Drive Safe Please

I am working in a department where vehicles are tested for its endurance. There are too many “rules”. I remember one test that I did which I am sure I will never dare to do in my car intentionally.

I drove my car to about 70-80 km/h speed in 5th gear and I tried (in fact very hard as it could not be done) shifted to Reverse gear . The gears should never mesh but I could feel the baby really being abused. (may be that’s why it is called abuse test). The test will hardly take 30 minutes, but preparation and checkpoints before doing the test is heavy and it consumes too much time. Why do we do it; for safety it means to avoid accidents.


In test track there is a patch where one can cruise from 80 – 175 km/h (the 175 is the max speed that I have heard possible as the road ends to a sharp turn). There is only cars and that too in a single direction. Giving the “rule” that one could go at high speeds we had a major accident. The security person who was walking (may be I can say suddenly wanted to cross the road without looking back) in the direction of the track could not notice the car that is coming behind (may be because there was a constant noise from turbine nearby). Result; he broke his leg with multiple fractures. Result; he needs one more leg for rest of his life. May be it is his mistake that he did not see the road but in my opinion a car should always stop before hitting. There lies the skill of the driver.

So, as per books driver cannot be blamed as it is he is within the rules!!

Well this not only happens in test track, it happens in India everyday. As per statistics, there are about 300+ people killed everyday, due to accidents. And as per Indian law, Car is the only vehicle which is licensed to go above 60 km/h speed.

I should specifically mention about “Indian roads” – where one can expect people crossing the National Highway roads (where one can least expect and where they are not supposed to and I think they are the only area where cars can reach beyond 80 km/h). as if the cars will slow down and wait for then to pass.

I remember my boss saying, guys when you are driving keep your eyes wide open because in India you can see anytime anything coming at you in any direction, so drive safe and slow there. (I thought he meant that I can drive at any speed in test track)

One always has the right to say that I went by rules and it is the pedestrian who was wrong. But if you see in-depth the truth is,

1. Your conscience will be pricking you all the time that you have bumped into someone. That will always be there in your mind (and the worst part is you will start advising others which they will never like). It creates an unnecessary fear.
2. It is you or the pedestrian who is making the mistake but it is the pedestrian who will suffer (unless to avoid hitting him you go and bang a group of people where you make yourself and many people except the pedestrian, suffer).

SO
“Drive safe and think in mind we are humans and they are too, Because you don’t have the luxury to say sorry.”