Video: Peril awaits at Thai U-turns - three on bike in lucky escape

[webfact]

Video: Peril awaits at Thai U-turns - three on bike in lucky escape

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Dash cam video posted on Facebook showed three young people on a motorcycle collide at speed with a pick-up that was being allowed to do a U-turn by a traffic cop.

 

Fortunately the rider of the bike was not killed though his head came close to being crushed - the pick-up braked in time.

 

Two passengers on the bike picked themselves up without apparent injury.

 

The footage was posted by "Khun Chai Ek Aitim Sa" who reminded everyone of the danger at U-turns in the kingdom.

 

Source: Thai Rath

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-10-18

 

[Thaiwrath]

Injustices and violence get posted on social media, and authorities react.

Every day we see traffic accidents and stupidity, also posted on the same social media, however, very little appears to be done to improve safety.

[stanleycoin]

More idiots on the roads.

This is not news,    it's a way of life in Thailand. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

Me first im so important, get out the way, and so on and on.

Looking and thinking about the road ahead is a alien concept here.

Amazing Thailand.

Next 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 17, 2017 by stanleycoin

[ezzra]

The problem with most drivers and riders that they ASSUME that

just because they have the right of way than it's ok not pay attention,

not so in Thailand and not so in any country, one must turn on his/hers

radar while using the road and thrive to scan 360 degree of the road

situation around them.... 

[bootly66]

Stupid is, stupid does......

[Get Real]

And it was a traffic cop that allowed this accident to happen. What should I say: In Law & Order we Trust! 

[geriatrickid]

14 minutes ago, Get Real said:

And it was a traffic cop that allowed this accident to happen. What should I say: In Law & Order we Trust! 

1. This was not an accident. It was the direct result of the motorcycle driver not paying attention 

2. The traffic policeman had stopped traffic in  two lanes. It was irresponsible for  the motorcycle to pass traffic in this manner. Watch the recording again. The motorcycle was not in the outer lane, but was instead on the 2nd line line, dangerously passing the slowed vehicles in that lane.

3. The motorcycle driver and the passengers must  accept a large part of the  damages and injuries here because they were riding the vehicle in an illegal and dangerous manner. (Overloaded, 3 on a bike and no helmets.)

 

I doubt their was any brain damage as the driver's IQ was obviously rather limited.

 

[MadMuhammad]

21 minutes ago, Get Real said:

And it was a traffic cop that allowed this accident to happen. What should I say: In Law & Order we Trust! 

How did he ‘allow’ the accident? All I see is someone with no road awareness speeding past almost stationary vehicles without a thought for why they were slowed or stopped. 

Everyone else managed to slow down and take care.

[jaiyen]

If you look at the video you will see other bikes on the inside lane going slowly. The kids on their bike were going way too fast. However the truck did do a very wide turn and probably didnt look left, both at fault

[bluesofa]

1 hour ago, stanleycoin said:

"Looking and thinking about the road ahead is a alien concept here"

Sadly so. Thinking ahead, or any sort if planning is not a natural concept unfortunately.

 

Slightly OT: A couple of locals are aware they need to go to Bangkok on the overnight train next month. I suggested they go and buy the tickets now, rather than later.

From experience the train sleeper berths are always booked up, often nearly a week before departure date.

The reply came back: Oh, two days before is OK.

Here it's always a case of: Don't do today what you can put off until tomorrow.

 

[smedly]

The first problem is the existence of these U-turns, they should never be part of any roads planning infrastructure and should all be removed.

 

Next in this instance the cop is at fault for failing to actually stop "ALL" the traffic before allowing the vehicles to perform this highly unsafe maneuver.

 

Solution - well you only have to look to the west to see what alternatives exist, you either introduce roundabouts or traffic lights that allow u-turns safely - yes we hear all the arguments about Thais and roundabouts but that then becomes a training and enforcement issue, either way these U-turns should be shut down - all of them, they are contributing to accidents and deaths on Thai roads and should never be an option on the roads planning dept (if one actually exists).

[dinsdale]

36 minutes ago, Get Real said:

And it was a traffic cop that allowed this accident to happen. What should I say: In Law & Order we Trust! 

The traffic cop was doing his job. Directing traffic at a u-turn spot. We all know these are dangerous and attention is needed. Said attention was nowhere to be been seen with the motorcyclist, clearly oblivious to the situation. To say the traffic cop allowed this to happen is nonsense. Traffic had stopped to allow other traffic to do a u-turn. The bike just went straight through and is at fault. No helmets, no awareness. Typical Thailand.

