British biker, 83, is killed in a horror crash in Thailand after car pulls out in front of him

[Kinnock]

On 6/14/2022 at 12:43 PM, crazykopite said:

I’m 71 years young my Honda motor bike is now consigned to the garage and has been for a couple of years my mode of transport these days is a car far safer on Thai roads over the years I have had a couple of near misses on the bike non my fault mainly drunk Thais who have been drinking the cheap Thai whiskey from morning to night . RIP Keith I pray that it was a very quick ending and you did not suffer ????????????????????

It could be argued that this is a rather selfish viewpoint.

 

If age has dimished reaction times, then in a car you are putting others at risk, but on a bike, mainly just putting yourself at risk.

 

I still ride my motorcycle and I'm no youngster, but if I feel I can't ride any more, I'll not be driving a car either.

[shdmn]

I'll ride a scooter around city streets at low speed but no way would I ever take a bike on long trips. Statistically it's just too dangerous.  It doesn't matter how good a driver you think you are. You are not good enough to read other drivers minds and you can't prevent random events like rocks/trees falling down hills or road washing out and not being visible or whatever..

Edited June 16, 2022 by shdmn

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, Kinnock said:

It could be argued that this is a rather selfish viewpoint.

 

If age has dimished reaction times, then in a car you are putting others at risk, but on a bike, mainly just putting yourself at risk.

 

I still ride my motorcycle and I'm no youngster, but if I feel I can't ride any more, I'll not be driving a car either.

I get what you are saying...  but a car has 4 wheels, is more stable under breaking etc... so its more than reaction times that come into it...

... additionally, fewer people pullout and swerve in front of you in a car than a bike so you are less exposed to needing to emergency brake and have lightning reaction times. 

 

I think there is probably a transition period where riding a motorcycle is not advisable due to age, while driving a car is still fine, but at some point, driving a car also becomes dangerous for others - that age may be different for different people based on health and mental fitness etc...  

 

My father in law is kind of at that age now...  their car always has new scratches on it.... luckily he’s stopped drinking after too many bumps and scrapes combined with age, poor eyesight... but we just can’t stop the guy from driving.. I imagine there are many who refuse to accept the realities of age (not just in Thailand, UK too, my own father is another example at 84 years old, still driving, still passes medicals etc but still needs to be told to take it easy belting round the country lanes in a large 4x4).

 

 

 

 

Edited June 16, 2022 by richard_smith237

[shdmn]

1 hour ago, Kinnock said:

It could be argued that this is a rather selfish viewpoint.

 

If age has dimished reaction times, then in a car you are putting others at risk, but on a bike, mainly just putting yourself at risk.

 

I still ride my motorcycle and I'm no youngster, but if I feel I can't ride any more, I'll not be driving a car either.

It is better to be skin surrounded by metal than metal surrounded by skin.

[KhaoYai]

3 hours ago, sawadee1947 said:

Living in s civilized country I would agree with you.

However, here you are surrounded by mass idiocy, at least on roads.

So riding a bike here is risking your life. 

Yes, we are on the same wavelength but its the people not the bikes. Without checking any statistics I think it would be a fair guess that there are more deaths in car accidents than there are in other countries.

[RocketDog]

On 6/14/2022 at 12:43 PM, crazykopite said:

I’m 71 years young my Honda motor bike is now consigned to the garage and has been for a couple of years my mode of transport these days is a car far safer on Thai roads over the years I have had a couple of near misses on the bike non my fault mainly drunk Thais who have been drinking the cheap Thai whiskey from morning to night . RIP Keith I pray that it was a very quick ending and you did not suffer ????????????????????

Same for me. I bought and rode a Click around Chaam for two years after I got here. It took that long for me to fully grasp the level of exposure to danger that a motorbike is and the extreme danger Thai drivers represent.

It sits in the carport with 5000km on the odometer and my wife uses it for short hauls 3km to the local fresh market on back roads. It's hard to keep the battery charged.

