Australian man critical after hit and run in Samui, family told no license invalidates insurance

[bigpanda42]

Once again..... would this person get on a motorcycle in Australia and ride without a licence.......answer is no....so why do it in Thailand.
On Koh Samui there are plenty of other alternative ways to get around....and a lot safer......sorry for him having a stack but his problem.

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[swoods58]

3 hours ago, cookieqw said:

 

 

all bikes rented out by thais have insurance therefore if a bike gets damaged the insurance will pay for repairs to bike.

 

Rubbish. You damage the bike, you have to pay to repair it in full.

[AGLV0121]

8 hours ago, PoorSucker said:

in 13 years in Thailand I have seen only one scooter below 50 cc

 

I rented a scooter 49cc in Phitsanulok 2 years ago,

another one at Ko Samet also two years ago

and my gf at Khamcha-I has one. Plus most at K-I are 49 cc's

All three Honda models 

[xen]

I would like to know what insurance company it was although it sounds like he did not read the small print in the conditions. A lot , but not all, will not cover you on a bike regardless of the size of the bike and some will cover you up to 110 or 150 cc but it will always have a clause about a valid bike licence. (plus often a clause about helmets too) Some even say an international licence too. I do not trust Insurance companies any more than politicians and the tabloid press, but i do read the small print most of the time. Often it is a case of taking a gamble and getting the least amount of exclusions for what you plan to come up against or do And as i was told by one Travel Insurance is a licence to print money - their words not mine.

 

I am sorry Mate to hear about your misfortune but you must also accept some of the responsibility. 

[peterquixote]

Is it correct that an International licence converted from Aussie  or New Zealand licence is a legal authority to drive.  

[4MyEgo]

8 hours ago, evadgib said:

 

Travel insurance should be mandatory for anyone travelling overseas, but as our own government knows, they are not going to foot the bill if you get onto trouble, rightfully so, so its currently "up to you" but if you have been charged with murder, rape, torture and Phedophilia, they will grant you $500,000 to support your defence court costs, even after you have been on the run from swindling people back home out of millions of dollars, smart government at throwing dollars away (to some), the Australian government.

 

Would not recommend you watch unless you don't want to stuff your day up, but it just goes to show the irony of government thinking, however on the other hand, if your up for the hypocrisy Google the video: 60 Minutes Australia | Catching a monster: Part one (2015)

[peterquixote]

20 minutes ago, xen said:

And as i was told by one Travel Insurance is a licence to print money - their words not mine.

 

This is true. I imagine the webmaster will not allow me to name Companies, but do be assured that International travel Insurance is [ in my opinion ] a fraudulent scam.  We can tell our friends not to ride bicycles, take taxis, and fasten safety blt

[peterquixote]

2 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

Travel insurance should be mandatory for anyone travelling overseas, but as our own government knows, they are not going to foot the bill if you get onto trouble, rightfully so, so its currently "up to you" but if you have been charged with murder, rape, torture and Phedophilia, they will grant you $500,000 to support your defence court costs, even after you have been on the run from swindling people back home out of millions of dollars, smart government at throwing dollars away (to some), the Australian government.

 

Would not recommend you watch unless you don't want to stuff your day up, but it just goes to show the irony of government thinking, however on the other hand, if your up for the hypocrisy Google the video: 60 Minutes Australia | Catching a monster: Part one (2015)

Except that insurance companies will leave you to die before they pay out, i have seen it happen. 

Edited April 1, 2018 by peterquixote

[brewsterbudgen]

Is it correct that an International licence converted from Aussie  or New Zealand licence is a legal authority to drive.  

An International Driving Permit is just a translated copy of your national licence and, if a tourist, is sufficient. However if your national licence does not cover riding motorcycles you won't be licensed for that here too.

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[hotchilli]

18 hours ago, ThreeEyedRaven said:

If he was hit by someone else, then their insurance should be paying, though to drive here without the correct license and ensuring you have valid insurance is definitely a risky and inadvisable thing to do. The roads here are shockingly dangerous even when you have a lot of experience here, which many renters simply do not have.

