Video: "Farang's" motorcycle accident and rant causes much comment online

[robblok]

5 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

International schools have a different opinion !!! - Full of ‘Foreigners educating Thai’s’ !!!

I also educate my son (who is half Thai), I educate my Wife and in many of our discussions on this and similar subjects I also educate many of my Thai friends, who in return educate me on aspects of Thailand. 

 

Just a few weeks ago I showed some ‘friends of friends’  how using a car seat was safer than not and how using a regular seatbelt across the shoulder was dangerous for the ‘neck’ and they should just use the lap belt alone when they don’t have a booster seat or child seat. 

My son was out on his bike with his friend. Parents out watching them. I told my sons friends mom about bike helmets. Its up to her if she listens - but as far as educating Thai’s go, it can easily be done. The same as educating anyone else, having a discussion in the first place is a good start. 

 

Its not as if we are making demands.. .but offering insight and help goes a long way, especially when you show you care. 

 

 

 

Richard, that is totally different then in this situation where we are talking about complete strangers. I have educated friends on all kinds of things usually IT stuff. Its different between friends but if you try this with total strangers it will build resentment.

 

Your argument about international schools is not a good one because the Thais go there to be educated by foreigners its not forced upon them.

 

I was talking about abusing random strangers for breaking traffic rules. Educating someone in your own circle is totally different. 

[richard_smith237]

14 minutes ago, 473geo said:

Wrong Richard, the 'gone native' mentality is exactly what is required, could have been a dog coming up the wrong side side of the road, a person pushing a hand cart, two people walking side by side, a 'native' would easily negotiate all these obstacles. Clearly the farang guy needs to learn a lot.

 

I think ‘adapting to local standards’ is the right way to go about riding and driving in Thailand, understanding that anything can and will happen because those riding and driving around you do so without any responsibility, consideration, care or predictability. 

 

Excusing those around us for their poor standards is a rather ’native’ outlook IMO.

 

We may feel sorry for the Thai motorcyclists because he’s feckless and poor (if he is) but he still caused an accident. 

 

 

 

[transam]

1 minute ago, robblok said:

Richard, that is totally different then in this situation where we are talking about complete strangers. I have educated friends on all kinds of things usually IT stuff. Its different between friends but if you try this with total strangers it will build resentment.

 

Your argument about international schools is not a good one because the Thais go there to be educated by foreigners its not forced upon them.

 

I was talking about abusing random strangers for breaking traffic rules. Educating someone in your own circle is totally different. 

Gawd, there's you, a Dutch bloke, lecturing Brits on mistake voting for Brexit........????

[richard_smith237]

6 minutes ago, robblok said:

Richard, that is totally different then in this situation where we are talking about complete strangers. I have educated friends on all kinds of things usually IT stuff. Its different between friends but if you try this with total strangers it will build resentment.

 

Your argument about international schools is not a good one because the Thais go there to be educated by foreigners its not forced upon them.

 

I was talking about abusing random strangers for breaking traffic rules. Educating someone in your own circle is totally different. 

 

I get your point - Forcing strangers to think our way is never going to go down well in any country or culture. 

 

 

In this case (of the accident) - the Westerner was clearly upset - the article clearly states that Thai Netizens sided with the Westerner. 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 10, 2020 by richard_smith237

[transam]

I think it was 1955, I ran across a side road junction, there was a screech of brakes, and I was looking at the taller than me grill of a big grey car, the bloke stuck his head out of the window and shouted something.

That bloke's words taught me a lesson, and from that day on, the proper procedure when crossing the road. 

[neverere]

1 hour ago, transam said:

Do the zillions of Thai folk stretched out across the farangland world drive the same there as they do here...

If no, why don't they..?

I am unsure about both zillions and farangland, but suggest that people may drive differently in different countries according to local custom ?

[473geo]

2 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

I think ‘adapting to local standards’ is the right way to go about riding and driving in Thailand, understanding that anything can and will happen because those riding and driving around you do so without any responsibility, consideration, care or predictability. 

 

Excusing those around us for their poor standards is a rather ’native’ outlook IMO.

