[JoseVijay]

Originally Posted by Reisender

Santosh - While I'm on a conf call (mute ofcourse) i read this and laughed to the very end because of your narration.

Good that your parents came back unhurt.

Thanks

Thanks for pointing out this buddy. Got curious and went through the posts by svsantosh. Right now I am on the floor like this.

[venuvedam]

Originally Posted by svsantosh

2000 Dec'
College Fest
Me : Students Assn Leader

The End.

Omigod! This is frigging hilarious. Gave me an unprecedented asthma attack thanks to all that uncontrollable laughter.

Just the right medicine to forget my lending episode.
If anyone on this thread has not this post, you are missing a lot.

[audioholic]

I follow the policy of don't lend, don't be lent others vehicle as much as possible. From when I was a kid, my blood would boil whenever my dad had to lend our car to an NRI uncle whenever he visited India. I had created such a racket that he ended up buying a car and using it whenever he came here That was how particular I was about our rides. My father also doesn't appreciate the idea of either lending the vehicle or borrowing someone's. That's one reason we haven't got a driver till date.

Fast forward to the present, as many say there's this obligation within our relations which makes some things unavoidable. Once in my native my WagonR parked in such a way that it was obstructing movement of guests for a function at home. Being a lazy head I was still not awake in the morning when my dad's brother came to me and asked me for the car keys to move the car. I did it, to be returned with a bruise in the front left corner since he couldn't judge a boulder to the left of the vehicle

He had no clue he even caused it since he was that ignorant. That was the last time my car keys reached anyone other than me and my father.

Same applies to my dio. My friends know how particular about things and one day in college as I park the scoot my friend also comes to park. She parks a few feet away from my scoot, saying the side stand of her dio is loose and she is scared it will fall on my dio. Then I realised other people do respect my thoughts lol!.

However I do lend my scoot to such friends who do respect the care I give to the vehicle. At least I will be happy that my vehicle isn't in the wrong hands. Also, if at all something happens, I can be sure that it was an accident and not because of their careless use.

[CliffHanger]

I'm very particular about good upkeep of my vehicles.

But, I generally don't mind lending my vehicles or other stuffs to my close friends and relatives.

For me, between an object and a person, I value the latter more, always!

[gabrielthomas]

My story is bit different from the ones mentioned here. It goes like this..

My close and best friend who had a estilo forced me on a couple of occasions to take his car to run my errands though I had my own Zen 2006 LXI. This was due to two reasons:

1. His car had done very few KMs despite being some three years old.
2. I'm a sedate and disciplined driver and maintain my car in a top notch condition..


Well..let me brief you of the occasions...

Incident 1: My car had a AC problem and I had left it for service. As he stayed near my house, he offered his car so that i could commute to work. Though I refused his offer as I had plans to go by train, I accepted it later as I had got really late for work. We left and he got dropped on the way near Vandalur. It was around 11AM in the morning and I was cruising at around 60 to 65 kms on the GST road on the rightmost lane. There was absolutely no traffic ahead of me...the road was a straight line....now here comes a yellow board ambassador on the left lane, passes my side and cuts in so sharply into my lane that he brushes against my left bumper and along with the momentum rips it off, gives me a terrible shake as the vehicle started to sway due to the impact and off he goes in a flash! a few minutes later, my colleague passing by that side in a local bus, sees me with the car parked by the side of the road, standing in front of it, with hands on my hips, staring at the torn bumper. ultimate result - I had to shell out around 3000rs for a new bumper.

