[team suzuki]

These are the reasons why all experts suggest to drive slow in indian highways you never know what will come infront of you.Nice to hear everyone was safe and you did a smart thing by wearing your seatbelt which many people don't do maybe its your badluck a lawyer's alto kissed your innova.........

[anjan_c2007]

Disturbing to read the whole story. at 30-40 kmph if this is the damage then what at 60-80 kmph our speeds on highways.
The Rs 88000 on repairs is another shocker.
The lawyers seem to have escaped with something like Rs 1000 of damages.On the lighter side its amusing to read that they went looking for the buffaloes.

[Mr.Bangalore]

Originally Posted by anjan_c2007

Disturbing to read the whole story. at 30-40 kmph if this is the damage then what at 60-80 kmph our speeds on highways.
The Rs 88000 on repairs is another shocker.
The lawyers seem to have escaped with something like Rs 1000 of damages.On the lighter side its amusing to read that they went looking for the buffaloes.

Well it was not them, it was me who was looking for buffalo, and get it treated, if it had incured any injuries.. b'coz no mistake of buffalo, its the owner who should be held responsible for letting the it to rome around in higways.

[dadu]

Apart from the radiator they are also chaning the condensor and related parts, which means that the AC assembly is also damaged and 2.5k as windshield labour ??

[Mr.Bangalore]

Today called up Ravind service advisor, he told the Insurance company has asked to replace the front part, and they did not approve the windshield and replacement of back bumper. I have to negotiate with Insurance guys to approve those.

[mjothi]

Originally Posted by Mr.Bangalore

Today called up Ravind service advisor, he told the Insurance company has asked to replace the front part, and they did not approve the windshield and replacement of back bumper. I have to negotiate with Insurance guys to approve those.

What is the reason they give? I think the windshield is covered 100% but you need to take the bill for those rubber used in the fittings.

Back bumber, plastics - 50% can be claimed right?

[snaronikar]

Yes, all plastic parts insurance gives 50% of the amount (AFAIK) and the metal parts you will get 100% insurance. They should give insurance atleast to the extent of 50%.

[Dud_Dodo]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Driver behind a hard braked vehicle is never blamed. It is the front drivers responsibility to brake keeping an eye on the rear view mirror. I am sure in this case the Alto was not tail gating has the Innova had hard braked from 40kmph.

but Wow! I don't understand the logic behind this conclusion & 'm sorry, but I dispute this.

Why do you conclude that it is the responsibility of the driver in the vehicle in front and not the fault of the person rear-ending him/her? Lets evaluate it.

I totally agree that it is the responsibility of any driver to look in the rear view before braking, slowing down, changing lanes etc. BUT, this is under a normal scenario.

In case of emergency braking, one's priority is saving a life/avoiding an accident. Lets assume that it wasn't a buffalo but a kid or a senior citizen or just another human being, would a driver be excused to brake slowly after checking rear view for tailgating vehicles but in the interim, because the speed of the vehicle couldn't reduce enough to save the situation, crash into the person? I don't think so. I agree that one has to (have the presence of mind to) check rear view & take the best possible action, but frankly, how many of us act that way? All that is most important in a situation like that is, save life/avoid accident/cause minimum damage (none at all if possible).

So now, to the point about the speed & tailgating. Frankly one can (I guess) keep a shorter gap between vehicles at slower speeds, since braking efficiency is better, however the more the speed increases, so should the gap between the vehicles. However whether the crash happened from a speed of 40 KMPH or not, the vehicle at the back wouldn't have crashed into the suddenly stopping vehicle if a safe distance was maintained. In this case Mr. Bangalore could only control the speed & distance of the vehicle he was driving, not of the Alto. It was totally the responsibility of the Alto driver to maintain a safe distance between his own car & Bangalore's Innova.

Experts, please comment.

[Mr.Bangalore]

Originally Posted by Dud_Dodo

but Wow! I don't understand the logic behind this conclusion & 'm sorry, but I dispute this.

Why do you conclude that it is the responsibility of the driver in the vehicle in front and not the fault of the person rear-ending him/her? Lets evaluate it.

I totally agree that it is the responsibility of any driver to look in the rear view before braking, slowing down, changing lanes etc. BUT, this is under a normal scenario.

In case of emergency braking, one's priority is saving a life/avoiding an accident. Lets assume that it wasn't a buffalo but a kid or a senior citizen or just another human being, would a driver be excused to brake slowly after checking rear view for tailgating vehicles but in the interim, because the speed of the vehicle couldn't reduce enough to save the situation, crash into the person? I don't think so. I agree that one has to (have the presence of mind to) check rear view & take the best possible action, but frankly, how many of us act that way? All that is most important in a situation like that is, save life/avoid accident/cause minimum damage (none at all if possible).

