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

[ThailandRyan]

33 minutes ago, CALSinCM said:

2021 and this is just being noticed???

That fact is that the majority of Thais riding motorcycles have almost no defensive driving skills.  Hell - pulling out from side streets without looking is the norm.  Passing on the inside is the norm.  Driving the wrong way down one-way streets in the norm.

"It's a slaughter!!!"
Yeah, no kidding.  And you just noticed?

You left out riding on the sidewalks and then running redlights in packs......

[Thunglom]

9 hours ago, Dmaxdan said:

Yes, the roads are poorly designed and maintained but in many cases, the riders are not willing or capable of adapting to the conditions.

Speed, speed and more speed is the only way they know.

It doesn't help to blame the riders - however Thai roads have always been bad and due to poor construction and maintenance (including neww roads) the surfaces are prone to damage and repairs aren't carried out quickly enough.

As a motorcyclist since I was a kid, I look ar road surfaces of habit and still have been caught out on occasion.

I also notice that resourcing often leaves roads in a very dangerous condition for motorcycles with long lines of different levels of asphalt with not warning or bollards.

sadly though this is one one of several issues that need to be addressed.

[metisdead]

Posts in which the quoted content had been altered to French language has been removed.

 

English is the only acceptable language anywhere on ASEAN NOW, except within the Thai language forum, where of course using Thai is allowed. Short Thai translation of technical terms is permitted in specialty forums.

 

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[Barefootknobby]

Just sweeping the motorcycle lanes of sand and mud would be an improvement as you normally get forced out onto the road by bad maintenance 

[thailand49]

This professor is clueless my suggestion is stay in the classroom and continue to collect your check!

[Peterphuket]

9 hours ago, keith101 said:

Thai dont know how to make a good road and doubt they ever will .

I see, some people gives you a negative reaction, but you are right, for example, you'll have to make a road on a slope, many times you'll see they don't know? Or they don't do, when they make a new road.

Another example, the roads in many country's in Europe by daily they watching the road for irregularities, day by day.

And I can give plenty of other examples.

[Benmart]

Corruption is connected to many of the ills that plague Thailand. Name one problem area and corruption most likely has its long reaching tentacles embracing it.

[PEE TEE]

Is ok they get fixed after some one has an accident 

[boonnoon]

Some roads may be bad but I say it's the drivers who cause the majority of fatal accidents.  No amount of baht is going to change that.

[PEE TEE]

9 hours ago, mahtin said:

Not to mention the murderous attitude of large vehicle drivers (OK, some only).

Most think as they are bigger they have right of way 

[PEE TEE]

3 hours ago, chrissables said:

That's the law, bikes must keep left.

True but also says no undertaking unless the vehicle  

is turning right 

[BobinBKK]

I have lived in Bangkok for 3 years and seen two fatal motorcycle accidents right in front of my condo. Neither person was wearing a helmet and brain matter was scattered all over the road. However, these accidents are not due to poor road conditions, driving like idiots is the number one cause. Motorcycle riders think they own the road (and the footpath mind you) and think everyone else is in "their" way. What's even worse is they ride on the footpath right in front of the police station next door to me and nothing is done about that either. So serves them right, nature has its way of weeding out the genetically unfit species.

[Toscano]

First , Motorcyclists are not properly trained , where I live youngsters 12 to 14 year old's race along the road past our house in a totally residential part of the village . Many motorcyclists see no need to obey the rules of the road . It is no excuse blaming the roads even it they are in bad repair , many motorcyclists are what I call Death On Two Wheels .     

[Foghorn]

They fixed the road near me and made a good job ,was about 500 meter long but stopped about 50 meter from the worst part , do the piece thats ok and leave the bad bit , unbelievable 

[Mike k]

12 hours ago, keith101 said:

Thai dont know how to make a good road and doubt they ever will .

They repaved the road close to me last year it is now full of holes and almost as bad as it was before they worked on it 

[jcojco]

12 hours ago, Dmaxdan said:

Yes, the roads are poorly designed and maintained but in many cases, the riders are not willing or capable of adapting to the conditions.

Speed, speed and more speed is the only way they know.

maybe during the day.
But "adapting to the conditions" at night, means just not driving a bike.