 

We may feel sorry for the Thai motorcyclists because he’s feckless and poor (if he is) but he still caused an accident. 

 

 

 

I think with deeper thought you may find 'poor standards' regarding the law on one side were more than matched by the 'poor standards' in riding ability, awareness, and course of action on the other. I cannot think of one Thai person I know that would have had an accident given this situation.

[473geo]

1 minute ago, transam said:

I think it was 1955, I ran across a side road junction, there was a screech of brakes, and I was looking at the taller than me grill of a big grey car, the bloke stuck his head out of the window and shouted something.

That bloke's words taught me a lesson, and from that day on, the proper procedure when crossing the road. 

Grey cars are not good see? Better to buy red?

[transam]

1 minute ago, 473geo said:

Grey cars are not good see? Better to buy red?

1955, most were black, that grey one has stuck in my mind......

[Psimbo]

Standard 'This MY Country' would have absolved him of course.

[Natai Beach]

45 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Westerner’ who was well within his rights to be very angry at the Thai idiot

 
Ah Rich, you seem to have a continual never ending flow of problems with living in Thailand. Yesterday it was the “Kerry” scam. You never sent me the number, I did offer to sort that one out for you. 
 

If you always look for problems and issues you will find them wherever you live. 
 

Maybe better to just go with the flow and adjust to the local conditions.
This angry farang couldn’t control his bike, he shouldn’t be the roads, he is a danger to himself and others. Then he had the very unbecoming dummy spit, once again, not the done thing here.

 

Nothing worse than self entitled foreigners who choose to live in another country and then expect the locals to change for them. 

[richard_smith237]

8 minutes ago, 473geo said:

I think with deeper thought you may find 'poor standards' regarding the law on one side were more than matched by the 'poor standards' in riding ability, awareness, and course of action on the other. I cannot think of one Thai person I know that would have had an accident given this situation.

 

I can’t think of anyone I know who rides a motorcycle who would have dropped their bike in that situation. 

 

I still don’t place the blame of the accident on ‘inexperience’ - I place the blame fully on the idiot who pulled out towards an oncoming motorcyclist. As would the law, even in Thailand. 

 

 

 

[scammed]

5 hours ago, faraday said:

Although the Thai m/c was clearly in the wrong, the farang didn't appear to slow down approaching an intersection.

he had the right of way, he had no reason to slow down

[Natai Beach]

1 hour ago, transam said:

Do the zillions of Thai folk stretched out across the farangland world drive the same there as they do here...

If no, why don't they..?

Because they adjust to the local conditions. As you should.

[473geo]

4 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

I can’t think of anyone I know who rides a motorcycle who would have dropped their bike in that situation. 

 

I still don’t place the blame of the accident on ‘inexperience’ - I place the blame fully on the idiot who pulled out towards an oncoming motorcyclist. As would the law, even in Thailand. 

 

 

 

Agreed the Thai guy was in the wrong as far as law goes, but he was as good as stationary Richard, it was inexperience on the part of the farang not just to ease out and go by, compounded by inexperience of hard front wheel braking as others have said

[Natai Beach]

3 minutes ago, 473geo said:

Agreed the Thai guy was in the wrong as far as law goes, but he was as good as stationary Richard, it was inexperience on the part of the farang not just to ease out and go by, compounded by inexperience of hard front wheel braking as others have said

 He can’t handle his bike, he shouldn’t be on the road.
What if a small child had walked out in front of him. Dead kid, with an aggro farang.

[faraday]

10 minutes ago, scammed said:

he had the right of way, he had no reason to slow down

 

And, this being Thailand, he had an accident. As you must surely know, 'right of way' means nothing here.

[richard_smith237]

10 minutes ago, Natai Beach said:

 
Ah Rich, you seem to have a continual never ending flow of problems with living in Thailand. Yesterday it was the “Kerry” scam. You never sent me the number, I did offer to sort that one out for you. 

 

Nothing to sort out - Making people aware to potential scam thats all. 

 

I don’t care if you believe me or not. 

 

10 minutes ago, Natai Beach said:

If you always look for problems and issues you will find them wherever you live. 

