Adil Najam
This is a fairly old picture which I am sure you have seen in Pakistani newspapers or recieved via emails.
The picture shows a large truck carrying a bunch of other small trucks (interestingly the small trucks are very much like the large truck, a “Mini-Me” for those who get the reference). The large truck loaded with the small truck was stacked higher than the bridge-way it was passing under, and as a result the four vehicles at the top get their tops crushed. Of course, anyone who has driven on Pakistani roads is used to seeing over-loaded vehicles (here, here). But this image is different because it shows how the changing nature of our road infrastructure is forcing people to learn some elementary lessons the hard way.
My question, however, is very different. What do yo think happened AFTER the accident. I am really curious about what might have happened. It is obvious that there was a lot of damage? Someone had to end up paying for it one way or the other? Who do you think did?
Do you think the vehicles were insured? Did the driver get into trouble? Did the loaders end up paying for this? Or did the owners of the smaller vehicles being transported? Was the passage height marked on the bridge-way? If not, did CDA in Islamabad pay?
We see tragedies happening everyday, from accidents like this to suicide bombings. The loss of life is horrendous and overwhelms everything. As it should. But the economic and development costs are also huge. Property gets damaged, business loses value, people cannot work, economies go into a slump… and who pays for all of this. Who should?
Seems someone trusts news papers and corporate media. From the look of it, it’s impossible that a truck would drag this far under the bridge which such mass being crushed, sheer resistance will stop an object or make it tumble even if it’s going at 100mph. That coupled with front car still placed slightly higher than bridge height, and bottom car completely crushed – I am not ready to buy it.
And who insures the insurers? AIG?
What a welcome relief to see this after days of unremitting horror!
I expect insurance paid for the lot.
No self-respecting corporate admin. would allow valuable assets in transit, when the physical ownership and the legal ownership are separated, to go uninsured.
If there’s no insurance on this lot, expect to see the whole set of managers in serious trouble.
Driver’s thoughts after accident: “This is one of those things which seem horrible when they’re happening but really funny later.”
I hope he got out of this with minimal damage and now indeed does find it funny!
Saqib even if height was posted on the bridge, it is less likely the truck driver knows his own truck’s height with freight on it. This will take an education and monetary effort to train drivers in knowing their trucks height as well as to post clearence on bridges.