Brit in tears after early morning collision kills motorcycle taxi rider, injures passenger in Pattaya

[chiman]

Everyday I drive past motorbike guys doing whatever is convenient for them, with no regard for anyone's safety.

[bogozy]

At night is very dangerous to drive at Thailand. Most of the motorcycles the head, or the rear lamps no working. maybe at this case  also. Once a time, I almost beat a lampless motorcycle driver who came on the main road, when I was turn from a side street.

[HLover]

On 2/7/2018 at 8:16 PM, tonray said:

Let's hope there are no charges. This is really the government's fault as they have looked the other way as these guys do this every day to beat traffic flow. Need some real enforcement and then maybe things will get better.

The governments fault?  Seems the motorcycle taxi driving the wrong way may be at fault in this situation.

 

[Happyman58]

23 hours ago, Chaichara said:

Very  sad,  but I would be hesitant to immediately accord any blame to  the farang. Motorcycle injuries even at  low speed can have serious consequences even if the truck  driver had stoped in time.

In Isan some years ago  I  was waiting  at  a village crossroad with no priority markings, checking that  the road was clear for me to  advance when a motorcycle with  two very  young  girls (11 and 12) came whizzing  round the corner on  the wrong  side of the road. They  crashed head on  into the front of my pickup and they required ambulant  hospital attention requiring stiches to arms, knees, and heads.  They were fortunate I wasn't  moving  at the time.

They were admonished by the police at the interview. I had to fork out for a new bumper, radiator grille, and bonnet, for my car which was almost  new.

Since they  came on the market,  I  have dashcams in all my  cars. They are not expensive. It  dosen't  help  much though if the guilty party is not insured (most motorcycles are not) but  it can certainly clear up questions of blame.

Most important question? How  can 11 and 12 year old have a license to ride a motorbike The correct action that should of been taken is the keystone cops should of went and seen the parents and booked them for letting them ride that bike and make them pay for the damages.That is the normal procedure in most countries but this is hollywood (Oh sorry Thailand my mistake) and they are the keystone cops. Mate you did nothing wrong It is just the idiots on the road who are the blame

[Happyman58]

1 hour ago, chiman said:

Everyday I drive past motorbike guys doing whatever is convenient for them, with no regard for anyone's safety.

They know the rules but know they can do what they want because of the Cops here. They treat the cops as a joke and so they should.THEY ARE A JOKE Everyday i watch the idiot motorbike riders speeding, Having noisy mufflers, Texting while riding, No helmets come racing past the shop. In fact they are going so fast they even pass the cops on bikes also who do nothing of coarse. Only sad thing that reminds me these idiots dont have a long life is you watch the ambulances going past at speed with their lights on to pick up the idiots lying on the road after they have a crash.  In the Lion King movie they had a song Called "Circle of Life" Thailand circle  of life is 1/ You are born 2/ You go to school because that is the law not because you want to 3/ You have no attention of working 4/ You buy a bike even if you cant pay it back the money you borrow 5/ You go on the road ride like an idiot and you die because you believe its just fate you die And the circle starts again

[hottrader77]

23 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

Tragic 

, the thing I don't understand is, why would you have double yellow lines in the middle of the road if its a one way street, from what I see in the photo is double yellow lines on the road, which are normally there to separate traffic going in the opposite direction of each other, i.e. do not overtake on double yellow lines.

 

Now the thing is, if the road authority changed it to a one way street, you would think they would have removed the double yellow lines, if they did change the direction to a one way without removing the double yellow lines, one would think they are in the wrong, suffice to say if I was going down a similar street, I would think its two way, however if people were flashing their lights at me, I would think cops ahead, but if they were flashing their lights at me and beeping their horns at me, I would have to stop and think what is going on, because usually at that hour in the early morning there wouldn't be too much traffic on the road.

