Student seriously injured after being hit by motorcycle on Zebra X-ing - CCTV footage is clear

[NE1]

Surely there are enough policemen kicking their heels with nothing to do. 

Couldn't One policeman be allocated to One school and man the zebra crossing.

Say an hour in the morning and an hour when the school turns out.

 

Would that be to much to ask?

[rwill]

I hope they gave the video to the police first and got permission to use it from them.

[sambum]

"The person has been in touch with the parents and will be prosecuted."

 

Possible out of court settlement to the parents and plod? 

[sambum]

3 minutes ago, NE1 said:

Surely there are enough policemen kicking their heels with nothing to do. 

Couldn't One policeman be allocated to One school and man the zebra crossing.

Say an hour in the morning and an hour when the school turns out.

 

Would that be to much to ask?

Yes!

[off road pat]

5 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

I could say same. If he think he owns the road, he would have hurt more people before.

And maybe he did,....

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

They said they had difficulty stopping in time. The person responsible is a local employee who was on their way to work.

Attempted manslaughter... simple as that.

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

I could say same. If he think he owns the road, he would have hurt more people before.

It doesn't matter what he's done before, the photos show clearly that many students are on the crossing WHICH MEANS HE MUST STOP

he clearly doesn't understand this.

[richard_smith237]

5 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

It doesn't matter what he's done before, the photos show clearly that many students are on the crossing WHICH MEANS HE MUST STOP

he clearly doesn't understand this.

Agreed..... Its the underlying attitude that the ‘underlings’ are of less value or significance than the more powerful... to be honest most societies are like that and value fame and money etc... 

 

However, in Thailand this manifest itself throughout society and those riding and driving vehicles have this underlying almost subconscious belief that pedestrians are below them, this almost subconscious belief seems so significant that riders don’t ‘see’ or ‘register’ pedestrians on the road, or when they do they expect them to get out of the way. 

 

This is upside down... Thai society has road safety completely upside down and inside out...  the ‘stronger should be looking out for and protecting the weak’....  in this case motorists should be looking out for pedestrians.... 

 

... IMO the underlying attitudes that allow this to happen are a blight on Thai society and really let the nation down. 

[tandor]

6 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

Had problem stopping in time??? To me it looks like a fairly big road, with the possibility to see from far away.

...why not put police officers there morning/afternoon as a positive road safety initiative. Of course they would need body armor and a swag of amulets. Every sub-district has traffic police.

[terryofcrete]

Thailand is not a developed country. Safety is not important , life is cheap....except when the police are trying to get tourists to leave bars at midnight ... because these poor stupid visitors don't realise that covid is more infectious after the bewitching hour. 

[DFPhuket]

In Patong the police are out at the end of Bangla road each day. They pull over foreigners riding motorbikes to check for helmets/licenses but don't even notice (let alone fine) people who don't stop at a zebra crossing a few meters away. Safety will never improve as long as stationary checkpoints remain the only enforcement tool. 

[Chongalulu]

1 hour ago, AhFarangJa said:

O.K. I am just going to throw this idea out there, and just maybe some school directors, and teachers will take up the challenge.........Now I know, after more than 25 years here, that I am being just a tiny bit optimistic, but would it not be a good idea for the teaching staff to take turns to monitor the crossings in the mornings and afternoons. I realise that a lollipop lady such as we have in England would have a shorter life span than a Kamikaze pilot, but surely a teacher wearing a hi vis jacket could have some success.....................

No,the only thing that would register in a Thai drivers ???? would be an armed sniper pointing his rifle down the road while accompanying the children! ???? 

[Surasak]

1 hour ago, AhFarangJa said:

O.K. I am just going to throw this idea out there, and just maybe some school directors, and teachers will take up the challenge.........Now I know, after more than 25 years here, that I am being just a tiny bit optimistic, but would it not be a good idea for the teaching staff to take turns to monitor the crossings in the mornings and afternoons. I realise that a lollipop lady such as we have in England would have a shorter life span than a Kamikaze pilot, but surely a teacher wearing a hi vis jacket could have some success.....................

I have seen police on some of these crossings outside schools mornings and evenings, but still motorbikes and some cars take no notice of the police direction. What hope is there of change when the whole attitude of drivers is 'Me first'?

[Archie Baker]

1 hour ago, vandeventer said:

To me, they need some flashing lights at these crossings as drivers just don't stop for faded white strips. Failing to stop happens every where in Thailand, and the people or kids crossing are very scared as they don't know if they will make it or not.

They tried that in Hua Hin but many people just drive through the red light if it's clear on their side.  Just been through it this afternoon and 6 young Thais crossing the road had a green light but had to wait on cars going through the lights on red.  Thais thinks cars always have right of way.  Same as the kamakasi roundabouts, you take your chance. 

[10baht]

7 hours ago, Old Croc said:

More likely he thinks he has the right of way.

I really hate generalization, but aren't almost all motor bike rides not thinkers. You'd think with the number of deaths daily / yearly Darwinism would take hold and all the idiots and their off spring would be gone and a new crop of motor bike drivers would take their place. Ones who obey some of the rules of the road, not to mention the laws. 

[scorecard]

8 minutes ago, Archie Baker said:

They tried that in Hua Hin but many people just drive through the red light if it's clear on their side.  Just been through it this afternoon and 6 young Thais crossing the road had a green light but had to wait on cars going through the lights on red.  Thais thinks cars always have right of way.  Same as the kamakasi roundabouts, you take your chance. 

Discussions about zebra crossings have happened many times.

