Bengaluru: Against the backdrop of a senior citizen riding with his grandchildren coming under the wheels of a tanker truck at Yelahanka Newtown recently, traffic police requested commuters to strictly avoid overtaking heavy vehicles from the left, particularly at busy junctions.Thursday morning, 67-year-old Venkanna from Judicial Layout was riding with his two grandchildren when he overtook the water tanker from the left. The tanker driver, failing to notice Venkanna and his vehicle, took a left turn. Venkanna’s gearless scooter came under the wheels and he died instantly, while his two grandchildren escaped miraculously.A senior traffic officer reasoned why overtaking from the left is risky.Massive blind spots: Drivers sit on the right, making it nearly impossible for them to see a two-wheeler riding alongside their left (passenger) side.Sudden turns: Truck and bus drivers require a wide turning radius and often swing to the right before executing a sharp left turn, directly crushing anything in the left blind spot.Door hazards and obstructions: The left side of the road often hides road debris, parked cars or sudden obstacles that force the heavy vehicle to swerve unexpectedly into the rider’s path.Lack of escape space: Overtaking on the left traps the rider between the heavy vehicle and the kerb or footpath, leaving zero room to swerve away in an emergency.
