[xBhp Universal Thread]: The Skill and Art of Avoiding Accidents

[hisunil]

Re-posting this Old thread


Calling all people who have not had a crash in the last 5 years or so, of Active riding to share their experience here.

Motivation:

With the increasing number of discussions on this subject & the STRONG urge in myself to do something about this, as well as the recent Accident of my Brother have lead me to write this article.
Definition:

It's an undesirable incident that is unforeseen or unpredictable, something going wrong unexpectedly.
Note: It's not a planned event so you cannot deny its possibility.


Most Provable Cause:

• Your Own
  • No proper concentration while riding, Sleep or Day Dreaming etc...
  • Miss Judgment of timing, Acceleration or others move's
  • Influence of Drugs (Medication or Mostly Otherwise)
  • Not in a mood to ride, Anger or Frustration from Pervious incidents in the Day
  • Loss of visibility due to
    • Lack of light @ night
    • Fog or Dust
    • Glare high Beam from on - coming traffic
    • Rain or Bad helmet Visor
    
    
  • Not following traffic Rules
    • Wrong side over taking
    • Double Over taking (One guy overtaking an other & you overtaking both)
    
    
  • Ego Problems, Challenged on Road, Provoked Rash Driving by others
  • Stunting on roads like
    • Dosa (Big bent turn / peg Scraping)
    • Lower Gear Jerky riding
    • Drags on Street Signal lights
    
    
  
  

• Your Bike
  • Not Serviced & Hence Not in Shape
  • Modified & Optimized for Max Speed without proportional Safety measures Increase
  • Not enough grip on your tires / too thin & lean or worn out
  • Pushed Beyond its Designed Limits.
  • Not Good Control & Know-How of you & u r Bike as a Team.
  
  

• All others On Road
  • Wrong Side riding
  • Turning without Signal (favorite of Auto's)
  • Cattle on road (Called Break Inspectors )
  • Cyclist coming across the road divider
  • Un painted or newly installed Road humps
  • Bad Roads (Don't feel like writing more on them)
  • Abrupt road divider starting without Signs or reflectors
  • Gravel, water, Oil or sand in turnings.
  
  

Precautions that can be taken:

• Safety Gear for you
  • Full Mask Helmet with clear Visor. Protect you from Dust, Smoke, Cold & Crash
  • Riding Jacket with zipped pockets (not to lose any stuff they carry) & keeps your Shirt clean
  • Shoes for a more confident ride & guard your leg.
  • Use of hand Gloves, real good ones that can survive a crash not for the check of it, even if it takes a little getting used to & may look Alien
  
  

• Safety Gear for your Bike
  • Crash Guard, they don't look good? Think again they look sensible
  • Frame sliders to save fairing or compliment the crash guard
  • Sari Guard if you plan on a lot of pillion riding
  • Tough & Strong rear view Mirrors, Can take the Impact, & Show you full rear view Ideally you should see some one behind in both the rear views simultaneously
  • Wider tires both front & rear as much as your frames & mud guard allow for
  • Nice horn (don't use much), But will help when need be
  • Bright Head light if you travel a lot @ Night on non lit roads.
  • Move to Disc breaks if you can afford it & your Bike can be fixed with one.
  • Tune your Bike like Chain tension, tier pressure, Clutch adjustments,
  
  

break settings to allow you to ride smoothly.
Tips & Tricks:

• Listen to Soft Music @ low volumes if you are in the habit of listening to mp3 while you ride, Josh filled songs tend to provoke Speed.
• Know & test your limits with your bikes in a safe & protected environment.
  • Know how fast it can brake,
  • How much can it lean without fall or skid?
  • What kind of road surface gives what response, w.r.t balance & center of gravity slip etc...?
  • How the Bike behaves in Rain & wet surfaces
  • What happens with a pillion on board.
  
  
• Always expect the unexpected.
  • Will Cow on road move now? (Always look @ the legs not the face to judge)
  • Will this Parked Vehicle Come in to road now?, Tire Direction can be indicative. if its turned towards the road, in all probability it will come in
  • What if the Door of this parked Van Opens when I am there?
  • Is this Vehicle in front of me having working break lamps?
  • Can I see in front of the vehicle, in front of me to predict his moves
  • Will this Bus stop in the next bus stop.
  • What if someone breaks the signal when I am speeding through an empty Green?
  
