[mogambo]

I drove with my parents to Thiruvannamalai yesterday..

THe drive from Bangalore to Krishnagiri was a dream..
However, from there upto Chengam (NH66 - Pondicherry Road) was rather bad. @thalavoy had warned me about it.
It's advisable to not even go beyond 4th gear. Some parts are quite bad. 60km takes about 90 min to cover in a regular car. However, I still used this road on the return journey.

Beyond Chengam until Thiruvannamalai the road is quite good.

Our destination was the temple there - fantastic place to visit - for the religiously and architecturally inclined. Huge granite pillars - there are four entrances, each one with a MASSIVE gopuram, nearly 15 floors high. It has to be seen to be believed.

Beyond that we ventured to the little town of Thirukkoyilur 35km South of Thiruvannamalai. Completely rural and beautiful India.. The road was a dream. Unbelievably smooth road, very little traffic - the 35km took hardly 40 min.

Thirukkoyilur has some very ancient temples... Not excessively commercialized or crowded, bearing the marks of history - the attacks of marauders as well as the unending stream of devotees. A very interesting and educational experience all in all.

The return journey started at 2:00 pm and we reached home by 6:30 pm, the delay mainly being due to the bad road between Chengam and Krishnagiri.

Cheers.....

[nithinnarayanan]

Thanks for the detailed info @monambo.
I am planning to visit the temple next month.
By the way what is the total distance from Bangalore to Thiruvannamalai ?.

Btw, Abhi (@akroy) - before you ask - I refilled my tank this morning immediately after the trip. I got nearly 17kmpl mileage on the trip.... Mostly did not have a/c on much of the time...

Mods note: Post added to the previous one.

[mogambo]

Mods.. My post on mileage seems to be accidentally attached to Nithin's notes above....

I meant to say that my Hyundai Getz Prime 1.3 GLS gave me nearly 17kmpl for the round trip, B'lore <---> T'malai.. A/c was NOT on most of the time.

Nithin - The road distance is 200km one way, B'lore to T'Malai.
Another 35km to Thirukkoyilur, South of T'malai. A must visit if you ask me.

Have added major trip and temple details on the trip on My Blog.

Also, as mentioned above - the road from K'giri to Chengam is rather bad... Not totally unmanagable but quite a few CRATERS (not just potholes). An alternative is mentioned by @thalavoy on my Query Thread - if you are interested...

If you want any more details please feel free to PM.

Thanks

[mogambo]

One point might be worth mentioning here.
I was on my way back to Bangalore from K'giri on NH7 (GQ). Steadily going at 100 with little traffic on Saturday evening. Much ahead of us was a break in the median and a bus seemingly parked on the left side (off the road).

As we closed in the bus driver swerved to the right with absolutely no warning to cut across the median to the other side. Spotting us coming, the great guy simply stood there frozen, blocking both mid and right lanes of the GQ.

With my heart in my mouth, I literally stood on my brake and clutch. The good Getz (no ABS) stopped barely an inch away from the bus. A green M800 behind me braked as hard and I could the driver struggling to control his skid, stopping inches away on my left.

I just left the scene thanking God for my life and limb, as well as those around me. But moral of the story - on such roads, when you see a truck/bus ahead with a median on the right slow down a bit and be alert - at least start honking and flashing while you pass.

Ravi

[akroy]

Originally Posted by mogambo

With my heart in my mouth, I literally stood on my brake and clutch.
Ravi

Next time pls donot stand on the clutch....just brake hard...you will have better control on your car then with the engine braking in place...You will also see that the braking distance is lesser
when the car is verge of stopping than simply press the clutch and change your gears...

My 2 paisa
Abhi

[Thad E Ginathom]

That's good advice that could save lives!

Interesting trip report, but that bus must have cost you a few heartbeats.

[mogambo]

Originally Posted by akroy

Next time pls donot stand on the clutch....just brake hard...you will have better control on your car then with the engine braking in place...You will also see that the braking distance is lesser
when the car is verge of stopping than simply press the clutch and change your gears...

My 2 paisa
Abhi

Abhi - Thanks for the really useful advice.
At the risk of displaying my ignorance I'll put forth a question...
Wouldn't it be a tad harmful to the engine in someway perhaps? Driving at 100 on 5th gear and coming to a sudden stop without the clutch (Assuming I don't get to the clutch in time before the engine stops) ?

@Thad... Believe me - I had to remind myself to start breathing again before I restarted...

[akroy]

Originally Posted by mogambo

Abhi - Thanks for the really useful advice.
At the risk of displaying my ignorance I'll put forth a question...
Wouldn't it be a tad harmful to the engine in someway perhaps? Driving at 100 on 5th gear and coming to a sudden stop without the clutch (Assuming I don't get to the clutch in time before the engine stops) ?

No issues to the engine..infact you will give more life to your brake pads, dont worry, simply braking will provide adequate braking and your car will be in control, if you apply clutch, engine is free, car is in mercy of your brakes and you...that should not be the case, engine power should be involved always (in braking also) !!

I have personally done such braking at 125kmph (once a dog wanted to cross road suddenly near Mandya) but never applied clutch....speed immediately comes down to 30kmph, I apply clutch, downshift to 3rd and accelerate again...car's handling also improves a lot and you will not get that "heart on the mouth" feeling because in any case, when you apply clutch at high speeds, your car tends to get out of control...

Remember the thumbrule: Use Clutch only when you are changing gears !!

Abhi

[Thad E Ginathom]

...Or stopped!

Only change down if you have time. In fact, if you really do have time then change down as soon as you become aware of the need to stop pretty soonish.

A real emergency stop, with everything, including un-belted-in passengers, hitting the windscreen, doesn't give the opportunity to worry about stalling. It is not going to matter if the engine is still running when you come to a halt.

Of course, it is not recommended as a regular method of turning your engine off

[mogambo]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

...Or stopped!
...........

Of course, it is not recommended as a regular method of turning your engine off

Reminds me of the climax scenes in our 80's movies, where the hero is saving the damsel in distress - both in a car which the villian has crippled by cutting the brake fluid line... The hero desperately struggling to control the vehicle's relentless acceleration by wrestling the steering wheel.
Then a divine elephant will come and raise his trunk and the car will stop by itself :(

Always wondered why they simply didn't turn off the key, take the car off the road over some rough patch to have it stopped (with our roads, you don't even need to get off the road for a rough patch, especially if you are in Bangalore)..