Minor Traffic Accidents.........

[aussiestyle1983]

About an hour ago, the old taxi my wife and I were in bumped a motorcycle into the back of a bus. Very little damage was done, but the rider fell to the ground, got up and then told the taxi to pull over. After a bit of shouting, the taxi driver pointed at us because we were only 250m down the street from our home, so the taxi took us home and the bike followed. We got out of the taxi, paid the fare, the taxi driver kept apologising to us, the biker said nothing and we just went into our building.

Its now an hour later, and they are still both standing in the street alone in fornt of their vechiles talking.

Whats could they be talking about? Whats is the usual legal procedure for this?

There would of only been a small scratch made on the taxi, so cost less, and I guess the motorcycle would of have way less than 2000 THB damage, just a bent mud flap and some scratches on the new front lights.

The taxi driver was a weird old man and the bike rider a poor looking 22 YO. Im just wondering why they're still just talking about it and why they let us leave without asking us anything?

I ask this because afew months ago, I wittnessed a bad accident, a taxi cleaned up a motorcycle with a young guy and his GF. The get of the ground and are ok, they are talking to the driver. Then I see the passenger get out (Suprisingly he was an old englishman I work with) I guess becuse this happened in front of the mall he worked at and he was going to work, he just got sick of waiting. Anyway, when he got out, the driver of the motorcycle pushed him and began to throw punches! <deleted>? It is hardly the farang passengers fault who was sitting in the back. So why did the injured Thai rider try to assult the farang while the Driver who cleaned him up was just haveing a nice little chat with him.

I thought today something similar would happen to me, the guy sees a farang in the back and decides to take his anger out on me, anyway, could someone please explain why these two similar situations resulted in very different outcomes.

Also, is there anything else we should of done today? They both just let us walk away so we did, my wife said its best not to get involved if we dont have to, but after seeing them still down in the street for the past hour, I wonder if we could of helped in any way (apart from giving money)

Edited March 14, 2007 by aussiestyle1983

[Barney_the_Dinosaur]

Maybe they're exchanging insurance details.

Or explaining why they never got insurance in the first place.

Fisticuffs to ensue......

[glossolalia]

They "let you go" because they know where you live. If I were you, I'd walk down there and offer the motorcycle guy a bit of cash, before the police (or "police") become involved and it becomes more expensive (for you). I am not saying what's right or wrong, only what is likely your best and cheapest path of action.

[Mid]

They "let you go" because they know where you live. If I were you, I'd walk down there and offer the motorcycle guy a bit of cash, before the police (or "police") become involved and it becomes more expensive (for you). I am not saying what's right or wrong, only what is likely your best and cheapest path of action.

your joking ....................................right ?

[BigSnake]

Best listen to the wife and stay out of it if you can. If they try to involve you or the wife seek legal help fast, enough said.

Edited March 14, 2007 by BigSnake

[aussiestyle1983]

They "let you go" because they know where you live. If I were you, I'd walk down there and offer the motorcycle guy a bit of cash, before the police (or "police") become involved and it becomes more expensive (for you). I am not saying what's right or wrong, only what is likely your best and cheapest path of action.

You must be Thai to have said something as stupid as that...........................

I was a passenger in the back seat, I don't know how it could of been my fault that the taxi I was in ramed into the motorcycle, but then, im sure a Thai could find a reason to justify such a belief.

There are 100 rooms in my building, so good luck to them finding me, and if they do, what are they gonna try to get.......................

[LoveDaBlues]

They "let you go" because they know where you live. If I were you, I'd walk down there and offer the motorcycle guy a bit of cash, before the police (or "police") become involved and it becomes more expensive (for you). I am not saying what's right or wrong, only what is likely your best and cheapest path of action.

Could you please explain how someone who is NOT DRIVING but sitting in the back of a taxi is responsible for paying anything?

Oh wait......I see......3 posts......Thai expert.....NEVER MIND.

[aussiestyle1983]

They just left the area, after sooo long.

