Harrowing scene as Canadian cries for his dead wife at early morning accident in Kanchanaburi

[Jen65]

What a shocking way to go !   Tourists out for early morning ride .    Thailand just does not have a clue about reducing death on the road and especially speeding , modified pick-ups .   RIP the deceased .

[LikeItHot]

7 minutes ago, sead said:

Because they are not taught about it in the 3h video when you're taking your license. I don't remember there was anything about letting pedestrians go first

Really? I remember seeing a ton of car wrecks and pedestrians and motorcyclists flying on that video.

[herfiehandbag]

4 hours ago, bluejets said:

As Dad used to say, there should be a solid wired connection between the horn button and the brake pedal.

It does seem that, for many drivers, honking the horn is sufficient to remove any responsibility for any results of their subsequent stupidity. It certainly replaces slowing down, avoiding or anticipating other road users intentions, however clearly signalled or obvious!

[Tropposurfer]

Here I think it's often indifference, yaba, monumentally poor driving skills, shockingly overloaded commercial vehicles, speed, and a cascade of road rule disobedience. 

Sadly it seems speed, maybe driver arrogance 'get outa my way', and an innocent woman crossing a road ended in yet another tragedy. Poor fella how horrible to see his wife killed in front of him. Poor lass RIP ????????

 

I only ride a stationary bike here. The only place I have ever ridden (over many years of riding) on roadways where I felt safe was in southern and south eastern rural France; a joy to do. I still ride when we holiday there.

I used to, when young, ride every week in east coast Australia, and was almost run over many times, even on rural country roads!!, and I worked diligently at obeying the road rules and riding defensively too!

Riding in my home country of Oz in recent years has only become increasingly more dangerous with zero respect or tolerance for bikes. Over the years we've seen an alarming increase in road-rage towards cyclists with deliberate attempts to run them off the road becoming quite common.

 

[audaciousnomad]

51 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

And always cross at corners, if possible.

But be careful of the corners that are blind turns.  Very dangerous.

[Docno]

The vast majority of posters seem to be blaming the Thai driver without a second thought. However, it appears that they were crossing a road, and we don't have much information on how large the road was etc. "Driving at speed" does not necessarily mean "exceeding the speed limit", so we have to be careful with our assumptions. It's quite possible that the husband crossed the road as the pickup was approaching; the wife was still on the far side when the driver saw her (driving at around the speed limit) and he honked his horn to warn her of his approach; the driver assumed she would stay on her side until he passed; but she decided to make a 'run for it', misjudging the speed of the pickup. So, I'm not so sure the Thai is truly to blame. We can only be sure this was a tragedy... 

[decca60]

Pick up drivers.......often high on everything except brain cells........ one thing came to my mind> If the woman heard the honk did she not look at the wrong side by reflex......which doesn't give any excuse to the pick up driver obviously a moron.... My thoughts go to the husband who came to spend happy holidays in couple....... very sad

[Aussieroaming]

Well done Thailand, another shameful day on the roads. This isn't just an event to be blamed on this killer driver, even though he is a scumbag. The majority of Thais drive with the same disregard for other road users. When breaking road rules is an endemic problem then the entire populous must bear responsibiliy. Thailand doesn't deserve the foreign tourism that it clamours for.

[Burma Bill]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

making Thailand’s roads the ninth most deadly in the world.

Oh really!! Figures for 2015:-

 

 

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2015/10/countries-with-the-most-and-least-road-traffic-deaths/

 

Regret, I cannot yet find figures for 2021. RIP Ma'am.

[Mr Meeseeks]

5 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Thailand appears to be killing off foreigners daily now. Becoming about as attractive to tourists as Mogadishu !

Always been the most dangerous tourism destination in the World for Brits, by some considerable margin, and many more go to Spain, Portugal, Greece etc. 

 

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

5 hours ago, bristolgeoff said:

You have to be very careful when riding a bicycle anywhere thailand is no different.respect the bigger vehicle anywhere do that and you will be ok

Absolute piffle.

 

Thailand is far more dangerous than most other countries on the roads.

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Death again highlights the danger of Thailand’s roads for foreigners including pedestrians, car drivers, motorcyclists and bicyclists due to reckless driving and a lack of the same sense of care and caution that is seen in other countries making Thailand’s roads the ninth most deadly in the world.

That says it all.

[Mr Meeseeks]

2 hours ago, phetphet said:

Some are careful drivers, but in general I find Thai drivers to be inconsiderate and have a real Me Me attitude.

I think it's due to a lack of both proper driving lessons and road policing.

 

Everything from overtaking on bends or before the prow of a hill, to just parking their car in the middle of the road while they pop into 7-11.

 

They drive how they like without fear of any likely punishment.

 

Their behaviour is symptomatic of a poor education, immaturity and lack of competence to operate a motor vehicle.