 

RIP to the rider and hope the passenger recovers from the head trauma. 

it is a 2 way road traffic goes either way so what i cannot understand is why was the motorbike going the wrong way on the road when he could have easily drove on the right side of the road , something smells fishy here , if you can drive on the left side of the road why drive on the right side of the road knowing cars are going to come towards you ?  something is not right in the story , i think the farlang driver has made up a story knowing that nobody else can contest it ie the bike rider is dead and the woman seriously ill in hospital , he might say this because he could have been drinking or on drugs and is trying to get out of this , if its proven he has been doing this they should lock him up for at least 10 years , dont forget 1 person is dead and the other seriously injured , maybe he is hoping that the woman does not regain consciousness 

[4MyEgo]

8 minutes ago, hottrader77 said:

it is a 2 way road traffic goes either way so what i cannot understand is why was the motorbike going the wrong way on the road when he could have easily drove on the right side of the road , something smells fishy here , if you can drive on the left side of the road why drive on the right side of the road knowing cars are going to come towards you ?  something is not right in the story , i think the farlang driver has made up a story knowing that nobody else can contest it ie the bike rider is dead and the woman seriously ill in hospital , he might say this because he could have been drinking or on drugs and is trying to get out of this , if its proven he has been doing this they should lock him up for at least 10 years , dont forget 1 person is dead and the other seriously injured , maybe he is hoping that the woman does not regain consciousness 

The impact occurred exactly where the farangs car is.

 

I Googled it from Google Maps and followed the road until I got to it, it appears that there is a unit development to the left of the vehicle, the driveway of the development is to the left of the car facing it in the photo.

 

My theory is that the motorcycle taxi rider came out after a car just passed it heading up hill and he went straight into the path of the farangs vehicle.

 

As for the farang being drunk or on drugs at that hour in the morning is unknown at this point in time as I haven't heard of any testing or further stories, having said that, if the motorcycle taxi rider did come out of the driveway of the unit complex after a car passed the driver heading up the hill, the farang would have hit him without anytime to brake.

 

This is what I believe happened, because its not that often you see motorcycle taxi riders on the wrong side of the road, unless ghost riding, but this was smack in front of the farang, and in his lane, not the side of the road where you could say, the motorcycle taxi rider was ghost riding, probably poor reporting on it as well.

[balo]

On 2/7/2018 at 9:38 PM, richard_smith237 said:

MO, there is not much that the Brit could have done, he was on the right side of the road, a motorcyclist with a passenger hit him.... thats pretty much it or so it seems.

But its all about the speed isn't it ?  I know this area very well and driving down Pratumnak hill , you really need to drive slowly , like 40 km/h . 

The motobike driver would had a better chance of surviving.

 

I suspect higher speed, because it's easy to think there's no traffic on the roads at 2.30 AM. 

 

[oldlakey]

2 hours ago, hottrader77 said:

it is a 2 way road traffic goes either way so what i cannot understand is why was the motorbike going the wrong way on the road when he could have easily drove on the right side of the road , something smells fishy here , if you can drive on the left side of the road why drive on the right side of the road knowing cars are going to come towards you ?  something is not right in the story , i think the farlang driver has made up a story knowing that nobody else can contest it ie the bike rider is dead and the woman seriously ill in hospital , he might say this because he could have been drinking or on drugs and is trying to get out of this , if its proven he has been doing this they should lock him up for at least 10 years , dont forget 1 person is dead and the other seriously injured , maybe he is hoping that the woman does not regain consciousness 

We will have to come to a majority decision on how we are going to ignore the witness though if this is going to fit, unless they have already been kicked into touch

[oldlakey]

22 minutes ago, balo said:

But its all about the speed isn't it ?  I know this area very well and driving down Pratumnak hill , you really need to drive slowly , like 40 km/h . 

The motobike driver would had a better chance of surviving.

 

I suspect higher speed, because it's easy to think there's no traffic on the roads at 2.30 AM. 

 

The system I use and its been rather successful up to now is to stay in the correct lane in the face of oncoming traffic

[NanLaew]

5 hours ago, Happyman58 said:

Most important question? How  can 11 and 12 year old have a license to ride a motorbike The correct action that should of been taken is the keystone cops should of went and seen the parents and booked them for letting them ride that bike and make them pay for the damages.

All very nice and cut and dried but... it just doesn't work that way here. Never has and I wager I will be pushing up daisies before it ever will.

[oldlakey]

4 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

All very nice and cut and dried but... it just doesn't work that way here. Never has and I wager I will be pushing up daisies before it ever will.

Maybe a little earlier than you think if you have the luck to meet an 11 / 12 year old in " charge " of a motorcycle

 

[NanLaew]

2 hours ago, balo said:

But its all about the speed isn't it ?  I know this area very well and driving down Pratumnak hill , you really need to drive slowly , like 40 km/h . 