It looks like some similar aged members of the motorcycle riders family turned up, the old taxi driver was just on his own. No cops turned up, and I dont think insurance turned up (there would of been only afew scratches to see anyway) I feel that both parties are very poor, and most of the time they were just talking about who should pay for what, but that still shouldn't take almost 2 hours!

[BigSnake]

They "let you go" because they know where you live. If I were you, I'd walk down there and offer the motorcycle guy a bit of cash, before the police (or "police") become involved and it becomes more expensive (for you). I am not saying what's right or wrong, only what is likely your best and cheapest path of action.

Could you please explain how someone who is NOT DRIVING but sitting in the back of a taxi is responsible for paying anything?

Oh wait......I see......3 posts......Thai expert.....NEVER MIND.

TIT, This is Thailand. Ever heard of a backset driver??

[tijnebijn]

Almost sounds as a troll to me......I mean,common,you are not even driving,no way .Just let the police officer come,and i will ask them money,for me loosing time,no way I will give money If that prick of a taxidriver made the accident,if the other side has to pay,he will get some bucks anyway......But unfortunately in Thailand when being a witness,you will proberly have to stay at the police station and stay there untill the figured it all out,and yeah offcourse the man not having money.So if you sat in the car,they will try you out!I just will go away quick and having no time,adieu.

[soundman]

Just really curious....

Why, IYHO, in the second accident you described, did the old english passenger get the stuffing knocked out of him for something that was totally beyond hid control?

If you heard a follow up to the incedent I would really love to know...

Cheers,

Soundman.

[Lucifer]

They "let you go" because they know where you live. If I were you, I'd walk down there and offer the motorcycle guy a bit of cash, before the police (or "police") become involved and it becomes more expensive (for you). I am not saying what's right or wrong, only what is likely your best and cheapest path of action.

You must be Thai to have said something as stupid as that...........................

I was a passenger in the back seat, I don't know how it could of been my fault that the taxi I was in ramed into the motorcycle, but then, im sure a Thai could find a reason to justify such a belief.

There are 100 rooms in my building, so good luck to them finding me, and if they do, what are they gonna try to get.......................

Thats nice, but don't let your wife hear you say that.

[Dupont]

They "let you go" because they know where you live. If I were you, I'd walk down there and offer the motorcycle guy a bit of cash, before the police (or "police") become involved and it becomes more expensive (for you). I am not saying what's right or wrong, only what is likely your best and cheapest path of action.

Its entirely because of cowardly cretins like you, that Thais believe they can get away with this behaviour.

If they think you are a stupid spineless ATM waiting to be squeezed, thats how they will treat you. Have you no balls or pride?

[Gary A]

I have been in the back seat of two different taxis that rear ended the vehicle in front of them. One was a car and the other a motorcycle. Both times I gave the taxi the fare on the meter and quickly left. I have no idea what happened after I took off.

[aussiestyle1983]

Just really curious....

Why, IYHO, in the second accident you described, did the old english passenger get the stuffing knocked out of him for something that was totally beyond hid control?

If you heard a follow up to the incedent I would really love to know...

Cheers,

Soundman.

He was no longer working with me at the time of the accident, however, he was working at another language school in the same mall. I have not seen him since, but I know he is still alive through friends.................

I was on a foot bridge and heard a loud bang, it was a bad accident and many people were watchig. About 3 mins after the crash, he just decided to step out of the back of the taxi. The taxi driver and motorcycle rider were talking and then the motorcycle rider starts yelling at the old man and walks up to him and throws a punch. I was still surprised that i knew the guy, and was watching a thai attack a farang in public. The old man pushed the thai away, then the thai landed a punch. The old man pushed him away again, started shaking his finger at the Thai, said afew words and hobbeled off quickly. Maybe the taxi driver tried to blame the Farang in the back, but, the motorcycle rider had absolutley no reason to attack the passenger.