Incident - 2: Now this was the ultimate experience of my life when i got married - no I'm not talking about the marraige experience, this is an incident that happened after that...precisely during my honeymoon. Me and my wife had planned to drive down to kodaikanal in my humble zen and yo comes the good samaritan who offers his estilo once again. Due to the previous experience i had strictly refused, but ultimately had to give in coz he cited that zen's performance might not be upto the mark when grossing up hill on the kodai mountains. I relunctantly give in and we exchange cars on the maduravoyal bypass and off we went on a blissful honeymoon!! no issues during the journey nor during the stay we had in kodai, but on the way back fate turned in on us. It was around 7:30pm,we were nearing Tiruchi and it was raining as if there was a cloud burst - couldn't see a thing and i kept the car at a very minimal speed trying hard to figure out the vehicles that were in front of me..it went on for about 10 minutes then the rain ceased, after that there were just a few trickles of rain...we had just begun to enjoy our drive once again..when we saw a lone church to the left of us and was looking quite beautiful in the night. After passing that church, no sooner I had turned my head to the road, I was shocked!!!there were series of huge stones just a few feet away from the car lying on the middle of the highway meant to block that part of the road. There were no reflectors on those stones nor any Take Diversion signages!!! As it had rained, it had made the road more darker and the headlights were not so great..hence i missed seeing the stone...there was nothing I could have done about it and off the car went, over the stone, its underbody getting hit badly. There was a broken oil tank and a slightly deformed rear wheel. As i was maintaining a very low speed i was able to control it and bring it to a stop without any further grave damages. Well the aftermath was I had to shell out around 25000 to get the car repaired apart from the ticket expenses for me and my friend to travel from chennai to tiruchi back and forth....probably it was my lucky combination with his car that I missed seeing the stone, perhaps if I had taken my zen.....hmmmm...... but after that incident, I really felt very bad to face my friend and his family as well....though i did not have any intention to borrow his car...yet...i had to pay the price...

Incident 3 - I was supposed to go on a roadtrip to madurai with my friends and we had planned to do it on my zen. On one of my casual conversations with my good samaritan i had blurted out this and there he comes to my rescue, offering me his car. I was like no way!! me and ur car never have had any good luck and I dont want to, but he was like bent upon in convincing me....and he was successful. We had a wonderful trip without much events luckily...except for a rear wheel plate that had falled down somewhere...

Incident 4 - He sold the car and got a new one!

I think it was really my bad luck with his car. I used drive rental cars back in Canada and maintain them as if it was my own car..

Though i had denied his offer three times just like Peter denied Jesus, the desire to drive the Estilo probably over took me on all the three ocassions...

waiting for your bricks and bats!

[hserus]

Some people and some cars just don't mix. Cars are almost human that way I think.

Like even a very popular and friendly guy always has at least one guy that detests him, this looks like the car equivalent.

[gabrielthomas]

Something that really suits this thread...

Allowing friend to ride bike costs man Rs 1.75 lakh..

CHENNAI: The next time you allow a friend to take your bike for a spin, check if he/she has a valid driving licence. In case the vehicle meets with an accident, the insurance company is not obliged to pay compensation and, instead, the owner will be fined, held the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal here. It then directed the owner of a vehicle to pay 1.75 lakh compensation to a 55-year-old accident victim. K Panjali of Thiruvottiyur was knocked down by a motorcycle on January 16, 2010.

Counsel for Panjali said that around 3.30pm while she was standing on a platform at Ennore Express Road, a motorcycle coming at "terrific speed" hit her. She sustained a head injury and was taken to GH. The accident occurred because of rash and negligent driving of the rider, so the driver and the insurer were liable to pay compensation, said her counsel. Bike owner V Balaguru did not appear before the tribunal. In its counter, the Oriental Insurance Co Ltd said the bike rider Esakki, a friend of Balaguru, did not have a driving licence. The unlawful driving had breached the conditions of the policy and it was not responsible for the damages, it argued.

Sub-judge J Chandran said the insurer did not cross examine Esakki to establish contributory negligence on part of the victim. Eyewitness account and documentary evidence had buttressed Esakki's rash and negligent driving. As such, he was squarely responsible for the accident, said the tribunal. Esakki, however, did not have a driving licence. This had been confirmed by the Regional Transport Office, Chennai (North West). After investigation, traffic wing officials had registered a case against him. As established by the insurer, Esakki did not have a licence, he said, adding that the owner of the vehicle had breached the stipulations of the policy. For the wrong committed by the rider, Balaguru alone was to be held liable to pay compensation, said the bench, adding the insurer had to recover the award from the owner.

Reference: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...aign=TOI_AShow

[latentpotential]

Originally Posted by gabrielthomas

Something that really suits this thread...

Allowing friend to ride bike costs man Rs 1.75 lakh..

