Foreign ex-pat riding a bicycle dies after being hit by a pickup truck driver in the Pattaya area

[Bazerino]

2 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

 

The driver was later identified as Mr. Samreang Unan, age not given. He told police, “I was in the right lane. There was a truck in the left lane. The bicycle rider changed his own direction suddenly and I was unable to avoid the collision.”

 

So, was the cyclist trying to avoid a threatening behind truck too ? I can't see a cyclist swerving out into the right lane with a truck behind him

This wouldn't surprise me, so many times trucks have come from nowhere at high speed when I'm on my motorbike & have had to get out of there way......

[toofarnorth]

29 minutes ago, soi3eddie said:

Maybe. They'll also fall like skittles if the driver is drunk or speeding.

 

My thought too.  10 pin bowling comes to mind.  But I get annoyed when out and about in the car or on Forza and I come across a herd of cyclists riding side by side . Stop and chat or ride in single file for gosh sakes.

[Orac]

50 minutes ago, Digitalbanana said:

Eh? My take on reading this was pickup driver was overtaking the truck in right side lane of road and did a head on with cyclist going other way.

Could be a translation issue. I cycle on that road regularly and you do need to be careful.

 

it is a oldish dual carriageway with a  fair few speeding trucks on it. The problem is that to get across from the pattaya side to Ban Chang/Green Valley side you need to go up/down to a u-turn and then get across to the middle - not unusual for bikes/motorbikes to go a against the traffic a bit to get to the nearest u-turn however there is a fairly wide bike lane (not marked as a cycle track) on both sides. 

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

When I lived in Pattaya, I rode a motorbike using 100% concentration and reading everything around me. Still, there were too many close calls and I stopped riding at night. 

 

One evening riding north on Soi Yume, I was signalling and slowing down to turn right into my small street, behind Big C Extra. Sure enough, a kid sped past me on my inside right. If I hadn't been watching out for any dumb behaviour, we would have collided.  I haven't ridden in several years now.

[Phuket Stan]

I seem to think that I read somewhere that 70% of accidents in Thailand a pick-up is involved .....Correct me if I am wrong

Many of the drivers of such vehicles just love the power they have but most cant handle it

[KhunLA]

50 minutes ago, bobandyson said:

They're always swerving out to avoid the smallest of pot holes, debris etc.

 

Have you ever seen a bicycle with rear view mirrors? Riders usually just move their heads 45 degrees when overtaking or swerving as though they're just using their peripheral vision to see what's behind them. 

 

 

I've made more than a few oops maneuvers on my bicycle, over the years, and thankfully others were paying more attention than myself.  That's why they're called accidents.

[Stargeezr]

When I ride a motorbike in the Hua Hin area, and see cyclers riding on the roads, I go by and a lot are spooked

as they seem to had ear buds on and listening to music or have some sort of hands free phone system.

   I feel bad enough being on a Honda 125cc, but at least can go as fast as some of the cars and pickups

on the road ways.  I would not ride a bicycle anywhere in Thailand except in some big park in Bangkok.

IMO

[KhunLA]

18 minutes ago, Phuket Stan said:

I seem to think that I read somewhere that 70% of accidents in Thailand a pick-up is involved .....Correct me if I am wrong

Many of the drivers of such vehicles just love the power they have but most cant handle it

More so, pickups for Thais, are simply a practical choice when buying.  Simply more on the road would account for their higher number of involved incidents.  Along with 'multiple deaths / injuries' as headliners.  You can't fit 10 people in a sedan.

 

Quick G search, and for 2021, and guessing Ford's gain would mostly be their 'Ranger':

"Brand-wise, this year the leader Toyota (+3.2%) gained 3.3% market share, followed by Honda (-12.2%), which lost 1.3% share. Mitsubishi lost 0.8% share, falling 12.5%.  Mazda reached 4th place (-10%), followed by Nissan -down 1 spot- which fell 23.4%.

 

Ford gained 8.4%, followed by MG which rose 13.9% and reported the best performance, and Suzuki which gained 1.5%. Closing the leaderboard we have BMW -up 1 spot- losing 6.1% this year and Mercedes -down 1 spot- losing 17.1%.

 

The most sold vehicle this year remains the Isuzu D-Max (+14.5%) with 149,104 units sold, followed by the Toyota Hilux, which gained 4.6% registering 130,855 new sales this year. The Honda City (+40.6%) closes the podium by jumping 1 spot and reports 42,485 new units sold."

https://www.focus2move.com/thailand-vehicles-market/

 

Edited February 22, 2022 by KhunLA

[Silencer]

1 hour ago, ThailandRyan said:

"The driver was later identified as Mr. Samreang Unan, age not given. He told police, “I was in the right lane. There was a truck in the left lane. The bicycle rider changed his own direction suddenly and I was unable to avoid the collision.”