[steveromagnino]

They "let you go" because they know where you live. If I were you, I'd walk down there and offer the motorcycle guy a bit of cash, before the police (or "police") become involved and it becomes more expensive (for you). I am not saying what's right or wrong, only what is likely your best and cheapest path of action.

You must be Thai to have said something as stupid as that...........................

I was a passenger in the back seat, I don't know how it could of been my fault that the taxi I was in ramed into the motorcycle, but then, im sure a Thai could find a reason to justify such a belief.

There are 100 rooms in my building, so good luck to them finding me, and if they do, what are they gonna try to get.......................

Aussiestyle, are you as caustic as your post appears to make you out?

Most Aussies I have ever met are a great bunch of guys who like to make some jokes, drink and are the life and soul of the party. You on the other hand would appear to be the exception that appears to prove the rule :-)

Glossolalia is presumably not Thai. Not many Thai people would take responsibility for such an incident unless they felt richer and thus financially able to look after both parties concerned - neither motorcyclists nor taxi drivers tend to come from the upper echelons of Thai society. As you rightly point out, it is not the passenger's responsibility.

HOwever, for both drivers concerned, 2000b is perhaps a fairly large amount of money. On an unrelated story, while in USA the taxi driver ran into a corvette and it was totally his fault. As the passenger, I left him $20 (we were in Reno) because it was his fault; he would for sure have to pay the excess and I felt bad for him working at 4am when I was flying in to do a month of snowboarding.

$20 or 2000b is not much to me. It might be a lot to someone else. And to help out despite it not being anything to do with me....well it is called 'nam jai'; you would call it stupidity. Fine by me :-)

[glossolalia]

bowing out of this "debate"

Edited March 14, 2007 by glossolalia

[glossolalia]

bowing out of this "debate"

Edited March 14, 2007 by glossolalia

[glossolalia]

bowing out of this "debate"

Edited March 14, 2007 by glossolalia

[aussiestyle1983]

They "let you go" because they know where you live. If I were you, I'd walk down there and offer the motorcycle guy a bit of cash, before the police (or "police") become involved and it becomes more expensive (for you). I am not saying what's right or wrong, only what is likely your best and cheapest path of action.

You must be Thai to have said something as stupid as that...........................

I was a passenger in the back seat, I don't know how it could of been my fault that the taxi I was in ramed into the motorcycle, but then, im sure a Thai could find a reason to justify such a belief.

There are 100 rooms in my building, so good luck to them finding me, and if they do, what are they gonna try to get.......................

Aussiestyle, are you as caustic as your post appears to make you out?

Most Aussies I have ever met are a great bunch of guys who like to make some jokes, drink and are the life and soul of the party. You on the other hand would appear to be the exception that appears to prove the rule :-)

Glossolalia is presumably not Thai. Not many Thai people would take responsibility for such an incident unless they felt richer and thus financially able to look after both parties concerned - neither motorcyclists nor taxi drivers tend to come from the upper echelons of Thai society. As you rightly point out, it is not the passenger's responsibility.

HOwever, for both drivers concerned, 2000b is perhaps a fairly large amount of money. On an unrelated story, while in USA the taxi driver ran into a corvette and it was totally his fault. As the passenger, I left him $20 (we were in Reno) because it was his fault; he would for sure have to pay the excess and I felt bad for him working at 4am when I was flying in to do a month of snowboarding.

$20 or 2000b is not much to me. It might be a lot to someone else. And to help out despite it not being anything to do with me....well it is called 'nam jai'; you would call it stupidity. Fine by me :-)

I understand where your comming from, and I know a few others (mainly well of) people would do the same.

On the other hand, I believe you should take responsibility for your own actions, and not try to force the blame or the resolution upon someone else. Your are right, 2000 THB is not much, about $70 to me. To have an accident in Australia and get out of it by only having to pay $70 would be a bargin. But this is Thialand and I work in Thailand and I know that 2000 THB is a lot to most Thai people.

