Thailand road carnage: Driver escapes death pictured hugging dead friend in wreckage of pick-up

[desert dueller]

3 hours ago, smedly said:

go for it - why not throw in the buffalo was sick

Maybe the driver was "sick" - bad eye sight and not wearing his prescription glasses. However, these u-turn guys often just seem to go for it, not capable of waiting until there's no approaching traffic, or incapable of gauging the speed of approaching cars, no patience ("here I am, I am bigger than you, you stop and wait for me, I haven't got all day "- syndrome). It's all nasty stuff even cars entering a road or u-turning just sticking half their bonnet into the traffic, closing down one lane, the battle is half won, forcing all traffic to merge in the one remaining lane, then nudge forward inch by inch - bingo, I'm in. You'd never get away with such conduct in civilised countries. A sad confluence of probably a multitude of factors.

[robblok]

3 hours ago, BobinBKK said:

You must not know many Thai people...

I guess i don't because I also have never driven with a Thai that was playing with his phone while he or she was behind the wheel. Maybe you hang out with a different crowd.

[marioDC]

Seems like a lot of comments have their judgement on what caused this accident and blame it on the "thai" way of driving ... 

Just imagine driving at 80kph (which is not speeding) and hitting a standing trailer on the side .. this would have this kind of result ... and even if he drove 100kph (which would be over the limit, but who doesn't), it would not make such a big difference. 
It's just something that could have been avoided if either of both drivers had payed a bit more attention to the road. It's just sad... no more, no less.

[desert dueller]

57 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

You forgot dropped his cigarette

Dropped his mobile phone, more likely.

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The pick-up had collided with the back of a six wheel truck that was performing a U-Turn. The truck ended up on its side.

 

The driver of the truck, Den, 44, said he was in the far left lane and was crossing the road to the far right to accomplish a U-turn when the accident happened. 

Crossing the lanes to do a U-turn at Mach 2 by the look of it.

Hugging the  people you just murdered is too little too late.

[desert dueller]

3 hours ago, Gold Star said:

The Thai fascination with these deadly U-turns instead of turning at intersections is crazy. So many times, I have had to apply full brake to avoid someone pulling out in front of me starting a U-turn. Worse, are the large trailer trucks pulling out on a U-turn that think that their size gives them the right of way. In this case, it seems the truck must have tried a wide turn crossing in front of the Isuzu's path rather than starting the turn from the inside lane. Drive in a way that they are always trying to kill you here in every way possible, as your life here in reality is cheap and worthless. The carnage continues...

Starting the turn from the inside lane is a nightmare as well, as it is usually the fast, overtaking lane. Even if the u-turn lane is a dedicated turn off lane, you have to basically brake your car down on the fast lane to use the comparatively short u-turn lane. But either way, it doesn't solve the issue for the oncoming lanes that you are u-turning into: truck or car, you'd never be able to turn sharply into the fast lane or even a feeder lane, if there is one. So that leaves crossing the entire width of the oncoming lanes and traffic and exposing them to a similar scenario that was witnessed in this instance. U-turns such as these are a design flaw and found nowhere in Europe - for a reason.

[ThailandRyan]

Lets just say that any U-turn should be conducted in a designated lane with a traffic light to assist, but then this is Thailand and how many run red lights or make a right turn on a red into the opposing lane to pass the stopped traffic that had turned right when the light was green, or better yet what do you thing the percentage of wrong way drivers here is?  If you drive the wrong way in the west it generally means your intoxicated and leads to your death or the death of the one whose car you hit head on.

[ChrisKC]

I am not sure how a large truck crossing left to right in front of another vehicle to do a UTurn can be hit in the back! And if it was how did this large truck end up on its side?

 

Even if the precise cause can be established - it doesn't make any difference to the outcome or, as important as anything, any lessons NOT learned for future Thai driving failings.

My sympathy now lies with all the loved ones they have left behind!

Edited August 16, 2021 by ChrisKC

[Bangkok Barry]

3 hours ago, Gold Star said:

The Thai fascination with these deadly U-turns instead of turning at intersections is crazy. So many times, I have had to apply full brake to avoid someone pulling out in front of me starting a U-turn. Worse, are the large trailer trucks pulling out on a U-turn that think that their size gives them the right of way. In this case, it seems the truck must have tried a wide turn crossing in front of the Isuzu's path rather than starting the turn from the inside lane. Drive in a way that they are always trying to kill you here in every way possible, as your life here in reality is cheap and worthless. The carnage continues...

It would be interesting to know the figures for those who die or are otherwise involved in accidents where U-turns are a factor in Thailand, compared to other countries in the world.

[Nanaplaza666]

5 hours ago, smedly said:

very sad - another idiot driving in Thailand likely surfing FB and speeding 

 

 

RIP RIP RIP

Tho that is a big possibility , a six wheel truck making a Uturn from the most left lane to the most right lane is also something to be looked at . 

[Bangkok Barry]

1 hour ago, BobinBKK said:

3 hours ago, Gold Star said:

The Thai fascination with these deadly U-turns instead of turning at intersections is crazy.

I would safely say that laziness has everything to do with it. These people don't do difficult and it is a must for things to be "easy easy".

And it's why you see so many, cars as well as motorbikes, going the wrong way. Can't be bothered to drive a km or two to do a turn. Jeez, it's not like they have to walk it!

[Aussieroaming]

"What happened, were you speeding?"....

 

"I don't remember.....Everything went blank"? 

 

"Everything went blank" means he wants to wipe the memories from his head. 

