Italian tourist, 59, dies in motorbike fall at Big Buddha viewpoint

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Italian tourist, 59, dies in motorbike fall at Big Buddha viewpoint

The Phuket News

 

Rescue workers attend to Mr Spatafora at the scene of the accident. Photo: Chalong Police

 

PHUKET: Italian tourist Giovanni Spatafora, 59, has died from severe head injuries after falling off a motorbike he was a passenger on while descending the steep hill from the Big Buddha viewpoint on Sunday (Dec 24), Chalong Police have confirmed.

 

Mr Spatafora suffered severe head injuries when his head struck a small concrete pole hidden among tall grass by the roadside, explained Lt Chanat Hongsitthichaikul of the Chalong Police.

 

Mr Spatafora was a passenger on the motorbike and not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, Lt Chanat confirmed.

 

Full story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/italian-tourist-59-dies-in-motorbike-fall-at-big-buddha-viewpoint-65306.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2017-12-28

[NCC1701A]

RIP.

I wonder who the driver was? And as usual no helmet. Even a cheap helmet may have saved his life.

[KarenBravo]

I would say that 90% of the Westerners I see riding motorbikes don't wear a helmet.

In contrast, all the Chinese that ride, all have helmets.

 

The question is, how much do you value your head?

[Somtamnication]

1 hour ago, KarenBravo said:

I would say that 90% of the Westerners I see riding motorbikes don't wear a helmet.

In contrast, all the Chinese that ride, all have helmets.

 

The question is, how much do you value your head?

Well, that depends. What is in your head before you get on a bike? I see this daily: Farangs at a new green light unable to go fast enough or in the wrong gear, copying Thais as ghost riders, etc etc etc. 

[KarenBravo]

I always thought that the height of stupidity was having a helmet, but, riding the bike with it stored in the basket.

See this more and more with Westerners.

[stevenl]

1 hour ago, KarenBravo said:

I would say that 90% of the Westerners I see riding motorbikes don't wear a helmet.

In contrast, all the Chinese that ride, all have helmets.

 

The question is, how much do you value your head?

True, although I think it is about 50% not wearing a helmet. But looking at their driving skills, the Chinese have never ridden a bike or bicycle before, whereas farang quite often have.

Edited December 28, 2017 by stevenl

[Briggsy]

It is generally fairly difficult to fall off a motorbike as a pillion passenger. It usually occurs when :-

 

1) the driver is pratting around

2) the driver takes off before the rider is properly seated and ready (similar to 1)

3) the pillion passenger is drunk

4) the motorbike crashes

[stevenl]

3 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

RIP.

I wonder who the driver was? And as usual no helmet. Even a cheap helmet may have saved his life.

Would the name of the Thai woman driving the bike help you?

[observer90210]

No matter how careless he was, I won't make any caty comments, as the poor chap is dead.

 

RIP

 

And of course, not to forget the helmet on the next ride, no matter how hot it may be or even if it's going to muck up the lovely hair do !

 

 

Edited December 28, 2017 by observer90210

[impulse]

2 hours ago, KarenBravo said:

I would say that 90% of the Westerners I see riding motorbikes don't wear a helmet.

In contrast, all the Chinese that ride, all have helmets.

 

The question is, how much do you value your head?

 

The answer, not so much if you get on a scooter, with or without a helmet.

 

Riding a scooter increases your odds of being killed by 2000-4000% over riding a 4 wheeled vehicle.  The helmet reduces that risk by 40% so it's only 1200-2400% more dangerous than riding in a car.  The safety Rubicon was crossed when you threw your leg over the seat, not when you decided whether to put on a helmet.

 

Wearing a helmet to ride a scooter in Thailand is like putting on a condom to do a crack whore.  Probably a good idea, but wearing one or not isn't the big decision.

 

Edited December 28, 2017 by impulse

[KarenBravo]

9 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

The answer, not so much if you get on a scooter, with or without a helmet.

 

Riding a scooter increases your odds of being killed by 2000-4000% over riding a 4 wheeled vehicle.  The helmet reduces that risk by 40% so it's only 1200-2400% more dangerous than riding in a car.  The safety Rubicon was crossed when you threw your leg over the seat, not when you decided whether to put on a helmet.

 

Wearing a helmet to ride a scooter in Thailand is like putting on a condom to do a crack whore.  Probably a good idea, but wearing one or not isn't the big decision.

