Video: "U-Turn of Death" where there is a fatality almost every day

[ThorD72]

The U-turns at Pechkasem road in Hua Hin are even worse than this,.. and probably many others,.. cars passing in the right line at speeds of 100-120 km/h,.. freaking death trap,.. 

[kannot]

I rate  the first video 11/10 for Obliviousness............

[kannot]

1 hour ago, darksidedog said:

Truly awful driving by both bikes. Neither of them pays any attention whatsoever to the traffic. I'd say it isn't the U-Turn itself that is the cause of the problem, more like the complete idiocy of those using it.

No its  SPEEDING and  they must issue  square  wheels  to all Thai drivers......................said it so many times, its  total lack of any attention at all.

[kannot]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

are they that vacant ?

YES...............dont  ever  forget when youre  out  on  the  roads

[Moonlover]

3 minutes ago, ThorD72 said:

The U-turns at Pechkasem road in Hua Hin are even worse than this,.. and probably many others,.. cars passing in the right line at speeds of 100-120 km/h,.. freaking death trap,.. 

The one accident that I have actually witnessed was due to a pick up doing just this. High speed in the righthand lane and a motorcyclist who pulled out from the 'U' in front of it.

 

It's this total lack of safety awareness that causes so many of these accidents.

[Spidey]

22 minutes ago, smedly said:

install a roundabout - simple

 

a roundabout has two effects

 

- slows everything down

- provides safe filtering

 

yes I know people will say Thais cannot use roundabouts properly - it doesn't matter because it slows everything down

 

The key to roundabout implementation are clear road markings 

We've had the infamous Dolphin roundabout for years, in Pattaya. Was blocked off because it soon became an accident blackspot. As it's right next to the new Terminal 21, it was decided to reinstate it to ease traffic flow problems. Lasted a couple of weeks then closed again. 

 

Thais don't do roundabouts.

[kannot]

25 minutes ago, smedly said:

The key to roundabout implementation are clear road markings

Incorrect assumption, try the one on Phetkasem Road at Huay Mongkol temple turn off.........they have NO idea that they are  supposed to give way to traffic  on the island when they enter even though the SIGN says clearly at each entry  point "Give Way" in Thai

[stanleycoin]

Totally normal excepted behaviour every day in Thailand.

And people think Dunk driving is the real problem !!!!!!!!.

Carry on Thailand.  as no one cares at all. 

[richard_smith237]

Just now, kannot said:

Incorrect assumption, try the one on Phetkasem Road at Huay Mongkol temple turn off.........they have NO idea that they are  supposed to give way to traffic  on the island when they enter even though the SIGN says clearly at each entry  point "Give Way" in Thai

 

The large roundabout at Victory Monument in Bangkok seems to work OK. 

 

Thai's don't do 'roundabouts' is somewhat of a fallacy...  Thai's don't give way if they can get away with it - thus.... Police the things and make people use them properly. As always the flaws in the Thai road systems come down to the basics... Poor education and extremely lazy policing. 

 

[SweetStickyRice]

Somebody made a comment here that a roundabout would work in this place. I'm not too sure about that. 10 years ago when yours truly was still living in Phuket, a bus driver drove straight into Heroines Monument. I was on that bus.

[rixalex]

8 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

The large roundabout at Victory Monument in Bangkok seems to work OK. 

 

 

Only because it has traffic lights all the way around it, and if you are going to have traffic lights at a roundabout, you might just as well have a crossroads, because the whole benefit of the roundabout is lost.

[kannot]

11 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

The large roundabout at Victory Monument in Bangkok seems to work OK. 

 

Thai's don't do 'roundabouts' is somewhat of a fallacy...  Thai's don't give way if they can get away with it - thus.... Police the things and make people use them properly. As always the flaws in the Thai road systems come down to the basics... Poor education and extremely lazy policing. 

 

and a lazy populace as  well...always  looking for the shortcut in EVERYTHING  not  just driving

[kannot]

13 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Police the things

hey its  not  like they have a police box at every  junction now though is it.............oh wait!!

[gk10002000]

Jesus.  A U turn is one thing, but starting the U turn 3 lanes left and over from the turn spot is just almost beyond belief.

[Artisi]

1 hour ago, chickenslegs said:

IMHO - A properly designed roundabout would prevent most 'accidents' there.

 

Oh, and a campaign to educate motorists on how to negotiate one.

No way, the motor cycles would still take the shortest route against any traffic inconveniently in their way, as would many car drivers. 

 

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

In both situations the motorcyclists didn't look at all.... not even a glance. 

 

Speed is of course a factor with the Pickups barreling through a junction at speed without any consideration to the possibility of another vehicle doing something stupid. 

 

But, IF the motorcyclists simply looked both accidents would have been avoided - I'm aghast at the frequency which which motorcyclists pull into traffic without looking... I can't understand it, I can't imagine it... are they that vacant ?.... But I expect it, that's all we can do and why I have a Dash-cam on both my Bike and in my car. 

 

So yes, the U-Turn is dangerous, all U-Turns are inherently dangerous because of the way people use them here, but in both the example videos these motorcyclists are incidents waiting to happen at any junction at any time because they failed to follow the most basic of basics - looking !

