[Arkin evoisrevo]

Originally Posted by simplyself

I pace vehicle evenly, no sudden bursts of acceleration, no unnecessary braking.

I always try to stop vehicle on the shoulder. Signal before making a turn.

1)Seldom wear seat belts. 2)Used to wear helmet but not these days. Ofcourse, I seldom ride more than a kilometre or two at a stretch these days.

Try to chose lane in advance in cities.

3)Try to overtake from left, and succeed almost always ( in cities, ofcourse ; and on 4-lanes too these days).

Hi. Could you please tell us the reasons for 1), 2) and 3)?
1) is shocking, since you buckle up your children. But what will they do without you? You must buckle up!

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by simplyself

As you claim to know how people ride in Hyderabad, can you show Hyderabad's accidents are higher than corresponding metroes in the country. Not that I am supporting the maniacal driving : this refers to overtaking from left ( 2 wheelers only).

You are setting a bad example for your kids. Period.

[RajaTaurus]

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

You got me confused there. I always thought that revving the engine in idle inside the garage without proper air flow will only end up heating it more. Idling may be a little better, that was my thinking. People in the amby days used to revv the engines very hard before switching off just to charge the already half drained battery.

Revving few seconds doesn't really 'heat' the engine any hotter than it already would be after a drive. You don't rev the engine for 10 or 15 minutes, you only do for a couple of seconds - a few times gently pump-the-gas - thats all you need.
Idling after a long drive is still worse, as radiator fan will be running at its lowest speed with the already hot engine.

[Spitfire]

A few seconds of revving the engine will not do anything to cool the engine by a huge degree. What it would do is make the coolant flow around a while longer. Immediately after shutting off the engine it gains a couple of degrees more before it starts cooling off.

A switched off engine will cool more faster then an engine kept on to cool it

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by RajaTaurus

Idling after a long drive is still worse, as radiator fan will be running at its lowest speed with the already hot engine.

I don't get it. Whether you are at 5k rpm or 1k rpm, the radiator fan will be at the same speed, if the engine temperature is the same. AFAIK, the radiator fan motor is either on or off, and doesn't have speed control.

I turn the ignition back on after turning off the engine, for a couple of minutes until the radiator fan stops. So I have time to close the gate, get back and take out my phone from the glovebox, etc.

Originally Posted by Spitfire

A switched off engine will cool more faster then an engine kept on to cool it

You have a point

[RajaTaurus]

^^ OK. I am talking about those vehicles with fans driven by the engine directly or through pulleys. It doesn't apply to electric fans.

[simplyself]

Originally Posted by Arkin evoisrevo

Hi. Could you please tell us the reasons for 1), 2) and 3)?
1) is shocking, since you buckle up your children. But what will they do without you? You must buckle up!

I feel very uncomfortable if I wear seat belts, may be because of my bulk. Nothing heroic or headstrong about it. I buckle up my children because they may doze of or caught unawares in 'sudden braking' situation.

I used helmet regularly - as a safety device and as a device to escape pollution.
These days I rarely venture for more than a couple of kilometres at a go, more often than not less than 500 mts many times a day. Helmet is a nuisance in this scenario where one rarely crosses 30 kmph and seldom go longer distances.

This left side overtaking is, in practice, happens every where, by even the most traffic rule-abiding rider. As the right most lane is for 4-6 wheelers, the middle lane is for 3-wheelers and two-wheelers. So, if you want to overtake a car, from which side do you overtake it? You do not go to right-most lane to overtake it !!! Please note that this is never done on highways. Overtaking from left is a norm, in cities, in the humdrum of traffic. There is nothing extra-ordinary about it.

Originally Posted by Spitfire

A few seconds of revving the engine will not do anything to cool the engine by a huge degree. What it would do is make the coolant flow around a while longer. Immediately after shutting off the engine it gains a couple of degrees more before it starts cooling off.

