American pensioner on 'brand new' Ducati collides with backhoe carrying truck and dies in South

[webfact]

Picture: Siam Rath

 

Siam Rath reported on the death of a 67 year old American man who had been riding a Ducati motorcycle in Phangnga, southern Thailand yesterday.

 

Pol Lt Siwasit Petchsuran of the Muang district police went with hospital and rescue services to the scene on Petchkasem Road in Tak Daet sub-district.

 

They found a red plate Ducati on its side. This normally indicates that it is a brand new vehicle. 

 

Crushed at the real wheel of a Hino truck trailer carrying a backhoe was Mr Edward. 

 

Picture: Siam Rath

 

He was taken dead to Phangnga Hospital for autopsy.

 

Surasak the driver of the truck said that he was on his way to Takua Thung driving in the left lane at about 60 kmph.

 

He noticed the bike in his rear view mirror coming up too close on his right side at speed and sounded his horn twice to alert the rider.

 

But the rider continued and ended up going into his back wheel.

 

Police were at the scene gathering evidence in the accident that occurred at the Suan Nok bend heading out of Muang district. 

 

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[Old Croc]

I'm not doubting the truck driver's version but do find it unusual that someone would sound their horn (twice) at someone approaching from behind at speed.

I'm sure brake checking doesn't happen in Thailand.

 

[Olmate]

8 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

I'm not doubting the truck driver's version but do find it unusual that someone would sound their horn (twice) at someone approaching from behind at speed.

I'm sure brake checking doesn't happen in Thailand.

 

Pensioner on his phone! 

[ezzra]

New bike, and them Ducaties need to know how to be ridden if you're a beginner, so this plus this plus bad luck and these are the results unfortunately...

[MRToMRT]

Sad for the poor blokes family. The drivers story does not fully ring true IMHO, I suspect the driver pulled out without warning into the right lane and took out the overtaking Ducati.

[schvonsky1]

1 hour ago, Olmate said:

Pensioner on his phone! 

Lol have you got concrete evidence ???? ya  ???? 

[paulbrow]

1 hour ago, MRToMRT said:

Sad for the poor blokes family. The drivers story does not fully ring true IMHO, I suspect the driver pulled out without warning into the right lane and took out the overtaking Ducati.

IMHO, based on the drag marks in the one photo we have, it should be relatively easy to ascertain exactly where impact occurred.

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Siam Rath reported on the death of a 67 year old American man who had been riding a Ducati motorcycle in Phangnga, southern Thailand yesterday.

Death by misadventure... it happens.

[Moti24]

6 hours ago, Old Croc said:

I'm sure brake checking doesn't happen in Thailand.

 

Allegedly, They don't work most of the time.

[BritScot]

Sorry I do not believe the truck driver! Having ridden motorbikes "big bikes" in Thailand. Thais seem to have zero regard for motorbikes on the road and the rule of I'm bigger so more important springs to mind, it even goes down to my vehicle is more expensive so I'm more entitled. Then there is the very bad driving. Taking my children only 15km to school and every day between 3 and 6 vehicles would pull out of a soi or just cut across 3 lanes without looking. A big truck is rather hard to miss when riding a motorbike, you kind of see it a long way off...

[n00dle]

6 hours ago, MRToMRT said:

Sad for the poor blokes family. The drivers story does not fully ring true IMHO, I suspect the driver pulled out without warning into the right lane and took out the overtaking Ducati.

Spin it however you want. if the bike hit the tractor from the rear, the fault is clear.

[ignore it]

I'm seeing a lot of helmetless tourists zooming around Patts.

Reckless stuff in the daytime.

Actually make Thai drivers look good.

I'm expecting lots of crashes.

More than the good old pre Wuhan virus days.

 

[HappyExpat57]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

death of a 67 year old American

Oh for <deleted>'s sake! Anyone buying that kind of a monster machine at that age needs their head examined.

[HappyExpat57]

9 minutes ago, ignore it said:

I'm seeing a lot of helmetless tourists zooming around Patts.

Reckless stuff in the daytime.