  
• Know your Road & traffic
  • Look for the type of vehicle & decide how to go about it
  • If the Vehicle is driven by a Newbie, or a Madam (no offense to any one Only my experience) Take extra care, Give extra margin
  • Expect School children or cyclist to cross the road in some places.
  • take extra care in accident prone zones, from your pervious experience.
  
  
• Make your point clear.
  • Use Indicators.
  • Nod your head if you want some one to pass by don't keep him guessing
  • Use Headlight flasher when you want way, Give way if others use it
  • Use Low Beam @ night avoid's blinding others
  • Use Horn when you doubt if the guy in front of you, is aware of your move.
  
  
• Do-NOT think twice, If in doubt don't do the move.
• when ever the URGE to Race comes tell your self this:
  • These Roads are NOT meant for a race.
  • Nor is My Bike a Racing one.
  • I will get the other guy in the next signal even by smooth riding.
  • I will only gain 10 minutes Max in the City with signals (you can bench mark the numbers your self).
  
  
• Most accidents happen Near the Start of your Journey or Near your Destinations That's when your mind is thinking of what I need to do Once I am @ the place where I am going OR
• Just after a Village Limits or After a Traffic Jam, when you feel the Rush to Speed (PS: the Above two are from Discovery channel Accident research episode.)
• When you Break Hard, Honk & Break So the guy behind you is alerted.
• Always know who is behind you, Never follow a vehicle for long.
• Eat or Drink on long drives every 75kms or so to be Active & Alert.
• Do not Assume The Other Vehicle is in good Shape & will stop as fast as you can . Often People neglect maintenance (Chaltee ka Nam gaddi u see )

Immediate Treatment / First Aid

• The Bike MUST HAVE a first Aid Kit with the following:
  • Savlon Small bottle to wash the wound (Antiseptic liquid to clean affected area),
  • Sufficient Cotton to wipe & stop blood(Sterlized surgical cotton. DO NOT use any cotton or cloth).
  • Band-Aid is not very useful, have Bandage & paper or cloth tape to
  
  

tie it.

• First things to do in a Fall:
  • Move out of the road on to the side & avoid being run over.
  • Check for Injury of bone in all areas of Pain.
  • Swelling indicates Fracture of Bone.
  • Do not move any fractured Part. Keep them Still & try to support them.
  • All Bleeding parts must be Washed ONLY with Clean water (Drinking water)
  • Keep Bleeding parts Above heart level to reduce bleeding
  • Wash the wounds with Diluted savlon & put Banded & cotton on them to help clot.
  
  
• Hospitalization.
  • If it's a Head Injury do not lose time, visiting local small hospitals.
  
  

Directly go to a Specilised Hospital (NIMHANS in Bangalore). If you don't know where to go in your city, it's a good time to find that out

• • Get to the nearest hospital (call 1062 in Bangalore) other Places Pls. Check the numbers in your city.
  
  
• Inform Your Family
  • Let some one who can help you know what has happened & help you with the Hospital & stuff.
  
  
• Golden Hour:
  • The First Hour of your Fall is the Golden Hour, If this is used well lot of nasty things can be avoided. Make full use of this Don't waste time in taking care of your Bike or Fighting with the other Guy.
  
  
• File an FIR (First Information Report) with the cops After Medication, First Aid
• Call up the Insurance Guy & do the needful.
• Help the other Guy if he is Injured & if you can manage to do so.

Additionally getting training in CPR(Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) is also adviced. When in an accident th person may go into shock and lose conciousness. In this scenario the heart may sometimes stop. To get the person out of this CPR technic is used.
After Effects / Long Term

Why is it Important to avoid this:

• Long & Painstaking recovery
• Helpless feeling in the Hospital when doctors diagnose you
• Permanent or Partial disability for the entire life.
• Effect on the Near & Dear ones for your Actions
• Loss of parts or the entire Bike it self.

