The short Mumbai-Pune expressway trip

It’s not a travelogue story by any means. It’s a very small travel experience I had last week when I traveled to Pune. I had to meet somebody on expressway (after Lonavla at the HP petrol pump/US Pizza). It was supposed to be an official trip but since it was a Saturday, we thought of making it an official cum personal trip. I, with three friends (including one girl) left Vashi around 2:30 in the noon in my Palio (May 2002, 35000 kms). We drove to the place at a cruising speed of 80-90 kph. Reached around 4:45, finished work and headed back to Vashi at around six in the evening.

Kartik, one of us four, drove us back home. Despite of being a hardcore Palio 1.6 fan, he always criticized Palio 1.2 as a sluggish car. I am saying this as whenever he sees my car, he ends up suggesting me to sell if off and buy new Palio Stile 1.6. I always smile at this suggestion of his, sometimes I say “Kartik. I will buy a Grande Punto not a Palio 1.6.” He pushed the car to the limits, in order to try its potential. He was doing 130kph at the corners (just after Lonavla, towards Mumbai). He kept pushing the car, drove 100-140kph constantly.

We passed the Khalapur toll naka and were heading towards the Bhatan tunnel. The car was rushing at 125kph and then we heard a bizarre sound (whooooshhh…). Kartik knew that we have got a flat tyre. He stopped the car and we came out of the car. Front-left tyre was smoking like hell. Kartik was laughing all the way. Even Charles and Sudha looked cool. But I was going pale. I knew something terrible. My spare tyre was as bad in a condition as the left-front one!

I told this to everybody and everybody was tensed. Kartik, being the most experienced, told me not to worry. Being a regular expressway commuter, he had highway helpline number. He called, told them the right place the car broke-down. Kartik hanged up saying, they can’t help. The nearest puncture repair shop is at toll naka, which is around 15 kms away! While coming, we had seen a Siena on the way, we had also seen a towing truck around. Kartik asked Charles to walk down to the Siena guys. Maybe they could lend us their spare tyre if there wasn’t the same case. I asked Kartik for going with Charles as it was getting dark but he refused saying that he might need me at the spot.

After around half an hour, the towing truck came. He recommended us to get the car towed to the next repair shop. He was charging 900 rupees for his five kms towing service. I was prepared to pay the amount but when he mentioned that the bumper may get damaged temporarily (it will become normal as sun comes out). Neither Kartik not I agreed to this. It was absolute dark by now. As the towing guy sensed that we are not going to use his service, he tried to scare us. It’s not a good place, we have theft problem here. Moreover you have lady passenger with you… blah blah. He couldn’t be successful but he could manage to implant some sort of fear inside me, for Sudha. We tried to figure out some solution and then it clicked to us. One of my bosses have a Palio 1.6, Kartik suggested me to call him for help. I called him and the gentleman promised to leave home right away.

Meanwhile, Charles came back with two highway security people. They suggested us not to send someone alone on the expressway in night, ever. They confirmed that this is not a good place for a single person. My fear got some kind of support and I was more worried. The two security persons remained with us till the time I got a call from my boss, telling me that he is approaching Bhatan tunnel. One of the security persons helped me cross the road. We sat in the other Palio on the other side and the security guy helped us take a U-turn safely. Thanks to Fiat, Palio 1.6’s 14-inch tyre fitted like a charm in my car. Around 9:30, we drove back home, finally.

I am an extremely careless person and this carelessness cost me a hell lot of my heart beats that night. I won’t even drive the car in city if I don’t have a 100% fit spare tyre with me. ;-)

That reminds me of a similar experience I have had with my family in May 2006…. 

 

I & family (wife, daughter & son), were driving back home (Bhavnagar) from Vallabh Vidyanagar (Anand) after finalizing my daughter’s admission in College.  It was a friend’s M800 - borrowed; I purchased my car just thereafter in June 2006.  The highway (single track) was quite isolated, as ever.  It was 6 p.m. and we had still 70 kms to drive home, when suddenly the right-rear tyre gave-up.

 

We just got down & removed the spare wheel, which was good – in fact, in better condition [not like Banwari’s ].  But then…. we were shocked to see that we didn’t have the required tools.  We looked for it frantically – even inside the car under the seats etc. but to our dismay, couldn’t find it.  I telephoned my friend & enquired – he too was surprised – had not used the tools for a long time.  He soon called me back & informed that the garagewala had inadvertently forgotten to place it back when the car had recently been there for servicing/maintenance. Anyway!

 

The highway was new to me that time, as I had seldom traveled by pvt. car before on that route - had taken bus service / taxi whenever required but that too was not quite often.  We waited for some vehicle to appear.  A couple of taxis passed by but didn’t even bother to look at us – despite our waiving for help.  Soon a scooterwala appeared & stopped by us but was of no help for obvious reason – except that he sympathized with us.  He stood by us for some time & left telling us that I may get some help in a little while.  By then it was 6.45 p.m. & I started getting worried for the family members, apprehending that I might not get help before it turns dark.

