[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by rselva

......had done it multiple times without incident.......

Sarcasm?

That comment is akin to one of our helmetless daredevils claiming them being alive is proof enough there's no risk in their 'indulgence'.

It only takes ONCE to be proven painfully or fatally wrong!

[BlackPearl]

Found this kid sticking his head out of the sun roof of the XUV and told his father sitting at the back that it was dangerous. Requested him to ask the kid not to do it. The father nonchalantly replied that his kid loved doing this. I told him about the incident where the child got killed and then moved on. From his expression I did not think that it would have any effect. However after a minute or so saw the child get down. Don't know whether it was because of the warning or the child got bored.

[Mpower]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

I have an issue with your comment about sun-film. See how many people confessed to having sun-film way beyond the 70% and 50% limits. Soem claimed that they were not aware of the original tint, which when added to the film pushed it over the limit.

We are digressing, but by nature, people like to beat the system...more so in India where citizens dont trust the govt/system

But how hard is it for the govt to ban manufacture & import of any film > 50%?

Pretty straightforward I think. If I can't buy 70% film then chances are I have no way to install it unless I import it illegally..but they acted in a almost revengeful manner with the total ban

[rselva]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

Sarcasm?

That comment is akin to one of our helmetless daredevils claiming them being alive is proof enough there's no risk in their 'indulgence'.

It only takes ONCE to be proven painfully or fatally wrong!

The very act of driving a car is fraught with risk but we drive anyway because we perceive the risk of being hit as low. The risk assessment by the parents- in hindsight- was definitely off, but the parents might not have been aware of manjas fatal consequence, which is why they allowed their child to indulge in what made that child happy.

[pratyush6]

Very very sad and heart wrenching incident. I hope parents understand the risk behind getting child's head out of a sunroof. Even without the kite incident, I always thought that wouldn't sudden braking cause the same effect?
Just plain stupidity in my opinion. I also see parents carry infants on motorbike tanks alot - Imagine, if they fall. Same with carrying kids/toddlers on parents lap while driving or the front seat. Add children playing in the boot, with the hatch open to the list.

Just for info, both my back doors have their child locks on - always. Yes, this is a sometimes a major irritant when I have to get down to open the doors for anyone sitting at the back, but the safety of the child is still paramount. My 2 year old daughter has figured out the way to unlock herself from the child seat, hence the extra precaution.

[dark.knight]

Originally Posted by BlackPearl

Requested him to ask the kid not to do it. The father nonchalantly replied that his kid loved doing this.

While I know you requested out of concern, the reaction from the other party is as expected. It amazes me how so many BHPians here take the trouble to reach out (sometimes even to fully closed windows) and give good advice when it comes to others safety.. noble intentions no doubt but I've seen most if not all get a negative reaction including "mind your business" or "we'll take care don't worry".

I don't like getting such responses so I let them be, whatever it is they do. I think for people in their 20's, 30s, 40's and even more, they should easily be able to understand right from wrong or obvious risks.. if they still indulge, it HAS to be willingly. There is no use referring to 1 particular motorist either.. look close and carefully and you'll find 90% of them violating in one way or another, I believe we don't have a right to point that out to them because we're not part of the law (whatever little hodgepodge of illegal legalities and legal illegalities the India Law is about anyway).

Once I stopped at the light and a mommy who was driving, and her 6-7 year old kid were playing inside their car, she was all smiles watching her kid standing on the front seat leg-space, dancing, grabbing on to the dashboard and the seats as he did what all kids do (just inside a car). The kid then saw me through the window, the mommy smiled, I smiled and moved on as the lights changed.

There are enough reports of drivers even in America who aren't buckled up, or who drink WHEN driving and have a party of sorts in their car. People know the risks of such activities.. its not going to stop, period.

