[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by Jomz

No, it is not common in the US. ...

It is not common in UK either because: seatbelts.

Seatbelts, front and back, and proper child/baby seats are mandatory and must be used. Children do not even get to stand on seats, let alone get as far as the sunroof.

The law does not apply to dogs. I've seen people drive with their dogs leaning out of the window --- and I have heard that behaviour described as dangerous and irresponsible!

[prasadee]

Originally Posted by carwatcher

I am sure popping your head from sunroof would be common across the world including developed nations.

One could lose custody of their child for reckless child endangerment. It is very common for doctors and emergency personnel to quiz kids and parents about accidents. If they find that the parent allowed the child to take unreasonable risk, they can lose the child to child services/foster home.

Somewhat related.

http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/crime/2016/08/19/police-mom-leaves-her-children-age-8-and-9-alone/89018310/

[SnakemanJohny]

At least two adult bikers in and around Calcutta got their throats slit, but both survived. I have not heard of any ban on it, but even if there was one, enforcement would be nil, till a VIPs throat got sliced !
Every year I have to rescue at least one bird hanging helplessly from kite string in our garden, with or without manjha. Sometimes they are dead even before we spot them, particularly bats entangled at night.
One must understand that it is not 'manjha' alone that can cause death or serious injury. Cotton strings are being replaced with nylon/plastic. These string are very thin but extremely tough, and can easily slice through skin and muscle. WE MUST BAN KITE FLYING, in toto !

I find nothing wrong with standing and enjoying the breeze through the sunroof per se, if the speed is moderate. After all, in villages we still use vehicles like the "Trekker" or TATA "Magic", where many passengers have to travel standing/hanging, or sitting on the roof. They stay alert to avoid low branches, but will not be able to see a kite string in time.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

On the off-topic aside: isn't the sunroof there because the car is imported from somewhere where it is expected and even useful?

Originally Posted by Eddy

No. Of the two cases that started this thread, one was a Dzire. Smarty pants got it modified and had a sunroof installed.

I see a full front-page ad for new Elantra today, with sunroof.

That, with or without kite strings, will be more dead or injured youngsters, then

OK, I know, it is unfair to blame the manufacturers, and I am not doing --- but it seems this is one accessory which (apart from being useless in most of the country's climate) people cannot be trusted with.

[drmohitg]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

OK, I know, it is unfair to blame the manufacturers, and I am not doing --- but it seems this is one accessory which (apart from being useless in most of the country's climate) people cannot be trusted with.

I understand your point and honestly I feel a moonroof is more apt for out climate and culture.

But then for those 1% occasions when you are driving through really good weather on a hill side road or whatever, a few people might enjoy having a sunroof. We can't ban it because a few people didn't know how to use one. This will be akin to banning sunfilms because a few criminals used it for purposes which the films were not designed for.

Isn't it better if we can have our government make seat belts compulsory for rear seat passengers too and child seats for children?

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

.........
Isn't it better if we can have our government make seat belts compulsory for rear seat passengers too and child seats for children?

Absolutely, but people need to wise up to dangers themselves ultimately.

As it stands today, someone diligently belted up in the front seats of a well-built, relatively safe, airbag(s) equipped car could still get hurt/killed in an accident when inertia turns an unsecured rear passenger into a dangerous projectile.

I've had plenty of rear passengers get annoyed at me when I ask them to belt up.

"You wore your seat-belt, right? Mind your own business".
"I AM minding my own. I don't want to get killed when you go flying out the front windscreen. Belt up or step out".

I've lost some acquaintances after such conversations, and some friends who opt not to travel with me. I couldn't care less.

[drmohitg]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

I've had plenty of rear passengers get annoyed at me when I ask them to belt up.

I've lost some acquaintances after such conversations, and some friends who opt not to travel with me. I couldn't care less.

I have not come across a single person till now who wears seat belts willingly while on the rear seat. In fact to be honest I myself don't most times.

But then a large number of people still wear front seat belts only due to the law. There was a lot of noise made when that law was introduced. So probably in our country that is the only way to make people follow a rule.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

... ... ... We can't ban it because a few people didn't know how to use one. This will be akin to banning sunfilms because a few criminals used it for purposes which the films were not designed for.

Isn't it better if we can have our government make seat belts compulsory for rear seat passengers too and child seats for children?

Absolutely. Can't be said too often or too loud.

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

I've had plenty of rear passengers get annoyed at me when I ask them to belt up.

"You wore your seat-belt, right? Mind your own business".
"I AM minding my own. I don't want to get killed when you go flying out the front windscreen. Belt up or step out".

I've lost some acquaintances after such conversations, and some friends who opt not to travel with me. I couldn't care less.

