Almost Funny

[qualtrough]

Read a story about a motorcycle accident in Thai Rath today.

4 people on a motorcycle (3 girls, 1 male)

Wee hours of the morning

No lights

Going wrong way

Alcohol suspected

...and ran head on into a pickup truck

3 young girls dead, and the male driver almost dead.

Sadly none of the above is at at all unsual. It was the end of the story that somewhat shocked me: The pickup driver they ran into is being charged with reckless driving contributing to the death of others!

Edited February 22, 2005 by qualtrough

[bodypaul]

Read a story about a motorcycle accident in Thai Rath today.

4 people on a motorcycle (3 girls, 1 male)

Wee hours of the morning

No lights

Going wrong way

Alcohol suspected

...and ran head on into a pickup truck

3 young girls dead, and the male driver almost dead.

Sadly none of the above is at at all unsual. It was the end of the story that somewhat shocked me: The pickup driver they ran into is being charged with reckless driving contributing to the death of others!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is thailand

[Golf]

Ok, let's make it clear here:

5 laws were broken:

1. 4 people on one motorcycle

2. no headlight

3. no safety helmets

4. driving against a normal traffic direction

5. drunk

The truck driver broke no laws that I know. Ummm...yes indeed, this is Thailand.

Golf

[phuketrichard]

whats unusual?

The pick up driver was the only one not injured so of course he was charged. somone has to pay :-)

[cdnvic]

1. 4 people on one motorcycle

2. no headlight

3. no safety helmets

4. driving against a normal traffic direction

5. drunk

Looks more like natural selection.

cv

[Ken]

whats unusual?

The pick up driver was the only one not injured so of course he was charged. somone has to pay  :-)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Maybe the pick up driver was Farang and/or the only one with Insurance/Money.

[NedKelly]

Maybe when the pick up hit the bike........they had left the road and were already 500 metres up some paddock when the truckwent over them.......and then maybe he reversed back over themagain just to be sure. ........I dont think we know the whole story.

[Gazza]

Why do you think truck and taxi drivers always flee the scene?

They don't have the money nor influencial contacts to persuade the police of their innocence. It'll nearly always be their fault whether the accident was or wasn't caused by them.

Hanging around and not fleeing the scene is a sure fire way to get yourself stitched-up.

[gburns57au]

Why do you think truck and taxi drivers always flee the scene?

They don't have the money nor influencial contacts to persuade the police of their innocence. It'll nearly always be their fault whether the accident was or wasn't caused by them.

Hanging around and not fleeing the scene is a sure fire way to get yourself stitched-up.

Of course it was partly his fault....if he wasnt there it wouldnt have happened.....

and you thought that only happened to farangs.....

[Merlin]

I spoke to a Thai friend of mine about this: it seems none of those other "road rules" matter. If a pickup or car hits a motorbike, the pickup driver is wrong. If a motorbike hits a pedestrian, the motorbike driver is wrong. If a bus hits a car, the bus driver is wrong. Red lights, green lights, who was going what way or turning where - none of that matters.

It seems perfectly logical to him...

[qualtrough]

I think Merlin's friend is right. After I read the article I asked my wife why the pickup driver was being charged and she said the same thing.

Here is another issue this story raises in my mind: I imagine most Westerners would analyze this accident and place the blame on the violations of traffic laws. On the other hand my experience in Thailand leads me to believe that those that were affected by this accident probably attribute it to some aspect of bad karma. To them the complete and utter violations of basic traffic safety issues would be peripheral.

Again, anybody thinking that instituting driver education programs will fix things in our lifetimes is dreaming.

[Golf]

Not in a million years! Most Thais take everything "lightly" and "at their convenient". Rules mean nothing.

Golf

[kayo]

I spoke to a Thai friend of mine about this: it seems none of those other "road rules" matter. If a pickup or car hits a motorbike, the pickup driver is wrong. If a motorbike hits a pedestrian, the motorbike driver is wrong. If a bus hits a car, the bus driver is wrong. Red lights, green lights, who was going what way or turning where - none of that matters.

It seems perfectly logical to him...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, although whats the point in road rules then...

Actually though, it seems logical to me too... After all, it's the same on the open seas> Only there, a person is usually wise enough to get his little sailboat out of the way of the kilometer long supertanker heading straight for him. Who gives a shit about right of way... I see a herd of elephant going the wrong way down a one way street, I move.

I was blamed for an accident (two solo motorcyclists) that wasnt my fault in LoS.

It didn't matter that he was wrong or right.

... I survived.

[maerim]

Another reason not to hang around after an accident.

A few years ago I was in Mae Sai driving very slowly in the back streets when a young girl on a push bike that was far to big for her came out of a side street on the wrong side of the road dropped the bike and I ran over it I thought I had run over her as well at first.

She had dropped the bike but managed to keep clear of my motor the bike was scrap but she was unhurt then the family turned up along with the police, me, I am taking photos measuring up the distances etc.

Then it started, they wanted money for a new bike what the damage to my motor caused by their daughter being let loose on the streets on a bike that was to big for her?

I asked for the tourist police they turned up very helpfull as it turned out no money was exchanged so we all got back in the motor and went on our way I was with Thai people at the time.

When we finally got in the car they all said what did I stop for?