[Guna]

I am sharing the experience of one of my friend (taken from FB). Has anyone experienced anything similar on this particular stretch?

Be careful when you travel from Bangalore to Kerala Via Salem – Coimbatore.

I was coming from Bangalore to Thrissur on 22nd December 2019 and started at 12.30 noon with my family. After Salem and before Coimbatore, 2 people were standing at a little distance from the road side (may be 50 meter distance from the road) on an empty land. It was busy day and many cars were also going towards Coimbatore. Suddenly, they threw a bottle (filled with something) towards my car and it hit my windshield. Then I stopped after a while, 2 peoples came on a bike and offered help. I was not sure whether these people wanted to help or loot. I didn’t speak to them much and continued my journey, while the 2 guys took their bike and went to opposite side. Later, I realized that this incident may not be first because I could see many stones (tennis ball size) on the road during my travel.

After I reached home my friends suggested that I should be file a police complaint there only. The step we should follow is first make a phone call to someone. So, they can track the location later and then go to police station to file a complaint. I saw a police patrolling jeep after a long time, so I didn’t report it.

After I reached home, many questions popped up in my mind:
What if I lost control after my car being hit by the bottle?
What ff the bottle hit my car's side glass (daughters were sitting behind, wife was sitting on my left)?
If the bottle hit straight on my visibility area, how could I drive and reach home?
Were the helping people real helpers or gang members? Etc..

By God's grace I just managed to escape from them.

I couldn’t take any photographs of that area and will try to take some while going back. I have a feeling that this could happen next week while going back as well. So please inform your friends and whoever is travelling on this route.

[Aditya]

This is indeed a scary incident. It's a good thing your friend did not stop and accept the bikers' "help". The questions that have come to your friend's mind would have come to anyone's mind had he / she been in the same situation.

Many years ago, there were similar incidents on the Mumbai - Pune Expressway, where people would throw something so that you'd stop, and then rob you or extort money in some way or the other.

I know of instances when some people would puncture highway-going vehicles by placing sharp objects on the road. Sometimes these were just the local tyre shop people trying to make a quick buck, while sometimes it was done with the intention of looting the travellers.

We have also had instances of "mechanics' looting people on the Mumbai - Pune Expressway in the past. Read about it at this link.

[a4anurag]

During such situations having a dashcam will help a lot. Both for the driver and if required as a proof for the police to nab them.

Better to continue the journey than to stop by the road and inspect the damages or talk to anyone. Park at any of the nearest fuel station if any help is required.

[Ithaca]

These things are normally heard of on our local trains where slum kids pelt stones at the local trains just for their "fun". And water filled balloons during Holi at the ladies compartments.

Have heard of miscreants throwing eggs on windshields for "fun" but this is scary.
What is fun for someone can be disastrous for others - specially vehicles driven on the highway at highway speeds.

[gopikb]

Really scary incident Guna. I had infact driven to Coimbatore exactly on the same day last Sunday. Started from Bangalore around 7.30AM and reached Coimbatore at 5.00PM. I did not see any untoward incident. But my wife did tell she spotted a couple of people standing on the side of the highway watching passing cars and she was scared that they might throw stones at other state cars towards protest for CAB/NRC. Not sure if the observation is related.

[Guna]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

Better to continue the journey than to stop by the road and inspect the damages or talk to anyone. Park at any of the nearest fuel station if any help is required.

I too agree that it is better not to stop. I myself was in a similar situation many years back when I was driving on a stretch which was the midst of thick forest and suddenly stone flew by and hit the B pillar. Out of impulse I got out of the car and was trying to investigate who was hiding behind the bushes/trees and throwing the stone. I was lucky that they did not threw another stone right on my face

[sayyam.gaur58]

It's good that you're safe first of all. I've experienced the same incident between a small route of deoband, near saharanpur. Someone threw eggs on the windshield and they expected the driver to turn on the wipers, but the wipers actually makes the windshield completely white which makes the car difficult to drive and ultimately stops. Obviously their agenda was of loot.
When it happened with me, it kept on driving and stopped the car at the police station and then I got to know the whole story!
Be safe guys!

[The Observer]

Glad your friend came out unscathed except for the car. Remember reading a very similar incident of stone throwing on this very same stretch. High time police increase the patrol and investigate these incidents.

About 3 years ago while travelling on this stretch around 9 pm, had to make an unscheduled stop as my sister was feeling nauseatic. A policeman on a 2 wheeler drove up and asked me to leave from that place quickly.

Need to create more noise and get some action from the authorities and meanwhile standard warning to be issued to all vehicles travelling in between this stretch.

[Guna]

Originally Posted by The Observer

Glad your friend came out unscathed except for the car. Remember reading a very similar incident of stone throwing on this very same stretch. High time police increase the patrol and investigate these incidents.

About 3 years ago while travelling on this stretch around 9 pm, had to make an unscheduled stop as my sister was feeling nauseatic. A policeman on a 2 wheeler drove up and asked me to leave from that place quickly.
.

Good to know that this has been already under the police radar but it is amusing that they have not cracked down on the actual culprits rather alerting travelers.

[VVN]

Wow. This is scary. I was in this route just yesterday. I was planning a night drive but thankfully opted to skip and do a day drive instead. I hope you are fine.

[nishsingh]

Good job on not stopping immediately: I think this should be the number one rule in case something gets thrown at the car.

Originally Posted by sayyam.gaur58

Someone threw eggs on the windshield and they expected the driver to turn on the wipers, but the wipers actually makes the windshield completely white.

This isn't true! Here is a youtube video of someone actually trying this out to see what the wipers do in case an egg is thrown on the windshield-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4C2EbYJeQ4

[.HEM]

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/stree...d-highway.html (Bad experience with a bike gang on the Coimbatore - Palakkad highway)

There was one more thread sometime back, about how the biker gang was creating a problem for cars. I think these incidents are common in this stretch surrounding Coimbatore. We need to check if they target only cars with other state registrations.

It is good that your friend did not stop immediately or strike a conversation with the bikers. If your friend knows Tamil, he should have asked the bikers how they know some help is needed

[sansvk]

It would be useful if your friend can mention a more accurate location on the highway or the closest toll booth. The message can be posted on TN police FB page.

[HotChillyPepper]

Thanks for the post. My 2 cents: Please call 100 as soon as something like this happens and don't stop if possible. The control room response is pretty good nowadays. Atleast you have a digitally verifiable record of time and location in operator database just in case if needed later.

[vsbabu]

I drive to Coimbatore pretty much every weekend; usually cross Salem at about 7pm. This is indeed scary. Did this happen in the 6 lane section after Vijayamangalam toll or before that? Usually people drive at 100+ in that and it is more dangerous.