May be you can Ride after a long break or may be you got to say Good-Bye for your Favorite Sport.
Bottom Line:

I want to Ride for a Long time to come, So I will do What ever it takes for it, Including Smooth & Careful riding.

[Sunny]

Topic Approved

[archibaby]

a simple way to avoid an accident is to love yourself and/or love your vehicle too much. That way you will assume everyone around you is an idiot which is te right thing to do.

.:. Archi

[MavericK46]

a simple way to avoid an accident is to love yourself and/or love your vehicle too much. That way you will assume everyone around you is an idiot which is te right thing to do.

.:. Archi

Gotta agree woth that man
However, Sunil sir, i must say that this is an extremely detailed thread that oughta convince many of the ring road rossi's (Sorry Valentino ) to change their ways.

Rear view mirrors and crash guard's hopefully will not be sacrificed for looks..
Btw.. When did Shivakumar sir meet with an accident..?
Im truly saddened by this bit of news...

[hisunil]

My Bro is Shivakumar sir, he had an accident about 2 years ago, some jerk avoiding a pot hole came in on the wrong side of the road & so my Bro to avoide him went out of the road with a pillion on Magadi road, bike badly damaged, his skin bones saved by armored riding gear & helmet.

Cheers
Sunil

[Xenologik]

Those are some really good points sunil sir

to add to this thread ill Illustrate an example which can be a FATAL one.

observe the below pictorial representation of a road


This is an example of a typically possible accident case in perfectly "legal" conditions.

The slow moving vehicles are on the left lane which is correct as per rule.
You are the faster vehicle so you are in the right lane, again correct.

now suppose an intersection comes in the road/highway , and a vehicle is going to cross the road. the slow moving vehicle on the left MAY stop for the crossing vehicle to cross the road.

howeveryou have NOT seen this vehicle which is about to cross the road since the slow moving vehicle on the left is blocking your view and thus creating a blindspot area.

If you proceed with your speed, and the slow moving vehicle gives way (that is stops/slows down) to the vehicle which wants to cross.

Either,
You will collide with the vehicle which is crossing the road

or you'll narrowly miss it-somehow.


so yes its better to slow down than overtake in such situations. let the vehicle on the left be your SHIELD(that is you remain right beside it) for the intersection and then accelerate again when the path is clear.


and this situation doesn't require a highway intersection to occur. mostly observed in cities as well where you're overtaking a vehicle from the right in a correct manner yet someone jumps in front of you from the left in your path

also applicable to mindless jaywalking pedestrians with suicidal tendencies.

[Samyaza]

Those are some really good points sunil sir

to add to this thread ill Illustrate an example which can be a FATAL one.

observe the below pictorial representation of a road

This is an example of a typically possible accident case in perfectly "legal" conditions.

The slow moving vehicles are on the left lane which is correct as per rule.
You are the faster vehicle so you are in the right lane, again correct.

now suppose an intersection comes in the road/highway , and a vehicle is going to cross the road. the slow moving vehicle on the left MAY stop for the crossing vehicle to cross the road.

howeveryou have NOT seen this vehicle which is about to cross the road since the slow moving vehicle on the left is blocking your view and thus creating a blindspot area.

If you proceed with your speed, and the slow moving vehicle gives way (that is stops/slows down) to the vehicle which wants to cross.

Either,
You will collide with the vehicle which is crossing the road

or you'll narrowly miss it-somehow.


so yes its better to slow down than overtake in such situations. let the vehicle on the left be your SHIELD(that is you remain right beside it) for the intersection and then accelerate again when the path is clear.


and this situation doesn't require a highway intersection to occur. mostly observed in cities as well where you're overtaking a vehicle from the right in a correct manner yet someone jumps in front of you from the left in your path

also applicable to mindless jaywalking pedestrians with suicidal tendencies.

Great example Xeno!

A similar situation you see is at bus stops. After getting down from the bus people cross from the front of the bus! Naturally you can't see that person and the rest... many might know here Honk the horn or slow down if u see a stationary bus at the side of the road.

[satyenpoojary]

There was a good list of thing to watch out for in the old xBHP.
Some of them from my small bit of riding and commuting experience...