A switched off engine will cool more faster then an engine kept on to cool it

Idling an engine after a long drive/when engine is hot is good more for the lubrication of engine.

I switch off the engine after idling it for about half a minute, more to allow the engine speed and corresponding oil circulation to settle. I do not bother to run the fan even after the engine is switched - off because, as you have said, a switched - off engine cools faster.

An engine running in overdrive at leisurely pace is less heat-prone than an engine that idles.

[Arkin evoisrevo]

Originally Posted by simplyself

I feel very uncomfortable if I wear seat belts, may be because of my bulk. Nothing heroic or headstrong about it. I buckle up my children because they may doze of or caught unawares in 'sudden braking' situation.

I used helmet regularly - as a safety device and as a device to escape pollution.
These days I rarely venture for more than a couple of kilometres at a go, more often than not less than 500 mts many times a day. Helmet is a nuisance in this scenario where one rarely crosses 30 kmph and seldom go longer distances.

This left side overtaking is, in practice, happens every where, by even the most traffic rule-abiding rider. As the right most lane is for 4-6 wheelers, the middle lane is for 3-wheelers and two-wheelers. So, if you want to overtake a car, from which side do you overtake it? You do not go to right-most lane to overtake it !!! Please note that this is never done on highways. Overtaking from left is a norm, in cities, in the humdrum of traffic. There is nothing extra-ordinary about it.

A pinch of comfort vs. life . The choice is your's. It's a no brainer.
And if you want a taste of the effects of not wearing your seatbelt, look at the last few posts of this thread: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ml#post2229294 Think about your kids.

And what about if a car comes out of nowhere and bangs into you at 80/kmh when you are riding at 30kmh without a helmet?

By overtaking from the left, you are putting your life at stake, as well as giving in to the lane hoggers. Use your horn and dipper, and if there's no yield, then overtake from the left.

[simplyself]

Originally Posted by Arkin evoisrevo

A pinch of comfort vs. life . The choice is your's. It's a no brainer.
And if you want a taste of the effects of not wearing your seatbelt, look at the last few posts of this thread: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ml#post2229294 Think about your kids.

And what about if a car comes out of nowhere and bangs into you at 80/kmh when you are riding at 30kmh without a helmet?

By overtaking from the left, you are putting your life at stake, as well as giving in to the lane hoggers. Use your horn and dipper, and if there's no yield, then overtake from the left.

It is getting very hypothetical. I may slip bathroom and bang my head against the wall and die.

Point is, we can take precautions upto an extent.

As I have said, I use helmet whenever I travel longer distances (out of town trips) The fact that I used helmet regularly for 15 years should let every one know that I know of its importance.

Using helmet for very short distances is not practical, atleast for me. One can argue, for argument's sake, but nothing comes out of it.

[Arkin evoisrevo]

Originally Posted by simplyself

It is getting very hypothetical. I may slip bathroom and bang my head against the wall and die.
...............

Using helmet for very short distances is not practical, atleast for me. One can argue, for argument's sake, but nothing comes out of it.

Well, I guess I've said enough, not for the sake of arguing, but for the sake of your safety. I hope you understand and mend your ways. Take care.

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by simplyself

It is getting very hypothetical. I may slip bathroom and bang my head against the wall and die.

Point is, we can take precautions upto an extent.

I didn't get the point. Here you are talking of not taking any basic precautions at all.

The fact that I used helmet regularly for 15 years should let every one know that I know of its importance.

That's an oxymoron statement.

Using helmet for very short distances is not practical

How short distances?

And here we are arguing not for the sake of it. But for a reason. And the reason is there are a lot who think the same way like you but somehow it does not make it right.

[Chetan_Rao]

@simplyself: Safety is independent of speed & distance traveled, so please don't take that approach.

