German Dies Following Chopper Accident

[libya 115]

SOURCE: Pattaya City News: May 7th 2008

German dies following chopper accident on the Sukumvit Road.

In the early hours of Wednesday Morning, Police Lieutenant Colonel Sumet from Pattaya Police Station joined rescue workers at the scene of a road accident on the Sukumvit Road in Naklua. This was a single vehicle accident involving Mr. Hangburt aged 42 from Germany who was driving his chopper bike very fast along the Sukumvit Road, according to Witnesses.

It appears that he failed to see a construction site on the side of the road and collided with a cement block. He was treated at the scene for a broken leg and a major head trauma and was rushed to Hospital where he later passed away due to the extent of his injuries.

[Scott]

Condolences to the family and friends.

Construction areas are very poorly marked a lot of the time and if your going a little too fast, it can be a problem. In this case, a very serious problem.

[suiging]

Speed does not kill. Attitude and lack of appreciation does.

[jonniebkk]

Speed does not kill. Attitude and lack of appreciation does.

I tend to agree...middle-aged guy in mid-life crisis careening down the road at nite on a chopper. When one makes contact with a cement block while doing this, the results are rarely good. Evolution works at an accelerated pace in LOS.

[larvidchr]

Motorbike riding is really dangerous here in Pattaya, it is still however very sad to see people loose their lives this way, I dont know if it is because i have been reading the news a bit more lately, but it seems like there have been quite a few as with "helicopter's" very sad demise recently, there are so many weird road hazards here, you really must have your wits about you when you are riding your bike, dont get me wrong, i love riding my bike and think it is by far the easiest way to get around but alas also by far the most dangerous.

RIP to Mr. Hangburt

[Kerryd]

"He was treated at the scene for a broken leg and a major head trauma and was rushed to Hospital where he later passed away due to the extent of his injuries."

From what I've seen at crash sites, the treatment usually consists of slapping a bandage on and then throwing the person in the back of a pick-up truck for the trip to the hospital. Not exactly the best procedure for someone that may have suffered a major head trauma (including a possible broken neck).

All in all though, it does sound like a tragic case of someone driving to fast and not taking into consideration the daily hazards that exist. He would have had to been driving quite far to the left (perhaps trying to pass another vehicle on the left side ?), and would have had to been driving quite fast to have been unable to see/avoid the obstruction (in Canada we call it "Over Driving Your Vision", where you are driving so fast that by the time an object appears in your headlight, you don't have time to react to it).

Again, a tragic event that happens all too often. While looking up this story I see a number of other accidents involving motorcycles in the news as well recently.

The old biker motto seems to hold true - Ride hard, Die young.

In Thailand they may want to say - Ride Slow, Live long.

[Humphrey Bear]

Wearing a crash-hat?

[KhunDtaa]

Motorcycle not the problem or the construction site. Just do a blood test and your know the answer why he crash.

[Rimmer]

Motorcycle not the problem or the construction site. Just do a blood test and your know the answer why he crash.

Maybe you would like to substantiate this rather pointless remark.

[Kerryd]

Wearing a crash-hat?

I was going to make mention of that in my previous post, but looking at the photos from the scene of the accident, there was no sign of a helmet. However, it could have been removed by the time the photographer showed up.

The one picture shows a bandage on his forehead, right about where the lip of a helmet would have been (the cheapy kind that cover half your forehead).

Alcohol could have been a factor yes, but it wasn't mentioned in the story. Even if they did do a toxicology, we wouldn't hear about it.

My (unsubstantiated) theory is that he tried to overtake another vehicle at high speed on the left side. Even if you are 100% sober, if you are driving too fast at night, by the time something appears in your headlights, it's too late.

I have a (minor) problem with my motorcycle, in that when I have the "hibeams" and spot lamps on, I'm OK. But if I switch to low beams (and no spot lamps), I have to slow right down otherwise I would have absolutely no time to react if something unexpected popped up (or out) at me.