 

RIP to the girls and he unfortunately will carry the guilt of their death forever.

 

 

[Bangkok Barry]

1 hour ago, SS1 said:

Wasn't it pretty obvious from the post that the truck cut them off? If you follow some local FB pages you see this is a common occurrence: trucks just aggressively pulling an u-turn accross 3 lanes without looking. I lost also one colleague to one of these idiot truck drivers. 

If a truck was doing a U-turn it would have been at a snail's pace, yet the pickup speedster didn't notice or was going too fast to react. Might have been talking with his friends and wasn't concentrating. There - that theory hasn't been used on this thread yet. I'm going with that one.

[thai006]

bloody u turn ????????????????

[itsari]

45 minutes ago, Almer said:

But will it slow him down or take more care?

I doubt that he will even realise the accident is at least 80 percent his fault . Therefore i doubt if there will be any change to his driving .

[DUNROAMIN]

110 kph plus and trying to impress the girls with his driving skills (none). 

[RichardColeman]

4 hours ago, bbko said:

If we're going to speculate, let's include asleep, drunk, road rage, bad brakes, bad tires, faulty steering, and unlicensed driver.

Be fair, it will 99% be likely one of them

[pacovl46]

6 hours ago, smedly said:

very sad - another idiot driving in Thailand likely surfing FB and speeding 

 

 

RIP RIP RIP

Thank God you were there and witnessed it first hand! How else would we know that the driver is an idiot, if it wasn't for your expert psychoanalysis! 

[Black Angus]

Sadly there are two factures here. 1 The truck knows he is slow moving and 2 SPEED. To turn any vehicle over on it side never  mind a truck can only mean that he was at speed and maybe also not paying full attention. Wonder what the speedometer read, Don't know why they can't put in roundabouts, but then again that migh make things worst.

[malthebluff]

Looking at the damage to the car this wasnt a slow speed accident sad that 3 young lives have been lost Thailand need to make the driving test the same as other countries it's far to easy here to get a license 

[Clarkey611]

HAs the non-wearing of seatbelts by the passengers been mentioned?

[toofarnorth]

1 hour ago, Almer said:

He hit that truck hard

Yes he did , whether he had a licence ( To kill maybe ) whether he was sober or just showing off to the ladies he hit that truck hard enough to push it over.  nuff said as far as I am concerned. Many times I have had to brake hard as something in front is doing a U turn but I have never rammed another vehicle.

[Almer]

14 minutes ago, itsari said:

I doubt that he will even realise the accident is at least 80 percent his fault . Therefore i doubt if there will be any change to his driving .

That is the sad part, lorries are big and slow we need them to move things about that we need but they need room and understanding from other road users, IMHO i expect the car driver wasnt paying attention, i am surprised he walk out.

 

[toofarnorth]

2 minutes ago, malthebluff said:

Looking at the damage to the car this wasnt a slow speed accident sad that 3 young lives have been lost Thailand need to make the driving test the same as other countries it's far to easy here to get a license 

How will that stop them from driving like idiots ?  Proper licence or no licence , Thais are lovely folk 'til they get behind the wheel.  Not all granted but many.

[Almer]

2 minutes ago, malthebluff said:

Looking at the damage to the car this wasnt a slow speed accident sad that 3 young lives have been lost Thailand need to make the driving test the same as other countries it's far to easy here to get a license 

The bad habits are already there after several years of unauthorised use of and uninsured motorbike use  all with the blessings of there parents

[transam]

8 minutes ago, Clarkey611 said:

HAs the non-wearing of seatbelts by the passengers been mentioned?

In this case, I doubt seat belts or airbags would have helped.

[Almer]

4 minutes ago, toofarnorth said:

Yes he did , whether he had a licence ( To kill maybe ) whether he was sober or just showing off to the ladies he hit that truck hard enough to push it over.  nuff said as far as I am concerned. Many times I have had to brake hard as something in front is doing a U turn but I have never rammed another vehicle.

Likewise, and if you are awake and looking past the end of your nose you can  pre-empt things well in advance, the truck has to make the turn that is what a U turn is for, me if i were the road Minister i would make it my first job to do away or the design the layouts of U turns, sorry to all but it could have been avoided. 

[malthebluff]

7 minutes ago, toofarnorth said:

How will that stop them from driving like idiots ?  Proper licence or no licence , Thais are lovely folk 'til they get behind the wheel.  Not all granted but many.

Got to start somewhere so harder tests and fully insured is the only way forward I agree it's to Late for the ones already driving cant teach old dogs new tricks but if left to just carry then nothing will ever change 

[toofarnorth]

4 minutes ago, Almer said:

Likewise, and if you are awake and looking past the end of your nose you can  pre-empt things well in advance, the truck has to make the turn that is what a U turn is for, me if i were the road Minister i would make it my first job to do away or the design the layouts of U turns, sorry to all but it could have been avoided. 

I have said to friends in the past there should be very few U turns and more roundabouts , there is one in the town here but I have seen cars going round it the wrong way. Admitted a road just up from the roundabout had to shut off so the roundabout was the only option so while having a coffee in the shop near the roundabout I could observe them. Oh and the sign was there showing the clockwise way to use it.  Nah ! To confusing .

[transam]

14 minutes ago, Almer said:

Likewise, and if you are awake and looking past the end of your nose you can  pre-empt things well in advance, the truck has to make the turn that is what a U turn is for, me if i were the road Minister i would make it my first job to do away or the design the layouts of U turns, sorry to all but it could have been avoided. 

That is why the UK has roundabouts everywhere, very few U-turns....