[mooza]

The rear-ender is always at fault, not the the leading vehicle that braked.

Agreed.

But if the brake lights of the leading vehicle don't light up on braking, then the rear-ender should not be faulted. I see so many vehicles ahead of me that brake, yet their brake lights never function ! All vehicle owners need to keep checking the functioning of their brake lights and turn indicators often, IMO.

[greenhorn]

If someone follows too close, I pretend to do a brake check (I usually drive alone, so scared passengers is not an issue) . Scares most of them to give me a wide berth

[Octane_Power]

I would say, several things play a role over here.
First and foremost, two-wheelers must compulsorily maintain a safe distance from anything that has more than 2 wheels. Doing this, we not only make sure that we have safe braking distance but we also make sure that the sudden emergence of potholes, stones, debris etc. from under the vehicle in front wouldn't surprise us.

Next, know the capacity of your 2-wheeler. If you are riding an Activa or a CT-100, or a Splendour (or any other 2-wheeler without disc brake)then resist that urge of going in "Dhoom machale" mode, because Hello! you have drum brakes front and back and you just won't be able to stop in time if the need arise. I would say same applies to our infamous rickshaws. These guys have terrible braking power, but they stick to the vehicle in front like f1 drivers.

Third, it is also a moral duty of 4-wheelers to be considerate about others on road. Just because you have superior braking power doesn't mean you can slam the brake on your whim.
You cannot expect people to calculate exact safe braking distance for their vehicle and always leave that much space behind you. You are no King out there, this is India and we suffer from massive space-crunch!!
Be more alert, and come on we all know, an incident where one would be required to slam the brake suddenly comes once in a bluemoon(considering all angles here; random aunties crossing roads and whatever else occurs on our roads). I feel, if one is more careful and vigilant then one can definitely gauge a mishap much before hand and avoid such stopping.

If it is bumper-to-bumper traffic then there is no question of leaving those gaps in front; it is not bumper-to-bumper anymore. And in such B2B traffic there is just no chance of rear-ending as the vehicles would hardly go over 10-15kmph. Again, if they going faster, it ain't B2B traffic anymore.


-Bhargav

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by msdivy

How to stop rear-ending others:
Keep sufficient distance. If you keep more than sufficient distance, then somebody will squeeze in. Sufficient distance is that if the vehicle in front stops abruptly, you can still stop without hitting.

How to stop others from rear-ending:
If somebody is not keeping safe distance, slow down. That will reduce their braking distance in case you brake and hence avoid getting hit.

There is nothing to be gained by driving in somebody's slip stream. Nobody will give a medal or even notice that.

Most of the times i have observed that the city buses tend to maintain less distance between the bus and the car as if to bulldoze the car driver. In case while starting from signal, the car engine turns off then hell is let loose by the bus drivers.

[Dieseldunk]

Originally Posted by srishiva

I think there should be something like stopping dangerously. It will be difficult to prove unless a video is recorded for that.

I always have bikes rear-ending me and telling me that I am wrong in stopping suddenly.

This is one topic I wanted to start on but then Katchkamalesh caught on faster.(true to his handle)

+1 mate. Have always wondered why people are in a perennial hurry when the signal is on and anyone crossing the signal from 80ft rd to go to saligramam(near mani mahal) will vouch for the pea brained drivers who are going straight from porur side to vadapalani.

Actually want to do a small video clip and send it to all TV channels to show why we should never sympathize an accident victim(not always and with due respects to genuine occurences) .
Leave the 3 second rule hope people atleast follow 1 second rule. Instance in place today morning near the Megamart signal was taking the right towards ramapuram (signal was green for my side) a Merc guy zooms on the wrong side and stares and signs me to move a bit ( I tell him off and advise him to go to a optho and a neuro expert)

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by saket77

And why do you think that same guys will be kind enough to leave the gap vacant? What makes you think that they will not rush in there? And then will the situation be any different?
Remember: Fools rush in where angels fear!

Of course they'll try to barge in, and we're tempted to cut them off (I mentioned in my initial post that it's difficult to stay patient in such situations).

But end of the day, it's a choice between falling a few car lengths behind trying to maintain a gap, or risking a bump/scratch/dent and the argument that follows. I choose to fall back as much as I can (or my patience will allow).

Just today, I encountered a car that commutes to the same campus as my workplace. The guy driving it was jumping/cutting/maneuvering into every possible gap in traffic, but ultimately (after 15-odd kms of traffic-infested commute) we both ended up at our campus' security check-post in adjacent lanes. The only difference is his car got a strenuous workout keeping up with his erratic stop-go driving, while I let some morons race each other to the next bottleneck.

Traffic is an efficient equalizer. I let such people jump ahead, the traffic and his fellow honk-crazy & dive-for-the-smallest-gap buddies on the road manage the rest.

[rajeev k]

Originally Posted by katchkamalesh

That is the reason why I never brake hard in city traffic I sometimes even push through yellow at signal if I see someone coming close behind me in the rear view mirror (A couple of times passed Red signal as well for the same reason).

This methodology is much more dangerous than getting rear ended in slow bumper-to-bumper traffic. By jumping the red light you could get hit from the side by some accelerating vehicle. So better to avoid this unsafe practice.