Actually make Thai drivers look good.

I'm expecting lots of crashes.

More than the good old pre Wuhan virus days.

 

That's Pattaya, a universe all unto itself. Idiots go there thinking both the legal laws and the laws of physics don't apply to them.

[thaibeachlovers]

6 hours ago, ezzra said:

New bike, and them Ducaties need to know how to be ridden if you're a beginner, so this plus this plus bad luck and these are the results unfortunately...

I wonder how much experience the rider had with bikes like that? Be different than riding a scooter for sure.

In NZ the cost of keeping a large bike legal is very high because the cost of injuries and death of such riders costs the state too much.

[Olmate]

38 minutes ago, BritScot said:

Sorry I do not believe the truck driver! Having ridden motorbikes "big bikes" in Thailand. Thais seem to have zero regard for motorbikes on the road and the rule of I'm bigger so more important springs to mind, it even goes down to my vehicle is more expensive so I'm more entitled. Then there is the very bad driving. Taking my children only 15km to school and every day between 3 and 6 vehicles would pull out of a soi or just cut across 3 lanes without looking. A big truck is rather hard to miss when riding a motorbike, you kind of see it a long way off...

You take your kids to school on a "bigbike"?? 

[eisfeld]

Why do people assume he's a beginner or that this Ducati is a super powerful bike? Clearly at that age he's had big bike experience and the bike is Ducati's smaller adventure bike...

 

The bike doesn't even have severe damage and probably was not going all too fast. The truck on the other hand is all the way to the left and there are a lot of marks on the asphalt. The story of the truck driver seems very suspicious as I've never experienced a truck driver honking a horn because of someone approaching from behind. The Thai article speaks of the motorbike rider falling under the truck and being crushed by the right back wheel. But why was the motorbike and the body on the floor right at the truck? If it really happened like the truck driver claimed the truck would be further down the road as he'd have some breaking distance but there is none.

 

Also if the motorcycle was on the right side then why are truck, body and motorcycle all the way to the left on the road?

 

 

[richard_smith237]

7 hours ago, Old Croc said:

I'm not doubting the truck driver's version but do find it unusual that someone would sound their horn (twice) at someone approaching from behind at speed.

I'm sure brake checking doesn't happen in Thailand.

 

Yes you are.... and I would be too....   the idea that he sounded the horn for someone approaching from behind is ridiculous. 

 

6 hours ago, MRToMRT said:

Sad for the poor blokes family. The drivers story does not fully ring true IMHO, I suspect the driver pulled out without warning into the right lane and took out the overtaking Ducati.

With something like this.... my automatic suspicions are usually that the vehicle pulled out in front of the the motorcycle which was going quickly. 

 

39 minutes ago, n00dle said:

Spin it however you want. if the bike hit the tractor from the rear, the fault is clear.

Not always...  i.e IF the vehicle suddenly changed lanes etc and there was nowhere else for the motorcyclist to go.

 

 

BUT... all of that said.... a brand new powerful motorcycle... was the American guy an experienced rider ?

New bike, brand-new tyres... the tyres usually have a ‘coating’ and don’t perform well straight out of the showroom... (they need wearing in)....  

 

Was the rider going too fast on his new bike and simply couldn’t slow in time or couldn’t counter-steer quickly to get around the lorry which may have been going a lot lot slower than he initially anticipated ??

 

[eisfeld]

3 minutes ago, Olmate said:

You take your kids to school on a "bigbike"?? 

Can be safer than going on a scooter depending on the model. Better visibility, better breaks, better tires and better safety systems. Big bike does not mean you have to go 200kph...

[eisfeld]

44 minutes ago, n00dle said:

Spin it however you want. the bike hit the tractor from the rear, fault is clear.

Who said the bike hit the truck (not tractor) from the rear? The story speaks of the motorcycle being on the right side of the truck and then the guy somehow being crushed under the rear wheel.

[richard_smith237]

28 minutes ago, HappyExpat57 said:

7 hours ago, webfact said:

death of a 67 year old American

Oh for <deleted>'s sake! Anyone buying that kind of a monster machine at that age needs their head examined.

