Two tourists killed after sedan crashes into their bike in Lampang

[connda]

7 hours ago, BuaBS said:

Unless it's a Tesla in selfdrive mode.

Then it would have burst into flames.

[Samuel Smith]

I wonder what tyre pressures the white car had?  Normally over inflated here, & past their use by date.  Not ideal on wet mountain roads!

[jimster]

9 hours ago, connda said:

And knowing that section of road - excessive speed and aggressive driving coupled with the fact that motorcycles are lower-class and don't have the status of cars so therefore they are invisible, and if a speeding, aggressively driven car should happen hit one, it's obviously the low-class persons fault for daring to drive on the same road.

I'd estimate that 70% of the vehicles traveling over those mountains are driving excessively fast and not even attempting to maintain their own lane.  They'll weave from the outside lane all the way to the shoulder and back again while navigating the curves. 
It's insanity and it's endemic to the way Thais drive, because unless they get in an accident and kill someone, there is absolutely no downside.  Is a Thai Highway Patrolman going to pull them over for speeding, negligent and aggressive driving, and failure to maintain a lane?  No!  Because there are no Thai Highway Patrolmen issuing citations on Thai roads.  They don't exist!
And the slaughter continues unabated!  

Indeed. I also know this road very well, have driven it dozens and dozens of times over the years. There's nothing particularly difficult about it; it's been dual carriageway since at least around the year 2000. However, as you say Thai drivers seem to have an inability to drive and maintain their lanes when negotiating even a slightly curvy road. For some reason they think all roads should be straight. It's also odd because a large percentage of roads in northern Thailand are very winding so you would think drivers would have the ability to stick to their lane. Some local drivers are OK, but beware of 'Krung Thep Mahanakorn' i.e. Bangkok license plates. These guys generally have no idea what a winding road is like because virtually all roads in Bangkok are as straight as a crow flies.

 

You're right that there are no patrols to catch dangerous drivers but speed cameras are becoming increasingly common, especially on Asia Highway number 32 between Bang Pa-in and Nakorn Sawan. However, going after speedsters only (and motorcycles are exempt because all cameras are rear facing meaning they can't catch motorcycle license plates) is not solving anything. Unless you're driving on this stretch of road for the first time you simply remember the approximate locations of the cameras, slow down for them then speed up again once you've passed them. And they don't always work either...

[evadgib]

The car presumably had a dashcam & perhaps the road was covered too? Insurers for either party should at least enquire.

[jimster]

6 hours ago, seajae said:

no it doesnt, it shows that the driver that caused it wasnt in control of his car and did not allow for the circumstances which caused a multiple collision, in other words he tried to do something beyond his skills in those conditions. These people are driving for money so they push beyond the limits to try to win on an enclosed track, on a public road drivers need to drive within their ability which in Thailand is p*ss poor and the fact they never think of other road users. Add to this the fact that they still drive too fast in wet conditions and do not concentrate on what they are doing as can be seen every day of the week, the driver rear ended the bike so was obviously going to fast in the conditions and was unable to control the car due to their speed, not the rain or road, the driver was totally at fault

 

I find that most Thai drivers slow down considerably when it starts to rain. That's because in most parts of Thailand, when it rains, it pours! It's westerners driving back home in the USA, Australia, NZ and Europe that don't seem to understand this. Many drivers in these countries seem to think that the speed limit is either the speed you must drive at, or in some countries the minimum speed you should drive at irrespective of the conditions! Some drivers travelling on expressways and highways will be upset if you drive at 90km/h because it's raining when the speed limit is 110 or 120. Yet in Thailand, most drivers slow down to 40-60 in my experience, when it's raining. They may speed up again to 80-90 if the rain isn't too heavy but only a few suicidal types drive way too fast.

 

Driving on mountainous roads especially in rainy weather involves a different skill set though. Most Thai drivers tend to weave in and out of their lanes as they seem to have an aversion for, or inability to stick to their lane and then they are constantly on their brakes, causing them to overheat. They have no idea what engine braking is, despite signs (in Thai) instructing drivers to use low gear and engine braking on many mountainous roads these days.

[NetJunkie]

8 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

More than likely the poor driving skills, the lack of concentration, and the possibility he or she was either texting, or talking on the phone, while driving on a steep, wet, mountain road was the cause of the crash. Not the car. The driver. For most of us, maintaining control of a car on a steep mountain road in the rain is not a problem. Most of us have done it countless times without an issue. But, we drive with care, pay attention, and try not to do anything terrible foolish, that results in the deaths of innocent civilians. Lock him or her up. For a very long time. 

