Thai roads need central barriers to minimise impact of accidents: experts

[Dellboy218]

May I ask these accident prevention experts to stop the Highways department to stop laying water down on the hard packed soil when carrying out road construction. Or at least leave one section dry.  In certain areas these watered areas create mud slicker than ice.  Deadly for those on 2 wheels.  Road construction north of Chiang Mai is currently a prime example.

[Galactus]

On 11/8/2018 at 12:53 PM, kwilco said:

Shear nonsense - forgive the pun

if you are not sure what you are talking about , better dont talk. i ride for decades and those metal barriers pose a great risk for motorcyclists which are more than drivers in thailand.

if you crash on one, you can easily get your head chopped off.

https://www.towardszero.vic.gov.au/news/articles/flexible-barriers-how-they-work-and-the-cheese-cutter-myth

 

[Galactus]

On 11/8/2018 at 11:45 AM, richard_smith237 said:

 

Such barriers prevent 'wayward' vehicles from crossing into oncoming traffic....  

 

This includes motorcycles which have crashed... they're better of taking their chances with the Armco than and on-coming vehicle in the opposite lane. 

 

More Armco barriers separating traffic flowing in opposite directions is a good idea and will save lives. But, its not the only solution and many other accident mitigation measures need to be taken. 

 

There is no single fix but rather a whole paradigm shift is required which may take at least a generation..... then there is the matter of road design and quality itself, which again will take time and money, and then their is the apathetic quality of policing which needs a complete and total overhaul.... there is a long way to go. 

 

New roads are better designed, better quality, better signposted etc... but they are still driven by morons who create accidents out of impossible situations.... 

there are solutions for that. such as flexible barriers. i ride for many years and lost some friends (with chopped heads or bodies) so that is why i speak.

have a look:

https://www.towardszero.vic.gov.au/news/articles/flexible-barriers-how-they-work-and-the-cheese-cutter-myth

[SilverBeast]

On 11/7/2018 at 9:54 AM, darksidedog said:

Barriers might help, but to my mind the biggest thing they need is people to be able to actually drive, and be able to understand and follow road rules. The cops enforcing said rules from time to time wouldn't hurt either.

So the article/original post specifies a very specific problem and recommends an actual reasonable solution.

And you simply suggest it's a lack of skill and lack of police enforcement.  .

[SilverBeast]

On 11/7/2018 at 9:57 AM, bluesofa said:

I see the conference ends today.

What's the chance of any alleged expert standing up and saying that "the level of driving in Thailand is appalling, a large percentage of drivers don't have licences, and the police never enforce any regulations proactively to prevent accidents."

No, I don't don't think so either.

 

And here is another one.  Aye Carumba.  I've driven in a lot of places.  Thailand drivers are actually pretty courteous.  You are just a sour old goat that loves to see police everywhere.  And complain of all kinds of nitwit useless things!

[SilverBeast]

On 11/7/2018 at 10:09 AM, PatOngo said:

Having driven around most of Thailand, I find the condition of the roads not to be the problem but the mentality of road users that is the issue. Until they change the mindset of drivers, there will be no change, and that is an almost impossible challenge. Road barriers may help curtail head on accidents but it will also give something else to run into!

 Do you think the I-5 in Seattle, for example, would have any stretches where oncoming traffic at highway traffic speed can get to the opposite directional lanes?  The answer is NO!  Why?  Because to hit concrete in the middle is just a glancing non-fatal blow.  A head on collision at highway speeds is almost always fatal!