Whenever I see or hear about
motor vehicle accident I did not understand the
mechanic of
such happenings. People
just blame
each other.
Until the other day I had an accident & hit a pole at National Highway.
In my
29 years of
licensed driving this was my
first accident while
myself on the driver seat. My first
reaction was
shock then self irritation.Reaction of my four
friends were
mixed but
thankful for averting a major accident. The
time was around
0830 PM & dark.
Speed of our car was around
40 to 50 KM. Head light
dimmed as had
seen three or four
truck were coming from my
opposite direction,the
sooner those truck
passed I
suddenly saw
under my headlight beam three or four
person on bicycle riding
haphazardly towards my
vehicle in the
middle of the road, just
about to heat my car. The person were
seem to be drunk labour's a
very common phenomenon on the roads of Assam. My
co-passenger started
shouting stop-stop, I just
slammed my foot brakes & handbrakes simultaneously & swirled the steering towards left side of the road, the car
skidded missing the cyclists & thud,
hit the telephone pole on the roadside. My
engine running &
head light still on we got down. The cyclist were
nowhere to be
seen it
was dark & cold outside. I
inspected my car
switched off the engine &
light.
Felt for any smell of diesel.
Waited for half an hour for
any passerby to help us as there were
no police station nearby
neither any habitat a
lone stretch of the road. We
discussed the situation then I
telephoned my other friend in Solmara, Tezpur for
help. After
around one & half an hour my friend appeared with a vehicle along with toeing gear. The time we reached home was around midnight.
Reason for the accident: (1) May be due to one way & too narrow National High way. (ii) No street lights on the National Highway. (iii) Drunken pedestrian / driver on the roads.(iv) Very bad condition of road with lots of pot-holes.(v)MT drivers not following night driving rules & not respecting other co-drivers on the road.(vi) Rush driving (vii)No proper self illuminated side barrier on both side of the road.
Lesson learnt : (i) You are not above destiny (ii) Be even more cautious (iii) If needed stop your car & let other pass you who are rushing.