Pattaya: British pensioner killed on motorcycle making U-turn

[webfact]

Pattaya: British pensioner killed on motorcycle making U-turn

 

Picture: 77kaoded

 

A 74 year old British pension was killed at the scene of an accident on Sukhumvit Road near a U-turn outside Makro. 

 

Dead from head injuries was John G. 

 

He was involved in a collision with a Honda Civic driven by a fisheries department worker called Somchai, 34. 

 

The Civic had damage on its front and the motorcycle - propelled to near the footpath in the collision - was damaged on its right side. 

 

Somchai told police that he was going to work when the motorcycle cut from his left in front of him suddenly into  his path by the U-turn. He had no time to brake. 

 

The accident happened yesterday morning. 

 

Capt Wirayut Kangkala of the Pattaya Police is investigating. 

 

Source: 77kaoded

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-11-28

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[vacajan]

R.I.P

[johng]

Ill add that it was not this John G     R.I.P   my namesake ????

 

I'm surprised there hasn't been more accidents at that  Makro U-turn   which encourages cutting across  4 lanes of fast traffic to get into the Makro entrance.

[petermik]

Sad news but unfortunately it,s an everyday occurrence on Thailands roads....will it ever change....no 

[ivor bigun]

saw the aftermath ,did not know anyone died ,RIP

[Cricky]

42 minutes ago, johng said:

Ill add that it was not this John G     R.I.P   my namesake ????

 

I'm surprised there hasn't been more accidents at that  Makro U-turn   which encourages cutting across  4 lanes of fast traffic to get into the Makro entrance.

The sensible thing to do would to travel another couple of hundred metres and U turn at the traffic lights. 

[AtlasAus]

1 hour ago, johng said:

Ill add that it was not this John G     R.I.P   my namesake ????

 

I'm surprised there hasn't been more accidents at that  Makro U-turn   which encourages cutting across  4 lanes of fast traffic to get into the Makro entrance.

I concur. I tend to go down to the lights and U turn there, a safer alternative, especially on a scooter... RIP

[mok199]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

worker called Somchai, 34. 

 Somchai is a real name or just a term used for a worker of sorts or both???  

[Yinn]

10 minutes ago, mok199 said:

 Somchai is a real name or just a term used for a worker of sorts or both???  

Yes, is real name like John.

 

RIP John 

 

 

 

[KhunBENQ]

9 minutes ago, mok199 said:

Somchai is a real name or just a term used for a worker of sorts or both???

Somchai is one of the most frequent first names in Thai.

I often use it playful for "average Joe" of Thailand.

[mok199]

5 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

Somchai is one of the most frequent first names in Thai.

I often use it playful for "average Joe" of Thailand.

I often see it used in TVF ,...thanks for the clarification..have a good day...

[Andrew65]

RIP John G.

 

I've always avoided motorbikes/taxis when possible in Thailand, regardless of costs.

 

The roads/drivers are just too dangerous.

Edited November 28, 2019 by Andrew65

[Cricky]

34 minutes ago, Andrew65 said:

RIP John G.

 

I've always avoided motorbikes/taxis when possible in Thailand, regardless of costs.

 

The roads/drivers are just too dangerous.

74 yo. I see a lot of these elderly guys riding scooters, most of the time I see they just don't belong on the road. Too old to be riding here in Thailand, too many things to watch out for, it's very different on the roads here, your reflexes and decision making need to be spot on. 

 

Surprisingly I see a lot of elderly guys riding like the Thai guys, in and out of traffic, changing lanes erratically, very dangerous behaviour. 

[RichardColeman]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

He had no time to brake.

hopefully cctv will see if that is true or not. RIP fellow Brit

[Lemonltr]

3 hours ago, VYCM said:

The sensible thing to do would to travel another couple of hundred metres and U turn at the traffic lights. 

It seems from the photograph that the accident occurred on the southbound road, meaning that he was turning out of the northbound (MAKRO) Road. The next lights are not until the Theprasit crossroad. 

[Jip99]

6 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

hopefully cctv will see if that is true or not. RIP fellow Brit

R. I. P. Indeed.

 

That is a fast stretch of road from the Thepprasit lights and not a good place to U-turn unless you are already in right hand lane.

