Accident on the Interstate Freeway

[pmaitra]

Accident on the Interstate Freeway

So, I got into an accident on the fast lane on the Interstate Freeway on my way from South Carolina to North Carolina.

Here are some pictures, but no, you ain't gonna get no glimpse of what I look like.

Nissan Sentra hits behind a Hyundai Accent. Vehicles pass by at ~70 mph. Note the black lines caused by the Nissan Sentra braking.

Nissan Sentra hits behind a Hyundai Accent. Vehicles pass by at ~70 mph.

Nissan Sentra hits behind a Hyundai Accent. Vehicles pass by at ~70 mph.

Very first exchange between the drivers involved in the accident - "Are you all right?"
Amazing!​

What happened next:

• A 911 call was placed.
• A big truck with flashing lights approached from behind and stopped on the fast lane about 100 feet behind the accident scene, to divert traffic and keep the involved passengers, stranded on the side of the fast lane, from being hit by some speeding vehicle.
• A State Trooper arrives and stops all traffic on the Interstate, and honks at the drivers to get in their respective cars and pull over from the fast (left) lane to the slow (right) lane.
• The State Trooper arrives, writes a police report, takes witness accounts, does some bureaucratic work, and everyone drives off.

I was amazed at how much value Americans place on the life of every individual. Truly, something I observed in utter humility and respect for the way the administration functions.

 

[Tronic]

pmaitra, Seems like a fender bender. Hope everyone was fine, still.

Very first exchange between the drivers involved in the accident - "Are you all right?"
Amazing!​

What is the very first exchange between drivers in India? -BC, MC full on.

What happened next:

• A 911 call was placed.
• A big truck with flashing lights approached from behind and stopped on the fast lane about 100 feet behind the accident scene, to divert traffic and keep the involved passengers, stranded on the side of the fast lane, from being hit by some speeding vehicle.
• A State Trooper arrives and stops all traffic on the Interstate, and honks at the drivers to get in their respective cars and pull over from the fast (left) lane to the slow (right) lane.
• The State Trooper arrives, writes a police report, takes witness accounts, does some bureaucratic work, and everyone drives off.

Nice and orderly.

Compare this to Punjab Police;

While normally, Punjab Police believes deeply in human freedoms, letting drivers do as they like, there are however some red lines not to cross! Not long ago, Punjab Police stopped a vehicle leaving Chandigarh and discovered that the car was filled with crates of booze, some of them opened. Like any responsible Police force, the officers asked the gentlemen to exit their vehicle. However, the culprits stepped on the pedal and took off! While normally, Punjab Police does not like to bother common folks with high speed vehicle pursuits, this case was different. There was loads of booze, ehhm, I mean people's safety from drunk drivers, at stake! The Punjab Police gave chase. A chase which lasted almost 5 hours, and ~240km, starting from Chandigarh, and ending in Amritsar! At the end of the day, Punjab Police got their booze, ehhmm, I meant culprits! True story!

 

[pmaitra]

Yeah, no one was hurt. Thanks for mentioning. Thank God there was no pile-up. Traffic is usually really bad at the end of office hours.