Nine injured as Bangkok bus rams power pole

By Kornkamon Aksorndech 
The Nation

 

 

Eight people were injured slightly when a city bus plying on route number 48 (Ramkhamhaeng 2-Wat Pho) crashed into a power pole near Sukhumvit Soi 48 in Bangkok’s Khlong Toei district on Monday morning, causing a traffic jam.

 

The accident happened reportedly when the driver slammed the brakes to avoid hitting a pickup truck that had cut in front of it.

 

Bus driver Rung Reungkobkarn, 36, told police that he was driving the bus with 20 passengers on board on a bridge across Khlong Phra Khanong.

 

He said a pickup truck took the right turn from under the bridge and cut in front of the bus, so he slammed the brakes to avoid hitting its rear.

 

The bus went out of control and crashed into a power pole on a pavement. The windshield was shattered and its bumper and body were dented while the power pole was also damaged.

 

Police are yet file charges against anyone.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/around_thailand/30357416

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-10-29

7 minutes ago, webfact said:

He said a pickup truck took the right turn from under the bridge and cut in front of the bus, so he slammed the brakes to avoid hitting its rear.

 

The bus went out of control and crashed into a power pole on a pavement.

I get the impression the bus was driving in a straight-on direction? Not quite sure how slamming on the brakes sent it out of control?

At least he had brakes to slam on that must count as todays miracle????  

1 minute ago, sammieuk1 said:

At least he had brakes to slam on that must count as todays miracle????  

Well, part of the brake system was working - it dragged the driver into a power pole. Or was it an electrifying attraction?

8 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Well, part of the brake system was working - it dragged the driver into a power pole. Or was it an electrifying attraction?

His right shoe trainer is now worn out????

5 hours ago, bluesofa said:

Well, part of the brake system was working - it dragged the driver into a power pole.

To mark it's territory with a diesel leak .. 

7 hours ago, bluesofa said:

I get the impression the bus was driving in a straight-on direction? Not quite sure how slamming on the brakes sent it out of control?

If the front brakes are not working together as a balanced pair as in one is exerting a lot more brake force than t'other that will cause a vehicle to dive to one side or other .. In this case as its veered off to the left suggest's the left front or N/S/F ( in proper English parlance ) was exerting more brake force than the other side .. It is part of any vehicles MOT test in Hengland that the front brakes individually are tested for maximum force until they lock and are then tested with both brake test rollers running together for balance with the brakes being applied smoothly to measure the evenness of the force application .. Ideally what you're are looking for is both brake force dials of the brake tester rising and falling in unison .. One lagging behind the other , displaying a noticeably lower force or slow releasing ( binding ) of the brake force constitutes a failure .. 

Factor in badly worn spring attachment pins ( red ) that allow the complete axle ( blue ) to move backwards under braking and in extreme cases the force of that movement transfers to the bolts that hold the spring bracket to the chassis loosening and sometimes chaffing them so then the movement of the axle increases and with it the amount of pulling to one side or t'other when you hit the brakes .. And the most extreme extreme cases if left unaddressed that bolt movement will radiate fractures from the bolt holes of the chassis which becomes quite difficult and expensive to repair .. I've seen buses scrapped for chassis issues that have got that serious .. But ..  this is Thailand .. 

6 hours ago, Justgrazing said:

If the front brakes are not working together as a balanced pair as in one is exerting a lot more brake force than t'other that will cause a vehicle to dive to one side or other .. In this case as its veered off to the left suggest's the left front or N/S/F ( in proper English parlance ) was exerting more brake force than the other side .. It is part of any vehicles MOT test in Hengland that the front brakes individually are tested for maximum force until they lock and are then tested with both brake test rollers running together for balance with the brakes being applied smoothly to measure the evenness of the force application .. Ideally what you're are looking for is both brake force dials of the brake tester rising and falling in unison .. One lagging behind the other , displaying a noticeably lower force or slow releasing ( binding ) of the brake force constitutes a failure .. 

Factor in badly worn spring attachment pins ( red ) that allow the complete axle ( blue ) to move backwards under braking and in extreme cases the force of that movement transfers to the bolts that hold the spring bracket to the chassis loosening and sometimes chaffing them so then the movement of the axle increases and with it the amount of pulling to one side or t'other when you hit the brakes .. And the most extreme extreme cases if left unaddressed that bolt movement will radiate fractures from the bolt holes of the chassis which becomes quite difficult and expensive to repair .. I've seen buses scrapped for chassis issues that have got that serious .. But ..  this is Thailand .. 

Don't try explaining that to a Thai, you lost me after the first sentence.  Anyway what's that got to do with electric poles jumping out at buses

16 hours ago, bluesofa said:

I get the impression the bus was driving in a straight-on direction? Not quite sure how slamming on the brakes sent it out of control?

If the brakes are not properly adjusted it could result in the bus being pulled one way or another.

Was i - HERB the driver ?

A troll post has been removed. 

On 10/30/2018 at 8:09 AM, Prairieboy said:

If the brakes are not properly adjusted it could result in the bus being pulled one way or another.

The bus was on the downslope of the canal bridge. No doubt this contributed to the loss of control as it's obviously a lot harder to stop any vehicle on a downslope, much less a bus.

I ride the 48 bus from time to time.  The drivers of the yellow, AC #48 buses are usually very good, the drivers of the blue, non-AC #48 buses, not so much.