Courteous drivers on the road.

smashnerd · 25th February 2011, 17:30

Hi,

I would like to share an experience my dad had a couple of days back.

He was driving in bumper to bumper traffic when a car hit him from behind as he braked. He got out, ready to face denial on the part of the offending driver and to trade arguments, foul words etc. But he was taken aback when the young driver got out, accepted his fault and proposed to pay for damage repair without my dad saying a word. Apparently, the guy had fumbled and stomped on the accelerator instead of the brake.

Our car was taken to the nearest M.A.S.S. and delivery was fixed for 3 days later. Dad just took the guy's number and the car's registration number. The car actually belonged to a middle-aged pastor who employed the young man as his driver. Relatives later grilled my dad for not getting the driver to promise the payment in front of a policeman. They worried that he might not show up an the police wouldn't also be willing to register a case so late.

But, being the gentlemen he is, he came on the delivery day, picked us up from home and payed the bill without saying a word. Dad simply said - "Thank You to him." The pastor was there too and was just as courteous as the young man.

You know, it's easy to shout on top of your voice and escape from the blame in most cases. But, it takes manly courage, to accept and pay for your mistake. Hats off to that guy and all the other courteous/honest drivers on the road.

libranof1987 · 25th February 2011, 18:14

Well, that is just some nice luck!

We've had some nice experiences as well. Way back in 2000, we had travelled to Goa from Pune in our M800.

Dad had been driving for 8 hours that day, add to it all the sightseeing and he being the only driver (I was 13 and mum had just started driving). I had fallen to sleep at the back and woke up suddenly when the car had stopped very abruptly.

The road (just before the Panaji bridge, while coming from Calungute), the road separates into 2, for each side and there is a significant difference in the level.

In his tiredness, dad didn't guage the difference quickly and stopped after after a few feet; each column of tyres being on a different level.

The 3 of us just sat still. About 5min must've passed when some people knocked on the windows and opened the doors. They asked if we were okay, got us out of the car; without a word being spoken lifted the car and placed it on the road. After checking us for injuries and the car for damages, they offered to have us in their car while someone drove ours. Luckily with Panaji just a few kms. away, dad said he'd manage it.

When you're in trouble, you get help from unexpected quarters. And there are many on the road to help you out.

VW2010 · 25th February 2011, 18:25

Quote:

When you're in trouble, you get help from unexpected quarters. And there are many on the road to help you out

Most of them are good. Unfortunately good things or good reviews never get published. Its always the bad stuff that gains more attention. I think we need this thread to continue to hear more good stories and get ourselves a dose of good things.

RemingtonSteele · 25th February 2011, 18:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by smashnerd

But, being the gentlemen he is, he came on the delivery day, picked us up from home and payed the bill without saying a word.

You know, it's easy to shout on top of your voice and escape from the blame in most cases. But, it takes manly courage, to accept and pay for your mistake. Hats off to that guy and all the other courteous/honest drivers on the road.

I seriously think your Dad should have taken his photograph, not for any other reason but to put up in frame and Garland him and should have asked him which planet he belongs to?
Jokes apart, such good people are very rare on this part of earth

MileCruncher · 25th February 2011, 18:38

That's really nice of the Pastor's driver to have accepted the mistake.

Sometimes in situations like this, if the person owns up the mistake, the offending party might also be let out easily. My dictum is "Smile and have patience" while on the road. Have had my bouts of road rage and realised its absolutely not worth it.

Cheers & drive safe!

smashnerd · 26th February 2011, 15:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by RemingtonSteele

I seriously think your Dad should have taken his photograph, not for any other reason but to put up in frame and Garland him and should have asked him which planet he belongs to?
Jokes apart, such good people are very rare on this part of earth

I don't think his face will go out of our minds any time soon.

But I have to say; this is the first positive experience me or my dad has had is case of a bump after 5 years of owning and driving a car! The last experience we had was an auto-driver passing the blame on us when he hit from behind saying we braked too hard. We did that to save some stupid biker who swayed into our path. The cops set him right though.

MileCruncher · 26th February 2011, 15:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by smashnerd

The cops set him right though.

