Never Drive Fast in DARK

This incident happened in the parking lot of my earlier company. It was a big manufacturing company with big parking lot, and it was around 07 PM very dark when I left my office to the parking lot and took my bike the parking lot did not have lights. I took my bike started and just raced, then THUD the bike stopped there itself. And as I had not yet swtiched on the lights I could see a concrete pillar of height 2 feet height and abt 1.5 feet wide,,, we had such pillars in our parking lot, I had totally forgotten about them that day. I just thought that the tyre had hit the pillar and the vehicle stopped. The next day morning when I got ready for office I observed one thing the right side leg guard was very badly FOLDED, because of the impact the full force of bike fell on the leg guard and my legs were safe if that leg guard would not have been there my leg fingers would have been badly crushed, broken. Always ride safe and dont be in hurry.

I recently have one incident, that I would like to share (see the linked post):

Two things i learnt the hard way today. (hope nobody is dumb like i was )

1. Never keep your wallet in the back pocket
2. Always travel with a copy of your license and keep an extra copy at home.

You can probably guess what happened. Lost my wallet somewhere. It contained the original copy of the license, with no copies elsewhere Was lucky enough to get my wallet back, thanks to some good people

Blog Post

Some points from my side:

1. Never overtake a big vehicle if you are not sure if the vehicle coming from the other side is slow enough for you to pass.

2. Always apply the brakes from a distance. Anticipate danger and act accordingly.

3. Always carry a copy of all documents and driver's license with you while riding.

4. Never let someone else ride your bike if you are not sure of his/her riding abilities.

5. Always ride in the correct gear. Don't rely on the enormous torque that your bike may be capable of providing in higher gears. You may not have enough control in higher gears.

6. While taking a turn, reduce the speed and down shift (let's say to 3rd or 2nd gear) and keep the bike straight. Remember, we are not riding a moto GP bike on a racing track. You may skid otherwise.

7. While overtaking on highways or shifting lanes, always use indicators and always check your rear view mirror (be aware of the blind spot too) before performing the act. After overtaking, return back to your lane gradually, not abruptly. This will make sure that you don't surprise the vehicle which you just overtook.

8. Wear your riding gear at all times.

7. Be 10 times more cautious when riding in the rain. Ride slowly in rains and apply brakes gradually.

Let me guess..........was this near columbia asia hospital, towards yeshwantpur? Ive had a strikingly similar experience there.


@Ashimjyoti Das: lol!! Beautifully unconnected. The alcohol content in cough syrups, ayurvedic ones also, is at most 10% per unit.....so, thats 10% of the 10 ml you take per dose(if you shake well).....just doesnt cut it to go high. Some people take brandy for cough or cold....then maybe, lay off the "syrup".

@vishnups17: Yes, these idiots have no idea of the speeds with which bigger vehicles can ply about even in ghat sections. Best to be very careful overtaking along the ghats.

----------

I havent had any major crashes but the ones Ive had and other close calls scream out the following:

> Keep a wide field of view, taking into account all thats going on in front and side of you....dont get fixated on one object(car, bus) in front or just the road ahead.

> Always keep watch ahead(especially for traffic police ). Dont get distracted looking at your speedo, odo, some car, babe, store etc....especially while speeding.

> Zipping between traffic might not always work out in your favour.

> Always keep your lights on at night even if theres plenty of streetlights around.

> When riding on right side of the lane, especially if theres stone or concrete medians, watch out for people, cycles, bikes crossing through gaps. Also watch out for knocked off stones either jutting out from the divider or laying on the road.

In 1998 I along with my wife decided to go jamshedpur from bokaro. We were newly married and the only vehicle was rx100. The holi fever went to head and instead of checking everything like oil etc we just filled up the fuel tank and went ahead. While coming back at a place near purulia in WB the bike just got stuck up. I mean we could not even push it as the engine had ceased.
Somehow we stopped a tata 407 truck and loaded the bike onto it. Just imagine lifting the 100 kg bike onto the truck without the help of driver or any male.
The driver was badly drunk and drove at a high speed. some how it reached purulia and mechanic quoted a price of 3000 rs. We had no other option but to pay up.
After this it has become a lesson of my life to get vehicle fully checked by a mechanic and then move outstation

I doubt that would help... Our pedestrians are experts in getting confused... You never know... They might just take a hop backwards...