My interpretation (that may be wrong) is both the car and bike were going the same direction. Either a stopped or slowly moving truck was ahead of the bicycle, and he moved over to the right to pass it, then got hit from behind. This happens everytime we drive in a city here, with motorbikes usually. You see a motorbike ahead of you in the left lane that has an obstacle in their path and assume they will be moving a bit right (or further) to get around it and you need to JUDGE your speed and clearance to decide if you need to yield or have room to overtake the obstacle and bike at the same time. Driving too fast will make this calculation, along with how far right the bike moves right, an accident waiting to happen.

Edited February 22, 2022 by Silencer

[searcher22]

4 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Cycling in groups has got to be less risk, Pickups more likely to see

Yes, groups of cyclists are more visible but they can also create bottlenecks on the road, so vehicles will attempt to overtake them and that's when the accident occurs. Numerous cycling groups have been mowed down by motorists in the past few years in Thailand and elsewhere.

[Mr Meeseeks]

37 minutes ago, Phuket Stan said:

I seem to think that I read somewhere that 70% of accidents in Thailand a pick-up is involved .....Correct me if I am wrong

Many of the drivers of such vehicles just love the power they have but most cant handle it

They get really antagonised when you pass them as well. 

 

As I have said many times before, they are agricultural utility vehicles being driven like sports cars. The SUV derivatives not much better. 

[Mr Meeseeks]

8 minutes ago, searcher22 said:

Yes, groups of cyclists are more visible but they can also create bottlenecks on the road, so vehicles will attempt to overtake them and that's when the accident occurs. Numerous cycling groups have been mowed down by motorists in the past few years in Thailand and elsewhere.

There have been several incidents where round the World cyclists have come to Thailand and have been killed on the roads.

 

A foreigner who spent nearly five years cycling around the world has been tragically killed while in Thailand. He was hit by a pick-up truck today on the Mittraphap Road between Khon Kaen and Nakhon Ratchasima.

https://www.richardbarrow.com/2015/02/around-the-world-cyclist-killed-in-thailand/

 

British cyclists on round-the-world trip killed in Thailand.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/feb/18/british-cyclists-killed-thailand

 

Singaporean cyclist killed in Thailand

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/singaporean-cyclist-killed-in-thailand

[clivebaxter]

The 3 most dangerous things to do here are riding a bike, motorbike or driving a car. I have never done any of them. I do risk the zebra crossings from time to time though, that's bad enough.

[IvorBiggun2]

2 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Assumptions ... always the Thai's fault ...

... maybe the cyclist was at fault, it happens.

The Thai driver admits to driving in the right hand lane. Therefore I assume he hit the cyclist head on as he was in the wrong lane? 

Quote

The driver was later identified as Mr. Samreang Unan, age not given. He told police, “I was in the right lane. There was a truck in the left lane. 

 

[KhunLA]

22 minutes ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

The Thai driver admits to driving in the right hand lane. Therefore I assume he hit the cyclist head on as he was in the wrong lane? 

 

"Police and emergency responders were notified of the accident on Number 331 Road (Sattahip – Korat) in the Huayyai sub-district"

 

It seems Hwy # 331 / HuayYai is a 4 lane divided highway.  Thai driver had every right to be passing in the right lane.  http://tiny.cc/lptouz

What was the cyclist doing way over there ?

Edited February 22, 2022 by KhunLA

[richard_smith237]

3 hours ago, IAMHERE said:

Pure speculation. Did you read the associated article? Sounds like the bike rider may well have not been paying attention to the traffic.

No it simply sounds like the truck drive is deflecting blame.

 

Do you really think the pickup driver is going to say “I was speeding & looking at my phone & didn’t see the cyclist”….

 

Im not suggesting that happened, I am suggesting anything the pickup driver says is an outright lie !!! 

[tgw]

I would never ride a bicycle in Thailand, except maybe on small roads with very little traffic or on separate bicycle paths.

Bicycles don't have the acceleration to adapt to potentially dangerous situations.

[Golden Triangle]

We're very fortunate to live within spitting distance of the cycle/walking track surrounding Mabprachan lake, my mrs can do 2 or 3 laps easily on her pushbike it's about 12 km round the lake.

 

One of the best investments Pattaya city made, many many people use it daily. 

[rudi49jr]

6 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Cycling in groups has got to be less risk, Pickups more likely to see

I don’t think that’s true. Professional cyclists often train together in groups, and I do read quite a few stories of those groups of cyclists being hit by a car or truck. Drivers are often just careless, even in countries like Holland, with millions of cyclists. And Thai drivers are not used to cyclists.