CHENNAI: The next time you allow a friend to take your bike for a spin, check if he/she has a valid driving licence. In case the vehicle meets with an accident, the insurance company is not obliged to pay compensation and, instead, the owner will be fined, held the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal here. It then directed the owner of a vehicle to pay 1.75 lakh compensation to a 55-year-old accident victim. K Panjali of Thiruvottiyur was knocked down by a motorcycle on January 16, 2010.

Counsel for Panjali said that around 3.30pm while she was standing on a platform at Ennore Express Road, a motorcycle coming at "terrific speed" hit her. She sustained a head injury and was taken to GH. The accident occurred because of rash and negligent driving of the rider, so the driver and the insurer were liable to pay compensation, said her counsel. Bike owner V Balaguru did not appear before the tribunal. In its counter, the Oriental Insurance Co Ltd said the bike rider Esakki, a friend of Balaguru, did not have a driving licence. The unlawful driving had breached the conditions of the policy and it was not responsible for the damages, it argued.

Sub-judge J Chandran said the insurer did not cross examine Esakki to establish contributory negligence on part of the victim. Eyewitness account and documentary evidence had buttressed Esakki's rash and negligent driving. As such, he was squarely responsible for the accident, said the tribunal. Esakki, however, did not have a driving licence. This had been confirmed by the Regional Transport Office, Chennai (North West). After investigation, traffic wing officials had registered a case against him. As established by the insurer, Esakki did not have a licence, he said, adding that the owner of the vehicle had breached the stipulations of the policy. For the wrong committed by the rider, Balaguru alone was to be held liable to pay compensation, said the bench, adding the insurer had to recover the award from the owner.

Reference: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...aign=TOI_AShow

This is how the law is. A very similar incident happened with my Dad when he lent his Rajdoot to someone for an extended period of time in the 1980s.

Unfortunately in that case the person passed away in the accident and the case is still in Mumbai courts. Revives every couple of years but no where near a conclusion.

[rohanjf]

My brother use to drive my car once in a while. He has crashed it twice. First one was when the car was 2 days old. He forgot to engage handbrake after parking, and the car hit a pillar and broke the left headlight. Sadly, Palio's headlights cost more than 10,000 Rs.

Second time, he drove too close to the i10 in front of him. When the i10 braked hard, my brother crashed into the i10. Luckily, only material damage. My brother had to pay for the i10's repair.

In both cases, I didn't mind much. I guess my brother is more important to me than my car, and in both cases, he learnt his lessons.


However, I haven't been so happy with my motorbike. Once I went abroad for 3 months, my one friend borrowed my Caliber. It was already 8 years old then (in 2010). It was not my idea to give him the bike. He insisted.

After I came back 3 months later, I went to collect my bike. He came out of the house limping. Then he showed me my bike. To my shock, many of its parts were broken. front wheel was bent. Headlight was pointing towards the right. I was upset that he hadn't informed about the accident. I asked him for details.

I was even more upset when he told me that he had the accident within a day of borrowing my bike. He hadn't even bothered to repair it, even though there were several workshops around his house.

I thought I'll forgive him because he had a fracture in his leg. He narrated the incident. When he was riding, an autorickshaw came too close and its RVM touched the bike's RVM. My friend lost balance and fell.

And then his rants started. He started giving me "gyaan", that I should keep the RVMs loose, so that they rotate when something hits them. He sounded as if he was blaming me when he said I had made the RVMs tight, and that caused his accident.

I informed him that I have always used my bike like that, but have never had any problems. Then I told him that I was going to replace all broken parts with originals. Again he started complaining, why to replace with expensive original parts when you can get cheaper options. I told him that the broken parts were stock parts, and I will replace them with OEM parts.

After a couple of weeks, I showed him the bill. It was around 2000 Rs. He started haggling with me!! His reasoning was, even local RVMs are as good as OEM RVMs, front splash guards and handle are available for cheap in Shivajinagar etc.

I got tired of arguing with him and kept quiet after he gave 1500 Rs.

Now I use my bike once in a blue moon, but I don't give it to anyone.

[mayankk]

Reviving an old thread.
I just love anecdotal threads. They're hilarious, as is this one.
Only my big brother can take my rides out. But he refuses to take the fiesta since the first two times he took her out, the aircon goes on the blink. Some chemistry mismatch.