I would not call it stupid to helpout, because you decide you want to be generous and part with a little cash that wouldn't affect your back pocket. But to help out, by paying money to cover my own ass for something that was not my fault, as Glossolalia suggested, I would call that stupid.

I was in poipet afew hours earlier where I saw thousands of poorer people than the two guys involved in this accident, so I had no feelings of being generous............

[steveromagnino]

They "let you go" because they know where you live. If I were you, I'd walk down there and offer the motorcycle guy a bit of cash, before the police (or "police") become involved and it becomes more expensive (for you). I am not saying what's right or wrong, only what is likely your best and cheapest path of action.

You must be Thai to have said something as stupid as that...........................

I was a passenger in the back seat, I don't know how it could of been my fault that the taxi I was in ramed into the motorcycle, but then, im sure a Thai could find a reason to justify such a belief.

There are 100 rooms in my building, so good luck to them finding me, and if they do, what are they gonna try to get.......................

Aussiestyle, are you as caustic as your post appears to make you out?

Most Aussies I have ever met are a great bunch of guys who like to make some jokes, drink and are the life and soul of the party. You on the other hand would appear to be the exception that appears to prove the rule :-)

Glossolalia is presumably not Thai. Not many Thai people would take responsibility for such an incident unless they felt richer and thus financially able to look after both parties concerned - neither motorcyclists nor taxi drivers tend to come from the upper echelons of Thai society. As you rightly point out, it is not the passenger's responsibility.

HOwever, for both drivers concerned, 2000b is perhaps a fairly large amount of money. On an unrelated story, while in USA the taxi driver ran into a corvette and it was totally his fault. As the passenger, I left him $20 (we were in Reno) because it was his fault; he would for sure have to pay the excess and I felt bad for him working at 4am when I was flying in to do a month of snowboarding.

$20 or 2000b is not much to me. It might be a lot to someone else. And to help out despite it not being anything to do with me....well it is called 'nam jai'; you would call it stupidity. Fine by me :-)

I understand where your comming from, and I know a few others (mainly well of) people would do the same.

On the other hand, I believe you should take responsibility for your own actions, and not try to force the blame or the resolution upon someone else. Your are right, 2000 THB is not much, about $70 to me. To have an accident in Australia and get out of it by only having to pay $70 would be a bargin. But this is Thialand and I work in Thailand and I know that 2000 THB is a lot to most Thai people.

I would not call it stupid to helpout, because you decide you want to be generous and part with a little cash that wouldn't affect your back pocket. But to help out, by paying money to cover my own ass for something that was not my fault, as Glossolalia suggested, I would call that stupid.

I was in poipet afew hours earlier where I saw thousands of poorer people than the two guys involved in this accident, so I had no feelings of being generous............

very true :-)

I think we are talking at slight cross purposes. I would never pay to 'get out of it'; and yes, the two parties should take responsibility for their actions.

I would pay however, if it appeared neither party had 2000b to scrape together; simply so they could get on with their lives.

Don't worry, it wouldn't build a reputation that 'farang are generous and stupid' as...well i am Thai, not farang :-)

[Sheryl]

It is the custom in Thailand -- as it logically would be anywhere -- that a passenger in a taxi has no responsibility for an accident; in fact, the taxi driver has an obligation to the passenger to ensure he is able to continue speedily upon is way.

In my over 2 decades in LOS I hjave several times been a passenger in taxis that had minor accidents of one sort or another; in each case the driver apologized to me and got me another cab.

For a passenger to act otherwise -- or to accept other behavuior from any of the parties to the accident -- would be to feed the unfortunate but growing tendency to exploit foreigners or otherwise consider them not entitled to the same rights Thais accord each other.

As for the unfortunate man who was attacked in the case mentioned, he was clearly innocent and the Thai who attacked him was just venting his anger at the accident onto what he considered a "safe" target...a foreigner. Most Thais would not have done this, but there are always a few bad apples around. Thai culture places a lot of importance on the idea of Thais being one big loving family, it is of course fiction but a fiction that means a lot to them. When they get in situations of conflict with each other they are often at a loss as to how to handle it and blaming a foreigner can be a way of releasing the anger without shattering the "harmonious Thai family" image. It is not, however, a decent way, and we as foreigners need to insist on being seen and treated as human beings.

