Topic Of Relevance.

[samuijimmy]

"Well, I'd say they are trying to address the problem, especially when it comes to helmets, with the signs posted round the island in both English and Thai... ... then the fairly common road checks for non helmet wearers..."

"Fairly common"? "Trying to address the problem"? This sounds like a wind-up to me. I am sorry, but I don't see either of these things. Is there something going on in the north of the island?

Yes - helmet checks. Quite often.

Certainly in Maenam, yes that's the north end! right in front of the Cop shop, between Soi 2 and 1... depending which way you are going of course... but then there are some people so confused, they don't know which way they are going.....

But also see around Nathon... spot checks could be found anywhere...!

[robsamui]

Certainly in Maenam, yes that's the north end! right in front of the Cop shop, between Soi 2 and 1... depending which way you are going of course... but then there are some people so confused, they don't know which way they are going.....

But also see around Nathon... spot checks could be found anywhere...!

99.9% of the spot checks I've seen on Samui involve Thai people and motorbike mirrors . . . .

R

(мы идем, ищут лицевое пятно - niet?)

Edited January 10, 2012 by robsamui

[Tropicalevo]

Certainly in Maenam, yes that's the north end! right in front of the Cop shop, between Soi 2 and 1... depending which way you are going of course... but then there are some people so confused, they don't know which way they are going.....

But also see around Nathon... spot checks could be found anywhere...!

99.9% of the spot checks I've seen on Samui involve Thai people and motorbike mirrors . . . .

R

(мы идем, ищут лицевое пятно - niet?)

Post of the day for sure

Edited to upgrade to post of the year!

Edited January 10, 2012 by Tropicalevo

[Birdman]

2 days ago at Plai Laem area I heard from a distance the usual sirens from the rescue cars. However this time there were unusually plenty to hear, wonder what happened?

Yesterday a local told me that there was a real bad accident of a pick up full with workers in the back. On the way down from one of the small hills in that area it must have somehow overturned. The local said, that 6 workers died there and many others are in the hospital....???

[Boltd]

2 days ago at Plai Laem area I heard from a distance the usual sirens from the rescue cars. However this time there were unusually plenty to hear, wonder what happened?

Yesterday a local told me that there was a real bad accident of a pick up full with workers in the back. On the way down from one of the small hills in that area it must have somehow overturned. The local said, that 6 workers died there and many others are in the hospital....???

i heard a similar story and saw at least 3 ambulances racing to the seen which nearly crashed into a family out for a late afternoon walk. The story i got was it was a construction truck overloaded with people in the back coming down a steep hill and taking a corner too quick.

not heard anything about any fatality's

How many times have you seen these trucks full of these poor individuals and having a young guy at the wheel thinking he's Schumacker ?

[SamuiRes]

Twice on Sunday I saw accidents. The first not too serious. Driving from Bangrak towards Fisherman's village about 3pm on the stretch before the left turn to the lights, a farang on a bike coming towards me just fell off in the road. No reason I could see, did not appear drunk, just did not know how to ride a bike.

Slightly more serious, although no one seemed to be badly hurt, heading towards Big Buddha from Plai Laem by the sharp left turn, again farang man on a bike went round the corner on the wrong side of the road straight into two girls on a bike coming the other way. They managed to stop as he hit them but he was all over the road. This was about 8pm and I suspect alcohol was involved.

And twice last week on the ring road I was faced with a car overtaking oncoming traffic heading straight for me. Nowhere for them to go so I had to move rather sharpish to the left.

[BigC]

It is safe to assume that Samui is the most dangerous place in the world when it comes to road deaths.

The lack of reliable - and comparable - statistics is going to make it difficult to prove that statement. But my own feeling is that it is probably fairly accurate.

What shocked me in the report was that 7 Brits died here last year on bikes. I would have guessed 2 or perhaps 3, of which half were local guys working here, and the rest tourists. But no, it was 7. I had no idea it was so high.

But either way, people are here by choice, and are having a good time. I wonder how many realise that they are 10 - 20 times more likely to die on the roads here than if they were at home? OK, that might be 2 times, or 5 times depending on the statistics. Whatever the ratio, it is certainly a lot higher than I ever imagined.

Alllot of accidents are drink induced. It is a shame that we need the law to protect us fro our selves but it is our heavy price we pay for freedome.

It is the law to wear helmets and not drink and drive. The police have their own way of policing this system but do not be supirsed or shocked if you end up banged up for drin driving or fined for no helmet.

There are plenty of signs now for toourists to wear helmets yet they complain when they get a tug. they complain that people should wear helmets then those same people complain when they have t pay a fine.

have also seen forangs get banged up and appear before a judge for random drink driving stop.

also incase of a ccident if the policeman does not breathlise you and you are drunk then you are lucky !

If you have a ccident and your inssurence does not pay up then they probably have a good reason. if you are banging down the road at 100 kms with no helmet or motor bike licence. It is not as if people do not already know how to look after themslves and i am sorry for the relatives and victims of accidents but people can learn from then for future accidents and there shall be allot more to come.

[insertmembernamehere]

A friend was down from CM and we were motoring around the island on bikes.

We were on the 4170 just before the "viewpoint" where there is a recently constructed cafe-like affair. A private ambulance had passed us so we thought some road-rash was ahead. Made that turn at the top and there was some foreign guy in the middle of the road, on his back, legs akimbo and a bone-exposing gash from an ankle to the hip. That wasn't a problem for him since he also had a large crack in the forehead exposing the open skull. He was quite dead.

