Fly Over - Bus flies over in Chennai and accidents elsewhere

In the city of Chennai beset with traffic problems, some bridges were constructed to ease the traffic trouble – but often travelling on the bridges are more scary than any solution to the piled traffic.  

Overbridges are thought of as solution but some in Chennai are so narrow that they can never have a two lane traffic – added is the condition of the road even on the bridges.  The parapet walls are thin and seemingly cannot hold the impact of vehicles crashing on them.  The very thought of a heavy vehicle wading through this barrier and falling down will send shivers in the spine – as an accident, a vehicle wading into the wall and falling down can be calamitous  !!

Yesterday (2^nd Apr 2012) – passengers travelling in a Metropolitan Transport Corporation Bus – 21M route, had a providential escape, as the bus flew over the shoulder of the flyover on Sardar Patel Road and settled  on its railing. Traffic on the road was held up for some time after the accident took place around 8pm and fortunately there were no fatalities.

Photo courtesy :  Times of India

Down under in New South Wales, a truck laden with cattle crashed claiming the life of the driver and dozens of cows.  The accident reportedly occurred at Tangaratta Creek Bridge near Tamworth leading to the closure of Oxley Highway for long hours.  Reports suggest that the cabin of the vehicle was  crushed against the bridge pylons, and workers struggled to remove dead cattle and the truck from the scene.  

Police believe the truck was travelling south, bound for Cargill abattoir at Tamworth, when it lost control on a sweeping bend that has been the scene of other serious accidents over the years.  Police officers had to euthanise distressed cattle that had been crushed or injured in the trailers, which rested on their sides near the creek.

 closed road - Photo courtesy : http://static.lifeislocal.com.au

Elsewhere in Norway, the driver of a rescue truck managed to jump to safety as the broken down lorry he was pulling up a snow covered road fell down a cliff, taking the truck with it.  The driver of the lorry also managed to survive his vehicle's fall and is in a stable condition.

Photo courtesy : bbc.co.uk

Whilst these are recent incidents, read in BBC  of an interesting incidence of sighting of a bear in a rubbish truck in the centre of Vancouver.  The officials were surprised but still could handle the situation with ease.  The bear was tranquilised and caught in a tarpaulin as it fell from the truck. It was later taken to a rural area away north of the city.

Accidents occur in many a fashion and there are learnings everywhere

With regards – S. Sampthkumar.