 

I feel for the pickup driver who successfully avoided the motorcyclists and hurt himself in the process (no seatbelt ?)... but it does appear that he was going through a junction very quickly. 

 

Thailand due to stupid drivers is stuck with this type of U turn, roundabouts are of no use to Thai's other than giving an alternate means to short-circuit the turn. 

Instead of opposing traffic using the same U turn, moving them 150 - 200 metres apart and not close to another side street might alleviate the ongoing daily massacre, but then this being Thailand I sure the brain dead could find ways to keep killing themselves. 

[Vacuum]

1 hour ago, smedly said:

The key to roundabout implementation are clear road markings

LOL. Have you ever seen a Thai noticing them?

[Artisi]

1 hour ago, connda said:

This is where the rubber meets the road.  Aggressive and/or ignorant Thai drivers facing a technical challenge such as gauging distance and speed while simultaneously ignoring all traffic laws and rules of right-of-way.
Result?  Lot's of dead bodies.  This would be a perfect place for the authorities to take proactive measures regarding enforcement - but they won't.  Put up more cameras so you know who to blame after the carnage...that's the Thai way on the highway.

What would cameras do, most riders are unlicensed and lucky to have a valid rego' plate anyway. 

[Vacuum]

29 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

Jesus.  A U turn is one thing, but starting the U turn 3 lanes left and over from the turn spot is just almost beyond belief.

It's normal, get used to it.

[AlexRich]

As well as abject carelessness by the bike riders my other observation was that the vehicles were driving way too fast, they have no chance of avoiding an incident like that going at that speed.

[donim]

1 hour ago, smedly said:

install a roundabout - simple

 

a roundabout has two effects

 

- slows everything down

- provides safe filtering

- Creating a jumping ramp

- Creating 4 little U turns the wrong way.

 

1 hour ago, smedly said:

 

yes I know people will say Thais cannot use roundabouts properly - it doesn't matter because it slows everything down

 

The key to roundabout implementation are clear road markings 

 

Please.. don't make Thai Vans fly.

 

[Artisi]

53 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

'fuckwittery' indeed... how that gets through the 'digital filters' escapes me, but its the perfect adjective for much of what we see on Thailands roads...  no much more needs to be said / written really... 

It should be entered into all dictionaries, certainly describes Thai driving perfectly

 

[BobbyL]

2 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Truly awful driving by both bikes. Neither of them pays any attention whatsoever to the traffic. I'd say it isn't the U-Turn itself that is the cause of the problem, more like the complete idiocy of those using it.

Absolutely bang on. I couldn't believe what I saw on both videos by the motorcyclists ????

[Youlike]

2 hours ago, Spidey said:

First video, scooter rider causes a major accident, has a quick look, then continues his journey going the wrong way in the outside lane of a dual carriageway - at speed.

 

Leeson learned? None. Thai style, love it!

Exactly, this driver should be found and sent to jail for total negligence of the traffic rules....he's a complete idiot and caused a serious accident.

[Artisi]

6 minutes ago, BobbyL said:

Absolutely bang on. I couldn't believe what I saw on both videos by the motorcyclists ????

 

6 minutes ago, BobbyL said:

Absolutely bang on. I couldn't believe what I saw on both videos by the motorcyclists ????

Seems you don't drive in Thailand ????

[Ulic]

Nothing to do with the U-turn, everything to do with terrible driving by the scooter drivers.

[BobbyL]

2 minutes ago, Artisi said:

 

Seems you don't drive in Thailand ????

I do, and I know how bad they are. However, most of my driving is in Bangkok and stuff like in those videos isn't common due to the roads or traffic levels. 

[marquis22]

Was the pick-up wearing a seat belt? As it looked like he was thrown from the vehicle.

But are seat belts compulsory (and worn by all) and are random breath tests done regularly?  No need to answer!

[Youlike]

9 minutes ago, Ulic said:

Nothing to do with the U-turn, everything to do with terrible driving by the scooter drivers.

In these 2 video's yes you're right. But i bet no thai driver can make a U-turn there without blocking 2 incoming lanes. 

[dcnx]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The police had shut it but the locals demanded it be reopened as they would have to go out of their way to turn. 

This really says everything.

 

The people demanded it open, so let them get smashed. You can’t teach them and they are unwilling to learn.

 

They built up big heavy blocks where people couldn’t u-turn at a place near me. The people moved the blocks within 2 or 3 days and they carry on as if nothing was ever put there in the first place. This was well over a month ago and no one has bothered to move them back. 

[overherebc]

2 hours ago, KMartinHandyman said:

“I'm aghast at the frequency which which motorcyclists pull into traffic without looking... I can't understand it, I can't imagine it... are they that vacant ?”

Not looking is their way of being first by putting the burden of accident avoidance on the other party. It’s worked for them 100% of the time in the past so they keep doing it, until it doesn’t work. If they made eye contact they would have to concede it was incumbent on them to yield and that’s not being first.

Yes, the vast majority are that vacant.