56 dead, 729 injured in first two days of Songkran travel - 17,000 nabbed for no licenses

[whaleboneman]

8 minutes ago, Excel said:

No you are wrong.  When referring to vehicles in these reports they refer to both motors cycles and cars as "vehicles". Sometimes they break out the cars from the bikes but in this report they did not.  You and I perhaps consider a car is a car and a bike is a bike but they refer to all as vehicles unless specifically defined otherwise.

You seem confused. What has motorcycle or car got to do with your statement? Percentage of people without a license can be calculated - about 5% seems correct to me.

[joe jadore]

14 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

That in itself shows the endemic and systemic problems here in Thailand.  I wish they would publish the stats for those involved in accidents that were unlicensed.  Then also publish stats for those who died while riding a motorbike without a helmet as well. In the interest of public safety I would hope that they were not allowed to continue onwards driving/riding with just a citation in their pocket. One would wonder also if the vehicles were seized and parked until a proper helmet or licensed driver was on scene and who signed a sheet indicating that they would not let the cited driver get behind the wheel and drive or the next time the vehicle would be seized and auctioned off.  Tough love is needed in order to stop the lunacy.

I LOVE Thailand (my home) & Thai people, BUT they are the most impatient drivers in the WORLD! Slow down, give way, stay on the LEFT!!! STOP the creeping out in front of oncoming traffic, mostly done by RICH Thais who think they are entitled to make the traffic all stop and give way to them, just because they own a Mercedes/Porsche, etc. WHEN YOU PUT A BLINKER ON TO CHANGE LANES, "YOU MUST LOOK TO SEE WHO IS COMING BEHIND YOU". Having a blinker on doesn't mean you can cut in front of someone!!!! And probably KILL them if they are on a scooter!

 

The ONLY road rule Thais know is; if a Police Officer is present = behave yourself! Other than that it's "do the heck whatever you want"!

[Excel]

1 minute ago, whaleboneman said:

You seem confused. What has motorcycle or car got to do with your statement? Percentage of people without a license can be calculated - about 5% seems correct to me.

I think you should start at the beginning and understand the context of the replies.

[Excel]

1 minute ago, joe jadore said:

I LOVE Thailand (my home) & Thai people, BUT they are the most impatient drivers in the WORLD! Slow down, give way, stay on the LEFT!!! STOP the creeping out in front of oncoming traffic, mostly done by RICH Thais who think they are entitled to make the traffic all stop and give way to them, just because they own a Mercedes/Porsche, etc. WHEN YOU PUT A BLINKER ON TO CHANGE LANES, "YOU MUST LOOK TO SEE WHO IS COMING BEHIND YOU". Having a blinker on doesn't mean you can cut in front of someone!!!! And probably KILL them if they are on a scooter!

 

The ONLY road rule Thais know is; if a Police Officer is present = behave yourself! Other than that it's "do the heck whatever you want"!

That's not entirely true and a generalisation. I know a few Thai drivers who are good and believe you me they complain a lot about the antics of their compatriots.

[whaleboneman]

14 hours ago, Excel said:

No it does not say that. 87 percent of all accidents involved a motor bike was stated.  That could also mean 87% of accidents involved a car hitting a motorbike. It was not defined accurately hence false assumptions could easily be drawn. Likewise it was quoted 17,000 people were found to have no license without defining the exact number of people stopped. So the % of drivers not holding a valid license is unknown.

You're right. It doesn't say that but it can be inferred. 13% of accidents did not involve a motorbike. So about 1 in 8.

[metisdead]

A post using a music video has been removed. 

[brianthainess]

15 hours ago, YetAnother said:

agreed; so it should not be called the seven dangerous days, it should be called the 365 dangerous days

Agreed; It is only safe every 4yrs on Feb 30th. Go on 'ave a laugh

[Baggy]

1 hour ago, ThailandRyan said:

How many riders or drivers may also have vision problems and never get checked or wear glasses that might also assist them in seeing outside of the vehicle, and how many check the mirrors when changing lanes.  Education and medical are both important.