If he was hit by someone else, then their insurance should be paying

Techincally you're quite correct... but the the driver did a runner so who's going to pay?

The casualty is going to be in for a rough ride...
No motorcycle licence in Australia probably means little or no experience in riding one.. he made his choice & is now going to suffer the consequences of doing it in the worst place on earth for riding one!!!

[BEVUP]

As stated it's in the WA media ( The West (paper) )

It saying they had to remove part of his skull due to injuries

Also it shows where he was riding & apparently came off (has video clip )

He was actually here on an employment mission, with a Company that was Catering for a wedding for the first time in Thailand

He is apparently well known in the food industry 

 

[newnative]

7 hours ago, Old Croc said:

You do understand that medical procedures such as the several brain surgeries and copious blood transfusions he has already undergone. are not covered in the cost of a hospital room?

Intravenous fluids, medications, bandages, etc are all extra. 

    Yes, I know.  Still seems high.  

[catman20]

9 hours ago, khunPer said:

Do you live at Samui?
Samui's police are very good, and very help-some (talk from experience).

and some (talk from their ass ) i couldn't resist it.

[transam]

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Let us not make it the responsibility of the shop to ensure people have licences and valid insurance.

.

Why not..?

 

If I want to fly I need a PP, if I want to buy a gun I need a gun license, if I want to marry someone I need a Decree Nisi, if I want to drive any vehicle I need a license, I cannot do any of the above without showing I have the correct items, which the bike shop did not do for the bloke to ride on LOS roads..

[wgdanson]

17 hours ago, stevenl said:

The latter (not taxed), no, not a reason for a claim to be rejected.

Why not?

[wgdanson]

1 hour ago, peterquixote said:

Is it correct that an International licence converted from Aussie  or New Zealand licence is a legal authority to drive.  

No such thing. An IDPermit is merely a translation of your actual license. Costs a fiver from the Post Office in UK.

[Peterw42]

9 minutes ago, transam said:

Why not..?

 

If I want to fly I need a PP, if I want to buy a gun I need a gun license, if I want to marry someone I need a Decree Nisi, if I want to drive any vehicle I need a license, I cannot do any of the above without showing I have the correct items, which the bike shop did not do for the bloke to ride on LOS roads..

Most rental places you sign a contract , stating amongst others things, that you have a licenses etc. They may not see your license, but you have declared you have one, signed etc

[wgdanson]

7 hours ago, khunPer said:

but investigating officers now say that does not appear to be the case.«

Did I not read that there was CCTV of a badly damaged car.

 

[MaxYakov]

19 hours ago, robblok said:

I am happy that here in BKK i can safely (relatively) drive my motorbike at night. 

 

Though i once almost got T boned at 4 am (coming back from fishing) and going through a green light. 

Motorbikes are inherently unsafe. It's only a matter of wrong place and wrong time and luck on the road in Thailand.

 

Your arse planted on a motorbike seat is 1/3 of the above equation satisfied so it is only a matter of the remaining factors of time and luck.

 

Here's wishing you Good Luck, at least, because otherwise it's only a matter of time.

Edited April 1, 2018 by MaxYakov

[Old Croc]

Video here

 

https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/wa/fremantle-food-van-owner-ben-french-fights-for-life-after-koh-samui-scooter-crash-ng-b88791475z

[starcandle]

If the time ever comes where rental Companies are liable if they rent a scooter to an unlicensed rider, you'll see pretty much every rental company close.... you can't rent a car in Europe/Australia etc  without a license 

[free123]

20 hours ago, PoorSucker said:

I see tourists every day that never ride before and think it's a good idea to learn on the deadliest roads in the world. 

understandable but stupid....in Europe I have car license since 34 years drove cars since that time.. only a few minor incidents nothing serious... in los I rented bikes without having a bike license but so far nothing happened now 2 y. ago I made a bike license here.... a license is no guarantee that nothing will happen... statistics show hard facts... but driving in samui or kho phangan versus driving up ountry northern thailand i fell samui is more dangerous to do so...