Edited October 18, 2017 by dinsdale

[YetAnother]

13 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Thinking ahead, or any sort if planning is not a natural concept unfortunately.

in response to my question of 'why dont you plan ahead ?', my thai wife, with a 4 year university degree, said "i can't"

[Thian]

4 minutes ago, smedly said:

The first problem is the existence of these U-turns, they should never be part of any roads planning infrastructure and should all be removed.

 

Next in this instance the cop is at fault for failing to actually stop "ALL" the traffic before allowing the vehicles to perform this highly unsafe maneuver.

 

Solution - well you only have to look to the west to see what alternatives exist, you either introduce roundabouts or traffic lights that allow u-turns safely - yes we hear all the arguments about Thais and roundabouts but that then becomes a training and enforcement issue, either way these U-turns should be shut down - all of them, they are contributing to accidents and deaths on Thai roads and should never be an option on the roads planning dept (if one actually exists).

 

Yes those U-turns are very dangerous but without them even cars would drive against traffic...

[LannaGuy]

THE problem at Thai U-Turns is that many are two-way. Can't see round the cars opposite.  Make them ONE way and the carnage will reduce.

[o2eZy]

always in a hurry ..see this type of stupidness everyday ..they just can't wait a few minutes but have to either force their way in or ride or overtake into on coming traffic ..lots of times I had to fold my mirrors in so they don't finish on the ground 

but the best is riding against the traffic because the Uturn is a few hundred metres further on ...

 

[dinsdale]

9 minutes ago, smedly said:

Next in this instance the cop is at fault for failing to actually stop "ALL" the traffic before allowing the vehicles to perform this highly unsafe maneuver.

If you look again the cop walks into the road to stop traffic. Cars stop but motorcycles, however, continue through disregarding the copper. This lot are on the 4th bike to go through and do not have right of way. Right of way is with the traffic being directed by the cop. That is vehicles doing a u-turn. Som num na.

[jackdd]

Of course in the end it's the motorbikes fault for going too fast. But the cop could have prevented this accident by making sure the outer lane stops too. In this situation there are always people passing through on the outer lane, that's nothing surprising. So the cop should positioned himself on the outer lane, so the people on this lane can clearly see him, then they would pay more attention. The way he positioned himself in the Video he was not visible from the outer lane because he was hidden behind the cars.

And maybe stopping traffic in 3 lanes should at least involve 2 or 3 cops and not only one, but probably nobody teaches them how to handle such a situation and his colleagues were too busy collecting money from motorbikes.

[LannaGuy]

1 minute ago, jackdd said:

Of course in the end it's the motorbikes fault for going too fast. But the cop could have prevented this accident by making sure the outer lane stops too. In this situation there are always people passing through on the outer lane, that's nothing surprising. So the cop should positioned himself on the outer lane, so the people on this lane can clearly see him, then they would pay more attention. The way he positioned himself in the Video he was not visible from the outer lane because he was hidden behind the cars.

And maybe stopping traffic in 3 lanes should at least involve 2 or 3 cops and not only one, but probably nobody teaches them how to handle such a situation and his colleagues were too busy collecting money from motorbikes.

Its true the Cop was not attentive but TIT and U-Turns are a menace everywhere. 

[maxpower]

10 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

If you look again the cop walks into the road to stop traffic. Cars stop but motorcycles, however, continue through disregarding the copper. This lot are on the 4th bike to go through and do not have right of way. Right of way is with the traffic being directed by the cop. That is vehicles doing a u-turn. Som num na.

And the bikes did not have their periscopes deployed. Police should step back and take control of all lanes not just dance around on the outside lane. Imagine if a bus was stopped in the center lane.

[dinsdale]

3 minutes ago, maxpower said:

And the bikes did not have their periscopes deployed. Police should step back and take control of all lanes not just dance around on the outside lane. Imagine if a bus was stopped in the center lane.

True but awareness is a motorcyclists number one defence. If a bus was stopped in the centre lane along with other traffic, with no traffic ahead this should ring alarm bells. I think rather than not having periscopes deployed, not having brains deployed would be more apt.

[DPKANKAN]

29 minutes ago, LannaGuy said:

THE problem at Thai U-Turns is that many are two-way. Can't see round the cars opposite.  Make them ONE way and the carnage will reduce.

Exactly right. You have to try and stick your nose out to see!! If they have to use these then just one way would help. Still not 100% safe though as some bike riders will still use the gap.

[overherebc]

53 minutes ago, jaiyen said:

If you look at the video you will see other bikes on the inside lane going slowly. The kids on their bike were going way too fast. However the truck did do a very wide turn and probably didnt look left, both at fault

Some pick ups, like mine feel as though they have the turning circle of the QE2 and take a fair bit of road to complete a U turn.

