[Bomi]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

I must say that those of you who do these speeds have terrific confidence in
1. Your car
2. Other peoples cars
3. Your reaction times and driving skills
4. Ditto of other people using the road
5. Ability of the fence to keep cattle away from the road

Very very true. One Friday evening I was doing 160 on the Mum-Pune expressway. Ahead of me was a truck-trailer in the centre lane. I thought he would stay there and I could pass him easily. When I was about 600 meters away the guy swerved into the extreme right lane without signalling. I slammed on the brakes, the ABS started working and with horror I saw my car's nose inching towards the trailer's rear. Luckily I could stop without hitting him. He was oblivous to what he had just done. I learnt that day, that in India, its just not worth it to drive over 100-120. You are tense all the time.

To the guy whose daughter clicked pictures of him driving at 180: You have the right to risk your life but why do it with your kid? Please take this as a point of view, not a sermon.

[scooby05]

[quote=J.Ravi;1778919]jigbarai,

I was driving with my family and I achieved my record speed on almost deserted road after ghat section. So, I thanked my stars only for great escape from financial loss! As a driver with more than 3 decades of accident-free driving experience, I knew my responsibility and when to cross to triple-digit speed.

Mr. Ravi, I must Congratulate you! You were testing the car, thats why the camera was out, to record the max she could touch, so you were distracted and more looking to achieve the max you could. With 3 decades you are very experienced, but with family in car responsibility increases. Please do not do it again in the Linea, with the Family. Best of Luck!!
The Linea as I understand is designed to do a cruise of max 140kmph, all the extra power is for other maneouvers.

[Exhaust_Note]

Originally Posted by Bomi

... in India, its just not worth it to drive over 100-120. You are tense all the time

How true !! I used to do 120+ in my old Zen. Now I have a Wagon-R, a loving wife and a wonderful daughter. Now I do 80 .

Above 80, you become a "driver". All pleasure and joy of driving is gone (reduced in case of a larger sedan). It is not only about how comfortable your car is at 100+, it is also how much more mentally you are focused and tensed at such high speeds that take away the Joy. earlier when my daughter would say "papa...look...." wify would say "shushhhhh... he is driving". Now at 70-80, I am also part of the team and drives are much more nicer.

On my Gladiator, I did 110+ once on NH4. Felt great...awesome, and henceforth, I keep max 80 .

OT-I bike Pune - Mumbai - Pune once a month, rest week ends, I take the Bus/ Private Cars.

[MX6]

Originally Posted by COUGAR

speakin of safe driving on the expressway, i once saw a silver colored scorpio with team-bhp stickers swerving crazily on the expressway, the driver obviously drunk. Just before Kamshet, the dude pulled to the left lane and a beer bottle was thrown out of the left side window with the car still in motion!! anyone coming from the rear could have been struck! the broken glass on the road-shoulder could cause accidents!

its guys like these who the cops should be catching and putting behind bars!

Did you note the number of the scorpio? Maybe the Mods can quarantine him in T-BHP and stop him from posting for 6 months or so. It can be a way of reprimanding T-BHP members who are offenders on road.
What say Mods?

[apachelongbow]

Originally Posted by jigbarai

Most US highways have a speed limit of 60 mph (miles per hour). That is close to 95kmph.

Now looking at the roads over there and the capacity / power of cars as well (far more modern), isn't that also too low ?

It probably is. And it is so, for a reason !

Do people break speed limits ? Rarely. Again, for good reason.

The Mumbai Pune expressway was touted as a road with 160kmph speed limitations. Once it was opened lot of accidents took place mainly due to tyre bursts. Hence the govt in its infinite wisdom decided people are travelling too fast, lets reduce the speeds to 80kmph

What should have been done is old vehicles with antiquated cross ply tyres should have been examined and removed from the expressway, instead the govt penalised all with this speed limit

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by jigbarai

You got stuck with the numbers and missed the thought behind the post. Irrespective, the speed limit in US interstate varies between 55 to 80. And 95% of the drivers there do a + or - 10 on the prescribed limits without the fear of being ticketed.

