Lopburi Quad Bike Crash: Scottish Expat's Death Highlights Road Dangers

[Harrisfan]

Darwin's law

[mancub]

5 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

I reckon it highlights if you aren't competent or have the skill set to ride a bike in Thailand, DON'T 

 

That would cover half the population eh? I mean, how would the children get to school ...😁?

[harryviking]

15 hours ago, blaze master said:

 

Won't work. They aren't serious about this issue. Probably never will be. 

 

 

Exactly...😫

[Andrew Dwyer]

1 hour ago, impulse said:

Bike is short for bicycle.  Which is the Latin for 2 wheels (that's tongue in cheek).  It was a quad, but it certainly wasn't a bike.

 

We refer to them as quad ATV's.

 

Some people call them 4 wheelers but my post, as is yours, is totally irrelevant to the topic.

[harryviking]

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

 

In a distressing accident on a Thai motorway flyover, a 62-year-old Scottish man tragically lost his life after his quad bike skidded and collided with a concrete barrier. The incident took place in Lopburi during the early hours of March 1, captivating the attention of both the local and expatriate communities.

 

The man, a retired oil rig worker from Stirling, Scotland, had settled in Thailand over a decade ago and was well-regarded locally, notably as a member of the Rotary Club. His shocking death occurred when he was thrown from his vehicle, falling 30 feet to his demise on grassland below the elevated road.

 

 

Police Lieutenant Sirirat Darunikorn of Ban Mi District Police outlined the grim scene, describing skid marks and the wreckage that remained as chilling evidence of the event. Responding officers discovered the man's body after following the trail of destruction to where his life had ended abruptly.

 

The man resided in Thailand with his partner, maintaining connections with family in the UK, who have now been informed of the tragedy. The local Rotary Club expressed heartfelt condolences, recognising the man's contributions to social service efforts.

 

Pictures courtesy of Asia Pacific Press via ViralPress

 

This incident has reignited discussions about road safety in Thailand, a country notorious for alarming accident rates. With 32.7 traffic fatalities per 100,000 individuals—one of the highest globally—there is urgent government intervention underway to drastically reduce this figure by 2027.

 

Contributing to this issue are inadequate road safety education and lax enforcement of traffic laws, which pose significant risks, especially to tourists unfamiliar with local driving conditions. As discussions continue, this unfortunate event highlights the pressing need for improvements to prevent further loss of life on Thailand's roads, reported The Thaiger.

 

-- 2025-03-03

 

 

Wearing a helmet and reduce speed would have put Thailand's death toll in half if not better!

[spidermike007]

As if the dangers on the roads here needed to be highlighted. The primary reason is the toy police force. Nobody, and I mean nobody takes these guys seriously. There is absolutely nothing in the way of a deterrent here, and both the local governments, the central government and the police do not take traffic safety seriously. Not even one iota. The safety of the public means less than zero to the small men in charge here. Nothing. They show that on a daily basis.

 

They will not do a thing. Why? They do not care about the people one iota. Not the common people. Not the average pleb. No way. Never have cared, and may never care in the future. It is all about protecting the elite, the super wealthy, those that are connected, and those in power. The rest of the population? They do not matter. The ex-pat community does not matter. And the police will not get involved unless an accident has already occurred. There is no prevention. None. The idea of getting the police more involved, is an interesting one, and it would be an effective one. But, the issue is money. They are grossly underpaid, and until the government steps up, and spends the trillion baht on updating the police equipment, and paying each cop a living wage, it is not going to happen. Until then, they will just work the franchise.

 

The only way to survive here on the road, is to be patient, have eyes in the back of your head, drive with caution, and always, and I mean always watch out of the other guy. Chances are, he does not have much driving skill, nor patience, nor reason, nor common sense. You cannot be too careful on the road here. Especially considering that the toy police offer no traffic safety, prevention, enforcement of the law, or concern toward the prosecution of very reckless drivers. 

 

[outsidetrader]

11 hours ago, lordgrinz said:

Are ATV's even legal to drive on Thai roads? 

No not really as they can't be registered .I have one ,so first hand info .

[lordgrinz]

1 hour ago, bwanajohn said:

My ATV came with a warning not to drive it on paved roads... especially not at high speeds.

 

For good reason, they are highly unstable, and depending on what kind of rear differential, they could refuse to turn properly on asphalt or cement.

