Irish cyclist (42) dies following accident in Thailand

[Assurancetourix]

9 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

A lot of argument about semantics - its pretty obvious the deceased was riding down the steep mountain road. 

Except that riding about 15,000 km per year on a MTBike  in Thailand for more than ten years, mainly on red dirt roads, I know what I'm talking about.

Semantics, I leave it to theorists ...

[richard_smith237]

7 minutes ago, Assurancetourix said:

Except that riding about 15,000 km per year on a MTBike  in Thailand for more than ten years, mainly on red dirt roads, I know what I'm talking about.

Semantics, I leave it to theorists ...

15,000 km per year...   erm, exaggerate much ?

 

Regardless of your exaggeration, unless you know the specific route the deceased took you are guessing like everyone else. 

 

In this case it seems ‘Mountainous terrain’ just means a steep road down a mountain - but you know better because 15,000km has somehow made you ’smarter’ !!! ????

 

 

[Assurancetourix]

1 minute ago, richard_smith237 said:

15,000 km per year...   erm, exaggerate much ?

There were even some years when I exceeded 20,000 km in the year.
Now that I am no longer young, I am only 71, I have reduced my mileage a bit.

[richard_smith237]

1 minute ago, Assurancetourix said:

4 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

15,000 km per year...   erm, exaggerate much ?

There were even some years when I exceeded 20,000 km in the year.
Now that I am no longer young, I am only 71, I have reduced my mileage a bit.

 

Thats seriously impressive...  props to you.

[blorg]

To clarify- it happened on the road going up to the Doi Pui viewpoint, at the top of Suthep, above the palace. This is a very small and narrow road but is paved, and was resurfaced recently so the tarmac up there is perfect. It was not on any red section, it was the newly resurfaced bit, but appears to have been close to a bend.

I think Assurancetourix just took the meaning of the article wrong, possibly as a non-native English speaker (I am guessing he is French from the handle, avatar and Lorraine jersey). I would not have taken the article to suggest he was off-road, and I don't think the writer meant that either. The journalist who wrote this article, Shane Phelan, is himself a keen amateur (road) cyclist, I was in the same cycling club as him back in Ireland. He certainly understands cycling, he is a cyclist himself.

Good on you Assurancetourix for keeping up the sport at 71, it can do wonders to keep you healthy.

 

RIP John.

[Blue Muton]

5 hours ago, Nkpjed said:

It’s a tragedy he died this way but cycling on Thai roads is not a smart thing to do.

Nonsense, not all roads here are the same. Mrs BM and I go out on our bikes most days for 20-30km, we pick roads with little traffic, mostly with no traffic in sight other than slow-moving mopeds.

[observer90210]

Thai roads are amongst the most dangerous in the world - it will never be said enough.

 

No natter who careful or experienced one may be, when the reckless and the danger comes from 3rd party liability, it's is  a potential hazard... drive slow, safe and with 3x the dose of caution you would use elsewhere.

[Assurancetourix]

1 hour ago, blorg said:

I think Assurancetourix just took the meaning of the article wrong, possibly as a non-native English speaker (I am guessing he is French from the handle, avatar and Lorraine jersey).

I am French from Locquirec in Brittany ;

Most of the articles that appear on this forum come from Thai newspapers which are translated into English; I saw only afterwards that it was an article happily written in English because it could have been in Gaelic  given the origin of the cyclist and the journalist.

A country  that I knew a long time ago when I came to Eire to improve my English, it was in 1966; ( 54 y ago ! ) I spent a good part of my holidays at Ballymoney ,  Co. Wexford
I was able to climb into the Nelson column, which the Irishmen just blew up the following year to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the country's independence.

[ChaiyaTH]

I'm somehow fine on a motorbike but I would not dare being on a cycle here let alone in the mountains.
Have seen many go super fast down hill, much faster I even go on the bike and I do not drive slow at all, then those crazy pick ups and minivans. 

Most are just super lucky to not get any accident, it surprises me it doesn't happen weekly. RIP

Edited February 22, 2020 by ChaiyaTH

[cyril sneer]

can't say i'm a fan of cyclists

 

these days they are more interested in capturing a video of a car in the wrong than enjoying the scenery

 

i'm not saying this was the case here, but if it was he chose the wrong country to do it

[schvonsky1]

On 2/21/2020 at 11:01 AM, Assurancetourix said:

To see his bicycle which is a road bicycle, I think that once again the author of the article has mixed his pedals (sic);
It certainly did not happen off track or vehicles are very rare and drivers always do what they can to avoid us, we cyclists, by stopping when necessary.
With this type of bicycle, one wisely stays on paved roads; even if wisely can sometimes go at high speeds.
When I descend the Doi Suthep, I often drive at more than 60 km / h and I overtake the Thai people who brake in all corners while the slopes are far from being severe.

 

RIP my fellow friend I did knew 

So sad to hear news as such only a young guy too enjoying his life may god rest his soul ????????

[ChouDoufu]

4 hours ago, blorg said:

To clarify- it happened on the road going up to the Doi Pui viewpoint, at the top of Suthep, above the palace. This is a very small and narrow road but is paved, and was resurfaced recently so the tarmac up there is perfect. It was not on any red section, it was the newly resurfaced bit, but appears to have been close to a bend.

