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Old 25th April 2009, 14:49   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by akas_chauhan View Post
Are you using 100/90 W bulb now. If so did you face any headlight related issues later?
Stock bulbs, then and now. Went to A.S.S the next day and they replaced the AC relay. No issues with either, so far. (happened near November 2008, I think)
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Old 25th April 2009, 16:04   #17
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In the last decade, ever since the Maruti Esteem & Zen became a part of our garage, I don't recollect a single highway breakdown. The last one was in the damn 118NE (circa 1993) when it's fuel pump overheated & left us stranded on the Igatpuri ghats.
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Old 25th April 2009, 17:32   #18
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Once got kind of stranded but never again want to be in that situation

Was on my way back from Coorg on my bull, it was around 5:30 the time when i hit the Mysore road and hear a metallic noise soon after that the bike started to dancing around the road... the rear wheel bearing had blown and i dint know at that point of time.

It was really hard to ride the bike, as keeping the bike in control was a challenge. due to this my speed was about 20kmph...

soon it was dark and my friends had zipped of thinking that i will be following them, unfortunately my mobile was not working either(no network) so continued to ride slowly..

It was dark and the stretch was empty, passed by a mosque just prayed in heart...dint want to get stranded there..thank god i made it...

My friends were waiting for me in Madur, some how managed to reach Ramanagara and got the bike on the matador...

ahh was one stressful ride back home and i guess have never again rode at that speed(20kmph and below) on a hiway and would never want to ride again like that

getting stranded nowhere is scarry..
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Old 25th April 2009, 17:54   #19
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This happened a couple of weeks back in a very modern car on one of the best roads in India, but in every case help was very very far away which seems so funny.

1.Skoda Laura
2. Expressway
3. Driver filled petrol instead of diesel
4. Happened at around 8 PM on route to the international airport.
5. Had to rush to the spot in another car, every other means of aid declared atleast waiting of a couple of hours.
6. That if on road assistance on the expressway can take hours to arrive, god forbid what will the condition be like in other parts of the country!
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Old 25th April 2009, 18:21   #20
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Been stranded a few times but two incidents stand out.
The first was in July '99. Just out of college, me and a friend decide to visit - Bihar, of all the places. A mutual friend in Patna arranged transport, hotels and a man friday and then we were off. First trip was to Bodh Gaya. Uneventful, but heard some hair raising tales of what happens to highway travelers on the Jehanabad sector.
Left for Rajgir the next day. Too many detours and chai breaks meant that we started driving back to Patna only by 1230 am. Big mistake. After about 60 km, our Omni just stopped. No warning, nothing. We were cruising along at about 60kph and just out of the blue, the engine makes asthmatic noises and stops.
Three of us get out. Its a moonless night and there are no lights anywhere around.
'Why do'nt we just pull over and sleep in the car?', I ask man friday.
'This is the naxalite belt, sir. People just disappear.'
I cannot even begin to describe the apprehension that crept up on me as I realized the mess we were in.
'Lets push the van and try to start it.', someone suggested.
Half a km of pushing later we realized that it had completely packed up.
'What now?'
'Turn off all lights, pray and push till we reach someplace safe. Hopefully, no one will see us.'
And thats what we did. For 6 km till we reached a closed petrol pump. Pulled in there, tipped the attendant so he would let us park and chain smoked till dawn. Managed to repair the van next morning and get back by 11am. Our friend in Patna was sure we had been kidnapped my naxals and was extremely relieved to see us.
I cannot remember exactly where we were stranded. We hat taken so many detours that I was totally confused. The driver, of course knew, but dismissed it with a 'choro saab. kuch hua nahi naa.' when we asked later, so it must have been an area with a considerable reputation for naxal or maoist activity.
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Old 25th April 2009, 21:12   #21
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While living in Bombay, a friend and I decided to make a bike trip to Matheran - that's a hill station near Bombay. Impromptu trip - we were out for lunch on a Sunday and went just as we were, without luggage.

We stayed the night there and on the way back the next morning, halfway down the hill where Matheran is located, had a rear tyre puncture. We spent close to three hours waiting for someone who could take one of us down the hill to Neral, the town at the base of the hill where Matheran is located or back to Matheran. We knew right then that we would only be getting to work well after lunch.

Every bike coming down had a pillion rider, almost every car was full and there were not many vehicles in any case. The few cars who were not full refused to stop for us. We tried asking a few bikers to send up a puncture guy from Neral but I doubt if they bothered.

Finally out of desperation we stood in the middle of the road so that the next car down the hill was forced to stop. Middle aged man, wife and 10 year old son, returning to Pune. We explained the situation and got in. Son thought it was very funny and kept grinning at us throughout the drive down while we smiled politely back. They dropped us at Neral and went on their way. We then got a puncture wallah to go with my friend back up the hill, remove the tyre, bring it back down, repair the puncture, go back and fix the tyre. My friend then rode down and we went back to Bombay.

The puncture wallah was in a talkative mood while we were both irritable and anxious to get away as soon as possible as we needed to spend at least a few hours in office. He must have been about 20 or so. While repairing the puncture he asked us if if we were studying in college.

My friend and I looked at each other - while we weren't exactly graying, we definitely were a little older than the average college student - and with great restraint told the guy to shut up and get on with his work.

We went back home, got bathed and changed and left for office together - late afternoon. On the way we had another puncture. Front tyre this time.

One of my favourite memories of my time in Bombay is that of my friend standing on the road, kicking his bike tyre and abusing it like it was human.
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Old 30th April 2009, 15:57   #22
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Let me put my recent 2 experience (it has happened many times earlier, may be I am not learning from past OR driving too much)
Both the incidents was with my Hyundai Elantra CRDI and both with my wife and 6 year old son
Once after Chinnar forest check post after crossing Tamil Nadu border (way back from Munnar), had a tea and 15 mts break, my car budged to start. It was cranking but failing to start for some mysterious reason. We contacted the Hyundai customer care and was informed the nearest help is at Tirupur (140 kms) and the centre is not working since it was a national holiday. I remember some mention about a fuel trip switch and started looking at the manual for this, but realized later that was in my previous Ford Ikon. Started looking under the hood, I used to be reasonably good with basic maintenance with my father’s ambi & Maruit, but this one looked like Greek and Latin to me. By then a group of villagers had joined and was ready to push the vehicle (no push start is written bold in owner’s manual) and was joking at poor me trying to start the vehicle reading a book. By then half an hour would have passed reading the manual and sipping couple of teas and thinking about alternate options (could not find any in a remote place like that). I made one more try and the engine came to life (till day the sweetest sound I have heard). From there drove entire length to Bangalore without turning off the engine even during lunch break. And Hyundai service in Banaglore could not identify any possible cause for this. Learnings – Have the help line numbers, owner’s manual (didn’t help), and last but not least no harm in giving the machine time to cool off after the tiring drive and then give a try.
One other was running over a big stone in the highway around 1 AM. This stone was left by some Lorry guys in the inner lane (you know the ones they keep under the tyres) and unfortunate me ran over it at around 140 kms. Damage – Alloy wheel broken, brand new Michelin (purchased same day) tyre damaged. I didn’t want to risk changing to step-in and driving another 350 kms home for the fear of other not so visible damages like brake discs, steering rods etc. This time Hyundai service from Salem helped and 2 guys came in less than a hour (was just 15 kms from Salem town), briefly inspected the vehicle and drove to they facility and did a thorough inspection and gave us the OK to go. Learning – I stopped long drives during night and if at all I go, don’t do more than 100 per hr.
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