indeed getting what he wanted and what he argued for- Money!

While the paperwork was being done inside, I showed the Transport in-charge the Dashcam inside my car and said if your School's bus had this in place, there was no chance to be at the receiving end like it happened today. He was amused that there was something called a Dashcam and then I played him videos from my YouTube channel, mainly those where accident(s) were captured and he was impressed. He responded that he will try to put this across to the school authorities and get this installed in all the buses.

So the biker's relative drops the bike there and I offer him a ride back home as the layout was facing the apartment that I stay. He agrees and perhaps realizes that he's dealing with uncommon people today who are not goons. Both the drive and in-charge thank me for being there with them all the time for nearly 2 hours and leave. I drop the rider's relative at the Lay-out gate and the in-charge leaves too.

In all this, when I casually asked the rider's relative if he had comprehensive insurance, he wasn't even aware of it but since we were settling the dispute with 2000 INR which which was still 50% of the actual estimates, we left it at that as there was still no way to prove who was at fault or even argue on various points that hinted who actually was at fault.

The good thing that I noticed few weeks back:

Apart from the usual CCTV cameras that the bus had inside, I start noticing typical cameras mounted on the instrument console/dash of the bus and the lens pointing to the front almost like a Dashcam!

Captured these while I was waiting for the buses to leave as I pick my kid from school since this academic year.

Whether these were installed after the incident followed by my discussion with the transport in-charge about the benefits of having a Dashcam during such incidents and the demo later is something I am not sure about. But what I am certainly happy about is that my discussion may have been influential to take this good decision.

For now, I am masking the name of the School for privacy reasons but next week I intend to meet the in-charge, get some more details about these cameras and the set-up, more close-up shots and post them here. Overall, this one certainly generates a feel-good factor, momentarily!

[rav11stars]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Overall, this one certainly generates a feel-good factor, momentarily!

You obviously can feel good about this because I felt really good reading this. It's the small things in life that really matter; it's these small things that add up to the happiness of everyone overall.
The driver and staff went back feeling not all "people in cars" are arrogant.
The ladies on the bike must've been recollecting the incidents pondering whether what they did is right.
People who've seen must've noticed that things can be settled amicably and not all police are alike.
Overall everyone were nice and that's important because we're the examples for the next generation.
Good one and appreciate you for taking the time helping them out.

[pratyush6]

Originally Posted by Added_flavor

The icing on the cake was that the operator who initially answered my first call, called me back at 6 in the morning to confirm if she can close the ticket!

You are lucky. I once tried to report something - I couldn't even connect to the 100 helpline after 20 minutes. It's only after I got the number of the local police station (the landline) that I was able to call and the Hoysala Van arrived much later when it was no use and even their attitude was ridiculous.

What I have found is that these guys behave well if it's a minor offence, lost phone, some poor chap committing a mistake, traffic offence etc but once it's anything remotely serious, they literally make life worse for you. I am pretty sure there are good ones but I have had very few such encounters.