 

contd…. (next post)

….contd…. (from previous post)

 

Luckily, one small truck stopped.  On learning that we had the spare wheel but did not have the tools to change, he (elderly person) was furious – he told me categorically that I was a fool not to check for the tools etc. before undertaking the journey; that too with family.  The tools he had were of bigger size & were, therefore, not of any help.  On his advice, I left my family on the highway (it wasn’t dark; summer) & traveled with him to a puncture shop that was around 8 kms away.  The puncturewala refused to come along, as desired by me, as he was all alone in the shop.  But then he gave me all the required tools without any fuss (no deposit money).  I immediately got a lift in another truck & returned to the family/car.

 

Soon we (my son & I) could change the wheel, and the car was back on wheels – that was just before it turned dark (around 7.45 p.m.).  We returned the tools to the puncturewala way back & paid him.  We took a break there, had tea etc. & started-off.  On our way back, I was cursing myself for my ignorance – I was terrified when the thought occurred to me as to what would have happened if we were returning in the night.

 

So… the moral of the story, linking it with the moral of Banwari’s story, is that… a good spare wheel is of no use unless you have the required tools to change it

Very true. In many such cases, tools are not there or they refuse to work for some reason. So it's a must that you check the spare as well as tools before you leave your home for a long travel.

By the way, Pankaj, you had to travel 70 more kilometres. You stopped at the puncturewala shop but didn't your flat tyre fixed? What if you would have got another flat tyre on the way?

Oh sorry, I forgot to mention... while we returned the tools back & took a break (tea etc.), we got the tyre repaired - in fact, we took the break for that reason only

 

To add further... while returning/driving thereafter, I feared - what if I have another puncture - didn't have the tools in any case, and was dark by then.  Luckily, it didn't happen so

 

 

A major cause for fatal accidents on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway is poor tyre/wheel maintenance. For high-speed driving, it is very essential to keep tyres/wheels in good condition and do regular tyre rotation, wheel balancing and alignment. Tyre pressures should be checked regularly and for high speeds, set higher than the manufacturer's recommendation. Low tyre pressures are to be avoided like the plague, for they can cause tyre damage and bursting. Frequent inspection of the tyres for any damage or for nails/screws stuck in is also essential. In case of tubeless tyres, you will not know that a nail is causing a slow puncture unless the tyre deflates significantly. So you should catch these by inspection before undertaking a long trip. Wheels should be inspected and in case of rim bends or other damage, replaced or repaired. Rim bends will cause wheels to go out of balance and give vibrations/poor handling at high speeds.

 

I have been  doing Pune-Mumbai-Pune every week in my Santro for the past 2.5 years and I take a lot of pains to keep my tyres/wheels in good condition. I hit 140+ speeds every week and there is no way I can afford a puncture or a burst at those speeds in a Santro.

A little off the track (please don't take it otherwise)... I personally feel speed above 120kms in small cars (Santro & the like) is not advisable - may it be on such good & otherwise safe highways.  We should never forget that our near & dear ones are waiting for us back home.

@Pankaj Prasad: You have stated the commonly held view about Santro and other small cars and no offence taken. But my Santro is not quite stock, it has tubeless tyres, wider-than-stock alloy wheels, and also a wider track (the wheels have a lower offset than the stock wheels which gives the car a wider stance and consequent higher stability). Plus I take good care of my car with accurately set cold tyre pressures, and regular alignment/rotation/balancing. All these help a great deal in Santro's high-speed handling.

 

Today, I checked the tyre pressures after about 10 days in Mumbai, at 7-30 AM just prior to leaving for Pune. I had previously set tyre pressures to 35.5 psi on Friday, 29th August. Three of my tyres were at 34.5 to 35 psi, quite normal. But rear right tyre was reading 26.5 psi and I immediately realized that this tyre had a slow puncture. Topped it up to 36 psi and after 1 hour, it dropped to 35.5. So I decided that this was slow enough for the car to be taken to Pune and took it straight to my usual tyre shop in East Street. Upon removing the wheel and checking, found two small nails stuck into the tyre, one of which caused a puncture (other nail was too small).

 

This example shows how important it is to regularly check tyre pressures, especially in tubeless tyres. Visual inspection will not be good enough to detect such slow punctures until it is too late. If I had not topped up the tyre pressures before leaving for Pune, my rear right tyre might have dropped to a dangerously low 24 psi (cold) by the time I reached Pune and that is way too low for high-speed driving on the Expressway. I might have had the same problem that Banwari Lal Sharma reported.

I appreciate that with the upgrades your Santro has & the type of precautions you take before undertaking the journey; it is relatively safer than a normal Santro.  I also understand that you know the expressway & its traffic pattern well – you being a regular commuter. 

 

Nevertheless, small cars, with or without such upgrades, are not safe at such high speeds for obvious reasons.  I have seen the video of your car running from 100 to 160 kmsph – almost bumping on the road after attaining the speed of 120/130.

 

I have no right to advise you but would still suggest…. Please drive safely (not exceeding 120 kmsph).  You may be young & enthusiastic & a very good driver too, but I reiterate - never forget that your near & dear ones are always waiting for you back home.

 

I request; at least give a serious thought to it. Thanks