 

Looks like the motocy was changing lanes but, as you say, let’s hope the cctv cameras were working. That won’t, of course, change the outcome of this tragic but (probably) avoidable accident.

[KhunBENQ]

38 minutes ago, VYCM said:

74 yo. I see a lot of these elderly guys riding scooters, most of the time I see they just don't belong on the road.

This Sukhumvit "high speed" rd. cutting/splitting through Pattaya is insane and cause for such tragedy.

Which civilized country would allow/look aside when scooters share a six or eight lane road with cars going 100 km/h+?

Easy to point to the elderly. Inhumane.

Most provincial towns have a separated frontage rd. for the major highways cutting through. Just not Pattaya.

 

Edited November 28, 2019 by KhunBENQ

[champers]

According to English language press John G is John Gresty.

RIP.

[Borzandy]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Somchai told police that he was going to work

Somchai was late, so he was speeding.

[bkkatl]

3 hours ago, mok199 said:

 Somchai is a real name or just a term used for a worker of sorts or both???  

Real name.

[Barry343]

R.I.P. if he was about to do a U-turn why in hell was he not in the right lane I thought only Thais did u-turns from the left.

 

[Moonlover]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Somchai told police that he was going to work when the motorcycle cut from his left in front of him suddenly into  his path by the U-turn. He had no time to brake. 

The dangerous practice of cutting across from the left to make a U turn is all too common on the roads in Thailand. Motorcyclists seem to have an aversion to filtering across to the right in a timely manner well before the junction. It seems that the Unfortunate John G had got into the same habit.

 

It can be scary and a bit intimidating to keep up with the speed of the traffic and filter across, but that's the safest thing to do and it's how I always do it.

 

And for the record @VYCM I'm 73 years old, still ride regularly and my skills have not diminished one bit. So less of the ageism if you don't mind.

[DrTuner]

They moved this U-turn at least once already. Will never work as people will try to get to Makro. U-turns in general are an indication of incompetent traffic planning. 

[silver sea]

1 hour ago, VYCM said:

74 yo. I see a lot of these elderly guys riding scooters, most of the time I see they just don't belong on the road. Too old to be riding here in Thailand, too many things to watch out for, it's very different on the roads here, your reflexes and decision making need to be spot on. 

 

Surprisingly I see a lot of elderly guys riding like the Thai guys, in and out of traffic, changing lanes erratically, very dangerous behaviour. 

 

Lazy comment.

 

I see lots of drivers every day in cars and on motorcycles, Thai and farang, male and female, of all ages, including yours, whatever that may be, doing stupid things, including driving erratically, using mobiles, not looking in their mirrors and other basic errors. Don’t pick on one group and try to demonise them.

[happy chappie]

If the driver hadn't of painted his windscreen jet black he might of seen him.

[Moonlover]

5 minutes ago, happy chappie said:

If the driver hadn't of painted his windscreen jet black he might of seen him.

I can see right through the car and out through the rear window. What are you talking about?

[simtemple]

If the Thai had any appreciation of road safety, or defensive driving, there would be a level of tolerance for driver error. Unfortunately the Thai don't understand anything except their own selfish interests. Consequently life is cheap in the land of the World's most dangerous roads. If you have a mind to holiday in Thailand, there's a high chance you'll join John. 

RIP

 

 

 

 

[Scot123]

This is so sad but so very predictable. I used to shake my head and say idiots everytime I saw any foreigner riding a scooter wearing no helmet, vest, shorts and flip-flops (thongs for our oz cousins) down the road. Nearly all it being their first introduction to biking so what could possibly go wrong? The chances are if he had stayed home he may have had a boring life but still be alive. All use youngsters out there this is not age restrictive so be careful, ride safe always wear a good helmet and remember road rash hurts and broken ribs take a long time to heal. 

[Golden Triangle]

Was out yesterday, the Mrs was driving, next thing an old Falang with the GF on the back of his bike just pulled out from a soi on the left, didn't slow down didn't even look, about the same age as the guy in the OP, I was gonna give him some verbal but the Mrs had locked the windows, Thais do it all the time, such stupidity.

 

RIP John G. 

[CGW]

33 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

U-turns in general are an indication of incompetent traffic planning. 

Fact! learn to live with it...................