Most bikes do not have mirrors,  go faster without!!!

[whaleboneman]

4 minutes ago, Excel said:

I think you should start at the beginning and understand the context of the replies.

I did. And I understand. Not sure about you though.

[Excel]

1 minute ago, whaleboneman said:

I did. And I understand. Not sure about you though.

Clearly not but never mind. As they say you can take a horse to water but you can not make it drink.

[whaleboneman]

When someone starts a comment with "no you are wrong" and then shows that they don't comprehend the topic, then that someone is the horse.

[dogfish180]

14 hours ago, placeholder said:

What I don't see recognized in this thread is that Thailand has a huge number of travelers on motorbikes. Unlike countries where both greater average wealth and climate tend to minimize the use of such vehicles. Naturally when motorcyclists and their passengers get into an accident, the consequences are more severe than for those in 4 wheeled or larger vehicles. Are there any statistical breakdown that report how many fatalities are motorcyclists vs how many are those in other vehicles?

The issue is that they don't wear helmets and most are kids. The police have zero interest in enforcing any laws. Vietnam for example has way more motorcycles than Thailand, but 99% of riders wear helmets and have a licence that they gained in a test. The police their strictly enforce the law. As such Vietnam have far less road deaths compared to Thailand. So the motorcycle argument falls a little flat I'm afraid.

[shackleton]

Same discussion every year over the Songkran holiday 

On how many accidents causes ect 

Recommendations made to improve road safety 

Nothing happens except the death and injury count continues 

[placeholder]

1 minute ago, dogfish180 said:

The issue is that they don't wear helmets and most are kids. The police have zero interest in enforcing any laws. Vietnam for example has way more motorcycles than Thailand, but 99% of riders wear helmets and have a licence that they gained in a test. The police their strictly enforce the law. As such Vietnam have far less road deaths compared to Thailand. So the motorcycle argument falls a little flat I'm afraid.

Helmets reduce deaths by about 29%. I had a friend, a doctor, who told me that in emergency rooms motorcycles are called donorcycles.

[toofarnorth]

3 hours ago, LawrenceN said:

That would be called enforcement. Then we would be getting somewhere. 

 

One thing that has always puzzled me about Thailand is the authority the police have to play judge and jury. Fines should never be paid at the scene. This is a big factor in Thai people's lack of respect for the law. They're cynical, never knowing whether the "fine" is going into the cop's pocket or to genuine traffic enforcement. Mail in or pay online to admit fault, or go before a traffic court to contest the facts. They will continue to struggle with enforcement until they develop a system that the people can trust. 

I agree with you and similar , when you see a sign inside a bar saying ' No smoking , fine 2000B ' ,  so who would I pay the fine to ?  I can only be fine if I go to court and proven guilty before a judge . It gets on my noms.

[Road Warrior]

see the  thai brain is in full swing yet again may be tying for a record death rate this year ???

[joe jadore]

Generalize this, 9 out of ten drivers are CONSTANTLY on their phones! When you ride a motor bike you get to see this DANGEROUS habit, CONSTANTLY!

[metisdead]

An inflammatory post has been reported and removed. 

[4MyEgo]

32 minutes ago, Excel said:

No you are wrong.  When referring to vehicles in these reports they refer to both motors cycles and cars as "vehicles". Sometimes they break out the cars from the bikes but in this report they did not.  You and I perhaps consider a car is a car and a bike is a bike but they refer to all as vehicles unless specifically defined otherwise.  That is illustrated further by earlier reports where it was claimed that 47% of bike riders do not hold a valid licence whereas I think the figure was 19% of car drivers who were nabbed didn't have one. Even so a lot of lunatics riding around on 2 or 4 wheels.

 

I don't believe I am wrong, as I see a driver/rider without a license to be a driver/rider without a license anyway you look at it.

 

"Police said 1,916 checkpoints inspected 330,653 vehicles. 

