Car Accidents

[philliphn]

Lets presume that you had an accident in your car.

What do you do?

What happend?

How do you handle the situation?

How did you you handle the situation?

Any advice?

[Phil Conners]

I call my insurance company and have them deal with it.

[taxexile]

assuming you think that you were not at fault , call your insurance and let them deal with everything , especially negotiations with the other party.

better if the police dont get involved.

if you think you you were in some way at fault , follow the above advice also.

if you have first class insurance , then the negotiator will work on your behalf to keep your liability right down.

if you have a lower level of cover , then expect a lower level of support.

if you only have the compulsory government insurance , then fleeing the scene might be your best option.

[JimmyCA]

I always hit the gas when in an accident ... too risky to stop

[EmCross]

My advise is get the best insurance cover and make sure you carry the details and a number to call that speaks English. If you have an accident just ring the number and let them get on with it. I have experience this on a couple of occasions in Pattaya and it works fine you just have to be prepared to wait while the insurance people sort it out between them.

[Gary A]

If you own a vehicle, you would be very foolish if you did not have at least third party insurance. Third party is very cheap and covers the anyone you may hit. It DOESN'T cover your vehicle. Your insurance company doesn't want to pay unless it is clearly your fault so you have good protection from being ripped off.

If the damage is very minor, just settle up on the spot and be on your way. If you can't come to an agreement on the spot, just call your insurance company.

[qualtrough]

oops!

Edited September 12, 2007 by qualtrough

[qualtrough]

I always hit the gas when in an accident ... too risky to stop

What a nice piece of work you are! Your parents must be so proud!

[onnut]

Step on the gas because it is to risky to stop,.....???? you poof.

the most important thing is keep calm, I lost my temper and the guy called two friends of his who really wanted to give a farrang a pasting. luckely for me I had two bigger Thai mates to help me out of it.

really, no matter what happens whos fault just stay calm and ring you're insurance. if you dont have insurance then you are a TW-T. Driving in Thailand is hard work, you need all the help you can get, make sure you are fully covered and have the right paper work.

[dsfbrit]

While waiting for the insurance company and or Police to arrive, take fotos of the accident scene - in case the acident scene 'changes' whilst you wait . I have a disposable camera in my glove dept just in case of an accident. Mind you, my mobile camera would be just as good I guess and less 'obvious'. The other party might not like me taking pictures

Edited September 12, 2007 by dsfbrit

[mark100]

Lets presume that you had an accident in your car.

What do you do?

What happend?

How do you handle the situation?

How did you you handle the situation?

Any advice?

lf you are Thai you run off !!

[naka]

You're loco if you drive in Thailand (even crazier if you ride a bike) ... Hire a driver, or if you can't afford this option then

take a Baht bus ... right Britmaverick ?

Naka.

Edited September 13, 2007 by naka

[tropo]

There's very constructive critism on this thread.

One guy's a poof, another a <deleted> and yet others are either loco or crazy.

I ride a motorbike without insurance, so I suppose I'm all of the above.

What should I do in the case of an accident?

[naka]

There's very constructive critism on this thread.

One guy's a poof, another a <deleted> and yet others are either loco or crazy.

I ride a motorbike without insurance, so I suppose I'm all of the above.

What should I do in the case of an accident?

Flee the scene of course !

Naka.

[track61]

There's very constructive critism on this thread.

One guy's a poof, another a <deleted> and yet others are either loco or crazy.

I ride a motorbike without insurance, so I suppose I'm all of the above.

What should I do in the case of an accident?

Not to worry, we make sure you get a proper burning.

[pattyboy]

You're loco if you drive in Thailand (even crazier if you ride a bike) ... Hire a driver, or if you can't afford this option then

take a Baht bus ... right Britmaverick ?

Naka.

Funny...I think you'd be crazy to put your life in the hands of the average Thai driver. Have you seen the way many Thais drive? I trust my driving and judgment on the road better.

[NanLaew]

I ride a motorbike without insurance, so I suppose I'm all of the above.

What should I do in the case of an accident?

tropo. you are already an accident just waiting to happen

[Westerner]

There's very constructive critism on this thread.

One guy's a poof, another a <deleted> and yet others are either loco or crazy.

I ride a motorbike without insurance, so I suppose I'm all of the above.

What should I do in the case of an accident?

I am gobsmacked!!! You always come across as being a sensible sort of guy.

[NanLaew]

Funny...I think you'd be crazy to put your life in the hands of the average Thai driver. Have you seen the way many Thais drive? I trust my driving and judgment on the road better.

But would defer any direct liability. Never forget the one incontrovertible law of Thai accidents that whatever vehicle the farang is driving, that one is to blame regardless of what actually happened.

[Gary A]

Funny...I think you'd be crazy to put your life in the hands of the average Thai driver. Have you seen the way many Thais drive? I trust my driving and judgment on the road better.

But would defer any direct liability. Never forget the one incontrovertible law of Thai accidents that whatever vehicle the farang is driving, that one is to blame regardless of what actually happened.

