The death of 'Fast and Furious' star Paul Walker in a car crash in California came as a shock to all. Other than the fact that the movie franchise will never be the same again, have people who drive sports car learnt anything from the incident?
Taking the death of Walker as a personal loss, Hyderabad racer and the first and the only official driver from India for Lamborghini, Amer Beg, says, “Racing is not a bad thing. It is the people who give it a bad name.
“Everyone loves speed, but ‘think speed’ only on a race track. If you love to hit the accelerator above limits, hit the race tracks, not the streets”, he says.
Talking about people speeding on the streets of Hyderabad, Amer says, “Speed is addictive. But one should know not to speed on the streets. Very few in the city adhere to the traffic regulations.”
“Always indicate and give a five-second gap before you turn. In Hyderabad I do not see people indicating their turns, which in turn creates panic and chaos. Our government has spent a lot on the street lighting system in the city. So, make the best of these lights and do no drive with the high beam on”, he suggests.
“The fastest I have driven was in a Lamborgh-ini Gallardo at 330km/hr, on a race track”, he adds.
Zohair Arif, a businessman from the city who own a Mercedes-Benz SLK says, “Sports cars are very powerful and people who buys these cars should be very careful. Hyderabad roads are not meant for racing or even for driving fast.”
“Once you get in a sports car, it is very tempting to speed. But one needs to know that people do not have the sense of crossing roads properly. Anything can come across from anywhere and you might ram into that,” he says, adding, “I always try to be careful. Once in a while I go fast, but I stick to my limits.”
Another automobile fanatic, Rohit Sethi, who owns a E-Class Convertible Cabriolet says, “Firstly I would advice any driver not to drink and drive.”
When it comes to a convertible, be safe and have a speed limit. All of these sports cars have a speed lock and I assigned my lock to 120km/hr. In a convertible, there is always a chance that the driver and others can fly off even with seat belts on, when there is an impact. This can be dangerous.”
Talking about the traffic he says, “Traffic sense all over India is bad. One has to follow the rules in order to be safe.”
Rohit’s advice to city drivers are: “Keep the road in mind, not forgetting the visibility. Do not overspeed, which will not only harm you, but also someone else. And always wear a seat belt even when driving slow.”
The owner of a Nissan R35 GTR, actor Naga Chaitanya was deeply saddened by the death of Paul Walker. He says, “Paul Walker was like my idol; I grew up idolising his attitude on screen. And Fast and Furious was one of the primary reasons why I love cars and motorsport. I will truly miss him and will never forget the impact he had. I still haven’t made peace with the fact that he is no more.”
“Speed and thrills are strictly for the race track or a closed circuit. Respect public roads and the safety of others using them”, the actor says.
"I still haven’t made peace with the fact that he (Paul Walker ) is no more. Speed and thrills are strictly for the race track or a closed circuit. Respect public roads and the safety of others using them"- Naga Chaitanya, actor.
"Once you get into a sports car, it is very tempting to speed. But one needs to know that people do not have the sense of crossing roads. Anything can come across from anywhere and you might ram into that" -Zohair Arif, businessman
Few tips from A top city motorist
Dos
- If you are driving a high-powered car, you’re probably getting some attention. But don’t get distracted.
- Hold your steering wheel at 10 and 2 (imagine the face of a clock). Always keep both hands on the steering and don’t take anything for granted.
- Be in a comfortable driving position where the steering wheel must touch your wrist so you have full access to the wheel.
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Don’ts
- People in the city will try and race you in their Lancers and Swifts in the traffic. Relax. Don’t get carried away. You don’t need to prove anything, the numbers do the talking.
- Don’t show off. It’s not cool, and can be dangerous.
- Sports cars have sensitive throttle’s (like high-powered bikes), be gentle on the gas in the city.
- Respect pedestrians and other motorists. Indicate when turning and don’t use high beam.
— The tips above are from racecar driver Amer Beg, the first Indian to participate in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo series