[lordgrinz]

3 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

Ok, saw that now when checked. I thought it was possible, as one guy I new who owned a restaurant in Pattaya actually had a number plate on his, but probably just a fake then.

 

Saw an article about what these guys are doing, they register another cheaper road bike (sometimes same brand bike), then use the plates on the ATV. Obviously totally illegal, but Thais love breaking laws, and there isn't much, or any, enforcement.

[lordgrinz]

14 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

The only way to survive here on the road, is to be patient, have eyes in the back of your head, drive with caution, and always, and I mean always watch out of the other guy. Chances are, he does not have much driving skill, nor patience, nor reason, nor common sense. You cannot be too careful on the road here. Especially considering that the toy police offer no traffic safety, prevention, enforcement of the law, or concern toward the prosecution of very reckless drivers. 

 

You forgot to mention, drive with Dashcams (Front/Back) they will save you a ton of trouble dealing with Thai drivers who after breaking the road rules and smashing into you, will lie through their teeth.

[DULEROY]

12 hours ago, lordgrinz said:

Are ATV's even legal to drive on Thai roads? 

In Thailand like many countries, ATVs including QUADs (ATV) cannot be registered or driven on public roads due to inadequate safety standards.
With traffic laws not supported and considering the risks to drivers and road users, the use of ATVs must be limited to appropriate areas and in accordance with the laws in force for the safety of all parties.

[zepplin]

11 hours ago, it is what it is said:

 

very sad, but a lesson to us all, don;t ride beyond your capabilities, will be interesting to see whether alcohol + speed played a part, or just a lack of ability to ride an ATV,  let's assume for now alcohol didn;t.

 

ATV's are notorious for accidents for inexperienced riders.

They are illegal on Thai roads, and only suited for dirt /sand

Another numpty who left his brain in an airport locker upon arrival……

[newbee2022]

9 hours ago, kwilco said:

Looks like the quad wasb't registered for use on pulic roads.

 

However the use of concrete barriers in place of armco is worrying. Whether either are suitable for that elevated piece of road will probably not be addressed.

If you drive appropriate to the road's conditions and follow the rules you wouldn't see much accidents.

[kuzmabruk]

12 hours ago, lordgrinz said:

Are ATV's even legal to drive on Thai roads? 

Even elephants are legal.  Driving an elephant while you are drunk is probably safer than an ATV. 

[Gottfrid]

12 minutes ago, lordgrinz said:

 

Saw an article about what these guys are doing, they register another cheaper road bike (sometimes same brand bike), then use the plates on the ATV. Obviously totally illegal, but Thais love breaking laws, and there isn't much, or any, enforcement.

Ok, got it. In this case it was a foreigner. He owned the Kangaroo Bar on Third Street, Pattaya if I remember right.

[spidermike007]

7 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

If you drive appropriate to the road's conditions and follow the rules you wouldn't see much accidents.

Well there's no question that driving carefully will help to save lives, including your own. However you just can't account for the other guy here, and I constantly see people making errors in judgment that absolutely boggle the mind, and one has to be on the constant lookout for these utterly reckless fools. 

 

What are the inherent risks involved in piloting my bike, car or truck onto the safety lane of a major highway, in the wrong direction, with big trucks coming at me at 100kph? Or onto a lane of a major highway, with oncoming traffic going 120kph? Is it worth sacrificing my life, or my ability to walk for the rest of my life? How will my death affect my kids? Hold on, what about the lives of my wife, kids and sister who are in the vehicle with me, and I am responsible for their safety. Wow. That would be a big loss. An entire family. Maybe I should act like an adult, and be prudent and careful.

 

What if I waited four seconds for the highway lane to be completely clear, rather than just barge into it now, and risk everything? 

 

[Hamus Yaigh]

>Death Highlights Road Dangers

 

Surely the o/p should be about the dangers of using illegal vehicles on roads? In most countries incl Thailand ATVs are not allowed for use on public highways as they are designed for off road use. They have a very high center of gravity and off road knobbly tires will have less grip on solid surface highways.

[newbee2022]

6 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

What if I waited four seconds for the highway lane to be completely clear, rather than just barge into it now, and risk everything? 

That's the question. 10 seconds before the traffic light changes to green the motorbikes are starting already. And 10 seconds after turning to red there are still cars, trucks, buses and many motorbikes crossing.

Russian roulette.

[PomPolo]

16 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

ere is urgent government intervention underway to drastically reduce this figure by 2027.

