[Thad E Ginathom]

This is going off-topic, and after this I will desist.

Privacy of number plates is a non-starter. Even your face is not private. Anyone can take your picture, anyone can take your car's picture. This stuff only becomes an issue if the photographer makes commercial use of the pic. The model-release forms and stuff become a thing.

Otherwise, no. At least in public.

Leave aside my comment about naming and shaming, as it inflames the issue. The graphic, the picture, the information is free for all to see to see, photograph, and use.

Whether or not it should be is a matter of opinion. That it is is a matter of fact.

[Gansan]

^^ The faces and number plates are there for everyone on the road to see, when they actually do it. What is the issue if they are not masked out in photos?

[Axe77]

Bandra Worli sea link earlier today. Three kids sticking out of a sunroof of which two were full on torso and up above the roof.

Masked the kids’ faces, but not the genius at the wheel.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Young Kids Roller-skating on the Road --- Is it Dangerous?

Well, I was taken aback. But the full story:

This was around 5.00am. The road was a main road, nearby to Central Railway Station (I'd just dropped wife), but there was hardly any traffic at all at that time. The kids were being "shepherded" by adults on bikes.


So, I'm sort-of reserving judgement. The hard-line me thinks they should not have been there at all . The easy-going me thinks that it looked like a multi-family organised event in which the kids were being controlled and protected.

What do you think?

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Young Kids Roller-skating on the Road --- Is it Dangerous?

I think its ok as long as they’re taking suitable precaution. The reality of Indian metros is that we don’t have dedicated safe spaces and we need to learn to use the roads as best as possible.

If its ok for young kids to jog on the roads, cycle on the roads as well - no reason why roller skating should be any different. Of course, I’m conscious that there’s some basic danger in even cycling on the road, by adults and kids alike. Hopefully they’re wearing helmets etc but regardless.

[ani_meher]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Young Kids Roller-skating on the Road --- Is it Dangerous?

...

What do you think?

I have seen this in other areas in Mumbai too, grown ups providing cover for kids to practice roller skating at non-peak hours such as late evenings or in your case, very early mornings. In case of jam packed cities like Mumbai, such solutions are inevitable, though a bit sad that kids have no facilities and have to resort to public roads.

Effectively, protected skating on roads is far better than kids snoring in the morning or lazing off in front of TV.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by Axe77

I think its ok as long as they’re taking suitable precaution...

Originally Posted by ani_meher

... protected skating on roads is far better than kids snoring in the morning or lazing off in front of TV.

Thank you both. Sometimes I can be a bit too hard-line.

I accept the points that you have made.

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

This was around 5.00am. The road was a main road, nearby to Central Railway Station (I'd just dropped wife), but there was hardly any traffic at all at that time. The kids were being "shepherded" by adults on bikes.

I see some parents cycling with their kids in a similar fashion - “shepherding” them from behind. The sad reality is that our roads are indeed very dangerous to do this. Personally, I minimise my own road cycling and try to do it more indoors than outdoors. And if I had to take my kid I’d only want to do it days like Sunday equal streets (when certain roads are shut down to vehicular traffic). But I completely respect decision of parents who choose to take their kids that extra mile for their personal fitness, love of outdoors etc.

Its the occasional heart wrenching story you hear that shakes you up - like last year in Mumbai I heard news of a father who lost his son to a reckless early morning driver when they were cycling early AM. The child died in his arms and its just heart breaking when you hear of such occurrences.

I’ve said it before - I feel most vulnerable on our roads when cycling - more than running, walking or motorcycling. On some long rides when I’m alone I’ve even had my driver driving behind me in the car to provide cover from speeding cars trying to overtake from the left. But I can do that since such long rides were relatively rare for me, with predominant training being indoors on a trainer. Not everyone has that luxury and I only wish drivers in India would have more empathy and civic sense towards other road users.

