Thai roads are deathtraps to motorcyclists, says campaigner: Spend 15 billion a year to save 7,500 lives

[TBWG]

On 10/23/2021 at 9:51 AM, lujanit said:

So all the deaths are the roads fault.  Nothing to do with riding the wrong way, cutting in front of other vehicles, speed, untrained riders and no license or insurance.

Don't forget the riders texting on their phones whilst cruising along at 50kph +

[IvorBiggun2]

2 hours ago, Midwit said:

More power in the hands of the brown shirts doesn’t seem like a good thing to me. 

So what's your solution to end all the deaths? 

[zzaa09]

1 hour ago, TBWG said:

Don't forget the riders texting on their phones whilst cruising along at 50kph +

Yes, of course - as this oddity only occurs here. 

[placeholder]

On 10/23/2021 at 4:34 PM, bbbbooboo said:

How amazingly perceptive this man must be. These facts would have been self-evident to an idiot 10 yrs ago…. Only in Thailand I suggest?

Apparently, then, there are a lot of idiots on aseannow.com who assign the blame solely  to Thai drivers.

Edited October 24, 2021 by placeholder

[dinsdale]

Yep roads can be bad but good riders should know this. Problem is car drivers, truck drivers, bus drivers and motocyclists here are complete idiots. Nothing to do with pot holes more to do with idiocy.

[placeholder]

38 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

Yep roads can be bad but good riders should know this. Problem is car drivers, truck drivers, bus drivers and motocyclists here are complete idiots. Nothing to do with pot holes more to do with idiocy.

This is just one more example of the kind of one track thinking that has riddled this thread. It's actually possible, although it may not seem that way to you and others, that there can be more than one factor responsible for road fatalities. 

[dinsdale]

10 minutes ago, placeholder said:

This is just one more example of the kind of one track thinking that has riddled this thread. It's actually possible, although it may not seem that way to you and others, that there can be more than one factor responsible for road fatalities. 

I believe I gave several factors but yes I'll reduce it down to idiots. I have riden high powered motorcles in my life and I still could but not here. So let's list some facotors. Idiots driving cars, idiots riding bikes (most with no hemets), idiots driving trucks, idiots driving buses etc. You get on a bike you ride to the conditions and your capacity and that of your bike. It's pretty simple. 

[placeholder]

2 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

I believe I gave several factors but yes I'll reduce it down to idiots. I have riden high powered motorcles in my life and I still could but not here. So let's list some facotors. Idiots driving cars, idiots riding bikes (most with no hemets), idiots driving trucks, idiots driving buses etc. You get on a bike you ride to the conditions and your capacity and that of your bike. It's pretty simple. 

You already did in effect reduce it to idiot drivers since you included no other factors. 

[dinsdale]

Just now, placeholder said:

You already did in effect reduce it to idiot drivers since you included no other factors. 

Idiot riders. Two different things. You drive a car and you ride a bike. I did also mention the road conditions and not wearing helmets. Of course alcohol plays a big part and the lack of BIB enforcement. Most people know this. To blame it on pot holes in the road it somewhat ludicrous.

[placeholder]

1 minute ago, dinsdale said:

Idiot riders. Two different things. You drive a car and you ride a bike. I did also mention the road conditions and not wearing helmets. Of course alcohol plays a big part and the lack of BIB enforcement. Most people know this. To blame it on pot holes in the road it somewhat ludicrous.

Clearly you didn't even bother to read past the headline of the article, much less the body of it. After it was explicitly noted that potholes and uneven surfaces weren't solely to blame, this followed:

 

"It was the geometric design of roads, poor bends and lack of visibility that contributed to the death toll.

Roads were simply designed for cars. Thailand has to understand that bikes and cars are two very different beasts with different braking and cornering capabilities."

[dinsdale]

12 minutes ago, placeholder said:

Clearly you didn't even bother to read past the headline of the article, much less the body of it. After it was explicitly noted that potholes and uneven surfaces weren't solely to blame, this followed:

 

"It was the geometric design of roads, poor bends and lack of visibility that contributed to the death toll.

Roads were simply designed for cars. Thailand has to understand that bikes and cars are two very different beasts with different braking and cornering capabilities."

I did read that and it's a load of BS. Bikes and cars share the roads everywhere. Idiots in cars go around blind corners too fast as do idiots on bikes. I do remember going through a sweeping corner many years ago on my Ducati and hitting a pot hole. A definite Oh s^^t moment. The bike jumped in the air a bit and landed basically keeping it's line. Speed was around 180-200 kph. 

Edited October 24, 2021 by dinsdale

[SS1]

22 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Actually it's the roads and vehicles especially in the rural areas. People who are not very experienced or have limited travel experience tend to look down on Thai drivers but it's much worse in most of Africa and the Middle East. It tends to be the McDonald's and KFC crowd, the ones that can't eat Thai food and who opt for western junk food that find driving here shocking. Also I sense that many westerners here in Thailand come from villages or small quiet communities. I drive in London and there is little difference driving in Bangkok except the traffic police are more efficient here.