RIP dude terrible way to go. Every time you drive on roads here you are taking your own life into your hands. There has been many things said about reducing the fatality rates, stopping pickups driving around with 10 unsecured passengers in the back might be a good place to start, but as  previous poster said just won't work you can't change peoples way of life with road safety laws

[dddave]

2 hours ago, bwanajohn said:

My ATV came with a warning not to drive it on paved roads... especially not at high speeds.

Off road tires are deadly on pavement, both for quads and motorcycles. There is far less contact surface so poor traction made worse by the harder rubber compound usually used in off-road tires.

[impulse]

54 minutes ago, zepplin said:

They are illegal on Thai roads, and only suited for dirt /sand

Another numpty who left his brain in an airport locker upon arrival……

 

How is that any different than a mobility scooter?  Which are probably illegal on Thai roads, too.  But which are also widely accepted by Thai society because they provide a means for disabled people to get around.  Otherwise, they'd be stuck at home.

 

In fact, Quad ATVs are a lot less disruptive of traffic since they can keep up with the flow.  But that is a double edge sword.

 

The sad fact is that a lot of us are going to require some kind of mobility assistance if we live long enough.  I'm pleased that Thailand is tolerant of them.

 

 

[Ralf001]

2 hours ago, henryford1958 said:

Quad  bikes are very dangerous at the best of times but riding one on a motorway, that's just madness.

 

I grew up chasing goats around my parent's ranch on a Yamaha Tri-Z 250.

 

Now that was dangerous... quads are very tame in comparison.

 

 

[Andre0720]

13 hours ago, lordgrinz said:

Are ATV's even legal to drive on Thai roads? 

Legal vehicles are far more dangerous on the roads than ATV's....

 

But then, and I repeat, laws that are not enforced are the same as no law at all...

[craighj]

Improving road safety, absolutely.  Replacing 80% of the police and putting in new police that will do their jobs and enforce the rules yes absolutely, educating everyone about road safety from beginning school to university yes absolutely, have strickter penalties for break road rules and enforce them yes absolutely!

 

However, this was a farang riding a quadbike, which looks unregistered, in the early morning and likely no helmet and possibly at speed and possibly after drinking.  Unfortunately really nothing to do with my statements above.  He should have known better and was aware of the dangerous of what he was doing.

 

Can't blame Thailand for this one!

[Spamhead]

Unfortunately this guy gambled with his life by driving an illegal vehicle on the open road and has paid the ultimate price. 

Fortunately he didn't take anyone else with him through his gross stupidity and selfish attitude.

[Purdey]

I doubt that a foreigner dying on Thailand's roads will lead to government action. 

[lordgrinz]

46 minutes ago, dddave said:

Off road tires are deadly on pavement, both for quads and motorcycles. There is far less contact surface so poor traction made worse by the harder rubber compound usually used in off-road tires.

 

They are designed to slip on dirt, which allows them to turn easier on loose surfaces. On asphalt/cement they are inherently dangerous, especially to anyone new to driving one, add any kind of speed while on asphalt and everything gets way more dangerous. I've owned some of the sport models, they were awesome in the woods, but you had to be extremely careful when on road surface, which means taking it very slowly, especially when turning. The rear wheels are driving forward together on the ATV's I drove, no slip on the opposite wheel like in a car.  Not sure if they use different differentials on the newer ones to fix this issue.

[Moonlover]

3 hours ago, impulse said:

Bike is short for bicycle.  Which is the Latin for 2 wheels (that's tongue in cheek).  It was a quad, but it certainly wasn't a bike.

 

We refer to them as quad ATV's.

 

Bike is short for bicycle, which rolls off the tongue quite nicely.

Trike is short for tricycle, which likewise also rolls off the tongue.

 

But Quadickle? No, it just doesn't work does it. 

 

Hence the universally accepted term 'quad bike'. Paradoxical, but that's they way it is.

 

And no, not quad ATVs. They are designed to be 'off road' vehicles, as many others have pointed out. ATV would imply otherwise.

[cjinchiangrai]

Why was he on the motorway? Self inflicted stupidity.

[Woke to Sounds]

Lousy vehicle to drive on pavement.

 

In fact these quads are dangerous anywhere. Their handling and stability sucks.

 

Two-wheeled iron horse much safer - when shod with the correct rubber of course.

 

I'd bet drinking was involved.

 

What is the blue light on the photo, his spirit hanging around?