[yashg]

Here we go again.

An 8 year-old kid was killed when a manja (kite string) slit his throat while he was peering out the sunroof of a moving car!

This happened on the Republic Day near Manor in Palghar district of Maharashtra.

News report

https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumba...hroat-23267291

The parents are blaming the non-existent medical facilities in the area while being completely oblivious of the fact that letting the kid stand and peep out of the sunroof was dangerous and the main reason why he was killed. The sunroofs are not meant for that!

When I bought the Compass with sunroof last month and took my daughter and nieces for a ride, their first demand was to peep out of the sunroof. They were dismayed when I refused. "What's the use of the sunroof then?" was their response. Even adults in the family think sunroof is meant for popping your head out of it.

People easily understand the dangers of popping their hand or head out of the window of a moving car, but when it comes to the window in the roof, they suddenly think it's just meant for that purpose.

Feel sorry for that family and the kid. Really tragic.

It's not just about sunroof but also about seat belts. Especially in the rear. When on family vacations I insist on everyone wearing seat belts even at the back, I am dismissed with "Arre kuchh nahi hota hai (nothing happens)", or "Nobody checks for it", as if the only reason to wear seat belts is to avoid being fined by the police! It's such a frustrating experience explaining family members that seat belts are essential.

[rt363]

While sunroof is not meant to be used so, IMHO the real cause is such kite threads which is equally dangerous for two wheeler riders.
There was another Instagram video in which the bike rider got his lips cut ! How dangerous have our roads become ?

[rosh_aveo1.4]

So sad to hear this. And I had the same issue with my family when I got my pre-owned C class...was the first car we had with a sunroof (which I wasn't keen on as there are maintenance issues if not taken care of). Daughter insisted on buying a model that has that. But I never agreed to open it during drives. Only once we stopped and took a pic of her outside the glass but that's it.
Yesterday we were driving and opposite me a E90 BMW 3 series was approaching (was decorated...might have been a wedding car). And there were 3 kids outside the damn roof. I showed a gesture of 'what the hell' to them and they didn't like it. Wife was also saying why do I need to say such things, if they want let them do it. I agree but I will speak my mind for something as dangerous as this. I am not even sure if there is a law around this in the first place.

[Small Bot]

Since we are talking about cause and effect, I would blame the people who allowed the kid to peer out of the sunroof of a moving car, as well as the manja-wielding idiots.

Then again, the kid was probably just as likely to die of getting hit by a low-hanging branch square in the eye. So I would assign the more direct blame on the kid, or rather the senseless adults who let him peek out of a sunroof. I agree that manjas are a menace, but that was the secondary action.

[PreludeSH]

Manja incidents dont happen everywhere in India. It should be curbed. It has killed people on 2 wheelers too.
Kids peering out of sun roof is dangerous and I have told some people why its so and they seemed pissed with me

[Gansan]

These kind of accidents are waiting to happen. It will happen again.

I am irritated whenever I see a stupid parent driving the car while a kid stands on the seat, sticking the head out through the sun roof. The said parents seem to think the main purpose of the sun roof itself is for sticking the head out of it.

I went through the accident news. The dad was quoted as saying his kid wanted to enjoy the beautiful scenery, so he innocently allowed it, and was blaming the hospital authorities for the kid not surviving. Sorry to sound harsh about a grieving parent, but he has only himself to blame. Car has glass windows all around, the scenery can be enjoyed perfectly well from inside.

[RT13]

Manja is a menace! It kills birds, animals and people. And needs to be done away with. Sadly I don’t see that happening in reality.

Unfortunately exactly the same can be said of human stupidity and parental irresponsibility. Until the govt starts holding parents responsible for injuries suffered by children through gross negligence and/or intent, absolutely nothing will happen. People will espouse emotional arguments about how parents are suffering enough having lost their child, but a child is dead. A person is dead. And until people, in this case manja user, manja supplier, local police who have been lax in cracking down on it AND parents, are held legally culpable for it, nobody will modify their behaviour. We are unfortunately just such a society.

On a wider note, this head-sticking-out-of-sun-roof thing is a growing menace. One sees it every day now in Bangalore. So much for the progressively more overbearing rules on vehicle manufacturing with respect to airbags and suchlike. A machine is no match for human ingenuity. We WILL find new and more creative ways to endanger ourselves.