[EricTh]

I often see foreigners riding their bicycle in the middle of the emergency lane without a care in the world, even blocking fast moving motorbikes.

 

They think that all other vehicles must give way to them (like in Europe) which is the wrong thinking.

 

Zebra crossing and bicycle riding causes death due to the ignorance of foreigners that the rules in Thailand is different from the rules in western countries.

Edited February 22, 2022 by EricTh

[EricTh]

14 minutes ago, rudi49jr said:

I don’t think that’s true. Professional cyclists often train together in groups, and I do read quite a few stories of those groups of cyclists being hit by a car or truck. Drivers are often just careless, even in countries like Holland, with millions of cyclists. And Thai drivers are not used to cyclists.

 

That's the problem, people from western countries think that the traffic rules in their country apply to Thailand which is not.

 

Zebra crossing and cyclists lane (there is no cyclists lane) have different rules in Thailand. You must give way to them and not the other way around.

 

I remember seeing one farang who was riding his bicycle slowly on the lane and even cross traffic lights when it is red. An impatient Thai motorcyclist horned at him but he didn't know that he was wrong. He still think he has the right of way.

 

Edited February 22, 2022 by EricTh

[bkk6060]

Seems very dumb to ride a bike on any well traveled roadway here, or anywhere.

The U.S. for example has many bike paths, but still there are over 40,000 bicycle related accidents a year.

Maybe not in this case, but many of these regular riders seem arrogant, get out of my way, make way for me attitudes. Constantly yelling at other people as they ride as if the are entitled. They need to be more responsible and alert and obey the rules of the road if they want to survive.  But, it seems many don't.

[scubascuba3]

28 minutes ago, rudi49jr said:

I don’t think that’s true. Professional cyclists often train together in groups, and I do read quite a few stories of those groups of cyclists being hit by a car or truck. Drivers are often just careless, even in countries like Holland, with millions of cyclists. And Thai drivers are not used to cyclists.

Safety in numbers, just common sense really

[tomyami]

Lived in pattaya for 12 years have an aerox it can accelerate out of danger on a no limits driving culture a bicycle cannot, I am a keen cyclist in my home country where it is respected and enforced with cycle lanes and driver education.

RIP for the man, but I would not cycle in pattaya or thailand except in the gym

[Rimmer]

3 hours ago, Silencer said:

My interpretation (that may be wrong) is both the car and bike were going the same direction. Either a stopped or slowly moving truck was ahead of the bicycle, and he moved over to the right to pass it, then got hit from behind. This happens everytime we drive in a city here, with motorbikes usually. You see a motorbike ahead of you in the left lane that has an obstacle in their path and assume they will be moving a bit right (or further) to get around it and you need to JUDGE your speed and clearance to decide if you need to yield or have room to overtake the obstacle and bike at the same time. Driving too fast will make this calculation, along with how far right the bike moves right, an accident waiting to happen.

 

The rear wheel looks to be fairly intact, but the chainstays and the rear triangle are broken as is the seatpost tube the top tube and down tube which are broken off at the head  stock perhaps indicating a front impact.  Either way it was a very high speed impact. 

[Excel]

5 hours ago, IAMHERE said:

Pure speculation. Did you read the associated article? Sounds like the bike rider may well have not been paying attention to the traffic.

What a hypocritacal statement when you firstly state it was ourely speculation then you ramble on and state "Sounds like the bike rider may well have not been paying attention to the traffic" Oh dear another one attempting to blame an elderly foreign cyclist rather than the Thai driver. Sick indeed.

[Excel]

4 hours ago, bert bloggs said:

Most cyclists i come across on the roads are a menace,all over the place ,rip to the guy,i drove past after it had happened.

Clearly you driving is limited for you to state that as your observations.

[jacko45k]

4 hours ago, toofarnorth said:

My thought too.  10 pin bowling comes to mind.  But I get annoyed when out and about in the car or on Forza and I come across a herd of cyclists riding side by side . Stop and chat or ride in single file for gosh sakes.

Why should they have to.... ? They need someone protecting their flank.

[PB172111]

9 hours ago, Anythingleft? said:

Such a shame the state of driving here makes the roads a place that you cant go out and relax and enjoy. Theres so much to see and cycling is a fantastic way to do it..

 

RIP to the person involved..

Why would anyone ride a bike on the 331. That is asking for trouble. You just don’t cycle on a dual carriageway.

RIP

[PB172111]

8 hours ago, Excel said:

Another killer in a pick-up. RIP to the innocent cyclist murdered on the road by a lethal machine in the hands of yet another reckless moron.

Don’t quote BS until you get the facts. Anyone who rides on the 331 is a moron.

RIP

Edited February 22, 2022 by PB172111