 

Been riding a scooter in Phuket for over thirty years and I'm still here without a limp. I have probably outlived quite a few car drivers, though, I get your point.

[chrissables]

14 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

The answer, not so much if you get on a scooter, with or without a helmet.

 

Riding a scooter increases your odds of being killed by 2000-4000% over riding a 4 wheeled vehicle.  The helmet reduces that risk by 40% so it's only 1200-2400% more dangerous than riding in a car.  The safety Rubicon was crossed when you threw your leg over the seat, not when you decided whether to put on a helmet.

 

Wearing a helmet to ride a scooter in Thailand is like putting on a condom to do a crack whore.  Probably a good idea, but wearing one or not isn't the big decision.

 

Where on earth did you get the figures 2000-4000%?

[impulse]

Just now, KarenBravo said:

Been riding a scooter in Phuket for over thirty years and I'm still here without a limp. I have probably outlived quite a few car drivers, though, I get your point.

 

I ride them every day in BKK.  It's a decision based on convenience and time saving, vs the increased risk of being killed.  Just like wearing/ not wearing a helmet is a decision based on the convenience vs the increased risk of being killed.  If I'm going from the house to the office, where I can stash a helmet on both ends, I wear one.  If I'm going from the house out shopping, I don't.  I'm not carrying a helmet around for hours for a 2 minute ride.  So I don't look with disdain at the folks who choose not to wear one.

 

I also do a quick calculation of the risk of picking up lice from loaner helmets, but that's another topic for another day...

[impulse]

20 minutes ago, chrissables said:

Where on earth did you get the figures 2000-4000%?

 

Studies done in the USA and Oz, which put the increase at 20-40X as dangerous per km ridden. The same studies show helmets reduce the risk by 40%.

 

I'll let you do the Googling.  

 

Edit:  But here's a place to start following links:  

 

Per vehicle mile traveled, motorcyclists' risk of a fatal crash is 35 times greater than a passenger car (USA, NHTSA)

 

A national study by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATS) found that:

• Motorcycle rider death rates increased among all rider age groups between 1998 and 2000
• Motorcycle rider deaths were nearly 30 times more than drivers of other vehicles
• Motorcycle riders aged below 40 are 36 times more likely to be killed than other vehicle operators of the same age.
• Motorcycle riders aged 40 years and over are around 20 times more likely to be killed than other drivers of that same age

 

Source:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorcycle_safety

 

Edited December 28, 2017 by impulse

[beechbum]

48 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Chinese have never ridden a bicycle before

It's a very common mode of transport over(probably more so than any western country) there actually, you can see massive amounts of people using bicycles in there day to day life.

Back on topic, my rant the other day about the stupid BIB not enforcing the law to wear a helmet justified yet again!

 

BIB continue to not give a FF on a daily basis re non helmet wearing motorcycle riders then FA will change.

Same goes for schools and parents (Thai & Western)  that don't encourage it or lead by example, I see so many idiots drop their kids at school (an international one in Kathu) with one or both not wearing a helmet it amazes me, guess they really don't give a SHT about their child's safety or well-being.

Hope some of them read this an take offence.

 

 

[Peterw42]

2 hours ago, KarenBravo said:

I would say that 90% of the Westerners I see riding motorbikes don't wear a helmet.

In contrast, all the Chinese that ride, all have helmets.

 

The question is, how much do you value your head?

How are you identifying "Asian on a motorbike" as Chinese ?

 

 

52 minutes ago, stevenl said:

True, although I think it is about 50% not wearing a helmet. But looking at their driving skills, the Chinese have never ridden a bike or bicycle before, whereas farang quite often have.

Dont Chinese have millions of motorbikes and, like Thailand, ride and have exposure to bikes from a young age. Woudnt the use of bikes be higher than western countries ? 

[stevenl]

54 minutes ago, KarenBravo said:

Been riding a scooter in Phuket for over thirty years and I'm still here without a limp. I have probably outlived quite a few car drivers, though, I get your point.

Same here. If I have the choice I prefer the bike over the car.

[stevenl]

25 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

How are you identifying "Asian on a motorbike" as Chinese ?

 

 

Dont Chinese have millions of motorbikes and, like Thailand, ride and have exposure to bikes from a young age. Woudnt the use of bikes be higher than western countries ? 