Anyhoo, this is about me being the one in the wrong when I drove a friends Ikon in college. We're still the best of friends, by the by.
So this friend had bought a used Ikon, and being the resident petrolhead, approval was necessary. Near the Le meridian roundabout, I managed to slightly hit an amby in front, which broke the numberplate on his car. Got it fixed for 100 odd bucks.
That's that story though.

The fun bit was some months later.

This was the time when the McL SMR had come out, and JC had done that most tremendous of pieces on it on TG. I was watching that clip every other day, and it was/is at number 2 on the "I wish...." list.
And a dream. I dreamed that I was sitting in my lawn, and a burbling car pulls up beyond the gates. I go out, and see a silver(of course) SLR parked there. Drooling, I go over, and the doors pops out, and I see my previously introduced friend sitting in it. Apparently, his dad had a factory of leather or some such thing, which he sold off since he got a good offer on it. As a "moving up" ,er, move, the son bought an SLR since it showed that they have "arrived". And knowing my obsessive levels of fascination with the car, he got it first to me. But when I asked him for a drive, he flatly refuses. I cry, threaten, "yehi teri dosti" him, but no.
Why?
Because I'll break the numberplate.

I suppose my friend is the bigger petrolhead. Even in somebody else's dream, he refused to let another person drive his car. Beat that!

It's still a laugh, that tale, every time we meet nowadays, even though he is now in the US, and driving a convertible red bmw, the *&^wipe.

[nijelj]

My experience in lending and its Ramifications started in engg college. I had a Cisco badminton racquet, which I loved very much. I lent it to a classmate once and I got it back in tatters, without so much as an apology. My problem was that I never wanted anyone to feel bad because I refused them. So much so, that since I used to get many requests for my new Yonex racquet, I bought another Cisco racquet for such requests. Needless to say, the Loaner racquet ended up broken within a week, but atleast it became clear to everyone that I wouldn't part with my Yonex.

With loaning my cars:
Incident 1 : A friend of mine had his father working at Cochin Ship yard. So we both got a 10 day in-plant training there. Since I lived 60km away, my dad let me take our m800 to Cochin. One day, my friend asked me to let him drive. He seemed so confident on his ability to drive that I let him. Also I was grateful that his dad had got us an in plant training there. Anyway he was a novice driver which in a crowded city like Cochin resulted in disasters. He almost ran over a traffic policeman, which we had to settle using our pocket money.

Incident 2: two days later, again this guy had his way and tried driving again. This time he managed to get the front bumper entangled with the rear steel bumper of an Ambassador, in traffic . We didn't realise this until the Ambassador started moving and our bumper ripped out. Again, my dads loss as I had to tie the bumper back and drive to kottayam.

Due to these two incidents, I had developed the ability to say no, or to circumvent the requests for my car until recently.
Incident 3 : 14 years had passed since then. I kept my Nano at FIL's place in kerala , asking him to use it in between. He takes it out finally one day. He misjudged the lower turning radius of the car and dented the front co driver door. He immediately got it repaired without insurance. I came to know, through my wife.
Incident 4: My brother, an expert driver, but in Australia took my Zest for a week. He returned it with multiple minor scratches on the front left of the bumper. Even he was not aware until I pointed it out to him. Also I have a parking ticket from during his time with the car.

Incident 5: This is why I looked up this thread. My brother in law wanted to borrow the Zest when he came to Bangalore. Every thing went ok until he came back home. He was trying to get the car inside the parking and scraped the pillar of the gate with the rear fender. He said it was minor scratches, but when I checked, it was actually a dent with deep scratches.

So now I am really scared of giving my car to anyone. Its more about the inconvenience of having to keep the scratches in my mind and who made those, than of the monetary angle.

I have earlier crashed the same brother in laws Safari, but I have paid for the repairs. I usually avoid using others cars for my use,but if I do, I return it with a full tank.

I need to learn how to be diplomatic about it, or use the Nano as the Loaner car for such requests.