Its not exactly a ‘monster machine’.... its a ‘Multistrada’ a touring bike, up right seating position... like a BMW GS or a Triumph Tiger, Kawasaki Versys 1000 etc etc....    Its not quite the monster machine road racer you seem to imply..... 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

3 minutes ago, eisfeld said:

7 minutes ago, Olmate said:

You take your kids to school on a "bigbike"?? 

Can be safer than going on a scooter depending on the model. Better visibility, better breaks, better tires and better safety systems. Big bike does not mean you have to go 200kph...

Yeah but still....  Get a car  (If finances permit of course). 

 

My Son goes on the back of my motorcycle for a bit of fun when we ride up to the pool in our moo-baan...   Never on a regular road, never will he ever.... 

 

 

[VinnieK]

18 minutes ago, eisfeld said:

Can be safer than going on a scooter depending on the model. Better visibility, better breaks, better tires and better safety systems. Big bike does not mean you have to go 200kph...

Bigger engine beckons you to ride faster..

Just human nature.

 

 

[Tubulat]

7 hours ago, Olmate said:

Pensioner on his phone! 

The different between pensioners and younger people is that pensioners can live without a mobile.....

The first 45 years of their lives was without a mobile.

[PETERTHEEATER]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

He noticed the bike in his rear view mirror coming up too close on his right side at speed and sounded his horn twice to alert the rider.

Bravo Sierra

[Thingamabob]

If you hit a vehicle in front of you, you were either going too fast or not looking, or both. 

[BostonRob2]

3 hours ago, HappyExpat57 said:

Oh for <deleted>'s sake! Anyone buying that kind of a monster machine at that age needs their head examined.

I'd be more worried if they were 18.

 

Rooster

[liddelljohn]

Alot of ignorant comments on here  , I have ridden motrcycles all over the world ,for over 50 years  I have a Big Ducati I have ridden in Thailand , Cambodia, Laos, Burma  for 20 years  and also now a new even more powerful Kawasaki Ninja 1000  , both can easily be ridden slowly  or crazy fast is up to me depending on appropriate  situations and my levels of concentration ,,  I suspect either the rider was inexperienced  , or lost concentration ,, but more likely the truck did something stupid .. I SEE IT ALL THE TIME HERE . 

 

And in Pattaya there are no road rules , and stupid tourists  renting big bikes without helmets and safety gear is  ridiculous , but Thai big bike riders are just as bad ,, I see Hiso Thais on  New 1m Baht bikes wearing 200k leathers, boots   , but NO helmets  or gloves , very fashionable  and passing me at 150mph  idiots ???

[soi3eddie]

4 hours ago, BritScot said:

Sorry I do not believe the truck driver! Having ridden motorbikes "big bikes" in Thailand. Thais seem to have zero regard for motorbikes on the road and the rule of I'm bigger so more important springs to mind, it even goes down to my vehicle is more expensive so I'm more entitled. Then there is the very bad driving. Taking my children only 15km to school and every day between 3 and 6 vehicles would pull out of a soi or just cut across 3 lanes without looking. A big truck is rather hard to miss when riding a motorbike, you kind of see it a long way off...

I'm an experienced rider of almost 40 years. I do ride in Thailand and love big bikes. As much as I'd enjoy a fast bike, there is just no place in Thailand for a bike that can do 100 KPH in 2nd gear. Scooters are quite fast enough. The risks posed by other riders and drivers (and animals on the road) are just too great. The lack of attention and awareness by other road users is breathtaking. So sad for Mr Edward and his family. 67 is not old and he was likely living the dream until the end. Whatever the real reason, speed, power, motorcycles, truck and Thai drivers do not mix well. RIP.

 

[Hummin]

11 hours ago, MRToMRT said:

Sad for the poor blokes family. The drivers story does not fully ring true IMHO, I suspect the driver pulled out without warning into the right lane and took out the overtaking Ducati.

A scenario I often experience here on Thai roads. Trucks coming out without warning to pass a motorbike or a slower vehicle.