However, the point was that in the US - infrastructure, roads, cars, driving discipline etc is way way ahead than even our best expressways. Still, they have a decent speed limit and people more or less stick to it.

Decent speed limit, thats the catch. In US depending on condition(in city, school zone, etc., etc., speed limit varies, unlike here where its a set number. For example some sections of NH1 passing through busy villages has 90kmph speed limit, which is insane and dangerous.
In Delhi, outer ring road, with 8 lanes on both sides, and 3-5kms between crossing(with traffic lights, no blind crossings) has 60kmph seed limit.
So if you set speed limits which are absurd, people will stop respecting the law. Set speed limits for safety and not for fine collection. In India its revenue generation, not safety which is the goal

80 kmph is good enough pace in today's times and 30 is only for sections with turns and where the lanes become narrow.
Even in tunnels the speeds are kept at 80.

Again a subjective point. Who decides which is good enough pace. You, me, policewalla or a traffic engineer. If a traffic engineer or a road safety engineer, studies a road, gives a speed limit, and thats what is enforced, I will be happy.
But if traffic engineer says 120, and police chief says "Buddy, 120kmph means we won't make any money, lets make it 60" and sets 60, then the law gets absurd, and loses its value.
Coming back to your 80kmph argument, a collision at 80kmph in a modern hatch without airbags can kill you. However at 40kmph people will be very safe. So why not set speed limit to a speed at which there will be no deaths?

[bbkp]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

jigbarai,

I was driving with my family and I achieved my record speed on almost deserted road after ghat section. So, I thanked my stars only for great escape from financial loss! As a driver with more than 3 decades of accident-free driving experience, I knew my responsibility and when to cross to triple-digit speed.

Here are the photographs clicked by my daughter just before my record speed [she could not capture the exact record speed at the exact moment]:

Well Well Well - I would never subscribe to this idea - never. I mean, how can you do this with your daughter around in the car ? Maybe tomorrow, She might (young minds have a great memory) take this as a benchmark and attempt to take it to 200 kmph - Would you like your daughter to do that?

I am exceptionally sorry if I am being a bit rude here. No one has a right to put other's life at risk - Be it be your family or others on the road !!

The expressway is not just for the Audis / Mercs - It is also for the Maruti 800s, Altos and the Nanos - Just because we have a safer doesn't mean that we can go fast - think of what might happen to passengers of an 800 / Nano or even a Swift or a Getz if there is an impact at 3-digit speeds with a faster, bigger car. I completely acknowdge the speed limit and feel that it is correct in it's place.

Cheers

[sbraj]

Originally Posted by MX6

Did you note the number of the scorpio? Maybe the Mods can quarantine him in T-BHP and stop him from posting for 6 months or so. It can be a way of reprimanding T-BHP members who are offenders on road.
What say Mods?

MX6, you have no way of knowing whether the TBHP member was driving or not. It could well be a some one else. May be service center guy testing the car.

I have seen such vehicles with TBHP stickers on Bangalore roads.

It is sad, but I don't think quarantining the member is the correct approach.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by sbraj

I have seen such vehicles with TBHP stickers on Bangalore roads.

Sure, and I am sure most are driven by members. And I am also sure that the percentage of poor drivers in the community is not all that different from the population at large - its pretty easy to become a member!

[ghodlur]

Originally Posted by apachelongbow

The Mumbai Pune expressway was touted as a road with 160kmph speed limitations. Once it was opened lot of accidents took place mainly due to tyre bursts. Hence the govt in its infinite wisdom decided people are travelling too fast, lets reduce the speeds to 80kmph

The other reason maybe for finalising 80 as speed limit apart from the accidents was the looting/robbery which was going on on Expressway. It was reported in the newspapers that some miscreants would halt vehicles at night particulary and suddenly a gang would swoop on the unsuspecting vehicle occupants and rob them at knife points. Even some deaths were reported. This made the authorities to put up signs on the expressway to not to stop and move at 80 speed max. This way they would not fall in the trap of anti social elements.
In other words the govt wants people to know that they need not go above 80 but also not less than 80 too.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by ghodlur

In other words the govt wants people to know that they need not go above 80 but also not less than 80 too.