 

A huge amount of presumptions!

 

"deaths of innocent civilians" - who the hell else are you gonna hit on a rural road in Thailand? This is not Basra.

[NetJunkie]

2 hours ago, crazyawm said:

major factor in the crash - the lack of brains in the driver, who had to understand the weather conditions. if you do not know how to drive on wet roads - sit at home and watch soap operas on TV

your video clips are also inappropriate. public roads are not a place for racing, and on public roads people do not fight for first place ignoring road conditions. it's strange that you do not understand this. Are you Thai?

Nope, not Thai, just making a fool of the gent who said only crap drivers crash in the rain.

 

 

[smileydude]

Driving motorcycles in Thailand is a death wish in itself considering the stats of people killed on the roads here.

I would urge all tourists to avoid it like the plague.

RIP to the young couple.  Sad indeed.

[notasmartassknowitallfarag]

Will the police check the drivers phone for messages or calls around the time of the incident or can they calculate the speed of the car in relation to the severity of the accident. 

 

Or will they believe the lie that “the road was wet so I lost control and ran them off the road,” but not wet enough for the motorbike riders to run anyone off the road. 

 

Will he get jail time? Nope, money in Asia for the loss of life seems the way to deal with peoples’ poor behaviour. 

 

 

 

 

[KKr]

On 6/11/2018 at 8:52 AM, NetJunkie said:

 

You said it was not because of a wet road, just poor driving skills. Just showing you that actually the wet road was a major factor in the crash.

the main difference between F-x and the road Lampang-ChiangMai being that in F-x all drivers go in the same direction and are paid to push the car to the limit.
There is no reason to push the car to the limit on a secondary road in Thailand, and absolutely no reason to push the car to the limit of the driving skills.

It is better to arrive 15 minutes later where you want to go, than to be early in Hospital or Morgue. 

[cornishcarlos]

On 6/11/2018 at 9:52 AM, NetJunkie said:

 

You said it was not because of a wet road, just poor driving skills. Just showing you that actually the wet road was a major factor in the crash.

 

I don't see how... You showed a racing incident which has no bearing on a crash on normal roads.. Those guys are "racing" !!

Wet roads for the general public mean, slow down and be extra vigilant, well not in Thailand....

[impulse]

Regardless of the cause, who's at fault or whether it was a wet road or poor driving, the couple would be alive if they were in a 4 wheel vehicle instead of on a scooter.  Which would render all these arguments moot, and turn this tragedy into a minor holiday mishap to tell their friends back home.

 

Food for thought.

[DualSportBiker]

You are only making a fool of yourself.

 

There is no comparison - stop making one. Crap drivers can crash in any situation. Racers crash in race situations.

 

 

If you consider, even for one moment, that a road user of any skill level should approach driving on public roads in the same way as racers of any level on closed circuits, you are deluding yourself and a danger to others.

 

13 hours ago, NetJunkie said:

Nope, not Thai, just making a fool of the gent who said only crap drivers crash in the rain.

 

 

[radiochaser]

On 6/10/2018 at 9:47 PM, NetJunkie said:

 

Watch this video of people with poor driving skills in the wet - big crash.

 

 

Looks like Interstate 95 going through the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA area.  

People driving 70-85 MPH (112.65 - 136.8 KPH) 10 - 20 feet (3-6 meters) behind the car in front of them, no rain or rain.  

 

 

[jimster]

On 6/11/2018 at 9:41 PM, smileydude said:

Driving motorcycles in Thailand is a death wish in itself considering the stats of people killed on the roads here.

I would urge all tourists to avoid it like the plague.

RIP to the young couple.  Sad indeed.

Agreed. Yet when you read some travel forums, there are posters who will steer you away from driving a car in Thailand (or other regional countries) because it's too "dangerous" but won't hesitate to recommend that you rent a motorcycle! Completely nuts these people. Even if driving a car is considered dangerous in Thailand, it's far safer than riding a motorcycle. 80-90% of all road fatalities on Thai roads are motorcyclists. Additionally, travel insurance doesn't automatically cover motorcycle accidents. You normally need to purchase additional coverage, even as a pillion rider. It's considered a "high-risk" activity and rightly so.

[Damrongsak]

On 6/10/2018 at 9:49 PM, cornishcarlos said:

 

Which one was the Thai ??

The one on the souped-up underbone motorbike (underneath the red car).

[essox essox]

On 6/11/2018 at 6:23 AM, YetAnother said:

seems no matter how bad we think the roads are here in thailand, they are worse

nothing wrong with roads here ....BAD DRIVING IS THE CAUSE....end of story...