I have noticed that Thais of all socioeconomic classes (but especially the better off) seem to like to turn minor accidents into long drawn out affairs. I have no idea why. Where I originally come from (New York) the preferred way of dealing with these things is as fast and simply as possible...reach a private settlement if the damage is small value, or else exchange insurance info if it's large, and then get on your way before you block traffic or run late, and certainly don't get the police into it unless someone was seriously hurt. But then New Yorkers are notoriously pragmatic and in a hurry.

As far as I can tell, one of the reasons the Thais carry on at such length over accidents is that they trigger some intense emotion in them. As we all know, Thais are extremely status conscious about their cars and perhaps a fender bender or scratch somehow represents an affront to their ego, who knows...it is odd as it is so far from the "mai pen rai" that prevails around so much else.

I'm reminded of an incident about 2 years back when I was navigating slowly down a very crowded street with lots of double parked cars. In doing so my left-hand mirror scratched a double parked car on my left. The guy lept out fuming with rage and clearly was all set to turn this into a big to-do. I got out, looked at his car; the tiniest little scratch was all there was. Before he could start in I immediately asked, how much? He began to shout and bluster and again I asked in a calm voice and with an apologetic smile, how much? Finally he said 500 Baht, which was certainly more than this tiny scratch warranted. I immediately handed it to him and drove away and he looked twice as furious...he clearly wanted me to argue with him and felt cheated that he didn't get to have his big scene. Go figure.....

[Jim's_a_Thai_Fox]

I was riding in an unregistered taxi in Chiang Mai, just a Thai friend of the guest house owner who always hangs around offering lifts etc, when he banged into a moped. Wasn't his fault and I told him if he needed a witness, i would happily be one as the moped U turned in front of him without looking...

But, this being Thailand, the cops came and the blame was on him as he was in a car, the injured party on a bike. The woman got an ambulance to hospital (later turned out she only had bruises, nothing serious) and her moped taken away for repairs.

The taxi driver had to pay the cops (for turning up and spraying the road), the ambulance, the hospital fees and to repair the bike - 5,000baht.

He's not rich and asked me if I could help.

My initial reaction was one like 'hey? It's not my problem, pal.' But I asked myself would I really miss that 2k baht? Out of compassion for this guy, I handed him the cash.

Now, I'm no Christian / Samaritan helper, but I am compassionate to the plight of another human being's struggle. The saying that goes something like 'to be rich, give your wealth to another' had never felt truer.

Well done me.

Edited March 15, 2007 by Jim's_a_Thai_Fox

[Pakboong]

Coincidentally, my GF arrives home tonight steaming about a road rage incident between her and another Thai woman. Oddly, she was more upset at the Farang in the passener seat who by coming to Thailland and letting this girl drive a car was, somehow responsible. Now, I like to believe that my GF of 4 years is not stupid but my arguement for such has been weakened considerably.

Go figure.

[aussiestyle1983]

Coincidentally, my GF arrives home tonight steaming about a road rage incident between her and another Thai woman. Oddly, she was more upset at the Farang in the passener seat who by coming to Thailland and letting this girl drive a car was, somehow responsible. Now, I like to believe that my GF of 4 years is not stupid but my arguement for such has been weakened considerably.

Go figure.

I'm not surprised to hear that..........................

a perfect example of the attitude of many Thai's; "our shit doesn't stink"

[Sheryl]

I think this reinforces my points e.g. 1) Thais are unusually prone to "rpad rage" (I'm not sure why) and 2) Thai cultural norms do not leave room for the possibility of Thais being enraged at each other, so that when they are, it creates a huge dilemma and finding a non-Thai to direct the anger toward is one solution...

Unfortunately both of these traits seem on the rise....