Video: Netizens furious as trucker refuses to pull over for ambulance

[webfact]

Video: Netizens furious as trucker refuses to pull over for ambulance

 

Thai caption: "Deliberately blocking an ambulance"

 

Footage posted on Facebook showed an ambulance desperately trying to get past a truck on the Asia Highway in Nakhon Sawan for more than a minute. 

 

Only when the road widened was the ambulance able to finally get past. 

 

In the back was an old man with a problem with the blood vessels in his brain. 

 

He was being taken back to his hometown in Lampang from Bangkok. 

 

Sanook contacted the poster who said that prior to the video the ambulance had only had its lights flashing and the truck had refused to pull over.

 

The ambulance driver had passed on the left then stopped in a gas station to help the patient with a new drip. 

 

After that they proceeded north and got stuck behind the same truck again. 

 

This time they tried flashing their lights and then resorted to turning on the siren.

 

Still the rude trucker didn't budge from the right. 

 

Netizens called for the driver's prosecution.

 

Thaivisa notes that the fine for such an infraction is just 500 baht. 

 

Repeated calls have been made over the years for a more realistic penalty to deter such driving. 

 

Source: Sanook

 

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[stretch5163]

Not being funny but this isnt just a one of this is the Mentality of the drivers here in Thailand.

 

Have seen it many times when ambulances or rescue teams trying to get past and nobody moves. If someone does move then another idiotic driver takes this as an opportunity to move in the space he left.

 

Its one of these problems that sadly isnt going to go away. Lets just hope that someday its one of their seriosuly ill relatives in the ambulance.

[Oceanbroker]

Just shoot the trucker in both feet. Maybe next time he will stop. Do it the Thai way and put the fear if Buddah in him.

[steven100]

until a media campaign is produced showing tougher penalties ....  and what drivers must do ....  things will never change.

[worgeordie]

He will be asleep !,even the siren did not wake him. ????

 

Seriously a 500 THB fine for this,even if the Police bother

is ridiculous ,5000 Thb fine and points on his licence.

 

regards Worgeordie

 

 

[colinneil]

Pass the video to plod, maybe they might get up off their backsides and do something, maybe.

[Grumpy one]

9 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

He will be asleep !,even the siren did not wake him. ????

 

Seriously a 500 THB fine for this,even if the Police bother

is ridiculous ,5000 Thb fine and points on his licence.

 

regards Worgeordie

 

 

What licence?

[4MyEgo]

I think the ambulance driver is disillusioned driving here on the roads in Thailand.

 

It's all about me, I am in the lead, I am ahead of you, I am better than you, usually my car is black (power), if you want to get in front of me then try your luck, I am not moving over for you, and depending on how big my ego is, I will speed up when you try to pass me, or if you try to go up either side of me I might stray into your lane.

 

Nothing will change here, so he should destress and do his best to get the patient to where they are going as best he can, the sooner he makes that decision, the less stressed his job will be, just look at the cops.

 

What I like to do after I pass an idiot like the above, is just slow down gradually and let them decide what they want to do then, after all two can play the game, they usually back right off.

Edited October 6, 2020 by 4MyEgo

[Tarteso]

Nothing new.. idiots on Thai roads.

[stouricks]

And the b..stard trucker had the audacity to have a Union Jack on the back of his cab. Off with his head!     PML

 

However, I was on the main road into Phitsanulok yesterday and there was an 'ambulance' with its blue & white lights flashing back & front but no siren, doing 90kph in the middle lane. Everyone was undertaking him.

Edited October 6, 2020 by stouricks

[PatOngo]

33 minutes ago, steven100 said:

until a media campaign is produced showing tougher penalties ....  and what drivers must do ....  things will never change.

That's closer to reality!

 

 

Edited October 6, 2020 by PatOngo

[2long]

Although the truck driver didn't know this, but if the patient was being taken to his hometown from Bangkok, and they had time (and lack of staff) to stop and change the drip, then my guess is that the ambulance driver had his lights flashing for his own benefit and not the safety of the patient.

Give a Somchai lights and a siren and just see how long he can last without using them unnecessarily.