Saying that, biker was the usual brain dead on two wheels.

[MartinL]

54 minutes ago, LannaGuy said:

THE problem at Thai U-Turns is that many are two-way. Can't see round the cars opposite.  Make them ONE way and the carnage will reduce.

Make them single car width too, rather than 3 or 4 car widths as they are now. Ban artics. from using them except at specifically designated sites - perhaps not relevant at city U-turns such as this one.

[worgeordie]

U-turns are one of the most dangerous places on Thai roads,

theres one near me ,on a bend !,since it opened 12 people have

been killed,and umpteen injured.

You have seconds to do the turn,hoping there's going to be no

traffic speeding around the corner.

When you have U-Turns both ways,your view is blocked by vehicles

turning the other way,and their view is blocked too.

They have closed some U-Turns on the dual carriage ways,

because too many cars turning at peak times,blocking the fast lane

regards worgeordie

 

 

 

 

[Confuscious]

1 hour ago, smedly said:

The first problem is the existence of these U-turns, they should never be part of any roads planning infrastructure and should all be removed.

 

Next in this instance the cop is at fault for failing to actually stop "ALL" the traffic before allowing the vehicles to perform this highly unsafe maneuver.

 

Solution - well you only have to look to the west to see what alternatives exist, you either introduce roundabouts or traffic lights that allow u-turns safely - yes we hear all the arguments about Thais and roundabouts but that then becomes a training and enforcement issue, either way these U-turns should be shut down - all of them, they are contributing to accidents and deaths on Thai roads and should never be an option on the roads planning dept (if one actually exists).

Biggest problem with traffic in Thailand is the empathy of the drivers for the law and the law-enforcers.

The cop did stop the traffic to allow drivers to make an U-turn.
Yes, this motorbike driver was not paying attention to the stopped vehicles and wanted to drive trough at all means.

Many times I stop to let a person to cross the road.
Only to see a crazy car/bike driver pass me at full speed and putting the pedestrian in danger.

If you see that the traffic in your lane is stopped then do as everybody else and stop your f...ing vehicle too!!!!

Why Thai people have so much trouble to stop?
Even Red crossing lights seems to work on them like a Spanish bull fighter with his red "muletta".
Are they afraid to be to late for the Som Tam party?

[smedly]

1 hour ago, dinsdale said:

The traffic cop was doing his job. Directing traffic at a u-turn spot. We all know these are dangerous and attention is needed. Said attention was nowhere to be been seen with the motorcyclist, clearly oblivious to the situation. To say the traffic cop allowed this to happen is nonsense. Traffic had stopped to allow other traffic to do a u-turn. The bike just went straight through and is at fault. No helmets, no awareness. Typical Thailand.

The traffic very obviously had not stopped - what are you going on about

[smedly]

1 hour ago, Thian said:

 

Yes those U-turns are very dangerous but without them even cars would drive against traffic...

again that is down to law enforcement which is the major part of the problem on Thai roads, people will break/flaunt the law unless they have a chance of being caught and dealt with, take a sample of Thai drivers and let them drive in the UK - do you think they will get up to all the stuff they do here ?........I think not, why ?, because they know there is a very high chance of them being caught and dealt with.

[Confuscious]

22 minutes ago, MartinL said:

Make them single car width too, rather than 3 or 4 car widths as they are now. Ban artics. from using them except at specifically designated sites - perhaps not relevant at city U-turns such as this one.

Where I live, a "test" was made with making a "drive in" lane at the U-turn (both lanes).
The concept was to block coming vehicles with cones and separate a part the U-turn lane (the normal speed lane).
Yet, NOBODY understood the concept of making s straight 180 degrees U-turn safely and everybody was waiting for the moment where they could cross the 3 lanes to continue their traject.
When I make the 180 degrees U-turn and gain speed before joining the traffic flow, Thai drivers seems to try to understand the logic in that design but somehow they lack enough grey matter in their brain to embrace this concept.

 

Edited October 18, 2017 by Confuscious
180 degrees instead of 90 degrees

[smedly]

1 hour ago, dinsdale said:

If you look again the cop walks into the road to stop traffic. Cars stop but motorcycles, however, continue through disregarding the copper. This lot are on the 4th bike to go through and do not have right of way. Right of way is with the traffic being directed by the cop. That is vehicles doing a u-turn. Som num na.

again you keep trying to make this point in error, it is the responsibility of the cop to ensure that "all" the traffic has stopped before he allows the waiting cars to make this very dangerous maneuver - what part of that is hard to understand