Forty-two killed, more than 400 injured on first day of holiday

[Andre0720]

8 hours ago, ratcatcher said:

Thank you for the research, i consider my bubble duly burst.

"When (teens) men can show their manhood only according the decibel level of their motorbikes, and can only drive it while showing an ugly tattoo, and puffing away on a stinky cigarette, makes you wonder about their level of civilisation." 

Most of the negative comments about Thais can also be applied to certain groups in western countries too. Road rage is common in the west as well as bad manners.

You know that, as most people do.

However,sadly, I do agree with your last paragraph.

Given that Thailand is "such a bad place", I assume you do not waste your life here?

 

 

 

 

Countries are indeed compared, western, easter, different cultures, different systems of beliefs. Just a fact that Thailand is the most dangerous place to drive any type of vehicle. In western countries, some minuscule groups are nowhere close to the level of threat created by vehicles on the road here in Thailand.

Road rage happens in my country, but so seldom that one can only see it in newspapers. In Thailand, you can be an eyewitness.

Road accidents do happen in my country, but again, you have to read the newspapers to know about them. 4 days ago, I saw 2 accidents happening on my way to my the apartment. And the ambulance sirens start at 6 in the morning. Drivers here will risk their life and yours to save 10 seconds.

Worse being that there is no social pressure, no peer pressure condemning dangerous behaviours. Actually, I am told to not get involved if I do eywitness an accident here. Too dangerous to tell the truth.

 

Now Thailand is a dangerous place, definitely. But I never say that it is 'such a bad place'. I actually invite friends to come visit here. I warn them though about how it is here, and to be careful. Many things here are not what they appear to be, the polite gestures, the polite words, they are not a sign that you will be treated in the same fashion as it is in western civilised countries.

 

Places where I would not waste my life, as you suggest, would be more places like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Iran, Somalia.. To name a few...

Regards

 

 

[Torrens54]

On 12/29/2018 at 4:29 PM, Cake Monster said:

I predict that the number of fatalities will actually decline this year.

Why ? because so many have already killed each other on the roads over the last few years, that there are less left to commit the annual carnage.

Wish you were right, at least about a reduction in the number dead and maimed.

Sadly a former Classmate of my daughter became one of the STATISTICS over the weekend. Gather she was on a motorbike that was struck by another vehicle early Saturday morning.

 

Sad, senseless waste of a young life. The victim was due to start her second semester at Unversity this Tuesday...instead, my daughter and other former classmates will be attending her cremation.

RIP Young Lady, our deepest sympathies to your family.

Edited December 30, 2018 by Torrens54
Some sub editing.

[metisdead]

Some troll posts have been removed. 

[spidermike007]

The only way to survive here on the road, is to be patient, have eyes in the back of your head, drive with caution, and always, and I mean always watch out of the other guy. Chances are, he does not have much driving skill, nor patience, nor reason, nor common sense. You cannot be too careful on the road here. Especially considering that the toy police offer no traffic safety, nor enforcement of the law. 

 

All the checkpoints do is clog traffic on the highways, and put alot of cash into the pockets of the toy police. It is all about catching people performing moving violations. That is what causes most accidents. And herein lies the deterrent. As long as everyone is allowed to get away with extremely reckless driving, entering the highway in front of an oncoming vehicle that is only 100 meters away, going 100kph, cutting in front of vehicles within one meter at high speeds, swerving like crazy idiots all over the highway, trucks and 40 year old cars occupying the fast lane doing 40kph, when other vehicles are approaching doing 120kph, drunk driving, etc, accidents, major injuries and deaths will continue to happen, and no amount of rhetoric and platitudes by the fabulously incompetent and insincere authorities are going to make any difference. 

 

The police only show up after the accident takes place. There is nothing in the way of traffic safety on the roads, or on the highways. Those traffic stops are all about weapons, drugs and handouts. Nothing to do with safety. I suppose there is no money in traffic safety. However, if they levied real fines for speeding over 120kph, for reckless driving, making severely quick lane changes, etc, there would be some money to be made, and the highways would be safer. 

 

Just a few days ago, I was driving along at about 110kph, on a good, straight stretch of highway. A safe speed. And some joker cuts in front of me with his pickup truck. Within two meters in front of me, then slams on his brakes. I guess he never stopped to look at the lane he was cutting into to see that there was no room for him! I slammed on my brakes to avoid the numnut, and barely missed him. Would have been a horrific crash. Why? What was the point of him changing lanes? Why didn't he look first? Who changes lanes without looking first, when they are doing over 100 kph? Why so little regard for his wife, and for others? Where does that mentality come from? Why do Thais seem so polite, yet when they get into a car, everything they have ever learned in life goes right out the window? Why so little in the way of common sense, reason, and the ability to be careful and maintain some vision? Why such idiocy? The apparent lack of skill and peripheral awareness on the road here is very scary.

[Nyezhov]

8 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

The only way to survive here on the road, is to be patient, have eyes in the back of your head, drive with caution, and always, and I mean always watch out of the other guy.

Nope, the only way to survive here is not to drive and wear your seatbelt in a cab