Wednesday, August 03, 2011

Motorbike stunt causes crash

I'm pretty sure this is in Kerala, south India. It certainly sounds like they're talking Malayalam.

But I'm confused that they appear to be driving on the 'wrong' side of the road. That said, if it is India, road protocol is never strictly adhered to.


YouTube link.

I was once passenger in an auto rickshaw in Kerala that was involved in a crash. The driver and a cyclist were racing each other, when a huge speeding truck coming in the opposite direction pulled out in front of us. The rickshaw driver slammed on his brakes and pulled to the left and we obviously just clipped the back of the bicycle. There was a massive BANG, so I looked back and saw the cyclist flying through the air. I was sure he was a goner, when he landed head-first in a big pile of sand outside a house having some building work done. His bicycle then continued for probably 100 yards, (no exaggeration), until it eventually lost momentum and fell over.

After a lot of coaxing to get the rickshaw driver, who'd sped off, to go back - he obviously thought we'd killed the cyclist - although the lorry driver, now long gone, had caused the crash, if the cyclist had been harmed, the rickshaw driver would have been at great risk of a serious beating, possibly worse, by locals, we very, very slowly made our way back.

To cut a long story short, the cyclist and his brand new bicycle didn't have a scratch on them. A proper miracle. If the incident had happened a millisecond earlier or later, I have no doubt the cyclist would have been killed. As it was it was like a carefully rehearsed stunt from a movie. I don't think I've ever been so relieved.

11 comments:

powerfuldragon said...

definitely sounds like mallus.

Insolitus said...

Cool story, bro.

arbroath said...

Cheers Insolitus.

It was a long time ago, but I can still see that guy flying through the air.

Insolitus said...

I am accustomed to the orderly Northern European traffic culture, where most people follow the rules and are safety conscious and at least somewhat courteous. And there are relatively few people and cars. The mere thought of the chaotic, congested traffic scenes from India and other parts of Asia make me feel anxious and quite frankly fearful. I fear for their lives and anticipate fearing for my life if I ever happen to have the chance to travel somewhere over there. I guess that's a fear I have to conquer if it happens. If I survive the experience.

arbroath said...

Heh, it is organised chaos, but you get used to it. Mostly.

Driving when it's dark is the scariest.

Many roads are only wide enough for 1 1/2 vehicles, with people sleeping on the roadside and unlit bullock carts etc.

You see approaching trucks in the distance, with dipped headlights, then, for some reason, a couple of hundred yards from you, they turn their lights off.

Then ... about 50 yards away, they hit you with main beam, meaning you're completely blinded as they roar past at breakneck speed.

arbroath said...

I never did work out why.

I asked many other people, and they too had experienced it and also had no idea.

It was extremely dangerous.

Anonymous said...

I read somewhere that many people believe in a myth that you see better driving at night with the headlights off. Something to do with headlights interfering with your natural "night vision".

Insolitus said...

How could anyone believe in such a myth? That you see better in the dark without your headlights? It's ridiculous nonsense, easily disproved by simply trying yourself.

Ratz said...

Though I am clutching at straws here, but your night-vision works a lot better after your eyes have been in the dark for a while, though this generally takes at least a few minutes to build up (I think the chemical's rhodopsin). Perhaps coming up to a dangerous bit if they turn their lights off their night vision gets better (though not good enough to get by) so when they turn their main beams on because they've a bit of night vision and full beams it's better than full beams on their own?

Perhaps the moron harrassing the cyclist should try that near a cliff and we'll see how he gets on. I'd be happy to be proved wrong.

cath said...

Arbroath: Amazing story! I love your India stories.

The headlights vs. night-vision thing is interesting. It definitely is the case that, when walking outside at night, you can see better without a flashlight than with one, once your eyes are accustomed to the dark -- well, further, anyways. With a flashlight, you can see very well directly in the beam, but nothing beyond that. Without, you can see with less clarity but in every direction and to a greater distance. For walking, it's definitely better to go with the latter. But it's hard to believe that night vision would beat headlights, which are so much bigger and more powerful. Besides, half of the advantage is that they allow others to see you easily. And if they're constantly being raised, dipped, and turned off, it's hard to imagine anyone's eyes being accustomed to the dark, anyways.

Insolitus said...

One additional benefit of using headlights are reflectors. Reflector posts lining the road, safety reflectors worn by (intelligent) pedestrians and cyclists. I, with my very limited international driving experience, actually have a hard time imagining what it would be like to drive on a dark road without the former. Not pleasant, would be my guess. Somehow I doubt the Indian roads commonly have such safety features.