?? How is that possible?!

[sbraj]

Originally Posted by ghodlur

In other words the govt wants people to know that they need not go above 80 but also not less than 80 too.

Constantly maintain a speed of 80? Meaning I cannot take my eyes off the speedometer? I would rather look at the roads, and not try to maintain the exact speed.

[ghodlur]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

?? How is that possible?!

Well what I meant was stick to the speed limits wherever mentioned. Dont ignore them. People earlier had paid price for ignoring the speed limits. One of my office colleague who stays in Vashi goes on e-way just for the heck of it as it gives him an oppurtunity to go at speeds which he can only dream in the city. This attitude is what needs to be changed.

[Sawyer]

I think what happened here was there was a spate of accidents with tyres giving way. So, on the basis of the least common denominator theory which rules in India, the limit was set low enough for most people to qualify to use the road without losing their lives or buying cars they cannot afford. Given the state of the country and the affordability levels prevailing, I guess one cannot complain about that line of thinking.
I also understand that the police informally allow speeds up to 100 and the enforcement, when it gets done, usually stops cars doing 120 and more, true speeds. Fair enough, in an Indian roundabout manner, I guess. Another jugaad, but if it works, what the hell!

Originally Posted by ghodlur

One of my office colleague who stays in Vashi goes on e-way just for the heck of it as it gives him an oppurtunity to go at speeds which he can only dream in the city. This attitude is what needs to be changed.

I believe that there is one Mr Tendulkar that does this too, at 3 am. In the Ferrari.

[jigbarai]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Decent speed limit, thats the catch. In US depending on condition(in city, school zone, etc., etc., speed limit varies, unlike here where its a set number. For example some sections of NH1 passing through busy villages has 90kmph speed limit, which is insane and dangerous.
In Delhi, outer ring road, with 8 lanes on both sides, and 3-5kms between crossing(with traffic lights, no blind crossings) has 60kmph seed limit.
So if you set speed limits which are absurd, people will stop respecting the law. Set speed limits for safety and not for fine collection. In India its revenue generation, not safety which is the goal

We do have separate speed limits in metro cities. It is not all over the place, but certain sections / key roads / school areas have their own way of speed control.

Again - It is happening. Give it time bro. Just do our own bit.

India is 1/10th the size of USA in landspace and 10 times in population.
It has a different political system and comparitively just a few years into actual 'development'.
Key US highways were all designed from the focus of World War II. And they have carried / maintained it from there on.

Again a subjective point. Who decides which is good enough pace. You, me, policewalla or a traffic engineer. If a traffic engineer or a road safety engineer, studies a road, gives a speed limit, and thats what is enforced, I will be happy.
But if traffic engineer says 120, and police chief says "Buddy, 120kmph means we won't make any money, lets make it 60" and sets 60, then the law gets absurd, and loses its value.

Pretty sure it isnt the way you've put it.
We have engineers and technical bodies who design and build infrastructure, and provide recommendations.
Obviously, the local governing body (not the policewala) will have a 'say' based on their knowledge and experience of the area.
Rules and laws are not decided for the sake of money extortion. What happens on the ground may be a different story.

Coming back to your 80kmph argument, a collision at 80kmph in a modern hatch without airbags can kill you. However at 40kmph people will be very safe. So why not set speed limit to a speed at which there will be no deaths?

At 80kmph in a modern hatch, you have a far better chance to control your vehicle and avoid a mishap (than say if you were doing 120+).
I believe you have enough driving experience to understand this very well Sir.