Scooters undercutting on u turns

[RopeySG]

A couple of times now I've knocked into scooters trying to undercut me as I'm turning through a u turn, fortunately nothing has ever come of it, they just pickup their scooter and ride away, but recently my wife had the same happen and this time, this guy wants to be paid money. I believe he's at fault, but will the police think so in this situation? Has this happened to anyone else here? 

[Puchaiyank]

Do not accompany your wife to the police station...your wife WILL be at fault. She stands a better chance without a farang in the picture!

[RopeySG]

Just now, Puchaiyank said:

Do not accompany your wife to the police station...your wife WILL be at fault. She stands a better chance without a farang in the picture!

Yes, absolutely agree on that. 

[northsouthdevide]

It may or may not be yours or your wife's fault. 

Every traffic collision has to be judged as an individual situation. 

Just because you're in a car, doesn't mean you have right of way over a scooter. 

It may not be your fault, but if this has happened more than once, and you haven't intentionally collided with the scooters, then I would suggest you be more vigilant when making a u-turn. 

[jadee]

Hi, I haven't had that exact thing happen (scooter on u-turn) but a couple of years ago I was pulling out of a junction and a guy on a scooter(moped - Honda click) shot between stationary cars and scratched across the front on my bumper.
Fortunately, I was being extremely careful and just inching out so he didn't come off (could have been so much worse) but he still insisted that I call insurance. I didn't have a dash cam at the time so I was worried, I waited for insurance, he spoke to me and then the guy, then said he wanted to go to the police station.
You can fairly imagine how worried I was, but I followed the insurance guy, went to the nearest police station. What happened was the police fined the biker for have no helmet or licence then called both me and the biker to the desk and asked what happened, decided I wasn't at fault and I left. 
So that's my advice; call insurance, go to the police station. 

[RopeySG]

6 minutes ago, northsouthdevide said:

It may or may not be yours or your wife's fault. 

Every traffic collision has to be judged as an individual situation. 

Just because you're in a car, doesn't mean you have right of way over a scooter. 

It may not be your fault, but if this has happened more than once, and you haven't intentionally collided with the scooters, then I would suggest you be more vigilant when making a u-turn. 

Yes, I understand that. I'm not sure if you drive here, but the uturns are not well designed for visibility and the speed of drivers coming from your left, I'd much rather take the risk of not looking right than getting tboned by a speeding car for not seeing it on my left. 

[2long]

A u-turn goes to the right, so in Thailand, that's the side to pass on. This means that if the scooter can and wants to travel faster than you, he might have the right to pass / undercut you. I know how frustrating it can be when driving a car to see these little things buzzing around and going through gaps. But having been a biker and car driver for more than 30 years, every story has two sides. There are many good and bad bikers and drivers alike. It's very easy to see it from your own point of view, and hard to see from others'.

[RopeySG]

4 minutes ago, jadee said:

Hi, I haven't had that exact thing happen (scooter on u-turn) but a couple of years ago I was pulling out of a junction and a guy on a scooter(moped - Honda click) shot between stationary cars and scratched across the front on my bumper.
Fortunately, I was being extremely careful and just inching out so he didn't come off (could have been so much worse) but he still insisted that I call insurance. I didn't have a dash cam at the time so I was worried, I waited for insurance, he spoke to me and then the guy, then said he wanted to go to the police station.
You can fairly imagine how worried I was, but I followed the insurance guy, went to the nearest police station. What happened was the police fined the biker for have no helmet or licence then called both me and the biker to the desk and asked what happened, decided I wasn't at fault and I left. 
So that's my advice; call insurance, go to the police station. 

Thanks a lot, it's my wife's car and shes let the insurance lapse somehow, so we've renewed it now but alas, too late to bring them in. She's Thai, so will have to let her sort it with the police and scooterer. Good to hear a positive story, my experience with the BiB has been mixed bag from great to awful. 

[2long]

2 minutes ago, RopeySG said:

 I'd much rather take the risk of not looking right than getting tboned by a speeding car for not seeing it on my left. 

You need eyes everywhere on the roads here. Right, left, right, forwards, behind and right again!

It's not the scooter rider's fault that you choose left only for your own safety.

[RopeySG]

2 minutes ago, 2long said:

A u-turn goes to the right, so in Thailand, that's the side to pass on. This means that if the scooter can and wants to travel faster than you, he might have the right to pass / undercut you. I know how frustrating it can be when driving a car to see these little things buzzing around and going through gaps. But having been a biker and car driver for more than 30 years, every story has two sides. There are many good and bad bikers and drivers alike. It's very easy to see it from your own point of view, and hard to see from others'.

He might have the right, that's why I thought I would check on here for similar experiences to help set expectations with my Mrs. 

[RopeySG]

2 minutes ago, 2long said:

You need eyes everywhere on the roads here. Right, left, right, forwards, behind and right again!

It's not the scooter rider's fault that you choose left only for your own safety.

Fair enough. 

[BritManToo]

49 minutes ago, RopeySG said:

I believe he's at fault, but will the police think so in this situation? Has this happened to anyone else here? 

Scooters will overtake on either side.

If you're driving a car, you need to watch out for them.

If she had no tax or insurance, it'll be her fault.