Watch out and keep safe distance from
1) A Scorpio - they are weird and at times they think they are driving a hummer and you just cant smoke them down!
2) An Indica/Indigo- I dont want to start a brand war here though!
3) Anything on wheels thats flashy, or has sports or japanese words written on them!

When riding, always respect the environment... know your rides capabilities, and be aware about the environment around including the road, the amount of details that you can see...

Lastly, when riding, remeber its not just that whether or not YOU can make it... be it a tight corner, or a signal or stuck traffic... a lot of accidents happen when you know you can make it, but are ignorant about the others behind or around you!

Cheers!

[Marcus Lucius Maximus]

1] Remember your driving lessons well. That is, if you ever took lessons from a professional driving teacher, before you got your license.

2] Stop thinking that RTO is filled with morons. The safety regulations they ask you to follow are not only for safety of others, but yours too.

3] Resist the urge a] to lean on curves, S bends, hairpins, and b] to cross speed limits. I can't stress this point anymore.

Will keep posting here if I remember anything else.

[HydBiker]

ah... a good one... Gotta read it again to get it all. Thanks Sunil

[spiderweb]

There was a good list of thing to watch out for in the old xBHP.
Some of them from my small bit of riding and commuting experience...

Watch out and keep safe distance from
1) A Scorpio - they are weird and at times they think they are driving a hummer and you just cant smoke them down!
2) An Indica/Indigo- I dont want to start a brand war here though!
3) Anything on wheels thats flashy, or has sports or japanese words written on them!

When riding, always respect the environment... know your rides capabilities, and be aware about the environment around including the road, the amount of details that you can see...

Lastly, when riding, remeber its not just that whether or not YOU can make it... be it a tight corner, or a signal or stuck traffic... a lot of accidents happen when you know you can make it, but are ignorant about the others behind or around you!

Cheers!

you forgot to add a few...

Like a tata SUMO, an INDICA taxi n Honda city with flashy n drunk guys in it...

[sam92]

Those are some really good points sunil sir

to add to this thread ill Illustrate an example which can be a FATAL one.

observe the below pictorial representation of a road


This is an example of a typically possible accident case in perfectly "legal" conditions.

The slow moving vehicles are on the left lane which is correct as per rule.
You are the faster vehicle so you are in the right lane, again correct.

now suppose an intersection comes in the road/highway , and a vehicle is going to cross the road. the slow moving vehicle on the left MAY stop for the crossing vehicle to cross the road.

howeveryou have NOT seen this vehicle which is about to cross the road since the slow moving vehicle on the left is blocking your view and thus creating a blindspot area.

If you proceed with your speed, and the slow moving vehicle gives way (that is stops/slows down) to the vehicle which wants to cross.

Either,
You will collide with the vehicle which is crossing the road

or you'll narrowly miss it-somehow.


so yes its better to slow down than overtake in such situations. let the vehicle on the left be your SHIELD(that is you remain right beside it) for the intersection and then accelerate again when the path is clear.


and this situation doesn't require a highway intersection to occur. mostly observed in cities as well where you're overtaking a vehicle from the right in a correct manner yet someone jumps in front of you from the left in your path

also applicable to mindless jaywalking pedestrians with suicidal tendencies.

amazing example .. i had a accident like this

[AnuragAshok]

Watch out and keep safe distance from
1) A Scorpio - they are weird and at times they think they are driving a hummer and you just cant smoke them down!
2) An Indica/Indigo- I dont want to start a brand war here though!
3) Anything on wheels thats flashy, or has sports or japanese words written on them!

I would add Sumo's and Three Wheelers to the list.

An advert I found showing what happens when the lid is missing when we ride!

[chandrasekhar]

@sunil: It's a nice post. Already read it 3 times. Will suggest my other fellow bikers.

[ravi@17bhp]

One precaution from my experience:

Do not ride close to a car near the doors. Particuarly, when they are slowing down for a stop. The chances are very very high that passengers in the car open the door without checking the road.

I am a victim of it, and lost my front two tooth because of that, and I would never forget this accident in my life.