 

2 hours ago, cjinchiangrai said:

Look to the right when crossing the street. Thai roads are backwards.

 

The Thais are driving on the correct side of the road which ancient cultures have done since the invention of the wheel. 

 

Only changed by the French since Napoleon was left handed (and a megalomaniac). 

 

Most people are right handed so steering with the right hand is of course the naturally correct way to operate a motor vehicle. 

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, bristolgeoff said:

You have to be very careful when riding a bicycle anywhere thailand is no different.respect the bigger vehicle anywhere do that and you will be ok

I ride every morning, pick-up drivers are the worst people around at that time.

No consideration for any one else, just driving at speed to make a delivery or be somewhere.

[Mr Meeseeks]

2 hours ago, Harveyboy said:

yes it seems if you have a pick up it gives you the god given right to speed 

As others have stated, these pickup drivers are a total nuisance and a clampdown is long overdue. 

[Adumbration]

3 hours ago, thailand49 said:

This is the murderous driving mentality habits that exist in Thailand due to no education and then zero enforcement. 

"freak" this is a common occurrence pedestrian no right away, general speeding daily as if the are rushing around needing to get to their graves first.  Instead of simple slowing down and applying the brakes it is easier to blame someone else. Constant excuses from drivers allowing by every official in the land of sadness. 

Lots of police in Thailand but zero policing.

[Tony125]

5 hours ago, bristolgeoff said:

You have to be very careful when riding a bicycle anywhere thailand is no different.respect the bigger vehicle anywhere do that and you will be ok

I have been an avid runner and bike rider for many years , rode my bike to work  ( 10 kilometers ) in Boston, MA USA  many times. Never ride  my bike in Bangkok streets. I ride in park near my condo in Bkk.  In Pattaya I ride in the village or on the back roads in Pattaya where there is less traffic. Cars and motorbikes in Thailand drive insanely with no regard for others.

[Mr Meeseeks]

2 hours ago, mvdf said:

The notoriety is in the color. 

Never been in dispute. 

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, AhFarangJa said:

Sorry, but how do they attribute this as a freak accident.

Definition of freak accident..."a very unusual and unexpected event or situation"

Sadly, on these roads it is neither unusual, nor unexpected. The selfish moron was driving too fast, and ploughed on with the standard "I am bigger than you, and more important than you" attitude..............

I apologise in advance if this seems like a rant. 

My sympathy to the Husband who will probably never see proper justice done.

R.I.P. Young Lady.....
 

 

It's not a rant it's the truth... 

[Adumbration]

4 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

Never been in dispute. 

A few years back before covid Thepkrassatri Road (the main artery running down the center of Phuket island) was statistically the most dangerous place to drive on planet earth.

[Ralf001]

6 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

As others have stated, these pickup drivers are a total nuisance and a clampdown is long overdue. 

Clampdown you say... possibly ban pickups from public roads or ..... ?

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

And this kiddies is why you should not ride a bicycle on the road.

Just wait until you're 12 and you can go out on a Honda wave.

[Ralf001]

Just now, hotchilli said:

Just wait until you're 12 and you can go out on a Honda wave.

12 is below min age to ride a scoot.

[bogozy]

I do not know who has the responsibility for this accident. I see, every day, the farangs are adapting very fast to the thai driving style. Motorcycle riders no wear helmet, the farangs no any afraids to drunken driving, and so on. When a farang is the victim, the voices go up loud, and angryness is spread.   

[hotchilli]

6 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

12 is below min age to ride a scoot.

Since when did that stop anyone?

[Ginner]

5 hours ago, bristolgeoff said:

You have to be very careful when riding a bicycle anywhere thailand is no different.respect the bigger vehicle anywhere do that and you will be ok

Problem is most tourist think the Thai drivers know/respect the Highway code. But the don't. Thai driver never want to give way, even when they have to. Last night my wife and I caught in a storm on our motorbike, cars still traveling at 80/90 km per hour on roads covered in 3 feet of water.

 

[Ralf001]

3 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Since when did that stop anyone?

Whats got you all butthurt ?

[hotchilli]

2 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

Whats got you all butthurt ?

The tragic death of an innocent tourist and the heartbreak of a devastated husband.

No doubt at that age they also had children who have also lost a mother...

Thailands response will be zero... possibly a basket of chicken delight and have a nice flight home.

Does that answer your question?

[Almer]

This report starts as a “freak accident with the truck travelling at speed”

what is freakish about that?

[Stevemercer]

I regularly ride my bicycle in Thailand, but I am out in the country. I generally find Thai drivers to be pretty considerate. They slow down and give me plenty of room.

 

I used to ride a lot in Australia where the drivers can be incredibly selfish with an attitude that bicycles don't belong on the road.

 

I feel much safer cycling in Thailand. The main hazard I come across are dogs sleeping on the road or running out to attack.

 

My condolonces to the husband and best wishes for the future.