[Masda]

Thing that completely baffle me about people popping their heads out of sunroofs:

• Cars equipped with sunroofs are generally top of the line and relatively more expensive cars (look at that Honda City and XUV 5oo). How can they be so ignorant? Feels like they don't read newspapers or worse, give a damn for their own safety!

I have also seen a lot of people in high end cars, holding their phones and talking while driving. Aren't they aware of hands-free feature in their cars?

Seems like it just boils down to poor attitude and a shallow mindset. Sadly!

[R2D2]

Very sad to read this. But I am not surprised. It is the father's fault for having allowed that child to stand up with the head through the sun roof instead of being safely buckled up in the back seat!

It makes my blood boil when I see parents allowing their kids to do this. When will these morons understand that the sunroof is NOT for entertainment or for a better view of the streets??

Other horrifying things that I've seen drivers (even my own friends) permit kids to do that would get them jailed if they were driving overseas:

a) Children in the front seat on the passengers (mostly the mother's) lap with neither being restrained.

b) Children standing up at inches away from the front passenger airbag. An activation will take the child's head off.

c) Children sitting on the driver's lap (mostly the father) with the child's chest 1" or so away from the steering wheel airbag. No prizes for guessing what happens if it activates.

d) In the 80s and 90s, I'd see kids sitting in the boot of the Maruti 800 and other hatchbacks with the back open and their legs hanging out the rear of the car.

When, oh when, will our people ever learn to be safety conscious?

[dark.knight]

Originally Posted by Masda

•Cars equipped with sunroofs are generally top of the line and relatively more expensive cars (look at that Honda City and XUV 5oo). How can they be so ignorant? Feels like they don't read newspapers or worse, give a damn for their own safety!

This is India, THE jugaad nation, how can hundreds of years of tradition change overnight. Besides I'd say such things happen in all locations like U.S and Europe, man actively seeks convenient and safe ways to bend laws and traffic laws to him are no different.

Lets forget the City and XUV for a second, both very affordable when compared to the many BMWs and Audis which end up crashing due to reckless driving, over-speeding and in some cases, drunk driving. Everyone reads in the newspaper a couple of cases of serious injuries or deaths due to rash/negligent riding of two-wheelers, does that stop sales of two-wheelers or EVEN rash and negligent riding of two-wheelers? Nope not one bit. Why must cars be any different?

No one obeys the rules 100%, to me there should be full adherence or there is no use blaming one or two stray cases just because there were witnesses to that violation. Mankind are the greatest magicians on earth.. they hide their hypocrisy and make laws, rules and guidelines as if all there is on earth is justice. Quite the opposite.

BTW I used to ask the questions just like you did just now, but I changed from an activist to a cynic. Makes things much easier.

[TD_GHY]

Originally Posted by R2D2

c) Children sitting on the driver's lap (mostly the father) with the child's chest 1" or so away from the steering wheel airbag. No prizes for guessing what happens if it activates.

A child in the driver's lap? How stupid can it get. Forget the airbag activating, even a hard braking will make his or her head bang with the steering wheel. We should make slapping such idiots a fundamental duty.

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by TD_GHY

A child in the driver's lap? How stupid can it get. Forget the airbag activating, even a hard braking will make his or her head bang with the steering wheel. We should make slapping such idiots a fundamental duty.

You haven't heard the best part yet. When I pointed it out to my friend (he drives an E class Mercedes Benz) I was told "I haven't worn my seat belt so the bags won't activate". LOL!

He used to allow that 3.5-4 year old child to turn the steering wheel whilst on his lap. And once the car nearly went onto the median. I was fuming! So much for an owner's awareness of safety! I very calmly told my friend that this would be the 1st and the last time I ever spoke on this topic to him.

If you look at the reactions to this manja case, most people speak up against the kite fliers, manja sellers and manufacturers, but not the moron father who allowed his child to put her head up through the sun roof! Just shows how warped our sense of safety and its ownership are!