 

Agreed. And there are sometimes minor issues which can be discussed on a forum designed for ‘discussion’ !!! 

 

 

10 minutes ago, Natai Beach said:

Maybe better to just go with the flow and adjust to the local conditions.

 

In most cases, yes. In others no. There’s no need to be weak and ‘go with the flow’ against our better judgement, neither is there need to take issue with every minor issue. 

 

 

 

10 minutes ago, Natai Beach said:

This angry farang couldn’t control his bike, he shouldn’t be the roads, he is a danger to himself and others. Then he had the very unbecoming dummy spit, once again, not the done thing here.

 

Agreed, he needs more riding experience - How does one get that?

Should he go home, learn to ride and come back ?

 

Netizens agreed with the upset foreigner - he had ever right to be upset. 

 

What would you have done ? You’d never have dropped your bike, we all know. But, what if the guy had just pulled out into you and knocked you off. You’d be fine with that right? would you be annoyed? Would you even be able to speak enough Thai to deal with the situation?... Or would you go ‘Mai Penrai’ because ‘getting annoyed is not the done thing’ ?? - which is flawed by the way: Thai’s get annoyed at each other all the time. This idea that Thai’s are the perfect example of calm at all times is laughable. 

 

 

10 minutes ago, Natai Beach said:

Nothing worse than self entitled foreigners who choose to live in another country and then expect the locals to change for them. 

 

Well, there is... Foreigners who go native and forget their own basic standards. 

 

[richard_smith237]

4 minutes ago, Natai Beach said:

 He can’t handle his bike, he shouldn’t be on the road.
What if a small child had walked out in front of him. Dead kid, with an aggro farang.

 

You’re now making up scenarios to place further blame on the Westerner. 

 

How about blaming the parents for letting their kid walk into the road !!!!! 

 

[herwin1234]

right or wrong, always stay cool and kind of lighthearted. nobody, not you, nor the other guy, caused the accident on purpose. 

Shouting and getting angry are really a big no no in Thailand and defenitely wont help you, and MIGHT get you a LOT of problems. Staying cool and understanding (a lot to ask for, for many farang) and even a smile in a difficult situation like an accident will help you enormously wether you are "wrong" or "right". 

[richard_smith237]

15 minutes ago, Natai Beach said:

Because they adjust to the local conditions. As you should.

 

You mean we should ride in flip flops, without a helmet, riding the wrong way down a street pulling out in front of people?

 

Of course not, but your argument is still flawed - someone pulled out and rode towards the Westerner. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[herwin1234]

6 minutes ago, Natai Beach said:

 He can’t handle his bike, he shouldn’t be on the road.
What if a small child had walked out in front of him. Dead kid, with an aggro farang.

he cant handle his bike nor can he handle himself or the situation. 

[473geo]

3 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Nothing to sort out - Making people aware to potential scam thats all. 

 

I don’t care if you believe me or not. 

 

 

Agreed. And there are sometimes minor issues which can be discussed on a forum designed for ‘discussion’ !!! 

 

 

 

In most cases, yes. In others no. There’s no need to be weak and ‘go with the flow’ against our better judgement, neither is there need to take issue with every minor issue. 

 

 

 

 

Agreed, he needs more riding experience - How does one get that?

Should he go home, learn to ride and come back ?

 

Netizens agreed with the upset foreigner - he had ever right to be upset. 

 

What would you have done ? You’d never have dropped your bike, we all know. But, what if the guy had just pulled out into you and knocked you off. You’d be fine with that right? would you be annoyed? Would you even be able to speak enough Thai to deal with the situation?... Or would you go ‘Mai Penrai’ because ‘getting annoyed is not the done thing’ ?? - which is flawed by the way: Thai’s get annoyed at each other all the time. This idea that Thai’s are the perfect example of calm at all times is laughable. 

 

 

 

Well, there is... Foreigners who go native and forget their own basic standards. 

 

 

That is quite a broad brush stroke Richard, especially in a country where adherence to 'own basic standards' can be beneficial, but can also lead to death

[polpott]

3 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

You mean we should ride in flip flops, without a helmet, riding the wrong way down a street pulling out in front of people?