I think Assurancetourix just took the meaning of the article wrong, possibly as a non-native English speaker (I am guessing he is French from the handle, avatar and Lorraine jersey). I would not have taken the article to suggest he was off-road, and I don't think the writer meant that either. The journalist who wrote this article, Shane Phelan, is himself a keen amateur (road) cyclist, I was in the same cycling club as him back in Ireland. He certainly understands cycling, he is a cyclist himself.

Good on you Assurancetourix for keeping up the sport at 71, it can do wonders to keep you healthy.

 

RIP John.

small, narrow road with bends, popular with tourists and sightseers?

 

quite possible he was descending at speed, rounding a bend and confronted with one vehicle passing another.  another possibility is a vehicle pulling out of a car park or viewpoint or side road without looking.  both are common occurrences on the roads here.

 

[Isaanbiker]

10 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Sorry, but surely the first thing you do if planning a cycle holiday is check the SAFETY of the roads of the country you are travelling. Does the country have the worst road safety incidents outside of a warzone - If YES, the matter between your ears should be shouting 'avoid' !

I'd never ride a bicycle here longer than to the local store!

 

  I love to ride my big bike, and I almost get killed every day, because nobody seems to care about any rules. 

 

  I know that each U-turn at a highway could be the last I see before they kill me.

 

  If I wouldn't have started to ride very defensive, I'd already been one of these statistics.

 

  Riding through the north of Thailand on a bicycle is very similar to suicide, considering the drivers here.

 

 You can be the best cyclist on this planet; it doesn't help you.

 

These people drive so brainlessly, watch movies, are on their phones, or update their freaking Facebook.

 

RIP, poor bloke. You died way too young.

 

   The irony is that he fled from the coronavirus and got killed by another vehicle. 

 

   

 

    

[impulse]

10 hours ago, Proboscis said:

I am an avid cyclist but not in Thailand. Motorists here have no respect for life, including their own and their own family members in the cars they are driving!

 

I found the cars in Bangkok to be a lot more aware of cyclists than the drivers back home, probably because they're so accustomed to being around 2 wheeled scooters.  I cycled a lot around Asoke. 

 

As an aside, the best cycling around home was taking my bike to the Khlong Toei port and tossing it on a tiny longtail for the 20 baht ride across to the Elephant's Ear (AKA, BKK Lung).

 

[emptypockets]

I gave up riding a bike when I got a motorbike at 14.

What is with the lyrcra clad middle aged MAMILs?

Can get fit in any number of ways without having to stop, in a group, and stinking out a coffee shop.

Edited February 22, 2020 by emptypockets

[Yinn]

7 hours ago, Assurancetourix said:

I am French from Locquirec in Brittany ;

Most of the articles that appear on this forum come from Thai newspapers which are translated into English; I saw only afterwards that it was an article happily written in English because it could have been in Gaelic  given the origin of the cyclist and the journalist.

A country  that I knew a long time ago when I came to Eire to improve my English, it was in 1966; ( 54 y ago ! ) I spent a good part of my holidays at Ballymoney ,  Co. Wexford
I was able to climb into the Nelson column, which the Irishmen just blew up the following year to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the country's independence.

54 years you study English. Wow. Go to Eire. Big effort.

 

But this guy die on a road. You read it wrong way again.

 

I am learning English also.

It not easy, but you will improve. Not give up.

i hope before 54 years.

Good luck! Keep trying.

[metempsychotic]

On 2/22/2020 at 2:02 PM, richard_smith237 said:

 

A lot of argument about semantics - its pretty obvious the deceased was riding down the steep mountain road. 

Semantics? the painfully obvious more like it.

 

The fact he was hit by a car should should have made it pretty clear he was on a road to all but the most challenged amongst us.

Edited February 23, 2020 by metempsychotic

[bluesofa]

On 2/22/2020 at 11:11 AM, ChipButty said:

There is a lot of cyclist in Phuket I have rode my bike for 20 years in Thailand I found it OK never had a problem should I say lots of guys make their way to Nai Harn around the lake, 

To fellow cyclist please dont ride your bike at 5-30am all dressed in Black and no lights on ya bike it's difficult to see you and the street lighting is not that good.

You can see from this how well you can see different colour clothes at night:

can't be seen = black clothes

55m = white clothes

130m = reflective clothes

[Hackney35]

Must have been on a suicide mission to ride a road bike in thailand.

It doesn’t feel particularly safe riding around London most of the time but riding alongside drunk somchai who suffers from micro sleeps in his speeding pick up is not a great idea for anyone who wants to live longer than a few weeks.

[daveAustin]

On 2/22/2020 at 1:57 AM, Nkpjed said:

It’s a tragedy he died this way but cycling on Thai roads is not a smart thing to do.

Cringe - why visit at all? Done many thousands of miles on Thai roads with zero issue - always a pleasure. Any avid rider would say the same. I won't ride in my own country anymore, however; much more likely to be flattened.

[daveAustin]

On 2/24/2020 at 3:36 PM, Hackney35 said:

Must have been on a suicide mission to ride a road bike in thailand.