The motobike driver would had a better chance of surviving.

 

I suspect higher speed, because it's easy to think there's no traffic on the roads at 2.30 AM. 

 

Look at the front-end damage on the SUV. Doesn't look like it was a high-speed prang to me.

[NanLaew]

1 minute ago, oldlakey said:

Maybe a little earlier than you think if you have the luck to meet an 11 / 12 year old in " charge " of a motorcycle

 

Been there, done that... well Mrs NL actually. They were 12 and 14 with the younger sister driving, at 10 PM through a flashing red/amber interchange on their dad's bike and t-boning Mrs NL in her car. Much drama was sought by relatives but in the end the police, who attended the scene of the crash shortly afterwards and sustained the relatives money grab for a couple of weeks, ultimately signed off on my wife being not at fault... and neither were the kids.

 

Song sahn, krieng jai and all that rubbish.

[oldlakey]

1 minute ago, NanLaew said:

Been there, done that... well Mrs NL actually. They were 12 and 14 with the younger sister driving, at 10 PM through a flashing red/amber interchange on their dad's bike and t-boning Mrs NL in her car. Much drama was sought by relatives but in the end the police, who attended the scene of the crash shortly afterwards and sustained the relatives money grab for a couple of weeks, ultimately signed off on my wife being not at fault... and neither were the kids.

 

Song sahn, krieng jai and all that rubbish.

Well at least no fatalities, lets be grateful for that anyway

[Chaichara]

 

5 hours ago, Happyman58 said:

Most important question? How  can 11 and 12 year old have a license to ride a motorbike The correct action that should of been taken is the keystone cops should of went and seen the parents and booked them for letting them ride that bike and make them pay for the damages.That is the normal procedure in most countries but this is hollywood (Oh sorry Thailand my mistake) and they are the keystone cops. Mate you did nothing wrong It is just the idiots on the road who are the blame

Who said they had driving licences? I didn't. And in  my  post  about  the accident  I  had in an Isan village some years ago, I  didn't  mention it  either.  The police didn't  even bring  it  up at  the interview either, or the fact  that  the motorcycle was neither taxed nor  insured. The girs were simply  admonished with  a wagging  finger and pinted to  a poster on the police station  wall  about always wewaring  a helmet. If you  live in  this country  you  need to  understand that  whatever the law is, culture and what  is commonplace may  be very different. Primary schoolyards here are full of the children's motorcycles. The  vast majority of motorcyle-car accidents are the fault  of the mortorcyclist.

[oldlakey]

2 minutes ago, Chaichara said:

 

Who said they had driving licences? I didn't. And in  my  post  about  the accident  I  had in an Isan village some years ago, I  didn't  mention it  either.  The police didn't  even bring  it  up at  the interview either, or the fact  that  the motorcycle was neither taxed nor  insured. The girs were simply  admonished with  a wagging  finger and pinted to  a poster on the police station  wall  about always wewaring  a helmet. If you  live in  this country  you  need to  understand that  whatever the law is, culture and what  is commonplace may  be very different. Primary schoolyards here are full of the children's motorcycles. The  vast majority of motorcyle-car accidents are the fault  of the mortorcyclist.

Really I wonder why

[Chaichara]

41 minutes ago, oldlakey said:

Really I wonder why

'If you  live in  this country  you  need to  understand that  whatever the law is, culture and what  is commonplace may  be very different'

If you  have lived anywhere in  developing  economies, you  will  have noticed that  very  little operates on  the perfection  and adherence to  laws as it  does in  Western-style nations.

'The  vast majority of motorcyle-car accidents are the fault  of the mortorcyclist. '

-  because in Thailand a very large number of the motorcycles are driven by children who  are then sadly also  most  often the victims of the accidents they cause.

[oldlakey]

15 minutes ago, Chaichara said:

'If you  live in  this country  you  need to  understand that  whatever the law is, culture and what  is commonplace may  be very different'

If you  have lived anywhere in  developing  economies, you  will  have noticed that  very  little operates on  the perfection  and adherence to  laws as it  does in  Western-style nations.