[Sherlocked]

So one of my cousin is currently on a visit here in relation of his higher studies and my dad has given him our Swift to him to use.
He is using our car for past two days or so and I just had the privilege to witness his driving. And my god, my sleep for the night has been ruined!

He is definitely not a rash or fast driver per se and is quite gentle on the throttle too BUT he has no respect of speed breakers at all!
He doesn't slow down at all and infact crosses the pot holes or rumble stripes at insane speeds. If I was at the wheel, I particularly would have slowed down.
The usual speed breakers near our home at which I always slow down and take in either second or first gear, this cousin of mine is literally flying above them in third!
I can hear my car's suspension scream to me, "please save us!!"
I told him to slow down. He said sorry too! But next pothole and bam again!

A question for myself- I have always treated my car and particularly the suspension as a baby and all this for what now?

I am definitely going to put a word through his ears to go slow over potholes in a lenient way possible. Maybe through dad as well but this whole thing has left a very sour taste in my mouth.

At one place you have these relatives you can't say no to. And in other, you have your loving car which you have babied all through!
Sorry, no more lending to this cousin from now on. I'll offer to drive him around if I'm available but I no longer have the heart to give him the keys!

Thanks to him, I'll always think twice before lending keys to anybody now!

I do crazy accelerations and redline my car but I CANNOT imagine driving my car or somebody else's for that matter over potholes and speed breaker the way I just witnessed!

I cannot understand why can't people at least have the courtesy to use someone else's property in a polite way. I am seriously out of words now and in fact feel sorry for my car!

Day ruined!

[asit.kulkarni93]

Like everyone here, even I am possessive about my rides but I trust a certain set of people outside my family. So I usually give my car or bike to them. But if it's a new friend or someone with bad driving habits I politely refuse.

I follow the same with my relatives, if I trust their driving I usually let them drive my car otherwise I give mom some technical reason which she conveys further.

This trusted set of people of mine are those who drive with utmost care as I do with my cars. I usually never borrow anyone's car just drive when they are with me. A friends bike/scooter for an urgent trip is the max I have used till date.

Asit

[KSTejaswi]

Used to borrow bikes & cars to try them out. Got a good rep, and people actually wanted me to try out their vehicles (even more so now).

I always handled them carefully, except this one time when I got carried away... A friend got a new FZ, I was riding harder than I should have, took a corner at speeds I thought I could handle, but then there was a gust of wind, and that moved sand right across the road, to the point where my front wheel would be in one second, at 35deg lean, and 70kmph.

Sadly, I'm no VR46, and I crashed spectacularly! Lucky that we both got away unscathed, but I immediately offered to pay for the damage, and shelled out nearly 4k (huge amount when you're a broke hostel kid).

The worst part was seeing a brand new bike in that condition.

Since then, I have done many trials, usually at dealerships. In the rare case that I agree to ride / drive someone's vehicle, I am extremely careful. If I absolutely must borrow someone's vehicle, I prefer the oldest/crappiest vehicle around, and then be extremely careful with it.

And since my own love story with my car began, the only persons who've driven it are my own family, a cousin (careful lady who I taught to drive) and the Maruti Suzuki guys (with me next to them, or right beside the car, since I never let the car go out of sight in their service stations). Valet parking? No, thanks.

That means quite a few upset friends & relatives.

One thing I'm happy about is, they've all understood my policies when I own an "after-all" Alto, and won't feel too bad when I eventually (hopefully) get to my Ferrari

[Arwin07]

Reviving an old thread:

My brother-in-law is abroad and will come back in 2 years. I am in need of a motorcycle for daily commute and he offered his motorcycle which will otherwise be not in use. It is a 2015 TVS Apache 160cc.

I am a prudent and safe rider. I will ride and maintain as if it is my own bike. But I don't want to leave anything to chance. I want to ensure the following two things:

1. I want to ensure the owner (my brother in law) doesn't have liability in case of accidents in the next 2 years when I am using it. I should be liable.

2. I don't want to be accused of theft.

He will need his bike back after 2 years, so we are not for RC transfer.

Is there any way I can legally ride his motorcycle for the next 2 years and give him back? Any 'Authority to ride' letter he can give me which I can show to Police during road checks (which happen very frequently in Chennai)?

Is there any need to communicate anything to the insurer?