Two Thais injured as Brit makes "sudden U-turn"

[Spidey]

11 hours ago, BestB said:

My educated guesses are based on fact that many bikes ride around with no headlights on, because it cost money to fix, and just as many ride with baskets attached to the front, right under the headlights, and once anything is in the basket, headlights are totally blacked out.

 

Now please share where and how  you gained your extensive knowledge on bikes riding at night in Thailand

I have known riders ride without lights "because it saves petrol". I once pointed out to a Thai friend that his back light was out. "I can't see it, I don't need it" was his reply.

[Sealbash]

Why?
 
They don't normally breathalyze their own here so why should a foreigner not get the same benefit of the doubt?

False statement. From experience, I know that all are given a breathalyzer when warranted regardless of nationality


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[FunkyDunky58]

Something like 65 people are killed everyday by the poor driving habits of the Thais, making this country justifiably the most dangerous country in the world for road fatalities. Only when a Farang is involved does it get in the news?

[Kieran00001]

16 hours ago, Captain 776 said:

60 road deaths a day here in Thailand and 86% of them are from motorbike.

I rode here 13 yrs without a scratch until Oct 26 when 59 yo thai lady pulled out in front of me.

I am out of pocket 550,000 bhat after 2 surgeries.

Police put her at fault.

I told her I would take 50% and call it a day.

of course she says NO MONEY.

I told her give me at least 3000 a month, she said no money.

Police yelled at her YOU CAUSED THIS ACCIDENT, you better FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO,  if you go to court and tell judge no money...,, you are going to jail.

Waiting for the court date

 

So you didn't have any insurance then?

[Kieran00001]

54 minutes ago, FunkyDunky58 said:

Something like 65 people are killed everyday by the poor driving habits of the Thais, making this country justifiably the most dangerous country in the world for road fatalities. Only when a Farang is involved does it get in the news?

 

Did you think you were reading the normal Thai news?  Farang accidents are not on the Thai news, they are on the farang news.

[TheMacMan]

I was going to comment on this both 'for' and 'against' the Brit & Thai drivers.... because unless we were there or there is any video footage then we have no idea who was actually to blame. HOWEVER, it seems that from the many comments here that people have already said what I was thinking, from both perspectives.

so no need!!!  ????

I will add 2 other comments though, regardless of there being a higher proportion of Thai drivers on THEIR roads than Farang, I have still personally seen TOO MANY complete idiots to discount the fact that there are also many more poor Thai drivers than good ones. For those that have used the population figures as an excuse, compare that to the UK (similar) or Vietnam (many more) and the actual statistics speak for themselves.

Officially or unofficially, over here it has been commented on and stated time after time, what happens behind you is not your fault, Thais look forward, not behind, not to the side but in front - if this were 2 Thais involved I feel there would have been a strong likelihood of the bike being blamed. going too fast, overtaking too close, and not leaving enough distance to manoeuvre or break safely.

 

I'm interested to see if any more 'facts' emerge!

[mikebell]

On 2/18/2019 at 8:44 AM, bluesofa said:

at speed.

Story in a nutshell.

[toofarnorth]

On 2/18/2019 at 8:45 AM, ThreeEyedRaven said:

Westerners are capable of driving poorly, this is true, though the amount of poor farang drivers is nothing as compared to the locals. I just went to Tesco Lotus and had an idiot stop in front of me smack in the centre of the entrance to the parking area. Absolutely no idea I was behind and trying to park. No idea that stopping there was inconsiderate. Then on the way back, while indicating right, another idiot overtakes at a crazy speed. if I hadn't been checking my mirrors, which many Thais seem to think are unnecessary, he would have taken me out as I made my turn. As it is, I nearly got hit up the arse by the car following me, when I had to hit the brakes to miss the first idiot overtaking. And it is the same every day. The guy in this story was probably howling down the right hand lane, and realised too  late there was something ahead.

I know just what you are saying TER , a few weeks ago I was turning left into Makro , off of the main highway , an old pick up had overshot the turning so it started to reverse , I blew the horn in order to tell the driver I was turning and didn't need to be run in to. All the way round Makro I was getting the evil eye from the driver , my TW thought a problem was coming.

Ok Tesco 2 days ago , I stopped for a coffee at the Donut place near the entrance , a women was in there having a drink . someone she knew was a about to go through the doors saw her friend LEFT her cart in the middle of the exit to come over for a chat , folk were using the other door or steering their cart round the abandoned one !