There are numerous incidents reported daily where innocent bystanders have been injured/killed because some out-of-control maniac failed to stop in time (One of my neighbors was rammed by a speeding SUV at an unmanned intersection a few years ago barely a km from his home when he'd gone to drop his kid off to the school-bus stop. Fortunately, he and the kid don't have any permanent injuries, but he still sports a nasty scar on his temple from that incident).

No speed is absolutely safe, not even 0kmph, so to say. And spitfire is right, every time your kids see you without a helmet/seatbelt, they'll want to follow dad's example. Think about it.

[nandans2005]

I am not a moron

You have to decide on this.

slowly turning to be Sri 3 Ravi Shankar's "Art Of Living" discourse.

I have heard this discourse helps people steady their mind. It helps the people in need.

Almost 18 years later I have to hear lessons about safety

Sadly it is.

Is uploading a picture of odo showing 120 kmph okay?

The moderators are accessible to everyone here.

As you claim to know how people ride in Hyderabad, can you show Hyderabad's accidents are higher than corresponding metroes in the country.

I would have definitely done it, if it was worth doing. The way discussion is on, i am sure that one will not make use of it

Not that I am supporting the maniacal driving : this refers to overtaking from left ( 2 wheelers only).

What do you call this ?

Finally, if one has to just write for the reason of writing, it can be done endlessly. I have finished with this. Rest Is left to you to decide.

Take care man. Please

[bblost]

I agree about helmets being a nuisance when travelling short distances. Especially when the speed at which one plans to travel is less than 30-40 kmph.

I am guilty of the same. At times I need to go down the street to maybe pick up a loaf of bread or something. I would not wear my helmet in such a scenario.

But everytime I do that the image of a middle aged man comes in front of my eyes.
Happened a long time back in Chennai.
Kotturpuram bridge. I am riding in total bindaas style. Just around 18-19 years old. On the opposite side of the road a middle aged man on a scooter. A slight tap on his bike by a slightly fast car.
The man fell. He hit the pavement with the side of his head. Ever seen how a coconut breaks open. Well that is how he died.

Overtaking from the left. In Hyderabad its sometimes unavoidable. In fact with moron using their cars as mobile phone booths, one is left with very little choice. So I installed Vibrosonic horns in my Bike. They are loud. Very loud. I use them on mobile morons without impunity.

Seatbelts in a car. Countless studies have shown they save lives. But of course we know better than that. Would you jump of a three storey building and land on a ring with a diameter of about 12-13 inches. 50 kmph in a car is roughly the same velocity.

About slipping in the bathroom and breaking your head and dying.
hmmm....
Everyday the newspaper has reports of atleast 2-3 motorcycle riders kicking the bucket. Its very very rare that you would read about someone falling and dying in a bathroom.

I never drive without my seatbelt engaged.
I hate it when anyone in my car is not buckled in. But am a little helpless enforcing it with the elders.

Now I wear an armour jacket and a snell rated helmet when riding my bike.
I very rarely venture out without my helmet. If I have a lot of places to goto I use the car.

Better alive than a point of statistic.

@SimplySelf: In my honest opinion there are a lot of objects on the city streets which can cause severe head injury. Badly designed pavements, medians etc. These are missing on a highway. So while a highway brings with it the risk of high speed. City roads bring with them more objects to bang your head against.

[ghodlur]

Helmets are a must for the bikers however annoying one may feel wearing it or carrying it or storing it. Short distance or long ones, Helmets are always the first line of defence for any biker.

Having said that, I cant expect full protection to my head with a helmet on. I have seen a biker slipping and the helmet taking the impact when he flew off the bike and fall on a concrete road with the bike still sliding and stopping a considerable distance from the biker. Unfortunately for the biker his helmet came off when he hit the road, but fortunately he escaped with deep scraping of the elbows.

In another case one of my office colleague when fell off the bike after being hit by a car had his helmet intact but still died because of internal haemorrage with his head taking a massive impact.

These incidents have made me wear an helmet always but also with a prayer on the lips that even if I drive safely let others dont drive rashly.