So now, to the point about the speed & tailgating. Frankly one can (I guess) keep a shorter gap between vehicles at slower speeds, since braking efficiency is better, however the more the speed increases, so should the gap between the vehicles. However whether the crash happened from a speed of 40 KMPH or not, the vehicle at the back wouldn't have crashed into the suddenly stopping vehicle if a safe distance was maintained. In this case Mr. Bangalore could only control the speed & distance of the vehicle he was driving, not of the Alto. It was totally the responsibility of the Alto driver to maintain a safe distance between his own car & Bangalore's Innova.

Experts, please comment.

hey Dud_Dodo,

thanks for pointing out.
In normal situation anybody responsible and a good driver would have seen the rare view mirror and breaked it. But in my situation, i saw the buffalo just 3 feet infront of me and my instinct told me to put the breaks rather than seeing the rear view mirror. And according to law it will be fault of the driver driving behind not to maintain the breaking distance. Infact i could have claimed the dameges done by Alto to my car from Alto's insurance. And let me add to the point that it was raining so breaking wont be that good.

[mjothi]

Yes and thats the whole concept of "Maintaining a safe distance" I guess its 10mts right? It next to impossible to maintain this gap anywhere in here. Bcs, by the time you maintain tihs, another guy will get in to the gap and you will be slowly doing only reverse.

[aaggoswami]

@Mr. Banglore:
You are lucky to just have the estimated cost as 88K.

After a relatively minor crash in our Baleno, the cost was 1.17 lakhs ( the cost split up also given ).

But the Alto guys behaviour is quite wierd.

[abhinav.gupta88]

Ouch that looks pretty bad. There goes your custom bonnet right.
Was it any stickering or a replacement?

[RuffRyder]

Originally Posted by Mr.Bangalore

It was Saturday September 6th, morning got up early around 5am got myself ready, picked up 2 of my friends and hit the road to Mysore towards Nanjanagudu around 6.30am, reached the Nanjanagud around 10:30 with one breakfast break, visited temple and reached back Bangalore around 6 in the evening after visiting a friend’s place on the way back in Mandya.

At around 7 picked up few stuff and started to visit my in laws place which is around 45kms from Bangalore. On the way rain started to pour heavily and visibility was very poor. After reaching K.R.Puram at low speeds, the road was filled with water.

At around 8.30 on NH4 I saw a buffalo and calf standing on the road, I just turned to right, and to my bad luck there was another buffalo standing in front, for 1st instance I could see only the four legs of the buffalo, I suddenly the hit the brakes hard, but it was too late and hit the buffalo, it overturned and stood and ran away. An alto which was behind me had hit the bumper of my Innova. I was doing around 30-40k and was in 3rd gear. I was in a shock for few seconds, went out to see the damages to the car, it was really bad. Then went to the alto and checked everyone in it 4 guys all of them were lawyers, they were ok. Then searched for the buffalo in and around, but could not trace it. I checked with people around, they said it ran away, hoping that it did not have any major injuries.

Damages to innova was really bad, bonnet crushed, grill fully damaged, radiator broke and coolant was leaking. I then checked the Alto, but only bonnet was damaged but ECU light was glowing. But they called up few mechanics and carried on like that after taking my contact number.
Next day called up Ravindu Toyota guy (thanks to Ravi, for providing the numbers) to tow my vehicle

Estimation from Ravidu Toyota for the damages is 88,800 INR, waiting for my insurance company how much amout they will approve.

I must say that seat belts saved me from injuries. And I even searched for that buffalo after the incident, but could not trace it. I even asked in station while taking the acknowledgment that any injured buffalo complaint was reported, but nothing.

Now to the pics

Damn..that is real bad @ Mr. Banglore..feeling bad for the sticker on the bonnet..

[Mr.Bangalore]

Originally Posted by abhinav.gupta88

Ouch that looks pretty bad. There goes your custom bonnet right.
Was it any stickering or a replacement?

That was custom stickering

[gd1418]

The MV Act says 15m. Earlier, when the driving licence test used to be conducted, this was one of the questions that used to be asked. I don't know if they ask such questions nowadays.

And did you say it is next to impossible to maintain this gap? Tell me why? Driving slow and at a reasonable speed is a virtue that none do now.

Originally Posted by mjothi

Yes and thats the whole concept of "Maintaining a safe distance" I guess its 10mts right? It next to impossible to maintain this gap anywhere in here. Bcs, by the time you maintain tihs, another guy will get in to the gap and you will be slowly doing only reverse.