Hitting Motorcycles

[Neeranam]

Late for an important meeting? Baloney.

Only have 2nd class insurance? Baloney.

If you think responding appropriately, which I think is to investigate and to render aid at the very least, is determined upon economic considerations such as a meeting and the limits of your chosen insurance coverage, then we definitely do not see eye to eye.

I have to wonder if your response would be any different if you could see that the rider was a farang. Because, I don't think that should matter.

I am guessing that your response was dictated largely by your conscience and your moral values.

I expect you haven't been driving in Thailand long. There are certin rules here that are not the same as our home countries.

Remember he was going the wrong way and didn't stop when I was turning onto the main road.

If the rider were a "f****"(I don't use that derogatory term), it would make a difference. If you can't see why, ask again in a efw years.

I had a crash once(head on) with a pickup truck. He was driving on the wrong side of the road. The local policeman came and I overheard them talking about pinning it on me, although he was overtaking on a turn. That's the way it works in this country. Foreigners are screwed if possible. I was working for a university and got a "poo yai" to come and help. It changed from me paying to him paying for my car repairs and giving me a months salary as compensation.

'ongcuunon' - carry on with your western values and you'll probably end up getting screwed. Alternatively, participate in a discussion about the best thing to do , without your moral judgments.

[ongcuunon]

I expect you haven't been driving in Thailand long. There are certin rules here that are not the same as our home countries.

Remember he was going the wrong way and didn't stop when I was turning onto the main road.

In response to your first sentence, bad guess. If you only knew how wrong your are.

In response to your second sentence, is this discussion about who was at fault or about what you should do in the event of an accident? I recall it's about the latter.

[Neeranam]

In response to your first sentence, bad guess. If you only knew how wrong your are.

Is it that arduous to write, "actually I've been driving in Thailand for 10 years"? or 1 year or 3 months

[yabaaaa]

Does anyone ever write down the offenders number plates when they drive off or take a photo of the plate and take it to the police afterwards and if they did was any follow up action taken etc?

Serious offence in the UK to drive off after an accident police computer can find the owner in seconds usually.

[Neeranam]

If a motorbike hits you and the guy falls off, the best thing to do first is to grab his keys from the ignition of his bike.

[jdinasia]

Neer --- you need to go back and read your first couple of posts again

Why?

In your very first post you said you'd be unlikely to stop in most circumstances. Personally, besides being criminally negligent for failing to stop, you are imho pretty much a reject as a human being for failing to stop. ... "oooh I was late for a meeting so I hit someone and didn't stop", pretty lame. Like me in several places you say you speak Thai very well, so that is no excuse.

I carry a camera in my car (not to mention one built in to my phone) It comes in handy as proof in tricky situations.

[asiaworld]

Very funny to read all those, blaming Neeranam.. Did any of you learned the Thai traffic rules ?!? It is ILLEGAL for motorbikes to be anywhere exept the leftmost lane on the road !!>>Now how many bikes do you see observe that rule ?! Thats why everytime cops make a roadblock, they can make a fortune on any road stopping 80% of the bikes !

I had my car scratched by bikes where they were NOT supposed to be(ie. going wrong way/or inner lane--& i was stationary in most of cases) ! Because of this i wouldn't concider buying any car of value here.. And sorry i feel no mercy for the bikes, that break the traffic rules !

Btw. if you hold first class insurance they should respray your scratches for free no matter how you got them !

[igme]

i am planning to buy a motorbike in a few weeks and after reading all of this, i am starting to hesitate :S

[stingray]

Neer --- you need to go back and read your first couple of posts again

Why?

In your very first post you said you'd be unlikely to stop in most circumstances. Personally, besides being criminally negligent for failing to stop, you are imho pretty much a reject as a human being for failing to stop. ... "oooh I was late for a meeting so I hit someone and didn't stop", pretty lame. Like me in several places you say you speak Thai very well, so that is no excuse.

I carry a camera in my car (not to mention one built in to my phone) It comes in handy as proof in tricky situations.

The cameras have to be fitted in the car when you driving. I try to get a camera set inclouding hard disc (recording), for installing in the car. One camera in the front (wide angle lens) and one in the back. The one in the front have to be placed in a spot, where you see the dashboard too. Turninglight signals have to be controlled by the camera too, because in case of a accident motorcyclists allway say that you didn't put the turninglights. This would be help for evidences.

Where can i buy such a camera set???

[EvilDrSomkid]

In Hollywood...

[Digitalbanana]

Has anyone hit a motorcycle with their motor? Did you stop?

I hit one the other day going the wrong way up a main road with no lights on. I slowed down to see if they were hurt - unfortunately they weren't(only joking) so I carried on and got respray for my front for 2000 baht.