Always always always slow down at a cross road... No matter what time of the day or night it is...

A similar thing happened to my dad... He had to swerve because of someone crossing... There was a guy sitting on a hand cart on the side of the road... he thought my dad would crash into him, which he wasnt gonna, so he ran across the road and got hit by a passing tempo... My dad stopped the vehicle and took the guy to the hospital... The tempo guy had run away and so that guy filed a suit against my dad... We won the case which lasted for 4 years...

Never overtake a bus casually stopped at a stop. People have tendency to cross the road infront of the bus not knowing some passing vehicle would come to their surprise. I had a close call and taught myself a lesson. Now, I always anticipate some one to surprise when ever I happen to go past a bus stopped at a side and always be at controllable speed.

Animals (cow dog etc):- They pose a danger to two wheelers on every road especially on highways. It is better to slow down in front of them than taking a swerve. In fear might move towards your direction and place you in a tight spot. Few times during my long ride happened to encounter a heard of cow/ox almost crossed the road from right to left. Suddenly last but one turned its head to its body scaring the other one coming behind. Thinking that they would be off the road by the time I near them, the last cow/ox stopped on the road making me to jump on the brakes as I was traveling at good speed. Luckily there was no vehicle at my back so screeched to halt. Lesson learnt with some heart in my mouth.

+1 & that includes for a truck/lorry too. But you wanna know how to overcome on it Sri?
Watch out the bottom of the truck/bus (truck/lorry is easier) & you can see the movements of people's legs & you can make out

works only if you are pretty far from the bus. If you're quite close to it, you can hardly see anything.

This is when one needs to stay alert all the time, thinking only about riding & riding & nothing else, have a peripheral view with awareness on the surroundings. If things are to be noticed only at last moment even the best of best braking will never help!!!

And not sure what is pretty far, I do this about 20-25 foot away & I can notice it clearly.

I would also like to add..

When ever ur at an intersection slow down
some people will not even bother to look before they enter an intersection at high speeds leaving you little or no time to react.


also if you see a person trying to cross the road at an intersection it is always advisable that you slow down and alllow him to pass first.
It may be irritating at times but its always safer cause then u eliminate the confusion as to who gets to go first.

so always give right of way to others.

Drive safe.
cheers

Lessons Learnt the Hard Way

Never hunt small game with a motorbike. I wonder if someone's done anything so idiotic. Years ago, I was riding through a wooded section at night when a wild rabbit, dazzled by my beam, stopped plumb in the middle of the road. My eyes lit up at the prospect of some tender meat for dinner. I decided to run over it (cruel...I know;I was only 23 then) when it scooted to the side of the road. Being the idiot that I was then, I followed it at a high speed and hit both the rabbit and the road. Damage done - a ripped shirt, a few cuts and bruises, a broken head lamp and indicator. The rabbit couldn't be traced. I'm still game for hunting - but not with my bike.

Anticipate; rear view mirrors, tail lights and indicators are not always used by the vehicle in front of you. I was riding at a leisurely 40kmph. There was another middle-aged man riding at the left extreme. I decided to overtake him from the right when he suddenly, without any warning, started moving across to turn into the side road. I ended up lying on the road with two bikes on top. Damage done - nothing major to the bike while I fractured my right knee, ruptured a ligament, spent weeks in a hospital and my knee still buckles at times.

....and when i thought pedestrians coming in front of you from behind the buses/trucks werent enough, one truck cleaner jumped on me from the right side of a parked truck on me while i was passing it at a crawling speed, NO! he did not come in FRONT of me, he literally jumped on me from the door of the truck (truck doors are high), i mean, people suddenly coming in front of your bike from the front is okay, but vertical suckers trying to jump on you, c'mon, how bad can things get on Indian roads!

Pretty cruel of me to say this but! Serves you right.