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by rajeev k

This methodology is much more dangerous than getting rear ended in slow bumper-to-bumper traffic. By jumping the red light you could get hit from the side by some accelerating vehicle. So better to avoid this unsafe practice.

+1.

The last and first 5 seconds at a signal are probably the most dangerous time to cross, esp. at a 4-way intersection. There's always some over-eager soul wanting to be first off the line (or beat the upcoming RED), and jumps the gun. A minor bump is nothing compared to a possible t-bone.

[katchkamalesh]

Originally Posted by mmxylorider

Also depends on driving skills of the person in front. For a new driver, who will be extra cautious - expect more and sudden braking than experienced driver.

Well said. I am now of opinion that this might be the cause of today's incident.

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

The people who honk at you for leaving a safe gap out front in traffic, are the same morons who'll honk at you to jump (or make way) at a RED signal. Would you oblige then? If not, then why make an exception here?

Only a few morons would be honking at a signal with red lights. But the number of people honking for the *premium* space will be quiet high and this will be irritating.

Originally Posted by Dieseldunk

This is one topic I wanted to start on but then Katchkamalesh caught on faster.(true to his handle)

LOL I actually posted it in bad drivers thread. Mods decided that it will be an interesting topic.

Originally Posted by rajeev k

This methodology is much more dangerous than getting rear ended in slow bumper-to-bumper traffic. By jumping the red light you could get hit from the side by some accelerating vehicle. So better to avoid this unsafe practice.

There are these 2 signals enroute from work to home, one in Meenambakkam near BMW showroom and Tirusulam signal.

Meenambakkam signal doesn't have orange light (fused bulb may be). Sometimes as we approach the signal there will be no lights and people would think that signal is not working and as we approach, it will suddenly turn Red.

If I am on the left most lane or if there is sparse traffic behind me at a distance, I stop else I do not. That is supposed to be a pedestrain crossing and people have developed a habit to wait till people stop rather than cross as soon as they see green. Kudos to them.

I feel terrible but I do not want to risk being ran over. Nowadays I am on the left most edge of the road if I do not see any lights but what about other road users who do not know if the signal is working or not?

Tirusulam signal is the worst, even though all lights work, no one cares to stop as it turns from orange to red. Only a couple of seconds the signal indicating to stop, people actually stop. First few seconds of orange is green.

[drsingh]

This has happened to me twice in two years during monsoons. I got rear ended by a wagon R and a santro. Both cases resulted in minor damage to my rear bumper but substantial damage to the nbumpers/hoods of the cars rear ending me. On both occasions I let it slide because the guys just stared at me as if "shit happens" and did not acknowledge their fault at all. Both times it was bumper to bumper traffic in Chandigarh and I was on my way to an important meeting/appointment.

One curious thing I noted were a couple of such hatches which had rear ended other cars.A guy had rear ended and damaged a brand new toyota etios and there was a heated argument going on. I dont blame him.

I developed a theory about this: Monsoons----> Wet conditions------> reduced braking-------> cars with already poor braking/poorly maintained braking------------->worsened by conditions-------> novice/ignorant drivers----------> small petrol hatches--------> cant brake as well as bigger cars with better brakes/more mass/ diesel engines.

[shankar.balan]

It is usually considered as the rear enders fault.
However, if the matter is pursued, i.e, not settled out of court, then both vehicles have to submit to a 'brake test' conducted by the traffic police.

ABS being made mandatory will certainly help.

[greenhorn]

Originally Posted by Octane_Power

Third, it is also a moral duty of 4-wheelers to be considerate about others on road. Just because you have superior braking power doesn't mean you can slam the brake on your whim.

If some idiot pedestrian jumps in front of you, which happens all too soon, and you don't stop in time, the possibility of killing them is very real, much more than the chances of a biker killing a pedestrian. Most drivers would take their chances with rear ending some tailgater who is technically in the wrong, than an almost certainly dead/injured pedestrian.

You cannot expect people to calculate exact safe braking distance for their vehicle and always leave that much space behind you.

When you say this, do you mean this apply to the guy in front, the driver, or the guy behind the driver?

[rajeev k]

While driving at higher speeds it is safe to leave some safe distance between you and the car in front. And do keep a watch on rear view mirrors and look for possible tailgaters. If I spot such habitual tailgater, I usually allow him to pass me at the fiest opportunity.

[mmxylorider]

^^^ Will high density traffic allow benefits of ABS? Pl feel free to correct me I am mistaken, but ABS provides steering control during emergency braking by preventing wheel lock. The distance the vehicle will travel during the time will be same and close proximity of vehicles will not allow benefits of ABS.

As the vehicle in front stops suddenly, my reflex action is to ensure I do not ram into him. Consideration for the vehicle behind me or the possibility of getting rear ended becomes secondary. One can only hope the person behind has a similar mindset!

[subratasenn]

Originally Posted by greenhorn

If someone follows too close, I pretend to do a brake check (I usually drive alone, so scared passengers is not an issue) . Scares most of them to give me a wide berth

I always feel this is an effective way to get rid of people who follow too close. It sounds stupid, but I also do the same thing.

I am specially cautious with bikes because I know that their brakes are not as good as mine.