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

[MichaelJohn]

I wonder if they were fined for not wearing helmets; unlikely.

So, I wonder if the traffic cop was discplined for not fining them?

 

[smedly]

11 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

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

 

 

 

 

exactly, they should all be removed and alternative safer arrangements made and the law properly enforced which is a major part of the problem on Thai roads, people break laws because they can and 90% of them know they are doing it.

[YetAnother]

1 hour ago, smedly said:

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).

hard to put 'road' and 'planning'  together in any positive way here; moving to another province i discovered that in both venues, road widening ( 2 lanes to 4) had been done in the same manner, medians and U-turns;

in both cases the locals were being inconvenienced by the 'new roads' ; the 'drive-thruers' were happier; the locals were the losers as they now had to scramble to use older streets and roads and routes; traffic increased dramatically along these older options and those streets and roads started to deteriorate;

in one case , an adjacent paved bike lane was being used to such an extent by the newly inconvenienced locals that bicycles are no longer safe on it, battling with even cement trucks on a very narrow track

as to safety, agreeing with what has thus far been posted, i would add further danger compounded in dark and rainy conditions

[LannaGuy]

Just now, smedly said:

exactly, they should all be removed and alternative safer arrangements made and the law properly enforced which is a major part of the problem on Thai roads, people break laws because they can and 90% of them know they are doing it.

 

I don't think it's practical to remove them all but it is EASY to make them all ONE WAY.

[smedly]

13 minutes ago, Confuscious said:

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?

the traffic cop did not stop the traffic OMG

[MorristheRunt]

3 hours ago, stanleycoin said:

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 

Looking and thinking is an alien concept in any area of Thai life

3 hours ago, stanleycoin said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[lordblackader]

2 hours 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! 

I want the drugs you're on - they must be seriously good.

 

Traffic cop did not "allow" this to happen vs f-stick motorcycle riders ignoring the fact that traffic had been stopped, legally, by a BiB officer. If they can't follow traffic directions, from a cop, then they deserve what they get. 

[Muggi1968]

3 hours ago, stanleycoin said:

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 

 

 

 

 

 

In Thai  mind it is not a problem until you hit the car......

[TKDfella]

3 on a bike and no helmets! So that's 2 tickets there right away.

[jackdd]

6 minutes ago, lordblackader said:

Traffic cop did not "allow" this to happen vs f-stick motorcycle riders ignoring the fact that traffic had been stopped, legally, by a BiB officer. If they can't follow traffic directions, from a cop, then they deserve what they get. 

I don't think the motorbike could see the cop, because the cars were in the line of sight, so obviously the cop did not stop the traffic properly.

[dinsdale]

17 minutes ago, smedly said:

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

How does he stop the motorcycles that aren't stopping? The cars had stopped, traffic starts doing u-turns but on four occasions motorcyclists ignore the cop, the fourth colliding with the third car doing a u-turn. How is he meant to stop this. Traffic stops. Cars start doing u-turns. Motorcycles don't stop.  As far as I can tell all traffic had stopped as of 0:08 in the vid. It is only after cars start doing u-turns that 1 then 2 motorcycles slip through with the 4th f.....k....n......g up big time. Please can you tell me how he could stop this?  Again look at the vid. Traffic (all) has stopped before the first car makes it's u-turn.

[overherebc]

46 minutes ago, LannaGuy said:

 

I don't think it's practical to remove them all but it is EASY to make them all ONE WAY.

Get rid of all the U turns and the problem of driving against the traffic on the hard shoulder will increase xoo%.

[Blue Muton]

2 hours 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).

No need to look that far. Thailand fares worse than any of her neighbours. Singapore ranks among the safest, with a fatality rate one tenth of Thailands, and for that matter one third of the USA's.

Road_traffic_accidents_world_map_-_Death_-_WHO2012.svg

[toofarnorth]

OK , all above comments are valid to one degree or another . Now pay attention at the back.   If you come from a more civilised country pay heed.   Where you come from lets say the UK you have to drive to the conditions that day on the road . Snow on the road , brake using the engine , heavy rain , wipers on full tilt.  Road works ahead and you may only have one lane on a duel carriageway.   Over here the road conditions dictate U turns, drivers with maybe no lights at night nor even wipers in the rain, The driver will quite likely need glasses.  The road conditions here mean a red traffic light is an idea for folk to stop , not compulsory . Get my drift , you can't change the driving over here but you can drive to the road conditions.  I try but often my temper takes over.

[dinsdale]

1 hour ago, smedly said:

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

Really? The only traffic I see moving after the traffic cop stops traffic is those doing u-turns under the direction of the BIB and the motorcyclists ignoring him.

[Pukehina1]

3 on a bike, no helmets , passed in the middle lane, license ??, Registration ?? Should never have happened .... 

[wirat69]

2 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

2. The traffic policeman had stopped traffic in  two lanes. It was irresponsible for  the motorcycle to pass traffic in this manner.