[Gokuljayaraj]

Should people let their kids put their heads through the sunroof? No. But should there be a possibility of death by a glass string that you can’t even notice just because they allowed their kids to do so? Absolutely not. The former problem is under the individual parents purview and we can only hope to educate them. The manja problem needs to be cracked down upon quite hard. You can die just going about your business on a two wheeler. Unfortunately, we’ll just read more news snippets on it and nothing will change. Condolences for the parents who lost their beloved child.

[Romeo_Mike]

Sorry to hear about this unfortunate incident. But honestly, this was no accident.

The caption to this thread should read "misguided use of sunroofs takes another life"

[Arun Varma]

Truly tragic!

Manja is a terrible thing. It is not just the powdered glass that is lethal but the additional, unsanitary stuff that many people use on that thread, is a deadly infection risk. That is, if the injury to the major blood vessels doesn't kill you first! Obviously, even an ordinary thread poses a serious injury risk to someone unsecured like that!

The first instance that I saw personally, of manja taking someone's life was more than 30 years ago when I was in college. In that case, it was a 2 wheeler rider, a junior of mine, wearing a helmet - uncommon in those days - and the thread went under the helmet and almost severed the jugular! It was touch and go and he barely made it!

Coming to kids peeping out of the sunroof of a moving car, it is just unfathomable. There are many ways they can be hurt when they look out like that. All passengers should be seated / secured when the vehicle is moving.

What a tragedy!

[Old_Salt]

Extremely sad to hear it. Just yesterday when driving back from Agra saw a little girl popping her head out from a Kia Carnival on the expressway.

A thought came to my mind to convey the danger but you never know who gets offended for what in Delhi.

This gentleman found his own way of using the sunroof.

[TorqueyTechie]

Just yesterday I was talking to a friend of mine who said that he regularly takes his daughter for a drive with her standing on the armrest and peering out of the sunroof. When I told him that it is dangerous and not to do it when driving, he told me that he is aware and does it only on empty roads. No matter how many times I emphasized it is dangerous , he didn't understand and said nothing will happen. I do pray nothing happens but god when do these people get some brains though!

[Romins]

Last I went with a friend shopping for a new car and he doesn't want sunroof. Most of the petrol AT variants have sunroof - Creta, Alcazar, Seltos. Finally he settled for Kia Carens AT lower variant. It is a good decision not to have sunroof, than fighting with the kids about safety.

[adwaith]

I've ranted about this issue on this very issue in the past. Its very unfortunate to see children lose their lives like this. Many fail to understand that the most common threat is loose gravel which you can get thrown up by vehicles in front and it isn't always fatal, but it can cause grave injuries.

Originally Posted by TorqueyTechie

When I told him that it is dangerous and not to do it when driving, he told me that he is aware and does it only on empty roads. No matter how many times I emphasized it is dangerous , he didn't understand and said nothing will happen.

Even on empty roads, there could be low hanging branches and worst of all electrical lines. Sudden application of brakes can cause chin injuries too and we never know when such a situation will arise. I hope your efforts to help your friend see sense, bear fruit.

[n33rav]

Originally Posted by Arun Varma

Truly tragic!

Manja is a terrible thing. It is not just the powdered glass that is lethal but the additional, unsanitary stuff that many people use on that thread, is a deadly infection risk. That is, if the injury to the major blood vessels doesn't kill you first! Obviously, even an ordinary thread poses a serious injury risk to someone unsecured like that!

The first instance that I saw personally, of manja taking someone's life was more than 30 years ago when I was in college. In that case, it was a 2 wheeler rider, a junior of mine, wearing a helmet - uncommon in those days - and the thread went under the helmet and almost severed the jugular! It was touch and go and he barely made it!

Coming to kids peeping out of the sunroof of a moving car, it is just unfathomable. There are many ways they can be hurt when they look out like that. All passengers should be seated / secured when the vehicle is moving.

What a tragedy!

On an average I read minimum 10 manja related death news around Uttarayan time in Gujarat. Mostly two wheel riders. Most blame goes to Chinese plastic manja which stretches when pulled, unlike cotton thread which gets cut, causing deep penetration. It is banned in Gujarat since few years but still widely used.

Very unfortunate incidence.