[free123]

20 hours ago, hansnl said:

Insurance companies are always right, and will do anything not to pay.

Clemency is not part of any financial intitute, including banksters and insurance artists.

agree

[masuk]

20 hours ago, darksidedog said:

It is long overdue for motor bike rental companies to be forced to not rent a vehicle out to any one who does not have a valid licence for the country. There are way too many accidents and way too many people thinking they are insured, then finding out that they are not, leaving someone else to foot the bill.

 

Australian insurance companies insist that an Australian motorcycle licence must be held for them to give you cover while travelling.

It's not an over-the-counter affair either.  I was told I had to do two or three weekends of training, and an $800 fee, before being tested.

An International Driving Licence must show which vehicles you're qualified to drive.  No Motor Bike, no cover.

[stevenl]

17 hours ago, totally thaied up said:

I think it is. Do some of us what to give someone GoFund Me money if he has a blood level of 1.8 or off his head on meth? I want to quote that he most likely was not but it one of the first thing the police do try to find out when someone has hurt like this.

 

I like to know first the full circumstances. I have a low tolerance for those that drink/drug and drive due to an incident last year.  Many people give a lot of money to such causes and being given the facts when giving money, is more than fair.

 

I hope for the family a good resolution to all of this but it looks terribly grim. Always sad to see, but the reality to this is that this is played out over 80 times a day here. I have been to four funerals last year from bike related deaths. Last year, my ex-girlfriends cousin was killed at a set of lights on her bike from a drunk driver and we were all very close. Her longterm boyfriend attempted to hang himself this year from grief and depression.

 

The road carnage affects everyone.

Since he was not wearing a helmet to me it wouldn't matter. No way I'd donate.

 

But thanks, your explanation makes sense.

[free123]

16 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

Video here

 

https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/wa/fremantle-food-van-owner-ben-french-fights-for-life-after-koh-samui-scooter-crash-ng-b88791475z

the way it looks to me is that he did overlook the curve and in  combination with bad luck maybe no or a weak helmet and n  ot so good bike plus a slight high speed brought him to this condition...msybe no other car involved.... hope he can male it... compulsory insurance for bike rentals.. or the owner pay...

[stevenl]

1 hour ago, wgdanson said:

Why not?

Because it will not be an exclusion in the policy.

 

But feel free to show me different.

[jvs]

8 hours ago, Destiny1990 said:

The scumbag that did a runner.easy to see from the uncountable cctv cams in Samui who ran him over.

That car is vadly damaged on top of that.

Can you post a video?

[Old Croc]

Many of us living in Thailand have little interest in donating to Gofund me pages when yet another tourist comes to grief in a manner that voids insurance.

 

However, this guy seems to be a member of the Fremantle Butterfly people whom I'm sure will forgive the way he injured himself and donate in droves. They will have many fundraising events such as folk music concerts, vegan food stalls, street theatre, juggling and stilt walking. 

They will look after their own, albeit 2 or 3 dollars at a time.

[impulse]

29 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

Many of us living in Thailand have little interest in donating to Gofund me pages when yet another tourist comes to grief in a manner that voids insurance.

 

I can look back over my life and recall dozens, perhaps hundreds of examples of stupidity where the only thing that saved my bacon was sheer dumb luck.  I won't be donating to the guy's GoFundMe page because I have no connection to him and there are millions of other causes that would drain my limited resources if I were to take them up. 

 

But I take no issue with someone whose stupidity didn't coincide with good luck, like my stupidity always has in the past.  (knock wood)

 

Edit:  I'd also add that the guy's in a coma, so the GoFundMe page wasn't his idea...  He may have financial resources and insurance that the family doesn't even know about, or at the very least, cannot access in time to help him in a Thai hospital.  Something for all of us to ponder- if I were to have an emergency, would my resources be available to handle it in a timeframe appropriate to a Thai hospital stay? 

 

Edited April 1, 2018 by impulse