 

Also, with hindered rear vision, not sure how the truck driver could have known.

[Don Mega]

Why couldn't the ambulance change to the left lane and go around ?:

[ezzra]

We can only wish for said trucker and his family needing an ambulance very soon and that someone else will do the same onto him and he heartlessly did to others...

[Psimbo]

Bearing in mind the distance from Bangkok to Lampang is approx 600km this was hardly an emergency. The ambo driver had no reason to have lights and siren going. People become apathetic towards the ambos here when they see them constantly being misused.

 

It detracts from vehicles in a REAL emergency situation.

 

As pointed out above why did he not just go around to the left, or into the oncoming lane if traffic was clear? 

Edited October 6, 2020 by Psimbo

[mixed]

I've seen ambulances with lights flashing drive straight past hospitals and seen them sit in the right lane doing 90km for two hours. There's one in our area that drives into town around the same time everyday, always with lights flashing. I'm sure there's no urgent medical need, there's also no traffic. Many Thais like vehicles that are colorful and noisy.

 

I always pull over for ambulances with lights and sirens going, just thought it worth pointing out.

 

 

[transam]

3 minutes ago, mixed said:

I've seen ambulances with lights flashing drive straight past hospitals and seen them sit in the right lane doing 90km for two hours. There's one in our area that drives into town around the same time everyday, always with lights flashing. I'm sure there's no urgent medical need, there's also no traffic. Many Thais like vehicles that are colorful and noisy.

 

I always pull over for ambulances with lights and sirens going, just thought it worth pointing out.

 

 

But YOU do not know what they are actually doing, do you.....?

 

 

[Jai Dee]

Several argumentative and off-topic posts have been removed.

[Bender Rodriguez]

maybe the trucker has 10.000.000 ya ba pills to transport urgently

[PETERTHEEATER]

2 hours ago, worgeordie said:

and points on his licence.

????

[Redline]

The ambulances here always have their emergency lights on, so they can look cool-that should stop.  And, they need air horns on their vehicles, along with louder sirens.  They should also be escorted by a police vehicle, as the 230,000 police have little to do anyway.

[Old Croc]

I recently did a road trip from Phuket to Bangkok and beyond.

As soon as we hit the heavy rains motorists started heading for the ditches. Four vehicles, including 2 trucks, ended on their sides off the road. We came across 3 more prangs (making 7 total on our trip) involving trucks. Twice we were stopped in the middle of nowhere, for around 40 minutes each time, by these rubbish drivers. Frustratingly, the last wait was after midnight caused by a truck rollover blocking all 3 lanes of the highway. 

[mixed]

3 hours ago, Psimbo said:

Bearing in mind the distance from Bangkok to Lampang is approx 600km this was hardly an emergency. The ambo driver had no reason to have lights and siren going. People become apathetic towards the ambos here when they see them constantly being misused.

 

It detracts from vehicles in a REAL emergency situation.

 

As pointed out above why did he not just go around to the left, or into the oncoming lane if traffic was clear? 

Exactly. Maybe he wanted to have the last word and get the win, so he posted the vdo. People who drive as part of their occupation are some of the worst for dangerous driving and a 'king of the road' attitude.

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Netizens furious as trucker refuses to pull over for ambulance

Thainess... 

[hlj]

Stupid is as stupid does, he was not taught that any car, van or truck with siren's on and roof emergency lights flashing was an emergency, pull over and let it pass.  It could have been the truck drivers mother or wife in the ambulance. 

[spiekerjozef]

Use him as a covid19 test subject.

[itsallmine68]

Disgusting You have his plate number 50,000 baht might do the trick

[scammed]

ignorance is bliss

[brianthainess]

Apart from being able to undertake, Looked to me like the ambulance was tailgating so unable to look for oncoming traffic, I remember signs on trucks in the UK. if you can't see my mirrors, then i can't see you.

[jwest10]

On 10/6/2020 at 12:00 PM, Grumpy one said:

What licence?

Yes, one day someone's relatives might well be in that ambulance and the delay could well cost them their lives but the same on the roads everywhere and yes there are a few good drivers but yes so sorry and a 500 or 1000 Baht fine at most!!!