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

[wavodavo]

3 hours ago, wombat said:

RIP bloke.

Those quad bikes in Oz cause quadriplegic injuries like nothing else.

Nt a week goes by when there is not someone either killed or maimed as a result crashing / rolling one of these machines on beaches or private property quite often young kids and teenagers and drunks.

[Captor]

13 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.

You think there will be a follow up with the real reason for the accident? In that case that will be the first..

[brianburi]

11 minutes ago, cjinchiangrai said:

Why was he on the motorway? Self inflicted stupidity.

  Don't think it was a motorway.  Local reports say a raised U-turn.

The deceased was in a long term relationship with a partner.

Hope she doesn't read the disrespectful comments on here.....

[Ralf001]

17 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

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.

 

So an off road 4 wheel "bike" is different to an All-terrain vehicle... how exactly ?

[Ralf001]

6 minutes ago, wavodavo said:

Nt a week goes by when there is not someone either killed or maimed as a result crashing / rolling one of these machines on beaches or private property quite often young kids and teenagers and drunks.

 

 

 

[impulse]

1 hour ago, Spamhead said:

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.

 

If the guy had mobility issues, what are his options in Thailand?  Because you sure can't take a mobility scooter or even a wheelchair on the sidewalks.  Which leaves you either traveling on the roads or staying home to atrophy.

 

Have a little compassion.  If we're lucky, we're all going to get old some day and some of us will need mobility assistance. 

 

[richard_smith237]

45 minutes ago, cjinchiangrai said:

Why was he on the motorway? Self inflicted stupidity.

 

Got to love a comment dripping with accusations of stupidity - especially when the genius behind it is too dense to tell the difference between a motorway and a U-turn flyover.

 

 

There are also some horrible nasty crass comments on here....  (people below - be ashamed of yourselves).

 

3 hours ago, anfh said:

No sympathy, dickhead should not be riding a quad bike on the road !!! 

3 hours ago, NedR69 said:

Play stupid games and win stupid prized.

2 hours ago, zepplin said:

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

 

[Ralf001]

21 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

If the guy had mobility issues, what are his options in Thailand?  Because you sure can't take a mobility scooter or even a wheelchair on the sidewalks.  Which leaves you either traveling on the roads or staying home to atrophy.

 

Have a little compassion.  If we're lucky, we're all going to get old some day and some of us will need mobility assistance. 

 

Mobility issues does not give one carte blanche to ignore Thailand transport laws.

[richard_smith237]

2 hours ago, outsidetrader said:

14 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 .

 

RIP to the poor chappy - he put in a life of hard work offshore, usually brutal conditions... 

 

I do wonder why he was riding an ATV (Quad) - he was 62 and thus relatively young... 

Was he using it as some form of mobility scooter ???  

 

Otherwise why not a car or a motorcycle ?

 

 

An ATV (Quad) does seem like a convenient machine to get around on, if one doesn't want to be riding a motorcycle - but as this accident shows, stability is an issue.

That said, there are Samlors (motorcycles with those frame side carts) that are being ridden around everywhere and they are far worse IMO... certainly no better than an ATV or even those Mobility Scooters... 

 

 

For such an incident to happen I do wonder if booze was involved...  But, I also wonder if 'another vehicle' was involved ? accidentally gave the ATV a nudge on the corner ?? - there's no mention of that in the story, but IMO, something like this is always a possibility on the roads....  

 

 

 

[Crocbait]

4 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.

 

I don't know where the 'we' you refer to come from, but where I come from they are called "quad bikes"

[impulse]

37 minutes ago, Crocbait said:

I don't know where the 'we' you refer to come from, but where I come from they are called "quad bikes"

 

Just pointing out the variations in the English language from different countries.  We call them ATV's in Texas, which implies 4 wheeled ATVs since 3 wheelers were banned eons ago.  Or 4 wheelers, though that risks confusing them with 4x4 pickups, also Texas slang. 

 

Technically, a bike has 2 wheels.  That's the Bi. 

 

The posters that claim that quad bikes is universal, haven't lived in a lot of places.

 

[hotchilli]

19 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

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.

Speed king never works.

[Atlantic Cod]

19 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

 

 

Driving licence has no reference to these vehicles, therefore cannot be driven legally???

 

15 hours ago, lordgrinz said:

Are ATV's even legal to drive on Thai roads? There is a car licence, a three-wheeler licence and a two wheeler licence, is there an ATV licence?

 

[impulse]

48 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

Mobility issues does not give one carte blanche to ignore Thailand transport laws.

 

Given the sad state of the sidewalks, I don't know anybody living in Thailand that doesn't violate road laws, even on foot.  I do it all the time, just walking.  When there's a hazard, I walk out on the road.  Even that's illegal.  Baby strollers?  Same thing.  Wheelchairs?  My heart goes out to them taking their lives in their hands when the sidewalks are impassible.  Same with mobility scooters.

 

The sad fact is that violating the transport laws is impossible to avoid.  We're just left deciding which ones.

 

[Photoguy21]

''32.7 traffic fatalities per 100,000 individuals—one of the highest globally" is on the low side. The figure they quote for road deaths are those that pass away at the scene of the accident. No account is taken for the people involved in a road accident and are taken to hospital and later die there

[djs2799]

RIP. Maybe a seatbelt would have saved his life. I don't drive anywhere without one.

