[pawan_pullarwar]

This sunday I was in Matheran with my Palio 1.2 my and 6 family members includes my 10 months old son, and my friend and his wife in his Palio 1.6.

When we were coming back my friend pulled his car to road side at around 10 PM on expressway. Car was punctured. I parked my car behind, I had a breakdown board with me, So I put it on the road. When we were replacing the tyre a highway police stopped by us and asked what happened, and they gone.

When we were inspacting the tyre found that there was a nail with sqare rubber on head. We replaced the tyre with stepni.

When we started again after fixing, I imidiatly noticed my car's tyre was punctured too, till the time my friend was went ahead. I called him and told him that my tyre is punctued too but as he already been 2-3 KMs ahead I asked him to go ahead. Imidialy within 5 mins, one police jeep stopped by us they asked if I have spare tyre with me.

I pulled my spare tyre from trunk. Again within 5 mins one jeep parked at 5 meter distance from our car. I pulled a rod with me. But found Delta Security was written on the jeep, may be police must have sent them. They came to us and helped replacing the tyre, even a guy only from Delta security have replaced my car's tyre. And I noticed the same nail in my tyre too. I explained them the incident with my friend's car. They said this must belongs to highway robbers.

Today morning I noticed another punture in my car, and this time again the same nail. I think if Delta security was not their we must have robbed and God may be with us thats why we were back safely.

But onwards I learnt that one must avoid night driving.

[rks]

Very chilling news for me. Because I usually drive between 8-00 and 9-00 PM on the Expressway every Friday. It would help if you could let me know precisely where this happened, so that I can take precautions.

The second thought that occurs to me is to use tubeless tyres. That way you can keep driving for some distance (well beyond the reach of the dacoits) at least before any significant deflation occurs, if at all there is any significant deflation. Also a good idea to carry a portable inflator, in which case you can just fill up at that point and keep driving till you either reach home or a tyre shop.

Twice I found people crossing the Expressway near Khalapur at night, just before the exit toll gate (Mumbai side). Once the guy emerged from the bushes on the divider and made a fake move to get in my car's path on the right most lane when my speed was about 130 kmph. No way I could have stopped, and fortunately he immediately went back into the bushes. Last Friday this again happened in heavy rains, with very poor visibility. I was speeding on the right lane and ahead of me I vaguely saw a shadow of a guy crossing the road from the left this time. This guy emerged from behind a Honda city just ahead of me in the middle lane, which I was overtaking. In the end, the guy had barely enough time to get out of the way of my speeding car and again I realized that I was in no position to brake. I am now wondering if these guys were actually trying to make me stop and were discouraged by my high speed.

[pawan_pullarwar]

@rks: it happens after 2 kms of lonavla exit, towards pune. ie. once you crossed the over bridge and come to the normal road.
Yes, you are true, tubeless tyres will help in such situation, I will replace my tyres with tubeless one. Also let me know where I can find good quality portable inflator in Pune ?

[rks]

Originally Posted by pawan_pullarwar

@rks: it happens after 2 kms of lonavla exit, towards pune. ie. once you crossed the over bridge and come to the normal road.
Yes, you are true, tubeless tyres will help in such situation, I will replace my tyres with tubeless one. Also let me know where I can find good quality portable inflator in Pune ?

Thanks for the info. It would be wise move to switch to tubeless tyres, from every safety consideration.

I bought the portable inflator (with pressure gauge, battery operated, off the cigarette lighter outlet) from the accessories shop opposite ICICI bank near Jyoti's restaurant in Kondhwa; I think that road is called Kondhwa road and this shop is near the junction where it branches off to NIBM road. The compressor is Chinese and not of very good quality (cost is about Rs. 800) and lasts only about 2 years maximum. I am sure there will be much better ones available, which I plan to search for next time.

[humyum]

Happened to me around 3 months back while going to pimpri on the expressway.We are crusing at around 90 kmph when i suddenly saw a small wooden plate with nails stuck all over them.Inititially u cant make out what it is but when you are near its very much seen.

A drastic direction change and a controllable speed of 90kmph saved my tyres and mind you this was during the day time below the overhead bridge. During night times at 80kmph avoiding it would be almost out of question unless u have eagles eye

The question of robbing the car is one but what if the puntured tyre@speeds lands someone in a ditch/pole bla bla.I guess its high time police did something about this.

[hkanitkar]

this gang of robbers is operative since last 3 years as far as i remember. My cousin used to travel every friday night to pune, and the Palio he was using, got punctured almost every alternate instance. Generally, this used to happen about 5 Kms from khopoli food plaza.

There were reports of these robbers being caught but it seems unlikely after reading pawan's experience.

[rks]

Originally Posted by humyum

Happened to me around 3 months back while going to pimpri on the expressway.We are crusing at around 90 kmph when i suddenly saw a small wooden plate with nails stuck all over them.Inititially u cant make out what it is but when you are near its very much seen.

In this case I think even tubeless tyres may get deflated rapidly. Because the tyre could get punctured as it goes over the plank, but the plank may then get thrown off along with the nails as the car moves. I suggested tubeless tyres on the assumption that the dacoits had simply strewn the Expressway with nails, which apparently was the case in the situation described by pawan_pullarwar.

[panky12345]

High time our government should do something about it and stop taking bribes from all these mafias....