Who? The biker or the Auto fellow

smashnerd · 26th February 2011, 16:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by MileCruncher

Who? The biker or the Auto fellow

Auto fellow, biker got lucky and fled.

yamaniac · 28th February 2011, 13:01

Once, A guy on a kinetic Honda Bumped My wagon-R from the rear,But the fact was that I had never braked hard, and It was not at all my fault. The guy was lying on the ground with the KINE on his side. He stood up, looked at his KINE and lifted it up and got ready for a verbal fight.

But the moment he opened his mouth I said THANK YOU and smiled

and shook his hands... He was baffled and did not now what to say. I sat in my car and drove away, The damage wasn't much though, just a few scrapes on the bumper.

The thing is there is no point in getting into a fight as the end result is a damaged car, anger and frustration.

DWind · 28th February 2011, 13:22

If your are pretty sure that he hit only your bumper, then do not stop at all. It was his fault and there is no way you can extract any money from him. Best is to move on! You at least save some time and also save your mood from being spoiled.

rk206 · 28th February 2011, 14:12

funnily enough, in all my highway driving, i have found the truck drivers on NH1 to be quite courteous.

I was in an accident once where I ended up crashing into a huge unmarked divider ( no radium, no street light ), was blinded by the oncoming traffic. Anyways, I blacked out and these four drunk sardar's got me out of the car through the driver window ( I was driving alone) . We picked up the car and put it on the side.

I still wonder to this day what would have happened, if those guys didn't get me out of the car and had left me in the middle of a dark highway.

naveen.raju · 28th February 2011, 15:02

It's very hard to find people like this and specially in Kerala. Good to hear about this. Hoping to find many more examples like this. Hats off to that dude.! Appreciate your work.!

smashnerd · 2nd March 2011, 11:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by yamaniac

Once, A guy on a kinetic Honda Bumped My wagon-R from the rear,But the fact was that I had never braked hard, and It was not at all my fault. The guy was lying on the ground with the KINE on his side. He stood up, looked at his KINE and lifted it up and got ready for a verbal fight.

But the moment he opened his mouth I said THANK YOU and smiled

and shook his hands... He was baffled and did not now what to say. I sat in my car and drove away, The damage wasn't much though, just a few scrapes on the bumper.

The thing is there is no point in getting into a fight as the end result is a damaged car, anger and frustration.

That's surely an offbeat response to such a situation. I don't think I would've done something like that. But, it sure left that guy speechless like you said.

mallumowgli · 2nd March 2011, 12:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by yamaniac

Once, A guy on a kinetic Honda Bumped My wagon-R from the rear,But the fact was that I had never braked hard, and It was not at all my fault.

It would not have been your fault even if you had braked hard. Rear ending is always the fault of the person driving behind - he/she is supposed to leave sufficient gap. Rules say so

libranof1987 · 2nd March 2011, 15:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by mallumowgli

It would not have been your fault even if you had braked hard. Rear ending is always the fault of the person driving behind - he/she is supposed to leave sufficient gap. Rules say so

But the bigger and more prominent rule, although unsaid, is that the fault always lies with the bigger vehicle.

So, even if you're just standing and a 2-wheeler comes and bangs into you, be prepared to hear some crazy accusations about how you caused it!!

25th February 2011, 17:30	#1
smashnerd BHPian Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Kottayam Posts: 457 Thanked: 22 Times	Courteous drivers on the road. Hi, I would like to share an experience my dad had a couple of days back. He was driving in bumper to bumper traffic when a car hit him from behind as he braked. He got out, ready to face denial on the part of the offending driver and to trade arguments, foul words etc. But he was taken aback when the young driver got out, accepted his fault and proposed to pay for damage repair without my dad saying a word. Apparently, the guy had fumbled and stomped on the accelerator instead of the brake. Our car was taken to the nearest M.A.S.S. and delivery was fixed for 3 days later. Dad just took the guy's number and the car's registration number. The car actually belonged to a middle-aged pastor who employed the young man as his driver. Relatives later grilled my dad for not getting the driver to promise the payment in front of a policeman. They worried that he might not show up an the police wouldn't also be willing to register a case so late. But, being the gentlemen he is, he came on the delivery day, picked us up from home and payed the bill without saying a word. Dad simply said - "Thank You to him." The pastor was there too and was just as courteous as the young man. You know, it's easy to shout on top of your voice and escape from the blame in most cases. But, it takes manly courage, to accept and pay for your mistake. Hats off to that guy and all the other courteous/honest drivers on the road.
	() Thanks

