Elderly Belgian urges motorist who hit her to come forward

By The Nation

 

 

An elderly Belgian woman who was injured in a hit and run in Chiang Mai has urged the motorist who injured her to come forward and apologise.

 

Chiang Mai police deputy chief Pol Colonel Piyaphan Pattharapongsin on Tuesday said police were still trying to locate the driver of black car that hit and injured 78-year-old Gabriele Maria Elle (not official spelling) at 6 pm on December 9.

 

The woman was hit in front of a 7-Eleven shop on Hang Dong-Samerng Road in Hand Dong district’s Tambon Nong Kwai.

 

She suffered a broken right leg and bruising to her right cheek and many other parts of the body.

 

 

The car fled the scene after the accident.

 

She said she had been crossing the road after checking there were no vehicles coming, when a car came from nowhere and hit her, sending her tumbling to the ground. 

 

She said the driver did not come out to check whether she was alright, and merely sped off.

 

Speaking form her bed in Chiang Mai Hospital, the Belgian said she hoped the driver would come to visit her and show a humanitarian gesture by doing so.

 

Thassanalai Thiansanti, an insurance representative who is taking care of the woman’s case, urged witnesses who may have seen the incident and might remember the driver’s licence plate to come forward and inform police.

 

She said a CCTV camera outside the 7-Eleven store had been unable to record the licence plate of the car clearly.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30360666

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-12-18

Scum. 

10 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

An elderly Belgian woman who was injured in a hit and run in Chiang Mai has urged the motorist who injured her to come forward and apologise.

asking for responsibility here ? good luck with that

1 hour ago, ZeVonderBearz said:

Scum. 

She stepped into a busy road at night with cars all over and the car driver is 'scum'?

(Photo shows her in the middle of the road with cars coming in both directions)

We elderly do sometimes do such silly things.

 

The car should have stopped, but often they don't. That doesn't mean it was the car drivers fault.

3 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

She stepped into the road without looking and the car driver is 'scum' (unless you believe in invisible cars)?

(Photo shows her in the middle of the road at night with cars coming in both directions)

We elderly do sometimes do such things.

 

The car should have stopped, but often they don't. That doesn't mean it was the car drivers fault.

What?

 

They’re not scum for hitting her, they’re scum for driving away regardless who’s fault it may be..

The poor lady's question is as good as asking a politician to confess a corruption in Thailand.....????

 

Just claim the insurance and move on...????

49 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

She stepped into a busy road at night with cars all over and the car driver is 'scum'?

(Photo shows her in the middle of the road with cars coming in both directions)

We elderly do sometimes do such silly things.

 

The car should have stopped, but often they don't. That doesn't mean it was the car drivers fault.

I'm guessing you work for a motor insurance company?

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

She stepped into a busy road at night with cars all over and the car driver is 'scum'?

(Photo shows her in the middle of the road with cars coming in both directions)

We elderly do sometimes do such silly things.

 

The car should have stopped, but often they don't. That doesn't mean it was the car drivers fault.

The elderly also say stupid things sometimes, perhaps you should have yourself checked out

29 minutes ago, Nip said:

I'm guessing you work for a motor insurance company?

Sorry if I'm not entirely sympathetic to old folks throwing themselves in front of me while I'm driving along the road minding my own business. I'll do my best to avoid them (along with all the other 'surprise' obstacles on Thai roads), but sometimes they're gonna be hit.

Can't help feeling a person this age shouldn't be out on their own at night on a busy road.

"It came from nowhere" when they were clearly in the middle of a busy road, is an indication of her mental competence (or lack of).

 

If I'd been the driver, I'd probably have stopped (not medically trained, I'm not sure how I could have helped), but I can understand those who wouldn't have stopped.

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

She stepped into a busy road at night with cars all over and the car driver is 'scum'?

(Photo shows her in the middle of the road with cars coming in both directions)

We elderly do sometimes do such silly things.

 

The car should have stopped, but often they don't. That doesn't mean it was the car drivers fault.

Yes, it was.

A driver needs to be able to stop his vehicle for any obstacle at any time.

The speed of the vehicle must be adjusted to the circumstances.

And driving away after an accident is a criminal act.

1 hour ago, NextStationBangkok said:

The poor lady's question is as good as asking a politician to confess to corruption in Thailand.....????