[asingh1977]

Slightly OT: But most people wear seat belts in India, so they are not impounded. Usually people start their car, and move ahead without a seat belt. Once they reach the first junction / main road (higher possibility of vigilance) they strap on. Now on the reverse end: they reach their destination (near the colony and/or office basement) off goes the seat belt. The passengers follow pronto. Many a times, if people are driving on the outskirts of areas (and they know from experience that cops will not be there), they do not wear seat belts. How foolish and dumb can that be..? Cab drivers are worse. They keep the seat belt always locked. And just pull it over their body (like a sweater) --- while moving. And remove it in the same manner.

As for me: I am so used to a seat belt now, I literally cannot move the car even a couple of meters without feeling weird and out of place, if the seat belt is not on. Literally, if I have to fine tune my parking a couple of inches left/right (after getting off and inspecting my handiwork), I wear the seat belt again. Maybe it is OCD, but it keeps me safe...! And the car parked straight..! LOL.

Remove the Seat Belt penalty, and 99% of our janta will stop using them. Same with helmets.

[Car-tya]

Originally Posted by pratyush6

Just for info, both my back doors have their child locks on - always. Yes, this is a sometimes a major irritant when I have to get down to open the doors for anyone sitting at the back, but the safety of the child is still paramount. My 2 year old daughter has figured out the way to unlock herself from the child seat, hence the extra precaution.

I do this every time, i check the rear doors child lock on every occasion i put my twins in the child seat at the rear, however as practice i do not do the opposite. The consequence is that every time i carpool i have to get out of my seat and open the door from outside, an act that takes at max a couple of minutes. Looking back at it however, i would say i don't mind doing it at all as i know my kids are safe and sound.

Originally Posted by R2D2

You haven't heard the best part yet. When I pointed it out to my friend (he drives an E class Mercedes Benz) I was told "I haven't worn my seat belt so the bags won't activate". LOL!

He used to allow that 3.5-4 year old child to turn the steering wheel whilst on his lap. And once the car nearly went onto the median. I was fuming! So much for an owner's awareness of safety! I very calmly told my friend that this would be the 1st and the last time I ever spoke on this topic to him.

If you look at the reactions to this manja case, most people speak up against the kite fliers, manja sellers and manufacturers, but not the moron father who allowed his child to put her head up through the sun roof! Just shows how warped our sense of safety and its ownership are!

How common is that. I just sent a link of this thread to my friend who is habituated in letting his kids pop out of sunroof and letting them drive on his lap in the drivers seat. Just thinking about anything happening to any kid makes me shudder. I suppose with few who do it, when you have money, prevention is the better than cure just means it sounds good in an essay.

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by Car-tya

I do this every time, i check the rear doors child lock on every occasion i put my twins in the child seat at the rear, however as practice i do not do the opposite. The consequence is that every time i carpool i have to get out of my seat and open the door from outside, an act that takes at max a couple of minutes. Looking back at it however, i would say i don't mind doing it at all as i know my kids are safe and sound.

Glad to hear you follow safety rules.

.....when you have money, prevention is the better than cure just means it sounds good in an essay.

No matter how rich one is, all the money that makes a person so smug & over confident can never bring back a lost life.

This fundamental principle also applies to idiots who drive without seatbelts or ride without helmets and lose their lives. When one has a responsibility towards his/her family (as we all do) one MUST practice safety whilst on the road. You owe it to your family.

I feel depressed and disappointed when I see educated people with scant regard for safety which puts their own lives and that of others at risk.

[BlackPearl]

Originally Posted by dark.knight

While I know you requested out of concern, the reaction from the other party is as expected. It amazes me how so many BHPians here take the trouble to reach out (sometimes even to fully closed windows) and give good advice when it comes to others safety.. noble intentions no doubt but I've seen most if not all get a negative reaction including "mind your business" or "we'll take care don't worry".

I think we should do our best to educate people and not think too much about the results. Even if one life is saved it is reward enough.