[rohan_fonseca]

Originally Posted by vivekiny2k

II also keep the filer of puncture repair kit within my reach all the time. this one to be precise.

Attachment 169300

Vivek would those instruments be of much help in breaking hard glass?

[Evolution_VIII]

Last year while driving on Bombay-Pune express highway. I had just finished overtaking a car and was still on the right lane when the car behind me flashed its light. I checked in the mirrir and it was a beautiful 2 door Mercedese coupe with black color. I promptly pulled to left and let it pass me (after all you have to respect such rare buties). I was just having a look at the badges to check which model it was, i noticed a AMG badge and if I am remembering it right it was a SL55 AMG. But then what happened within next couple of seconds took my breath away. Just below the bridge where the dvider was discontinued, a truck was taking U-turn. Yes you read it right, U-tun on expressway. The Merc braked hard and managed to stop just a couple of feets away.

I fealt so happy that i had pulled left and had let the Merc pass. Merc could stop in time but there was no way my Lancer could have come to halt from 120 kmph.

90% of the Truck/Trailors do not have the safety bars in the rear which can save lives by not leting the other vehicle to shid below from behind. And even shockingly, 30 to 40% trailors do not even have stop/brake lights in the rear making them the death traps in night.

Just a few years back a doctors family from New Mumbai had similar fate when their Icon skidded below a stopped trailor at night on Bombay-Goa highway. The trailor had no lights/reflectors in rear!

We get fined for not wearing seat belts, no having PUC, no carying papers and many reasons (most of them justifiable by law), but at the same time thousands of death traps are running on highways which do not even have the mandatory fitments!!! Yes, most of them have the 'Mera Bharat Mahan' tagline written behind and they must be feeling proud for carrying out the 'Mahan' activity of reducing population of the country on highways.

[ramkya1]

We can see that the case has been analyzed from many angles and most facts covered.... and how.

One item that was in the press: The read axle of the truck was cracked in the impact. I don't know if that is a fact.

Have an source working on this case, all sources are sealed-off tighter than a drum, all STAKE-HOLDERS on the case are covered by a high powered company!!!!

Soon as I get some authentic inside dope, will post it.

I was very concerned about the open bravedo of some posts and how they were being applauded by some ( Oh....no, I am not going to quote them) Very gratifying to see that many people are endorsing the fact that our roads are not really safe for high-speeds, even on expressways. Cars are only as safe as the drivers and there are better ways to commit suicide than do Mad-Max stunts on highways.

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[GTO]

If there is one thing that all of us should take away from this unfortunate accident, it's that no car is death-proof. Not even what is considered as one of the safest luxury sedans in the world. Only a fool will get over-confident based on the size of his car, or its safety equipment (airbags, ABS, ESP etc.).

Drive safe guys. Whether you are in a Nano or an S-Class.

[pradster]

Originally Posted by GTO

Drive safe guys. Whether you are in a Nano or an S-Class.

I agree, death doesnt judge you by your car brand.

[vivekiny2k]

Originally Posted by rohan_fonseca

Vivek would those instruments be of much help in breaking hard glass?

I haven't tried but I see some vendors selling glass breaking pins of similar dimensions. Do you think the glass can withstand a punch with the circular file in hand? experts?

I forgot one more thing, a pocket knife to cut the seat belt which can get stuck if you land belly up.

[Nikhilb2008]

Vivek, I use that tool on an everyday basis and I can assure oyu it is 100% useless in trying to break a glass. The tool we use breaks quite often. And we use it ONLY on tyres. There is no way it is going to help you break a glass.

Please get another tool to keep close to you instead of that.

[vivekiny2k]

thanks nikhil, I will order the lifehammer now. freak accidents are much more common in this country because of abundance of technology and misleading safety nets.

[Thad E Ginathom]

There are sharp-pointed hammers which are meant for emergency glass breaking.

I heard tell once that the automatic centre punch, a wonderful tool in the workshop, was also beloved of car thieves.

(WOOPS: Sorry for the linked pic (now removed by mods); forgot what forum I was on...)

[Mpower]

Originally Posted by notjustshrawan

I think what he means when he says the "central locking system failed" was the door locks got jammed.

Maybe this model has a mechanism that failed, and in the event of a crash, instead of all the locks releasing, the child locks at the rear were switched on? Due the impact, the electricals malfunctioned? This is an old model, which makes it more prone to failures.

The way I see it, the child locks could have been activated due to the impact, and the rear passengers could have been in a state of shock, and their limited judgment and decision making.

Its a very freak accident. Doors are meant to be opened manually even if they are locked by the central locking system. Child lock activation is also usually done manually. Dunno about the L7.

[arin_12]

Originally Posted by GTO

Drive safe guys. Whether you are in a Nano or an S-Class.

Exactly. This is very true specially in Indian Road. How ever many people try to show the capability of the Big Batch.

[Mpower]

The nature of the impact itself is very puzzling.
For example if you are travelling at 300 kmph and you hit a trailer travelling "in the same direction" at 290 kmph, the impact is actually very mild (because the delta is only 10)
From the TOI description, the trailer was moving and not stopped.

[notjustshrawan]

Originally Posted by Mpower

Its a very freak accident. Doors are meant to be opened manually even if they are locked by the central locking system. Child lock activation is also usually done manually. Dunno about the L7.

Once the child lock is activated, the only way the door can be opened is from outside! Maybe the shockwave that passed through the car switched on the child locks?

I could have assumed due to the impact, the doors were crushed and got stuck between the pillars. But the report in the media says the central lock mechanism failed.

There could also be another side to it - This car could be designed to release all door locks when a crash occurs. The switch could have been reversed? But even if that happens, you would still be able to unlock from within the car. So in my view, it is definitely got to do with the child locks.

It is sad that something like this happened in the first place. I just hope this never happens again.

[vivekiny2k]

Originally Posted by notjustshrawan

I could have assumed due to the impact, the doors were crushed and got stuck between the pillars. But the report in the media says the central lock mechanism failed.

don't go by what media says. in a car that has been pinned down under a trailer and dragged, any door can be badly jammed.

Mpower, I am thinking they may have been doing speeds high enough to get under the trailer, trailer may have been be doing safe speed possible on that stretch. If they were testing after service, speeding and braking is part of testing. May be the brakes/steering mechanism failed?

[notjustshrawan]

Originally Posted by vivekiny2k

don't go by what media says. in a car that has been pinned down under a trailer and dragged, any door can be badly jammed.

Mpower, I am thinking they may have been doing speeds high enough to get under the trailer, trailer may have been be doing safe speed possible on that stretch. If they were testing after service, speeding and braking is part of testing. May be the brakes/steering mechanism failed?

a very big possibility vivek. I think the brakes and steering system failure is another chapter which needs to be looked into. Would the systems fail suddenly? Won't the driver detect the problem early? even if the hydraulic system failed, the steering would be manageable and at speeds close to 120kph, the steering would be smooth even if the assistance (either hydraulic or electric) system has failed.