 

[The Hammer2021]

8 hours ago, SS1 said:

It's not the roads, it's the millions of idiots driving on them.

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.

[The Old Bull]

I never ride on a road at night that I havn't ridden in the daytime so I Know where the potholes are

especially highways where I am travelling faster.

[impulse]

14 hours ago, Moonlover said:

The high death toll is due mainly to poor riding standards, lack of helmets and alcohol use. Not forgetting, of course that there are an awful lot of bikers out there.

The high death toll is mainly due to the preponderance of scooters in Thailand.  Studies in the USA and Aus show the death rate per km is 20-40x as high on a scooter as in a 4 wheeler.  The difference being that a tiny portion of km are driven by scooter in the USA and Aus, while 80% of Thai passenger km are done on 2 wheels. 

 

The vast majority of riders in the USA, Aus, UK, etc. are hobbyists, pulling their scooters out of the garage for weekends, and only in good weather...  If they relied on them for every day transport, their fatality rates would be horrendous, too.  But that would drive the gub'ments to take strong action that Thailand can't, because scooters in those countries are a lifestyle choice.  Not an economic necessity.

Edited October 23, 2021 by impulse

[Fairynuff]

15 hours ago, webfact said:

three out of four Thai roads are not fit for motorcyclists.

Three out of four motorcyclists are not fit for Thai roads.

 

road rules mean they are obliged to travel on the left 

As far as I can see they travel on the left, on the right, in the middle, on the sidewalk, on the wrong side, through the red lights.......

[Soikhaonoiken]

I think it's a 50-50 problem, yes some roads are full of pot holes, certainly after the rainy season,  but 50% is the problem of riders, who don't adjust speed to road conditions and don't think ahead... 

[kiwikeith]

16 hours ago, Dmaxdan said:

Yes, the roads are poorly designed and maintained but in many cases, the riders are not willing or capable of adapting to the conditions.

Speed, speed and more speed is the only way they know.

That's how I see it as well, me first, and trucks wandering all over the road, drinking caffeine drinks, smoking a cigarette, talking on a cell phone, and involved in a overtaking dual all at the same time, multi tasking no problem. 

 

Motorcyclists can ride with 3 children, no helmets, hold a umbrella and also talk on a cell phone, this talent needs to be converted with the introduction of log books, promised but never happened, and road safety driving education, never happens. 

 

Upgraded intrastructure, same same, still building roads with smelly drains/ sewers alongside, but plenty of money for concrete flyovers and high speed trains. 

Invest in concrete, the way to the future. 

[HappyGoLuckyLife]

18 hours ago, Dmaxdan said:

Yes, the roads are poorly designed and maintained but in many cases, the riders are not willing or capable of adapting to the conditions.

And while I understand the latter, it is the former that is the issue. Better engineered roads could potential save people from themselves. Yes, as a rider, you hold responsibility for your actions on the road, but making sure roads are safe is the other half of that equation.

[sucit]

You’re dealing with a govt that locks the country down for no gain whatsoever, yet won’t institute a child seat law. 

[Chongalulu]

By far the greatest danger is the ‘pothole' between the ears of most Thai drivers - the place where the ???? usually resides… ???? 

[hotchilli]

21 hours ago, webfact said:

Other grave dangers for motorcyclists are roadside lampposts and trees that are the worst of all.

Not always roadside... some city planners and engineers have strange ideas of health and safety during installation.

[Orinoco]

5 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Not always roadside... some city planners and engineers have strange ideas of health and safety during installation.

Yes,

Some people should just be removed for office for stuff like that.

But they never are.

The Money Go Round just carries on. TIT. 

 

[MrJ2U]

"Spend 15 billion a year to save 7,500 lives"

 

There not going to do that.

They don't even order enough vaccines during two years of deadly pandemic.

 

 

 

[jacko45k]

12 hours ago, Barefootknobby said:

Just sweeping the motorcycle lanes of sand and mud would be an improvement as you normally get forced out onto the road by bad maintenance 

And people driving the wrong way.....food carts, people working on vehicles (overspill from the mechanics shop) and parking for noodle shops. 

[PB172111]

21 hours ago, 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.

Read the post again regarding the statistics. It doesn’t say the roads are resonsible for all deaths.
You are one of those that start Chinese whispers.