[anb]

Spotted this today in a District Judge's Honda City. Passenger is standing on the seat with half the body sticking out of sunroof

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9r0_vsZYQ1M

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by Axe77

I
I’ve said it before - I feel most vulnerable on our roads when cycling - more than running, walking or motorcycling. towards other road users.

I like the freedom of cycling. I live in a BDA layout in Bangalore with its potholes, speed-breakers, madmen on bikes and in cars, delivery men who are racing the clock, loony lorries delivering construction material, siren-toting police vans and so on.
I have lights and mirrors on my cycle. I usually cycle in the early morning when there is light and never in darkness. I follow the rules and don't wesr earphones and don’t listen to music etc when I am riding.

I fear for my life every day. So much so that I feel like buying a Peloton or the cureFit equivalent, except that Ive heard from my friend who owns one, that the after sales service is ridiculous.

Basically whatever one may say, India is most decidedly NOT a cyclist or pedestrian friendly country.

Period.

[sunishsamuel]

Insta and Facebook got so many reels of parents proudly letting infants sit on the Driver's lap (driver is often mom/dad or their handsome uncle/cute maasi with whom the baby loves to hang out), hold the steering (with some commentary that the little baby is already very good at driving), so many share videos of kids standing inside the car and having their head out of sun roof and enjoying the view (i guess they assume that sunroof's are like viewing window/inspection window similar to that of a microwave oven; open and see what's out there behind or above the glass ) One of the video has the little girl singing "cool wind in my hair" (lines from hotel california) - i guess its taken down already for some reason.

They also add hashtags like family, love, children, cute and what not. There are many who cheer for such videos/reels; i guess people are under the impression that these unsafe practices are acceptable and kids must enjoy like this. There are a few where celebrities/local leaders who share such reels. Though I am sure there will be some of the "drives" "enforcement" to stop this habit after a tragedy.

Trust me, i have not seen any such overzealous behaviour if they are in those countries where law of the land has to be respected (whether you like it or not)

[CEF_Beasts]

Originally Posted by sunishsamuel

Insta and Facebook got so many reels of parents proudly letting infants sit on the Driver's lap (driver is often mom/dad or their handsome uncle/cute maasi with whom the baby loves to hang out), hold the steering (with some commentary that the little baby is already very good at driving), so many share videos of kids standing inside the car and having their head out of sun roof and enjoying the view (i guess they assume that sunroof's are like viewing window/inspection window similar to that of a microwave oven; open and see what's out there behind or above the glass ) One of the video has the little girl singing "cool wind in my hair" (lines from hotel california) - i guess its taken down already for some reason.

They also add hashtags like family, love, children, cute and what not. There are many who cheer for such videos/reels; i guess people are under the impression that these unsafe practices are acceptable and kids must enjoy like this. There are a few where celebrities/local leaders who share such reels. Though I am sure there will be some of the "drives" "enforcement" to stop this habit after a tragedy.

Trust me, i have not seen any such overzealous behaviour if they are in those countries where law of the land has to be respected (whether you like it or not)

In India the aam junta doesn't know the real purpose of the sunroof.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=3qy2X9WJGHI?feature=share

ACI with Skoda India had shared this video recently.

If you check the comment section, you will see people commenting, "then what is the real purpose of a sunroof, if it's not for popping your head out."

[chaitanyakrish]

Saw this on NICE road few days back. Kid is standing on sunroof and the driver is on fast lane, doing some crazy speeds and he had to brake suddenly due to a slow moving truck and then, he had asked the kid to come inside.

[chaitanyakrish]

Stopping for photos/videos on highways is also a dangerous trend, sometimes people are unaware of surroundings and cause accidents.

Saw this while driving to Sakleshpura on the Bangalore-Mangalore highway.

[CEF_Beasts]

Spotted this in Pune a few months back, always wanted to post it.

There are just so many things wrong in this picture:
- First and foremost in an already weakly built car the owner has gone and cut the roof to fit a aftermarket sunroof.
- And two being the kid popping her head out of that sunroof.