No idea, just looking at their driving skills. They even fall over in curves because they're going too slow.

[stevenl]

31 minutes ago, beechbum said:

 

 

 

 

31 minutes ago, beechbum said:

It's a very common mode of transport over(probably more so than any western country) there actually, you can see massive amounts of people using bicycles in there day to day life.

Back on topic, my rant the other day about the stupid BIB not enforcing the law to wear a helmet justified yet again!

 

BIB continue to not give a FF on a daily basis re non helmet wearing motorcycle riders then FA will change.

Same goes for schools and parents (Thai & Western)  that don't encourage it or lead by example, I see so many idiots drop their kids at school (an international one in Kathu) with one or both not wearing a helmet it amazes me, guess they really don't give a SHT about their child's safety or well-being.

Hope some of them read this an take offence.

 

 

Yes, I know it is popular there, but the ones that rent a motorbike here on the island clearly have never ridden on 2 wheels before.

Edited December 28, 2017 by stevenl

[impulse]

2 minutes ago, stevenl said:

57 minutes ago, KarenBravo said:

Been riding a scooter in Phuket for over thirty years and I'm still here without a limp. I have probably outlived quite a few car drivers, though, I get your point.

Same here. If I have the choice I prefer the bike over the car.

 

I make the same choice every day.  But between the 3 of us, we don't do enough riding to have anything statistically meaningful.  Fatalities are reported on the basis of deaths per hundred million miles and deaths per billion km.  So you'd have to take a few thousand of us to have a meaningful sample to draw any conclusions, other than so far, so good. 

 

Which is the mantra of so many victims just before their tragedy. 

 

[catman20]

5 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

RIP.

I wonder who the driver was? And as usual no helmet. Even a cheap helmet may have saved his life.

talk about unlucky a few inches either way he may of just walked away. RIP

[Curmudgeon1]

1 hour ago, KarenBravo said:

Been riding a scooter in Phuket for over thirty years and I'm still here without a limp. I have probably outlived quite a few car drivers, though, I get your point.

How many accidents caused in your wake......

[marquis22]

5 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

RIP.

I wonder who the driver was? And as usual no helmet. Even a cheap helmet may have saved his life.

"The motorbike was driven by a Thai woman, who Lt Chanat declined to identify."
 

[KarenBravo]

1 hour ago, impulse said:

 

I ride them every day in BKK.  It's a decision based on convenience and time saving, vs the increased risk of being killed.  Just like wearing/ not wearing a helmet is a decision based on the convenience vs the increased risk of being killed.  If I'm going from the house to the office, where I can stash a helmet on both ends, I wear one.  If I'm going from the house out shopping, I don't.  I'm not carrying a helmet around for hours for a 2 minute ride.  So I don't look with disdain at the folks who choose not to wear one.

 

I also do a quick calculation of the risk of picking up lice from loaner helmets, but that's another topic for another day...

You can have an accident in the first, or last minute of your journey.

I hang my helmet from my mirror, not lug it around. Never a problem.

[KarenBravo]

13 minutes ago, Curmudgeon1 said:

How many accidents caused in your wake......

None that I know of.

Why? Do you know something I don't?

Edited December 28, 2017 by KarenBravo

[torrzent]

1 minute ago, KarenBravo said:

You can have an accident in the first, or last minute of your journey.

I hang my helmet from my mirror, not lug it around. Never a problem.

Are you any relation to Johnny Bravo...I love that guy

[KarenBravo]

1 hour ago, Peterw42 said:

How are you identifying "Asian on a motorbike" as Chinese ?

 

No, I'm not.

The Chinese are obvious from the way they drive and also (shock! horror!) their faces......

[torrzent]

Just now, KarenBravo said:

No, I'm not.

The Chinese are obvious from the way they drive and also (shock! horror!) their faces......

LOL...you sound a bit judgmental, reminds me of the Asian guy who once said all white people look the same....is this the corollary?

[VocalNeal]

RIP. He was simply unlucky and found the post hidden in the grass. 

[stevenl]

35 minutes ago, torrzent said:

LOL...you sound a bit judgmental, reminds me of the Asian guy who once said all white people look the same....is this the corollary?

The other way, he (and I) are making a distinction from their faces. So they don't look all the same.