[RopeySG]

3 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Scooters will overtake on either side.

If you're driving a car, you need to watch out for them.

If she had no tax or insurance, it'll be her fault.

Tax was current, but insurance had lapsed. She misplaced her license too, so that's probably going to count against her also. 

[BritManToo]

9 hours ago, RopeySG said:

Tax was current, but insurance had lapsed. She misplaced her license too, so that's probably going to count against her also. 

Which is odd as you can't buy tax without a new insurance.

[Kwasaki]

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Which is odd as you can't buy tax without a new insurance.

I guess it's the voluntary insurance that's ran out. 

[RopeySG]

23 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

I guess it's the voluntary insurance that's ran out. 

Yes, elective insurance had lapsed. My mistake. Govt mandated insurance was ok

[Kwasaki]

4 hours ago, RopeySG said:

Yes, elective insurance had lapsed. My mistake. Govt mandated insurance was ok

All I can assume in support of your Mrs if the scooter person has no witnesses and it wasn't reported to the police at the time of the incident then the scooter person has no case as I see it,  just ignore the incident and let others do the running around. 

[checkered flag]

Returning home on the main highway, I need to make a U turn but a right turn is also possible. It's signal controlled. Previously, scooters would try passing on the right as the light changed and would cut in front of me. Now I hugh the curb on the right and don't allow them space. Some appear upset in my mirror, but we are both safe. I usually stop with enough space in front so they can pull up in front, but some take joy in passing when the light changes.

[RopeySG]

32 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

All I can assume in support of your Mrs if the scooter person has no witnesses and it wasn't reported to the police at the time of the incident then the scooter person has no case as I see it,  just ignore the incident and let others do the running around. 

Yeah that was my feeling at the time, but she's decided to get clarity from the BiB and will meet the scooter guy there. I will report back which way it goes as she seems to think the law is on her side here - but doesn't everyone. 

[RopeySG]

The Mrs went to meet him at the police station today, he didn't show up. The police said in this situation because she was there first and he obstructed the lane to turn into, he's likely at fault. But he would need to hear the other guys side of the story to confirm. 

[scammed]

my advice is to at all times stick to the precise distance you had initially

to any lane marker.

the biker will assume you will continue stick in the track you had

with the same distance to the lane markers on each side, as he takes over.

 

this all means that you can leave everything to the right to the hands of the biker, since theres not going to be any changes made, i.e you are not going to cut him off,

and you can focus on the left side

 

 

Edited August 15, 2020 by scammed

[sanuk711]

 

Roundabouts are my Favorite in Thailand.....................

[Bender Rodriguez]

buy your wife one of these

 

[OneMoreFarang]

On 8/10/2020 at 8:34 PM, RopeySG said:

A couple of times now I've knocked into scooters trying to undercut me as I'm turning through a u turn, fortunately nothing has ever come of it, they just pickup their scooter and ride away, but recently my wife had the same happen and this time, this guy wants to be paid money. I believe he's at fault, but will the police think so in this situation? Has this happened to anyone else here? 

I ride motorcycle and I used to drive a car for many years.

I know that cars need space to turn or u-turn so if I am on my bike I let them have that space.

But there are many motorcycle riders who never drove a car by themselves. They just see that space and think they can easily fit there. They never experienced the same problem from the car's perspective. And this is why things go wrong.

 

That obviously does not answer your question who's fault it is but it might explain why it happens at all. Motorcycle riders need little space compared to cars and many riders don't think ahead about all those things which might go wrong.

And that is why every car driver should look twice in situations like that. Because there will often be motorcycle riders in that place where they shouldn't be. 

Who is at fault and who pays is obviously an issue. But in the worst case scenario there is also that issue "he would be still alive if I would have looked twice (even if it is not my fault)". 

Stay safe, and be aware that there are lots of not so safe riders and drivers out there.

[Luv4get1]

Undercut 

no rear number plate or rear light, no pass test no Crash helmet 3 or 4 on bike

how did you miss him ???

[SunsetT]

I really dont know why they do it as it also puts them at more risk by ending up on the wrong side of the road after the U turn and needing to cut back over to the left. On my motorbike I always keep to the left of vehicles waiting at U turns and can go to the front of any queue, then when clear I can safely sweep around well clear of them to the left hand side of the road where a motorbike needs to be....and also get ahead of them.

Edited August 15, 2020 by SunsetT

[millymoopoo]

Get as close as you can to the RHS curb so they can't cut in.

Get a dash cam, front and rear, so if you are in the right there's no dispute.

And certainly don't show your face anywhere near the cop shop, as soon as you do up goes the price.!

 

[Mbaki]

On 8/10/2020 at 9:22 PM, RopeySG said:

Thanks a lot, it's my wife's car and shes let the insurance lapse somehow, so we've renewed it now but alas, too late to bring them in. She's Thai, so will have to let her sort it with the police and scooterer. Good to hear a positive story, my experience with the BiB has been mixed bag from great to awful. 

Usually the car has to be insured to be registered.

[jpduggan]

Do you not learn from experience?

 

[LawrenceN]

This is why I stay as far right as possible in U-turn lanes. Motos can't get through in six inches. I also stay close to the car in front, especially when I'm second in line, to prevent motos from cutting in, to make them go around to the left.