 

We have a Chevy Z71 pickup with lots of metal around us and my wife drives, always. She drives  slower and more cautiously than I do anyway.

 

There is nobody who will ever convince me that riding a bike here, motor or otherwise, is even remotely sane. But, as they say here, up to you. I'm all in favor of folk's right to choose their own dangers.

 

[Arthur Mullard]

On 6/15/2022 at 8:47 AM, KhunLA said:

I've never seen a Thai do that ...

... in the Americas, as the only other countries I've ever driving in.

 

I've only noticed Americans, inclusive, of driving, sometimes, not as others wished they did.  Who hasn't driven, and pulled out in front of someone, and thought to themselves ... "oops, sorry"

 

Almost 6 pages of Thai bashing, assumed, when nobody knows exactly what happen.  I just want to know, how the scooter landed upside down.  Now that is quite the feat.

 

DISCLAIMER:  did not read all 6 pages, as first 10 comments were enough to set the stage.

 

R I P

You're new to Thailand then? Otherwise count yourself lucky. It doesn't even come under "road sense". Or lack of. I've seen it. Biker pulling out into another biker, totally oblivious. That's got to be simple-minded and nothing else.

[Nemises]

Riding a bike on the world’s deadliest roads. What could possibly go wrong…

[wensiensheng]

On 6/15/2022 at 8:40 AM, thailand49 said:

Personally I don't think Chinese is relevant with the story why was it even brought up?   Since it has I would like to hear more of her background.

It is as if her being Chinese is the reason for the accident to deflect as if it was a Thai the accidently would never have happen????

The point of my post was that the poster to whom I replied, inferred that Thai women are poor drivers. Which may indeed be true. But the driver in this case was a Chinese women. So it would be wrong to cite this case as being due to poor driving by Thai women.

[wensiensheng]

On 6/14/2022 at 2:40 PM, NorthernRyland said:

What happens if some idiot decides to slam on his brakes and make a quick turn on to some side street. Surely this is not YOUR fault when you smash in to the back of their car?

Pretty sure it IS your fault. You are supposed to leave sufficient distance between you and the vehicle in front, so that you can stop in time should they perform an emergency stop for some, whatever, reason.

 

commonsense really.

[thailand49]

1 hour ago, wensiensheng said:

The point of my post was that the poster to whom I replied, inferred that Thai women are poor drivers. Which may indeed be true. But the driver in this case was a Chinese women. So it would be wrong to cite this case as being due to poor driving by Thai women.

My comment had no reference to your post but it was made based on the original story! I didn't quote or single you out! 

Personally I don't feel the need to bring up the race " Chinese " as the guy is dead. Thai news like to do this in my opinion the execution is a common practice with many Thais and take the focus off as if it doesn't happen! 

To me this is the same if there is an accident by a foreigner itakes National Front page. 

Maybe it was a Thai Chinese????

Edited June 27, 2022 by thailand49

[Rimmer]

A troll post and replies removed

[wensiensheng]

On 6/27/2022 at 2:46 PM, thailand49 said:

My comment had no reference to your post but it was made based on the original story! I didn't quote or single you out! 

Personally I don't feel the need to bring up the race " Chinese " as the guy is dead. Thai news like to do this in my opinion the execution is a common practice with many Thais and take the focus off as if it doesn't happen! 

To me this is the same if there is an accident by a foreigner itakes National Front page. 

Maybe it was a Thai Chinese????

Well, you replied to my specific post rather than simply replying to the thread. So it’s hard to see how your own post didn’t single mine out. The only reason I saw your post is because I received a notification that someone (you) had replied to mine and so I looked at what ad been written.

 

but, whatever.

[balo]

On 6/14/2022 at 8:16 AM, Guderian said:

I'm thinking of upgrading to a cement truck, lol!

This is a good idea, I might do that when I turn 60+ +  .