[maddy42]

I had read about a news article long time back about a person being killed when a gang of robbers attacked him after they had stopped his car with a sack on the highway. No news about it later. Guys be careful and take precautions. Didnt know tht those guys are still active. By the way can anyone tellme how to rectify a punture on a tubeless

[V-16]

Thank gos you all guys are ok. I remember when the expressway started, there were two or three incidents where inspite of robbing the occupants of the car, they were mercilessly killed too. That was when the govt. decided to call on Mr. Vickram Bokey as special officer and gave him the charge. He was the one that started Delta Force with orders of shoot to kill. A few incidents and the robbers were being gunned down. Thill he resigned and left, there were no incidents. Mr. Bokey who lives in Baner, is now the chief of the MNS in Pune. I think if a deputation is taken to him he will be able to solve the whole thing out. Also a hue and cry has to be made on this issue. I think if the media can get involved in this issue and publicize it a little more (Rather than commenting and paying more attention to Salman, Sanjay and Amitabh and their daily chores) IT would help everyone. Once in the media, there will be less travellers in the night time reducing incidents and also the toll collection which will make the govt take up this issue and study it in reality.

[scooby05]

Our Government and its employees have too many things to do[i.e.making money] and too little WORKING Hands!!
And as the saying goes, Police have every idea of the gangs etc operating and at times are hand in glove
Regular highway users should keep an iron Rod below the drivers seat for emergency use. atleast one thiefs leg is broken if an incident happens!

[V-16]

Originally Posted by scooby05

Our Government and its employees have too many things to do[i.e.making money] and too little WORKING Hands!!
And as the saying goes, Police have every idea of the gangs etc operating and at times are hand in glove
Regular highway users should keep an iron Rod below the drivers seat for emergency use. atleast one thiefs leg is broken if an incident happens!

Absolutely agree with Scooby there. I carry a hockey. Chuk De !! Ek Hockey doonga rakh ke!!

[saildrive]

Guys;

Isnt it easier said than done (hitting with a stick/rod). A few weeks back my colleague stopped at the Citibank ATM near Hotel Sea Princess in Juhu at 1 am (night) to withdraw money. No sooner he got out of the ATM - he was held by 4 men who demanded money - on refusal started punching him and mind you these guys were speaking in english.
One of them tried to pull his chain and luckily my colleague pulled himself the chain fell in his shirt. they again started punching him one gave a strong blow on his nose on which he freaked and hit man with his knee in the groin, he dropped and the other loosened their grip. my colleague rushed to the car (purple palio) and started driving on them (rogues) tried to get in but our brave man drove on - but then one of the guys threw a stone which shattered the rear windscreen.

He met some cops further ahead and they did naka bandi etc, but no one was caught - the mama told him - lodging a complain will make him do rounds in identifying the guys - so my (un)wise friend decided not to complain.

He was lucky I say - nothing lost then a few hundreds in getting the windscreen sorted and a few punches, but what if these guys were armed and worst would be if one has a family with them - cant afford that to happen.

We should find a way to make a noise about these highway incidents...!! Right here right now! cos we could be next.

[humyum]

Originally Posted by V-16

Absolutely agree with Scooby there. I carry a hockey. Chuk De !! Ek Hockey doonga rakh ke!!

i have wheel spanner plonked neatly next to the handbrake.I rather have it and not use than not have it and need it.

[Thar4x4]

Thought of updating same instead of creating new thread.

Pune - Mumbai express way is again in danger.

Rod wielding robbers smashed a Tata Manza car near the Food Mall on Mumbai-Pune Expressway and also injured a 34-year-old woman and her 12-year-old daughter before fleeing with cash of around Rs 75,000 in the wee hours on Monday. The shaken and bruised family have lodged an FIR at the Kamshet police station.

The crime took place at around 2.45 am when Amit Mali, his wife Reshu Mali and their school going daughter, Vedika, were driving from Mumbai to Pune via the Expressway. They had just returned from a brief vacation abroad as their flight had earlier landed at the Mumbai airport.

''We were driving non-stop from Mumbai airport and stopped our Tata Manza car near Taje Petrol Pump in order to buy some water from the Food Mall. I asked my wife and daughter to sit inside the car and lock the doors till I came back,'' recalled Amit Mali.

However, within seconds around four unidentified men surrounded the car and started smashing the car windows. They also hit Reshu Mali with a big stone and pulled her by her hair in order to loot the valuables from them.

''When her daughter, Vedika, tried to protect her from further attacks, the robbers injured her hand as well. Reshu frantically started screaming for help and also sounded the car horn. Some of the employees at the petrol pump rushed towards the car, but the robbers with a bag containing the cash and other valuables,'' informed a family member, Pankaj Sharma.

By then, Amit Mali also returned back to the car. Police officials reached the spot within 15 minutes to record the statements of the Mali family.

An official at Kamshet police station told TOI that in the past, a few truck and tempo drivers have been robbed at this spot. However, this is the first major attack on a family travelling by car in such a brazen manner.

''This is very scary and horrible incident that happened to my family; we were in deep shock. We wish to publish this in media as much as possible so that it should not happen to others and their lives remain safe. Here the security of Expressway and police patrolling is also in question,'' said Amit Mali.

He added that though there were two trucks parked next to his Tata Manza car, none of its occupants tried to intervene and save his wife and daughter while the crime was taking place.

Above content is form the TOI: Link