 

Of the vehicles inspected 61,702 drivers face prosecution, with 15,661 found to not be wearing helmets and 17,025 did not have driving licenses.

 

That's about 5% according to my calculations".

 

Now one can argue all day long, but to me, I couldn't care less if it was 15,000 on bike or 15,000 in cars, they were unlicensed, however I will agree that most unlicensed would be on motorbikes (my assumption) because those with motor vehicles would want to have some kind of insurance and I would again (assume) for the insurance to be valid, the driver must be licensed, and from what I understand cars to Thai's are worth more to them than their homes, if they have one ?

[toofarnorth]

1 minute ago, joe jadore said:

Generalize this, 9 out of ten drivers are CONSTANTLY on their phones! When you ride a motor bike you get to see this DANGEROUS habit, CONSTANTLY!

Yes I wonder how many accidents happen when the driver is on the phone or hunting around on the floor looking for the styrafoam  box with his lunch in.

Only yesterday on a ride out on my bike in the styx a pickup was crossing the double lines coming back over and hitting the dirt , I managed to get his attention by blasting my horn as I got past and I looked at the driver and guess what ....correct he had a phone in his hand.

[whaleboneman]

14 hours ago, Excel said:

No it does not say that. 87 percent of all accidents involved a motor bike was stated.  That could also mean 87% of accidents involved a car hitting a motorbike. It was not defined accurately hence false assumptions could easily be drawn. Likewise it was quoted 17,000 people were found to have no license without defining the exact number of people stopped. So the % of drivers not holding a valid license is unknown.

From the article - "Police said 1,916 checkpoints inspected 330,653 vehicles"

[Mr Meeseeks]

27 minutes ago, Baggy said:

Most bikes do not have mirrors,  go faster without!!!

How to squeeze spots tho' if no have?

[biggles45]

'What I don't see recognized in this thread is that Thailand has a huge number of travelers on motorbikes.' 

 

And so does Vietnam! Probably higher by population with less fatalities. BUT they wear helmets, have licences and the cops do their jobs... Thats the difference! 

[edwinchester]

17 thousand unlicensed drivers out of nearly 62 thousand drivers stopped is a truly astonishing figure. They really don't give a <deleted> for rules at all.

[235291_1469957462]

Every single one of them should have their bikes confiscated until they all comply. 

 

a. Until they can provide a license. 
b. Pay the fine

c. Have their bikes in proper and working order. (Headlights and tailights)

D. traps need to be set up for speeders and if they have three offenses they

go To school. 5 and they lose their license for a year. You do all this and the deaths drop dramatically.  
 

imagine if they put their bullsh** immigration efforts in road violations how many lives they would save and how much money they would save. Silly country
 

[Surelynot]

6 minutes ago, edwinchester said:

17 thousand unlicensed drivers out of nearly 62 thousand drivers stopped is a truly astonishing figure. They really don't give a <deleted> for rules at all.

...and yet it could be solved at a stroke.......impound the car......one month to pay up (with your license) or the car is sold to cover all costs.

Edited April 13, 2021 by Surelynot

[chilli42]

What is needed us a lock down until further notice.

[Surelynot]

1 minute ago, chilli42 said:

What is needed us a lock down until further notice.

I think so.....until the vaccine roll out is well underway at least.....but as that is unlikely to start until July...... I can see this being a complete disaster.....new variant, no one vaccinated, lax rules.......perfect storm, unless by some miracle....???

[Surasak]

16 hours ago, Yorkshire Tea said:

 

So, probably nothing to do with the great exodus of travellers heading to the provinces.

Bringing with them, disease and destruction. If ink were brains, could those in high places have enough to make  . ?

[AMFWolfie]

16 hours ago, thequietman said:

Were they allowed to continue on with their journeys??

 

Ofcourse they were. Quick fine and all is well.  ????

 

Shambles. ????

So farangs not throwing water, bars closed, little alcohol consumed by farangs yet still the carnage continues year on year...makes you wonder why we feel penalised!!!