[Cameroni]

What is it about Quads that people keep having serious accidents? Rick Mayall famously also suffered this fate. Personally I think the build of the ATV makes the driver overconfident, he thinks he's invulnerable. It can only be human error surely.

[richard_smith237]

16 hours ago, lordgrinz said:

Are ATV's even legal to drive on Thai roads? There is a car licence, a three-wheeler licence and a two wheeler licence, is there an ATV licence?

26 minutes ago, Atlantic Cod said:

Driving licence has no reference to these vehicles, therefore cannot be driven legally???

 

The vehicle itself cannot be licensed....    

The closest licensing could get (in Thailand) is if the vehicle is under a certain power (usually electric) and it can then be classified as 'disability transport'...   This ATV is too far from that. 

 

But... its somewhat moot from the perspective of 'road safety' while they are more dangerous than a regular car or motorcycle, there are also so many other 'dangerous' vehicles out there on Thailands roads that also do not meet licensing requirements. 

 

 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

10 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

What is it about Quads that people keep having serious accidents? Rick Mayall famously also suffered this fate. Personally I think the build of the ATV makes the driver overconfident, he thinks he's invulnerable. It can only be human error surely.

 

Its because they don't lean, they tip over....    as you point out, the 4 points of contact can make riders over-confident, whereas on a motorcycle (even a scooter) perhaps riders are naturally more cautious... 

 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

18 minutes ago, djs2799 said:

RIP. Maybe a seatbelt would have saved his life. I don't drive anywhere without one.

 

A seatbelt on an ATV ???

 

I think in this case a 'bungie' cord may have saved his life !!... or just not entering the corner at speed (if thats what happened)...  

 

However, we should never be thethered (by seatbelt) on any vehicle which can potentially roll over on to us... the safest option (of a lot of unsafe options) is to get thrown away from the vehicle. 

 

A seatbelt on an ATV would be just as daft as a seatbelt on a motorcycle. 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

49 minutes ago, impulse said:

1 hour ago, Crocbait said:

I don't know where the 'we' you refer to come from, but where I come from they are called "quad bikes"

 

Just pointing out the variations in the English language from different countries.  We call them ATV's in Texas, which implies 4 wheeled ATVs since 3 wheelers were banned eons ago.  Or 4 wheelers, though that risks confusing them with 4x4 pickups, also Texas slang. 

 

Technically, a bike has 2 wheels.  That's the Bi. 

 

The posters that claim that quad bikes is universal, haven't lived in a lot of places.

 

 

Got to love the brilliance of internet debates.... where people descend into the depths of absurdity, passionately arguing over the name of an ATV or Quad bike, as if the fate of the universe hinges on it.

 

You’d think we were discussing the secrets of the cosmos, but no, it's just another thrilling round of “My Term is Better Than Yours,” despite the glaring reality that languages are riddled with colloquialisms.

 

Its amusing the frequency which which we (the forum) manages to go down the rabbit hole of such inanity .....  whether earth-shattering Scooter debacle? When someone dared to call their step-through Vespa / Fino type motorcycle a "scooter" and suddenly, battle lines were drawn? 

 

Honestly, does it even matter? When there’s a PICTURE right there, making it blindingly obvious what’s being discussed, do we really need the debate on the proper nomenclature? 

[impulse]

11 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Got to love the brilliance of internet debates.... where people descend into the depths of absurdity, passionately arguing over the name of an ATV or Quad bike, as if the fate of the universe hinges on it.

 

Or perhaps it's a diversion from the despicable things being said about the victim by people who don't know what happened, never met the guy, and bash everything and everyone on their list.  Whatever list that is.

 

Some folks are just going to get on here and be cruel.  May as well be aimed at me.  I don't give a rat.

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

10 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 

 

 

Competent or not, there are plenty of other idiots on Thai roads that could cause you an accident. 

[Cameroni]

19 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Its because they don't lean, they tip over....    as you point out, the 4 points of contact can make riders over-confident, whereas on a motorcycle (even a scooter) perhaps riders are naturally more cautious... 

 

 

 

 

Exactly, on a motorbike you feel everything can kill you and you're super careful, but Quads are built as this indestructible all terrain Hummer. But people forget you're not enclosed and open and vulenerable like on a motorbike.

[Mr Meeseeks]

4 hours ago, lordgrinz said:

 

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.

 

Correct, had it happen after a Thai woman hit my Benz while driving aggressively.

 

Dashcam footage showed she was entirely in the wrong. 

[wensiensheng]

There’s no need to highlight Thai road dangers. We all see them graphically everyday.

 

Although in this case the danger appears to have come from the quad bike rider himself. No other vehicle involved.

[lordgrinz]

3 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

 

Correct, had it happen after a Thai woman hit my Benz while driving aggressively.

 

Dashcam footage showed she was entirely in the wrong. 

 

Same here, has saved my wife and I four times now, all of the Thai drivers lied, the dashcam shown to the insurance and police fixed their lying ways.

[Liverpool Lou]

14 hours ago, Lucky Bones said:

Likely rear-ended and forgotten. Only in Thailand.

Only from AN posters.  No indication at all that he was rear-ended.

[Ralf001]

1 hour ago, impulse said:

 

 

 

The sad fact is that violating the transport laws is impossible to avoid.  We're just left deciding which ones.

 

 

What a load of pish... take a taxi if ya do not have ya own car to drive.

 

[Liverpool Lou]

6 hours ago, Oliver Holzerfilled said:

No helmet?

Hardly any relevance...he was thrown 30 feet from an elevated road to the ground below.