Good for you!

Originally Posted by drmohitg

I have not come across a single person till now who wears seat belts willingly while on the rear seat. In fact to be honest I myself don't most times.

The only real problem that I have is with the very elderly who have not lived abroad and really do not know what to do with the belt. It gets tied around them, and some of them are learning. One guy, ten years younger than me, travels with me regularly to and from concerts. Lived in US for 20 years, has no trouble with the seat belt. The other day I took his wife and him to a concert. She said she was amazed that he he put the belt when told as he is usually very bolshy about such things! This guy and I even did a Chennai/Bangalore return trip in my car. Belted up all the way.

With children, everything is going to depend on how their life in cars starts. Baby seat and belted in from day one? It's their normal then. I'm glad to say that I seldom have to drive kids around these days.

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

In fact to be honest I myself don't most times.

As a well informed auto-enthusiast, we should lead by example by wearing seat belts all the time, irrespective of the seat occupied and educating others rather than expecting a law to be there. At the end of the day, seat belt saves life and it is not to save police fine.

[drmohitg]

Originally Posted by arun_josie

As a well informed auto-enthusiast, we should lead by example by wearing seat belts all the time, irrespective of the seat occupied and educating others rather than expecting a law to be there. At the end of the day, seat belt saves life and it is not to save police fine.

With all due respect, I feel the only way to make anything happen in our country is by introducing a law and start fining. Just see how all of us drive or most of us drive and follow traffic rules. People still don't wear helmets and front seat belts even after prolonged and repeated education programmes over a wide variety of mass media. The only places I see them following the rule is where they know they will be challaned. Hence I feel bringing in a law for rear seat belts in the way to go ahead.

And who knows it might bring in a change in the long run. For instance, for me its become a natural habit to wear seat belts whenever seated in front, driving or otherwise. To an extent this was made possible because we were forced to wear them when they introduced the law and now its become a habit. The stick approach if we may call it so.

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

With all due respect, I feel the only way to make anything happen in our country is by introducing a law and start fining. Just see how all of us drive or most of us drive and follow traffic rules. People still don't wear helmets and front seat belts even after prolonged and repeated education programmes over a wide variety of mass media. The only places I see them following the rule is where they know they will be challaned. Hence I feel bringing in a law for rear seat belts in the way to go ahead.

And who knows it might bring in a change in the long run. For instance, for me its become a natural habit to wear seat belts whenever seated in front, driving or otherwise. To an extent this was made possible because we were forced to wear them when they introduced the law and now its become a habit. The stick approach if we may call it so.

I agree Sir, that we need a law to make rear seat belt mandatory, no second opinion on that. But as an auto-enthusiast/bhpian, we should at least educate our near and dear ones to use rear seat belts and explain them the importance about the same rather than waiting for a law to come in place. After all, we know the importance and how crucial it can be during a crash.

When you say, " I myself don't most times. " it really takes out the importance of wearing the rear seat belt. I know many people who refer to teambhp for best practices, and your statement felt out of place for me.

[nitishk]

And some people just don't understand. 2 kids. Crazy.

[Rajeev1]

Yesterday at about 6 pm I observed a grown up man (looked to be about 25) standing on the front seat and his entire torso jutting out of the sunroof of a BMW 3 series being driven by an equally retarded friend of his. This was during evening peak hours at double road indranagar - Bangalore. Sadly money doesn't beget brains...

[GrammarNazi]

God! Just this morning, on my way to Kolar, I witnessed 2 complete idiots standing, screaming & making actions like 'Superman', in from the Sunroof of a Chevy Cruze which seemed to be doing atleast 60kmph !

I'm ordering a High Def car dash cam. Such retards need to be reported & seriously warned / punished!

[B Gurupprasad]

Damn...
This is a serious concern/issue. People put in extra bucks to buy a model with Sun/Moonroof and then this?

The solution to this can be defined at 3 levels

1. 1. At the level of Manjha Sales
2. 2. Car manufacturer Level
3. 3. End user level

i don't think we can do anything to curb the sales of Manjah. Leaving that, can the manufacturer do something to avoid such accidents?

at a user level, other than telling the kids not to peep out (that beats the purpose of the sunroof), what can we do best to address these cases?

if we can pen down our suggestions, it would be helpful for fellow countrymen to make sure that their kids/whomsoever-popping-their-head-out are safe and enjoying.

my thought (could be crazy too) - when a someone puts their head out, it can extend up to 20 to 25 cms from the roof. can there be a vizor along the roof (in front of the opening). this can also prevent dust/dirt/particle from entering into the eyes too.

maybe this weekend, i can sit with my car and check what i can do to bring up a solution.

Cheers,

Guru