That's not true at all but it is one of the myths that Thailand bashers LOVE to spread. You need to apply some common sense and have proper insurance to be on the same playing field as Thais.

What happens if you have a motorcycle accident and don't have insurance? You get taken to a hospital where birds fly in and out of the emergency room. A friend of mine was taken to a small government hospital and they wanted to amputate his leg. He refused to allow them to do that. He's now dead, so he no longer cares about insurance, not that he worried about it before the accident.

[h5n1]

I walk, I never have to worry about that - and that is a big reason why I walk.

[qualtrough]

Funny...I think you'd be crazy to put your life in the hands of the average Thai driver. Have you seen the way many Thais drive? I trust my driving and judgment on the road better.

But would defer any direct liability. Never forget the one incontrovertible law of Thai accidents that whatever vehicle the farang is driving, that one is to blame regardless of what actually happened.

This has been debunked so many times on the forum that it isn't funny. I guess it is an urban myth that just will not die.

[onnut]

Funny...I think you'd be crazy to put your life in the hands of the average Thai driver. Have you seen the way many Thais drive? I trust my driving and judgment on the road better.

But would defer any direct liability. Never forget the one incontrovertible law of Thai accidents that whatever vehicle the farang is driving, that one is to blame regardless of what actually happened.

I have had two idiots drive into the side of me while trying to change lanes, both times there fault and both times they paid or there insurance did. so I do not believe that the Farang is always to blame.

[tropo]

There's very constructive critism on this thread.

One guy's a poof, another a <deleted> and yet others are either loco or crazy.

I ride a motorbike without insurance, so I suppose I'm all of the above.

What should I do in the case of an accident?

I am gobsmacked!!! You always come across as being a sensible sort of guy.

Add to this the fact that I once spent almost 6 months in hospital as a result of a motorcycle accident, not to mention quite a few minor scrapes over the years (some in Asia) and you'll probably come up with some other great adjectives.

Living in Asia so long has made me relaxed about my fate. I've probably covered about 30,000 km by motorcycle in Asia already.

[NanLaew]

Never forget the one incontrovertible law of Thai accidents that whatever vehicle the farang is driving, that one is to blame regardless of what actually happened.

That's not true at all but it is one of the myths that Thailand bashers LOVE to spread. You need to apply some common sense and have proper insurance to be on the same playing field as Thais.

OK Gary, I will admit it is marginally better than 20 years ago when having a monk sprinkle holy water on the car and add some squiggles and gold leaf to the roof lining was considered adequate 'insurance' by most Thais. So vehicle lien-holders impose mandatory auto insurance, just like the west? That's alright for a the new car owner but there's a lot of bought-and-paid-for vehicles on the roads as well. Does the average Thai driver/owner maintain full vehicle, property and personal injury liability insurance once the car note is fully paid off? They don't in the US, just the legal minimum and sometimes not even that.

I was also alluding to the fact that they mostly will 'try it on' regarding who is responsible if it's 'witnessed' by several other Thai's. Just a pressure tactic that needs to be avoided till the insurance rep shows up. All that 'saving face' <deleted> that they insist on going through. After all, paying for something you may never need or use (like insurance) is anathema to the locals IMHO.

[naka]

You're loco if you drive in Thailand (even crazier if you ride a bike) ... Hire a driver, or if you can't afford this option then

take a Baht bus ... right Britmaverick ?

Naka.

Funny...I think you'd be crazy to put your life in the hands of the average Thai driver. Have you seen the way many Thais drive? I trust my driving and judgment on the road better.

I was thinking more about the compensation fixated locals.

Naka.

[tropo]

After all, paying for something you may never need or use (like insurance) is anathema to the locals IMHO.

It's one of the major differences between East and West. In poorer countries people don't spend too much time thinking about things that may happen...a major cause of anxiety in the West.

[qualtrough]

After all, paying for something you may never need or use (like insurance) is anathema to the locals IMHO.

It's one of the major differences between East and West. In poorer countries people don't spend too much time thinking about things that may happen...a major cause of anxiety in the West.

True, but that is probably why bad things tend to happen more often in poorer countries. Might be a good idea for them to start worrying just a tad more

[tropo]

True, but that is probably why bad things tend to happen more often in poorer countries. Might be a good idea for them to start worrying just a tad more

I don't think imposing Western paranoia into the Thai way of life is the way to go.

Many of us come to Thailand to escape that mind-set.

Edited September 16, 2007 by tropo

[qualtrough]

True, but that is probably why bad things tend to happen more often in poorer countries. Might be a good idea for them to start worrying just a tad more

I don't think imposing Western paranoia into the Thai way of life is the way to go.

Many of us come to Thailand to escape that mind-set.

I don't think you can properly call it 'paranoia' since that implies an unjustified concern. Somewhere between the sometimes overboard safety consciousness of the West and the oft-times safety last attitude here might be just about right.