Sure, I'm not saying the roads are great here, but most of the daily accidents are caused by completely braindead drivers/riders. I've been riding daily here for years and hardly find it shocking, but such articles are quite hilarious when they're finding external factors to blame and ignore the drivers themselves. I've ridden a few years in the UK as well including London. I remember the Brits really struggled with lane discipline on highways, but I don't recall hundreds of bikes cutting through red lights and intersections, driving the wrong way etc.? 

[portlandtree]

That’s because there are tooooo many young drivers like 10-15 year olds even old drivers that think and use to from 50 years ago the roads are mine

[jacko45k]

19 hours ago, toofarnorth said:

Up here in Maechan the town centre is too narrow for much parking so rather than parking somewhere else and walking back it is blinkers on ( The car ) leave the car in the middle of the road and shop in 7-eleven. Traffic comes to a standstill . If my wife is in the car and she needs 7-eleven , I say quick get out , I will come back and find you so you know where I have parked.  Too easy for some.

Oh of course that is used too... and normally we have to wait. If ever a complaint is made the excuse is 'I had my blinkers on', as if it exonerates the infringement! I say, 'so you knew you were doing wrong and did it anyway'  the fine should be double!

Edited October 24, 2021 by jacko45k

[Keesters]

On 10/23/2021 at 9:51 AM, lujanit said:

So all the deaths are the roads fault.  Nothing to do with riding the wrong way, cutting in front of other vehicles, speed, untrained riders and no license or insurance.

And that goes for cars/pickups too. 

[Keesters]

On 10/23/2021 at 11:26 AM, ChipButty said:

Bike riders coming up the inside of you when driving a car

Car drivers who overtake a motorbike and then immediately turn left. 

[mikebell]

22 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

Not gonna work here without basic driver competence which is the first step they have to implement.

 

Thais simply do not know how to drive as they have never been properly educated.

 

They do not understand basic concepts such as right of way, braking distances, checking mirrors, signaling before maneuvering, lane discipline etc.

Agreed; but all the above can be self-taught if the incentive (fine) is there regularly.

[IvorBiggun2]

55 minutes ago, Keesters said:

Car drivers who overtake a motorbike and then immediately turn left. 

Car drivers who open their car door without checking for other road users. I was out the other week cycling and if it weren't for me anticipating the car drivers actions I'd have hit him.

By the way, the driver of the car was a *****ng monk. 

Edited October 25, 2021 by IvorBiggun2

[Orinoco]

2 minutes ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

Car drivers who open car door without checking for other road users. I was out the other week cycling and if it weren't for me anticipating the car drivers actions I'd have hit him.

By the way, the driver of the car was a *****ng monk. 

Not supposed to be driving, but yes i have seen that.

I also see them buying lottery tickets.

Thailand has a  special kind of Buddhism.

TIT.

 

 

Edited October 25, 2021 by Orinoco

[Stubby]

MOTORCYCLING RULE #1. LOOK UP AND LOOK AHEAD. 
 

Too many inexperienced riders look down directly at the road in front of them. But motorcyclists' eyes should always focus on where they want to go, not where they are. Unfortunately, so many injuries and deaths happen because of ignorance, but it's not only motorcyclists. 
 

If you don't look ahead, there's a crash waiting to happen, whatever the mode of transport. Here's a video to illustrate the point.

 

 

Stubby

Edited October 25, 2021 by Stubby

[impulse]

On 10/24/2021 at 8:35 AM, dinsdale said:

I believe I gave several factors but yes I'll reduce it down to idiots. I have riden high powered motorcles in my life and I still could but not here.

In 7 years living in Thailand, none of the people I know were killed in scooter accidents.  None. 

 

In the past 3 years living in Texas, 4 of my friends have died on their scooters.  And "friends with scooters" is a tiny subset of the people I know.

Many riders feel safe on their scooters because of their superior riding skills.  Until they find out that it's just a numbers game...  Scooters are 20-40x as dangerous per mile driven as a 4 wheeler.  Texas or Thailand.  Doesn't matter.

Edited October 25, 2021 by impulse

[jacko45k]

22 hours ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

Car drivers who open their car door without checking for other road users. I was out the other week cycling and if it weren't for me anticipating the car drivers actions I'd have hit him.

By the way, the driver of the car was a *****ng monk. 

I thought monks were not supposed to drive...... yes best be ready for a car's driver door to pop open in front of you here... bike or motorbike. You may need to fit a suitably loud horn.

Edited October 26, 2021 by jacko45k

[IvorBiggun2]

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

I thought monks were not supposed to drive

It's more common here than you thought. Along with monks DUI.

 

 

Happy" the drink driving monk tells cops he thought the alcohol was "medicine" • 

Edited October 26, 2021 by IvorBiggun2