I'd say often it is best to stop and often not. What do you think?

If it were my fault and they fell off, I'definately stop, otherwise probably not.

Hang on a moment, you say it wasn't your fault, you speak fluent Thai and live in Khon Kaen, and you fled the scene of an accident, and paid 2000 Baht to cover up the evidence ?

Why didn't you stop ?

Well he said he was going the wrong way up a main road with no lights on as well as knocking people off bikes so would you?

[moo9]

The question is pathetic. I could not support hitting, hurting somebody and fleeing the scene, no matter it would cost me money or what ever,

[basjke]

Neer --- you need to go back and read your first couple of posts again

Why?

In your very first post you said you'd be unlikely to stop in most circumstances. Personally, besides being criminally negligent for failing to stop, you are imho pretty much a reject as a human being for failing to stop. ... "oooh I was late for a meeting so I hit someone and didn't stop", pretty lame. Like me in several places you say you speak Thai very well, so that is no excuse.

I carry a camera in my car (not to mention one built in to my phone) It comes in handy as proof in tricky situations.

The cameras have to be fitted in the car when you driving. I try to get a camera set inclouding hard disc (recording), for installing in the car. One camera in the front (wide angle lens) and one in the back. The one in the front have to be placed in a spot, where you see the dashboard too. Turninglight signals have to be controlled by the camera too, because in case of a accident motorcyclists allway say that you didn't put the turninglights. This would be help for evidences.

Where can i buy such a camera set???

You could contact Boeing or Airbus if they have such a spare black box for you.

[groovyc]

You used the words "hit one". It take it that you considered it to be your fault..otherwise I would expect you to use the words "hit me".

So turn it around...if someone hit you, would you expect them to stop? Would you be upset if they did not?

And would it matter what type of vehicles are involved?

Am I missing something here or is there any room for argument as to who was at fault when the bike was coming the wrong wayto start with? Maybe some of us have stayed in LOS too long to have our basic instincts of right and wrong affected by what we see everyday. scary ...

[sunsamourai]

It is ILLEGAL for motorbikes to be anywhere exept the leftmost lane on the road !!>>Now how many bikes do you see observe that rule ?!

And sorry i feel no mercy for the bikes, that break the traffic rules !

Left lane is the most dansgerous one : as a bike driver, I tried.... at least 2 weeks. Then you realise it's almost suicide. With all the taxis, tuk-tuks. buses AND cars jammng on their brakes for an emergency stop, or turning, or driving backwards, or... driving Thai style.

the only way I found to be a bit 'safer' is to go faster than cars, on the right lane, so I just have to worry about the ones ahead of me.

Then, of course, it's easy to blame it on the bikes, when you see how people use other vehicles !

--> Now, to get back to the post, I don't know what I'd do in LOS.

Just know that in China it's around 20 000 Yuan if you kill the guy (2000 Euros).

I heard a funny one about Cambodia : if you handicap the guy, it's around 1500US, but only 7-800US if you kill him, so that when people hit, they reverse and make sure the victim will not cost too much.

Interesting to see that a chinese is worth about 2 khmers (handicapped), or 4 dead ones. Wonder how much is a thai ?

++ ^^

[torrenova]

Interesting to read one post about the law and where bikes can legally ride and then we get the "big is always at fault" <deleted> which I am certain is not enshrined in any Thai law. However, the law and Thailand are not a happy couple and I will side on the bench with those who believe that whatever the circumstances, some attempt will be made by a bike to extract cash from a car and the vast majority of Thais, including the BiB will try to extract cash from westerners under any circumstances. Sure there are exceptions but they are exactly that, exceptions.

[PeaceBlondie]

How many of you posters in this thread ride motorcycles here? The Thais almost all grew up riding, and some still do not drive cars.

In theory, Thai law forbids Chinese billionaires from stealing tax dollars. See what Thai law does to you if you run over some very rich Thai kid. The motosai-in-the-left-gutter law probably dates from the days of 4 horsepower Honda Cub 50's. Lately I have noticed more near accidents by little old Thai ladies trying to cross over two lanes to make a right turn at the last moment, going 4 kilos per hour. Yes, some Thais in motorcycles drive crazy, and so do some Thais and farang in cars. I thought the question was, do you have a moral responsibility to stop when you have hit a cyclist. The answer is yes, you have - if you have morals.

[teacherofwoe]

If you have a look at the translation of the Thai Highway Laws you'll see that it is in fact legal to drive the wrong way down a road. Somewhere on this site (can't remember where) is a link to the translation. It's worth having a look at as it has other crazy rules like if you're indicating to turn left and an oncoming vehicle is indication to turn right into the same road he has right of way.

Anyone know where I can buy a tank?