 

Of course not, but your argument is still flawed - someone pulled out and rode towards the Westerner. 

 

No one is suggesting that. You are twisting words. We don't ride like that but Thais do. Been riding like that since long before you were here and will no doubt still ride like that long after you are gone. Its a fact of life, adjust and deal with it.

[Natai Beach]

3 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

What would you have done ?

 
I would have rode past him and given him a smile and wai.

i would not have crashed into myself. Any slower he would have been going backwards.

i wouldn’t have spat the dummy and had a tizzy fit.

i wouldn’t have hit him. 
 

Like I said, some people really struggle living in Thailand, others, like me, never have any problems. Some personalities are not suited to Thailand. I have never met an anally retentive Thai. 

[malcoml]

Look the Thai rider was in the wrong but this shows an inexperienced rider. He seems to have hit is front break and it has slid out under him. He wasn’t going so fast.

[Thorgal]

Farang had to limit his speed between the curve that he left and the crossroad that he was nearing.

 

Even if the Thai man was driving on the opposite lane, there was also another motorcyclist crossing correctly from the right side of the crossroad.

 

In both case he should have slowed down, but his camera was rolling, which was more important than being focused on the traffic.

 

The Thai man was driving in opposite direction at very slow speed.

Even than, the farang should be able to stop in time.

 

[b2203]

5 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

And then, the Thai rider, just rode off into the sunset afterwards completing the Hit & Run aspect of fleeing the scene afterwards instead of staying.  Of course he had lost FACE and could care less of the foreigner it appears.

 

Thing is, even though the guy pulled out in front of him, don't forget there's no sound coming from his e bike either, the guy riding the e bike was unable to stop the bike within the required distance under control, he dropped the bike without colliding with the bike that pulled out in front of him. So technically it's not a hit and run. Let's say it was a kid that ran across the road, you have to stop, that's the end of it. 

Also with it being an e bike, he's probably got no documents, insurance etc, saying that the red bike probably hasn't also. 

Carelessness from both sides, obviously riding on the wrong side of the road doesn't help the case of the red bike but still should be careful riding a machine that doesn't produce any sound, be able to brake said machine within a reasonable distance.

[polpott]

12 minutes ago, herwin1234 said:

right or wrong, always stay cool and kind of lighthearted. nobody, not you, nor the other guy, caused the accident on purpose. 

I've only been involved in an accident with another vehicle in Thailand once. Stopped in a queue of traffic on a local road. Young Thai guy rode straight into the back of me whilst texting. Got out, asked the Thai guy if he was OK and inspected the damage. Big black tyre mark on my white bumper, nothing that a blob of cutting compound wouldn't get rid of. No other damage. The guy apologised profusely and wai'd me several times, each of which received the response of "mai bpen rai" from me. Finally, with a smile on my face, I gave him a gentle reminder about texting whilst riding a bike. The upshot of which was I left the scene with a young Thai friend who would, no doubt, come to my aid if he ever saw me in trouble. I then went on to a nearby bar to enjoy my evening with a few beers and some newfound friends.

[BigStar]

2 hours ago, Tagged said:

This is daily scenery when out driving, and for our own sake, we should expect it every time we go for a ride. I just say good luck with that kind of attitude he did show right there and good luck with those driving scills or the bad combination with a poor bike as well. 

Exactly. Poor driving skills for Thailand. Was approaching the intersection, another bike pulling out on the right, time to slow down a bit and exercise some caution. If you know the environment, you know a Thai might pull out unexpectedly and even on the wrong side--though that bike might have been trying to cross as well.

 

That's just the reality, like it or not, proper and legal or not. Deal with it and you stay upright.

 

So then expecting the unexpected he should have been ready and simply dodged to the right. It seemed almost perverse and really inattentive that this farang just kept going straight then slammed on the front brake and ended up on the ground. I suspect part of the unwise angry reaction was just projecting his own frustration with himself.

 

Can't imagine. It's just par for the course. Like many other experienced riders, I would've easily dodged without even thinking about it and 100 meters later it'd be completely forgotten.