[Jadam]

On 2/18/2019 at 9:34 AM, bluesofa said:

The only thing quoted was by the motorbike driver:

"Chalermphon said he was heading for Sukhumvit Road when the car made a sudden and unexpected U-turn. He was unable to brake in time and hit the rear right side at speed."

 

He didn't say anything about the car pulling across in front of him. Going on what the motorbike driver said, we can only assume he was following the car too closely, not allowing enough distance between himself and the car in front of him.

 

Perhaps the bike was following the car in the turn lane to make a right turn, assumed the car was turning right as well and tried to overtake him while crossing the road.  Bike's fault.

 

Or the motorbike was going down the wrong side of the road when the car did a u-turn.  Bike's fault.

 

Or the car had completed the u-turn and was merging into traffic and the bike hit him.  Probably bike's fault (for not letting the car merge).

 

I can't think of a scenario where the car would be 100% at fault and the bike finishes up hitting the right rear of the car.  If the car were 100% at fault, the damage would most likely be on the left side of the car.

 

Quote

...sudden and unexpected U-turn...

That could just mean he tried to cross the lanes of oncoming traffic quickly, as you should, rather than slowly creeping out into oncoming traffic until someone finally stops to let you go (the "safe" way that many Thais do it).

[Jadam]

2 hours ago, Kieran00001 said:

 

Did you think you were reading the normal Thai news?  Farang accidents are not on the Thai news, they are on the farang news.

 

Looks to be Thai news.

[Jadam]

4 hours ago, essox essox said:

does IT REALLY MATTER what plates any vehicle is carrying ???

It adds to the word count of the article.

[manchega]

Just to make things a little more clear

 

In Britain even the stupid/ignorant etc. in addition to the rest of the population who drive have passed a test which requires safe driving.

 

The probability of the Brit being 'in the wrong ' is very low.

 

passing the British driving test is something quite difficult to pass, something akin to being honest for a whole year for a Thai

[Kieran00001]

2 hours ago, Jadam said:

 

Looks to be Thai news.

 

The Pattaya News is published in both English and Thai, that does not make it "the Thai news", it was founded a few years ago by expats, markets to expats and reports expat news, its an expat paper.

[steve73]

I see Alex Alborn (Thailand's budding F1 driver) managed to stay on the track for just 4 corners before spinning off during testing today.

Perhaps the brakes failed..?

[survivalblue]

I was in a multiple vehicles accident near Ayutthaya province a few years ago with several fender benders and vehicles involved.

Whilst at the police station, the drivers who were coming from behind were all determined to be at fault and needed to pay the fines.  Whomever's vehicle was damaged at the rear is not at fault.

In this case, the driver of the car Samuel Stonard was in the front and the damage to his vehicle was in the rear. 

Under the laws that were instructed to me, this would deem the drivers of the motorbike to be at fault here for not paying attention to what is in front of them, and/or driving to close or quickly upon the vehicles ahead of them.

It doesn't matter if the car was driven by a farang, he was in the front and the guilty is always who is driving behind the accident.  Everything ahead is in the clear.

 

[ianwheldale]

On 2/18/2019 at 8:44 AM, bluesofa said:

Therefore he was following the car too closely, not allowing enough space between himself and the vehicle in front.

I worked as a professional driver for 24 years before coming here and this is 100% spot on. OK, the Brit maybe did the most stupid thing imaginable but that's why we leave gaps.

[Scott]

Troll post removed.

 

[elliss]

On 2/18/2019 at 8:44 AM, bluesofa said:

Therefore he was following the car too closely, not allowing enough space between himself and the vehicle in front.

     If  the farlang was not in Thailand ,  this would never  have happened . 

[Rimmer]

Multiple off topic bickering posts and replies have been removed

[Basil B]

On 2/18/2019 at 1:12 AM, webfact said:

The driver was named as 34 year old Samuel Matthew Stonard.

Sudden u turn, a London cabby by any chance?

[balo]

On 2/18/2019 at 1:18 PM, RichardColeman said:

This is gonna cost him ! Big wonga

Why ? A normal Class A insurance will pay for it. Happened to me a couple of times after 8 years here. I just called the insurance agent after a motorbike crashed into my side and everything was settled.

Didn't have to pay a single baht. 

 

Most of you claim the Brit is innocent , so with a normal insurance there is nothing to worry about. 

 

 

 

Edited February 21, 2019 by balo

[jacko45k]

6 hours ago, Basil B said:

Sudden u turn, a London cabby by any chance?

To be honest one can see bad examples of driving much closer to home than UK!