 

Maybe 15 years go it came up and the result was zebra crossings with lights at several locations on Third Road, Pattaya.

 

Pedestrians had to press the button to make the lights change to red and then cross but of course cars didn't stop when the lights turned red.

 

Even worse  - - the button for pedestrians was located at typical 'top of head' height for a 6ft 3in farang.

 

Many questions ensured about the height of the button. Answer from Pattaya city hall - - 'because we don't want children to play with the light button'.

 

Next question - - 'but how can the children cross the road safely if they cannot use the button to stop the cars'.

 

Answer  - -  'not important', then 'they can run between the cars still moving'.

 

A couple of years later the lights/buttons etc., all totally removed. 

[Chelseafan]

6 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

And made to take compulsory riding lessons to teach them how to stop at a crossing. 

 

Ordered to pay for an eye test. 

 

Same as UK these days. Seen so many drivers not give away to pedestrians on zebra crossings... 

[Stevemercer]

Isn't the scooter rider on the wrong side of the road?

[scorecard]

7 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

Had problem stopping in time??? To me it looks like a fairly big road, with the possibility to see from far away.

Bottom line is that it's the responsibility of the driver to be prepared for all possibilities and in this circumstance stop.  There's no other argument.

[kevin612]

Zebra crossing and dogs are threats in Thailand 

[Bangkok Barry]

There were many kids on the crossing and he drove straight at them. To me, that is attempted murder and should be dealt with as such. But, as this is Thailand, he'll just offer the parents a few thousand baht as compensation, negotiated of course by their 'agent', the police, who will take their percentage.

[Bangkok Barry]

2 hours ago, poppysdad said:

Earlier today we were in town and had parked safely in a one way street. I instinctively looked to my left before crossing to which my wife asked me why when the traffic will come from the right. 
I replied that safety is second nature to most westerners and why so many of hers will never make my age. She simply smiled. 

I always, always look both ways when crossing the road, even if it's one-way. Always. Twice, too, we've been driving and had someone coming straight at us in the fast lane of the dual carriageway, the driver probably too drunk to know that it is a dual carriageway and he's on the wrong side of the divide. Whenever I step outside my house I am aware that I'm taking my life in my hands.

[shackleton]

I must admit  when using Zebra crossings I sometimes fear after  some cars  stop its the motor bikes you need to look out for usually going to fast 

Coming at the side of the stopped cars 

[Kwasaki]

32 minutes ago, Chelseafan said:

Same as UK these days. Seen so many drivers not give away to pedestrians on zebra crossings... 

It reminds me when in UK I use to make them stop.

Here they are just crossing not same strict highway code applies to crossings as it does in UK.  

[ChrisKC]

There are no excuses!

 

if one doesn't apply the brake or slow down until actually at the crossing there isn't time enough to avoid a collision.

 

As many as 90% of drivers do not stop at these crossings whether people are waiting to cross or even on the crossing itself.

 

There would be even more accidents if pedestrians weren't acutely aware of sentence two above.

 

What I don't understand is that most pedestrians are also riders and drivers themselves!

 

But again - no enforcement of the law or official regard for public road safety. And let's forget that it is likely to change for the better

[CM Dad]

When will the police begin to enforce traffic laws, especially speeding?  Most people drive entirely too fast,  The police only set up traffic stops to shake down motorcyclists not wearing helmets or having proper driving permits.  Expensive vehicles are never stopped for fear that the drivers will be well-connected.

Better yet, when will driver's education become a part of secondary school curriculum?

[Aussieroaming]

Zebra crossings here are a dangerous joke. Thailand should just close off all zebra crossing access points and build some more over passes, skywalks and underpasses.

 

Or alternatively become serious about safety and confiscate errant vehicle drivers who put lives at risk, which of course would never happen.

 

The underpasses system works well and offer opportunities for small shops or stalls as well. I have been in a few asian countries that utilize the underpass and I liked it. Quite a few in operation in metro Manila, even with the monsoon rains.

[zyphodb]

2 hours ago, NE1 said:

Surely there are enough policemen kicking their heels with nothing to do. 

Couldn't One policeman be allocated to One school and man the zebra crossing.

Say an hour in the morning and an hour when the school turns out.

 

Would that be to much to ask?

Probably, yes...

[androokery]

3 hours ago, tigerbeer said:

pisses me off why they cannot stop for pedestrians. Bastards!. 

A lot of cars and almost all motorbikes ignore red lights at these pedestrian crossings. And they jump the change every time. I was wondering why that happened all the time. And then I realised that the lowest level of transport is not a pedestrian in Thailand - theoretically they don't exist. Thai people will not walk anywhere. In Europe the modes of transport are, from lowest to highest; pedestrian, bicycle, motorbike, car, EMS. And the lowest levels are allowed to ignore the rules of the road - well a little bit anyway. Motorbike drivers in Thailand are acting very much like pedestrians in other countries, ignoring traffic lights, zebra crossings, overtaking on the inside or the outside, direction of traffic etc. Once I realised this, I calmed down a little bit - but it still pisses me off when they ignore red lights. 

[androokery]

30 minutes ago, Aussieroaming said:

Zebra crossings here are a dangerous joke. Thailand should just close off all zebra crossing access points and build some more over passes, skywalks and underpasses.

 

Or alternatively become serious about safety and confiscate errant vehicle drivers who put lives at risk, which of course would never happen.

 

The underpasses system works well and offer opportunities for small shops or stalls as well. I have been in a few asian countries that utilize the underpass and I liked it. Quite a few in operation in metro Manila, even with the monsoon rains.

Bollards. We need bollards.