25th February 2011, 18:14	#2
libranof1987 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: All over! Posts: 7,615 Thanked: 18,342 Times	Re: Courteous drivers on the road. Well, that is just some nice luck! We've had some nice experiences as well. Way back in 2000, we had travelled to Goa from Pune in our M800. Dad had been driving for 8 hours that day, add to it all the sightseeing and he being the only driver (I was 13 and mum had just started driving). I had fallen to sleep at the back and woke up suddenly when the car had stopped very abruptly. The road (just before the Panaji bridge, while coming from Calungute), the road separates into 2, for each side and there is a significant difference in the level. In his tiredness, dad didn't guage the difference quickly and stopped after after a few feet; each column of tyres being on a different level. The 3 of us just sat still. About 5min must've passed when some people knocked on the windows and opened the doors. They asked if we were okay, got us out of the car; without a word being spoken lifted the car and placed it on the road. After checking us for injuries and the car for damages, they offered to have us in their car while someone drove ours. Luckily with Panaji just a few kms. away, dad said he'd manage it. When you're in trouble, you get help from unexpected quarters. And there are many on the road to help you out.
	() Thanks

25th February 2011, 18:38	#5
MileCruncher Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: MH01 Posts: 4,235 Thanked: 592 Times View My Garage	Re: Courteous drivers on the road. That's really nice of the Pastor's driver to have accepted the mistake. Sometimes in situations like this, if the person owns up the mistake, the offending party might also be let out easily. My dictum is "Smile and have patience" while on the road. Have had my bouts of road rage and realised its absolutely not worth it. Cheers & drive safe!
	() Thanks

28th February 2011, 13:01	#9
yamaniac BHPian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Mangalore Posts: 283 Thanked: 270 Times View My Garage	Re: Courteous drivers on the road. Once, A guy on a kinetic Honda Bumped My wagon-R from the rear,But the fact was that I had never braked hard, and It was not at all my fault. The guy was lying on the ground with the KINE on his side. He stood up, looked at his KINE and lifted it up and got ready for a verbal fight. But the moment he opened his mouth I said THANK YOU and smiled and shook his hands... He was baffled and did not now what to say. I sat in my car and drove away, The damage wasn't much though, just a few scrapes on the bumper. The thing is there is no point in getting into a fight as the end result is a damaged car, anger and frustration.
	() Thanks

28th February 2011, 13:22	#10
DWind BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Singara Chennai Posts: 804 Thanked: 238 Times View My Garage	Re: Courteous drivers on the road. If your are pretty sure that he hit only your bumper, then do not stop at all. It was his fault and there is no way you can extract any money from him. Best is to move on! You at least save some time and also save your mood from being spoiled.
	() Thanks

28th February 2011, 14:12	#11
rk206 BHPian Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Pune Posts: 112 Thanked: 230 Times	Re: Courteous drivers on the road. funnily enough, in all my highway driving, i have found the truck drivers on NH1 to be quite courteous. I was in an accident once where I ended up crashing into a huge unmarked divider ( no radium, no street light ), was blinded by the oncoming traffic. Anyways, I blacked out and these four drunk sardar's got me out of the car through the driver window ( I was driving alone) . We picked up the car and put it on the side. I still wonder to this day what would have happened, if those guys didn't get me out of the car and had left me in the middle of a dark highway.
	() Thanks

28th February 2011, 15:02	#12
naveen.raju Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Cochin Posts: 4,834 Thanked: 8,921 Times View My Garage	Re: Courteous drivers on the road. It's very hard to find people like this and specially in Kerala. Good to hear about this. Hoping to find many more examples like this. Hats off to that dude.! Appreciate your work.!
	() Thanks