'The  vast majority of motorcyle-car accidents are the fault  of the mortorcyclist. '

-  because in Thailand a very large number of the motorcycles are driven by children who  are then sadly also  most  often the victims of the accidents they cause.

I was being sarcastic, or a clever dick if you prefer, but thanks for your time and effort none the less

Have a nice day

[balo]

1 hour ago, NanLaew said:

Look at the front-end damage on the SUV. Doesn't look like it was a high-speed prang to me.

Difficult to tell really, but 50-60 km /h can be deadly if its a direct hit.

[tryasimight]

On 08/02/2018 at 5:09 PM, transam said:

I would suggest the biker was not paying attention to the safety of his paying passenger.

Thai folk who drive on the wrong side of the road, which is against the law, must be held responsible for their actions...

All folk who drive on the wrong side etc etc..... Not just Thai folk. I've seen plenty of non Thais do the same thing in and around Pattaya.

[speedtripler]

On 08/02/2018 at 7:17 AM, RichardColeman said:

Even if he is proved to be in the right, I am sure the family of the taxi driver will try and sue him.

If I was him I'd be making an attempt to sue  them for a new bumper.... 

[speedtripler]

3 hours ago, balo said:

Difficult to tell really, but 50-60 km /h can be deadly if its a direct hit.

Head  on collision  at 30 is usually enough to do critical damage

After that you've got minutes to get to hospital or you will normally die from internal injuries 

I have seen people get up thinking they were OK only to collapse in the next couple of minutes 

 

[darren84310]

On ‎07‎/‎02‎/‎2018 at 10:09 PM, NanLaew said:

Strange that compassion has him weeping over the bike driver while the bike passenger lies splattered nearby. No word if she died either but maybe the sorrowful Brit didn't see her for some reason or other.

There are some strange posts on here too...... would you be happier if he had moved them closer together so he could show equal compassion, haven't you thought that maybe he went to the woman also but we only have one picture?

 

 

[Golden Triangle]

7 hours ago, Chaichara said:

 

Who said they had driving licences? I didn't. And in  my  post  about  the accident  I  had in an Isan village some years ago, I  didn't  mention it  either.  The police didn't  even bring  it  up at  the interview either, or the fact  that  the motorcycle was neither taxed nor  insured. The girs were simply  admonished with  a wagging  finger and pinted to  a poster on the police station  wall  about always wewaring  a helmet. If you  live in  this country  you  need to  understand that  whatever the law is, culture and what  is commonplace may  be very different. Primary schoolyards here are full of the children's motorcycles. The  vast majority of motorcyle-car accidents are the fault  of the mortorcyclist.

I think is in the national interest for everyone reading this thread to visit their local school while all the kids are in lessons, spray the bikes with BBQ lighter fluid set em off and disappear  PDQ  That would reduce the carnage somewhat LOL

[pattayahenry]

in thailand its mandatory to give way, if someone approaches you on the wrong lane, otherwise you are guilty . if someone overtakes on your lane, you have to swerve to the outer side of the road, if someone drives at the side of the road,for a shortcut, on your lane, you have to swerve to the middle, the brit is guilty anyway.

[chickenslegs]

1 minute ago, pattayahenry said:

in thailand its mandatory to give way, if someone approaches you on the wrong lane,

Only if they flash their headlights

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

RIP and I hope the passenger makes a full recovery.

2.30am it is likely booze was involved.

Thai roads are extremely dangerous at any time.

 

Oh and I am pleased to see the free advertising has been stopped: "Sent from my [device_name] using http://Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app"

 

 

[lvr181]

2 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

Only if they flash their headlights

Headlights? What headlights? 

[oztraveller]

On 2/8/2018 at 8:54 PM, NanLaew said:

Almost opposite the entrance to Unixx condo. In the attached picture, impact very close to where the silver car is on the downhill side of Pratumnak, coming into town, just before the traffic lights.

 

I live at Unixx condo with the entrance shown on the left of the photo. The motorcycle taxi drivers wait for passengers under the trees to the right of the silver vehicle in the photo. The motorcycle taxi drivers cross the road to pick up passengers from the Unixx condo building with fast moving traffic in both directions at all times of the day and night. It is a very dangerous stretch of road. I saw two minor accidents involving motorcycles along there recently. It was only a matter of time before a more serious accident occured.