So explain to me why Thai drivers need 3, sometimes 4, lanes to do a U turn, please

[MaxYakov]

41 minutes ago, wirat69 said:

So explain to me why Thai drivers need 3, sometimes 4, lanes to do a U turn, please

In order to collect an unaware or scoff-law motorbike operator and teach them a lesson? Ever been tempted?

 

I go through the cop-controlled intersection at Sukhumvit Soi 11 almost every morning and I rarely see any vehicles making a U-turn in more than two lanes (and it's a good thing they don't, too!). I also rarely see someone attempting to blow through it in the left-hand lane when the traffic has been stopped, although I don't believe the control cop there is any better positioned top stop left-lane traffic than this one was.

 

I fault everyone on this one, including the pickup driver who's responsibility was to avoid collecting a vehicle. They put their vehicle into the path of an oncoming vehicle.

 

Thailand has a serious case of what I call a "motorbike disease" which is contributing about 75% of their road casualties.

Edited October 18, 2017 by MaxYakov

[Moti24]

3 hours 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! 

It wasn't the traffic cop's fault!  The dash cam vehicle had stopped, and no doubt any cars in the outside lane also.  But as usual, a ****in muppet on a motorcycle speeds down the inside at full blast, only this time, karma got its revenge.  

 

Speeding, no he!mets, 3 on a bike; Shame his injuries weren't more severe, he might have learnt his lesson.  The only good thing is that the passengers weren't injured.

[Dodgydownunder]

3 hours 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.

Absolutely spot on.

 

In addition, very dark tinted windows make it impossible to see any oncoming traffic and ...................

my number one pet hate when driving in Thailand..................

 

Cars (usually pick ups and SUVs) cutting in from a non turn lane at U turns in front of legally turning cars. Still, i f you turn with them they are the ones who will cop the brunt of any accident. Ha ha!

Edited October 18, 2017 by Dodgydownunder
addition

[Ulic]

4 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

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.

 

We will have to agree to disagree. The policeman was in the wrong position to control

the flow of traffic on the road and lane the scooter was driving in. The police should have

used two traffic officers. One to stop the traffic and one to wave the U- turn drivers through.

The police are 100% to blame in my opinion.

[alien365]

1 hour ago, wirat69 said:

So explain to me why Thai drivers need 3, sometimes 4, lanes to do a U turn, please

By the general way u-turns work I would much rather they u-turn in to the slow lane giving time to accelerate than the fast lane. From watching the video again though those kids on the bike would have crashed in to the other cars who took a tighter line also if they were a few seconds earlier.

[SpicyMeatball]

The phrase "###king moron" doesn't just apply to Trump!

[MaxYakov]

2 hours ago, SpicyMeatball said:

The phrase "###king moron" doesn't just apply to Trump!

That's right, applies to some TV posters as well. Especially ones who feel a compulsion to politicize a traffic accident thread.

[Jonmarleesco]

And will the cop charge them with overloading the bike? With speeding? The driver with not looking where he/she's heading? Nah, course not.

[dunroaming]

The thing that struck me was the other bikes who stopped and went to help instead of the usual just carrying on or pulling out their phones to film the blooded body.  It may have been because there was already a cop on the scene but still a rare moment of people appearing to give a damn.

[Enoon]

 

A fondness for/acceptance of U turns.

 

Inept traffic "control" by official.

 

Three people on a motorcycle.

 

No helmets.

 

Yet another (everyday in Thailand) "perfect storm".

 

But they do lovely pretty things don't they?  Here are some to look at, so you don't have to think about it, to take your mind off of the depressing, scary inevitability of it (it seems to work for them):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 18, 2017 by Enoon

[SpicyMeatball]

45 minutes ago, MaxYakov said:

That's right, applies to some TV posters as well. Especially ones who feel a compulsion to politicize a traffic accident thread.

Wasn't politiciSing it. As I stated, it doesn't only apply to Trump, although he's made it more popular.

The phrase is universal! If the shoe fits wear it.

Thai traffic idiot morons are everywhere. 

[Ceruhe]

5 hours ago, wirat69 said:

So explain to me why Thai drivers need 3, sometimes 4, lanes to do a U turn, please

Also,  not all cars are created equal. We got one of those shitty SUV things that literally can't turn shorter than 2.5 lanes for the life of it while my crappy 87 Toyota does just fine with 1.5 lanes. Nothing compared to a Mercedes I test drove once, bastard turned in 1 lane (or at least felt like it).

 

4 lanes is excessive regardless, minus trucks alright.

 

I'd give the cop some flag for not doing it "properly" and also(?) standing infront of where he has blocked since him waving is redundant, let alone from where he felt the need to do it. But yea that sums it pretty much up, I ignore the lot of them except for when I'm being stopped, everything else they do is either confusing and/or pointless. Sure as hell don't trust any of them with my safety.

[01322521959]

Bike riders totally illegal. Truck driver not paying attention. I ride most days and the standards are dropping. If they ever could. Until the BIB start doing their jobs ... oh whats the point. I'll just have a cuppa.