 

Just claim the insurance and move on...????

Yes, in later years ones reflexes etc become affected and in this case she was probably too slow. Looking at the photo there is certainly traffic on both sides as well as parked vehicles which might possibly obscured her line of sight. However, having hit the old lady I would think as least out of decency, to stop and help. Not only that, if the driver was unable to avoid her it would also have been the opportunity to argue about responsibility. Having sped away I think it unlikely that the driver will come forward.

Lucky to be alive crossing the road at night????

3 hours ago, YetAnother said:

asking for responsibility here ? good luck with that

Maybe she could get a wai.

1 hour ago, NextStationBangkok said:

The poor lady's question is as good as asking a politician to confess a corruption in Thailand.....????

 

Just claim the insurance and move on...????

There's corruption here in Thailand.. well I never ! ????

2 hours ago, lust said:

What?

 

They’re not scum for hitting her, they’re scum for driving away regardless who’s fault it may be..

Never heard of driving with due care and attention then ?

I know this lady very well. She is elderly but very fit, walks and bicycles everywhere. I am a near neighbour. Where she was crossing there is a 7/11. I pass by there half a dozen times a day, and due to traffic backing out of the 7/11, you always need to slow down and generally be aware as it is a very busy area. Sadly, however, its the usual "I m in a big car SUV or Pickup" mentality. "Get out of my way, I m coming at speed because its my road".  

 

Get well soon, old friend. 

It's called leaving the scene of an accident. Do you need case law to affirm that?

1 minute ago, TMNH said:

It's called leaving the scene of an accident. Do you need case law to affirm that?

And.....even without any proven or statutory law, as others have referred to the person who hit her as "scum", I most certainly agree with that stance. Sometimes laws are not an excuse for common decency. It seems that in LOS, you evade whenever you can.

I take it she believes in the Second coming as well

2 minutes ago, shackleton said:

I take it she believes in the Second coming as well

No- she believes that as other decent people do. When you hit someone , you don't take off. Further clarification necessary? ????

1 hour ago, hansnl said:

A driver needs to be able to stop his vehicle for any obstacle at any time.

Ridiculous! 

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

She said she had been crossing the road after checking there were no vehicles coming

Unfortunately, she was wrong.

25 minutes ago, TMNH said:

It's called leaving the scene of an accident. Do you need case law to affirm that?

500bht fine and a wai at the local temple.

There are so many cowards on the roads and he expects the moron to come forward risking shame? 

Only once the government stops <deleted> around and puts things in order, things will improve.
All vehicles need mandatory insurance and tax payment. Failure to do so will result in a fine of THB 10‘000 and an impounding charge of THB 2‘500/day until proof of coverage is presented. This also means that the entire bureaucratic bu“*ç%*%“çt needs to be streamlined; send renewals by EMS one month prior to expiry, payment anywhere by bank or post - upon which the new sticker is sent. Will work wonders, trust me! 

But Khon Thai considers laws and rules to be bent or flatly ignored. It‘s all about education and standards! 

1 hour ago, hansnl said:

Yes, it was.

A driver needs to be able to stop his vehicle for any obstacle at any time.

The speed of the vehicle must be adjusted to the circumstances.

And driving away after an accident is a criminal act.

Complete bolloc*s. If that was the case, you would never go more than 3 mph in case a stray dog, sheep or whatever careers out in front of you. Read the Highway Code, or equivalent. The circumstances only become apparent when the incident happens - you cannot predict it!!!! Just drive according to the Code (not that that happens in LOS)

3 minutes ago, Sydebolle said:

But Khon Thai considers laws and rules to be bent or flatly ignored. It‘s all about education and standards! 

 

Seems to me it's more about white foreigners using any excuse to heap hate on Thais.

Their country, their rules, and up to them to choose their enforcement.

Nobody is forcing you to live here.

 

We all know the roads are dangerous, up to you to be extra careful when out on them.

1 hour ago, Huckenfell said:

Never heard of driving with due care and attention then ?

I’m confused what you’re referring to. Please explain 

27 minutes ago, TMNH said:

No- she believes that as other decent people do. When you hit someone , you don't take off. Further clarification necessary? ????

my point was if she is expecting the person to turn up and apologize to her personally in hospital 

I would be greatly surprised 

I stand to be corrected if wrong