It appeared that he was alone and had been driving at some considerable speed.

Of course, he did not have a helmet. . .

It is impossible to say for certain, but there is no doubt that all else notwithstanding, the skull fracture would have killed him. A helmet may have saved his life.

I used to rationalize that since I was only going "up the road" that I didn't need a helmet, but it's just become too much of late. As uncomfortable as they are, you have to wear one all the time....

(Please add relevant key words to the title of this, such as "motorbike," "motorcycle," "accident," etc to make this easy to be searched, thanks. )

[Tropicalevo]

A friend was down from CM and we were motoring around the island on bikes.

We were on the 4170 just before the "viewpoint" where there is a recently constructed cafe-like affair. A private ambulance had passed us so we thought some road-rash was ahead. Made that turn at the top and there was some foreign guy in the middle of the road, on his back, legs akimbo and a bone-exposing gash from an ankle to the hip. That wasn't a problem for him since he also had a large crack in the forehead exposing the open skull. He was quite dead.

It appeared that he was alone and had been driving at some considerable speed.

Of course, he did not have a helmet. . .

It is impossible to say for certain, but there is no doubt that all else notwithstanding, the skull fracture would have killed him. A helmet may have saved his life.

I used to rationalize that since I was only going "up the road" that I didn't need a helmet, but it's just become too much of late. As uncomfortable as they are, you have to wear one all the time....

(Please add relevant key words to the title of this, such as "motorbike," "motorcycle," "accident," etc to make this easy to be searched, thanks. )

Sadly, things are getting much worse for motorbikes on the island.

I used to see a 'crash' (bikes lying down on the road/people standing around/ambulances etc) about once a month. It is now getting closer to every week. (and I rarely move outside of the NE of the island!)

No point blaming the BIB's/bike renters/roads etc.

It's the bluddy drivers. (Both bikes and vehicles.)

Tourists - NAFC. Looks like a good idea - never done this before, but - cooool.

Thai locals - I have always driven like this and it's my country! The middle of the road is where I belong!

Taxis/Minibuses/Songteoys - Sodd you, I have things to do, places to go and punters to rip-off deliver.

Foreigners who live here - after 5 minutes on the island and "I'm a local".

Apart from the traffic - it's a great place to live!

(Put your own thoughts in about Fortuna drivers and Big <deleted> truck drivers. )

[phetphet]

I got wiped out last week by a pick up last week. Overtook everyone up to the traffic lights, screeched to a halt, and both driver and passenger immediately opened their doors and jumped out without looking.

Luckily I was only going slow as was approaching a red light. Got away with a scratch. Bike not so lucky. Those pick up doors are pretty long.

[Birdman]

Opp. Wat Plai Laem near the Seven a female Korean tourist opened the car door without looking and a motorcycle crashed brutally into that.......

[smokie36]

A friend was down from CM and we were motoring around the island on bikes.

We were on the 4170 just before the "viewpoint" where there is a recently constructed cafe-like affair. A private ambulance had passed us so we thought some road-rash was ahead. Made that turn at the top and there was some foreign guy in the middle of the road, on his back, legs akimbo and a bone-exposing gash from an ankle to the hip. That wasn't a problem for him since he also had a large crack in the forehead exposing the open skull. He was quite dead.

It appeared that he was alone and had been driving at some considerable speed.

Of course, he did not have a helmet. . .

It is impossible to say for certain, but there is no doubt that all else notwithstanding, the skull fracture would have killed him. A helmet may have saved his life.

I used to rationalize that since I was only going "up the road" that I didn't need a helmet, but it's just become too much of late. As uncomfortable as they are, you have to wear one all the time....

(Please add relevant key words to the title of this, such as "motorbike," "motorcycle," "accident," etc to make this easy to be searched, thanks. )

A sobering reminder to everyone....

[carmine]

A friend was down from CM and we were motoring around the island on bikes.

We were on the 4170 just before the "viewpoint" where there is a recently constructed cafe-like affair. A private ambulance had passed us so we thought some road-rash was ahead. Made that turn at the top and there was some foreign guy in the middle of the road, on his back, legs akimbo and a bone-exposing gash from an ankle to the hip. That wasn't a problem for him since he also had a large crack in the forehead exposing the open skull. He was quite dead.

It appeared that he was alone and had been driving at some considerable speed.

Of course, he did not have a helmet. . .

It is impossible to say for certain, but there is no doubt that all else notwithstanding, the skull fracture would have killed him. A helmet may have saved his life.

I used to rationalize that since I was only going "up the road" that I didn't need a helmet, but it's just become too much of late. As uncomfortable as they are, you have to wear one all the time....

(Please add relevant key words to the title of this, such as "motorbike," "motorcycle," "accident," etc to make this easy to be searched, thanks. )

A sobering reminder to everyone....

No reminders necessary anymore smokie. If you're out and about you'll see atleast one bike accident everyday varying from minor impacts and injury to gruesome fatalities.

These roads are appallingly dangerous now.

[Tropicalevo]

A sobering reminder to everyone....

No reminders necessary anymore smokie. If you're out and about you'll see atleast one bike accident everyday varying from minor impacts and injury to gruesome fatalities.

These roads are appallingly dangerous now.

Whilst these comments were posted a few months back - they are so true.

At the Bang Rak Black Spot (the market by the pier) another poor victim this morning.

Poor local guy unconscious (or worse), with blood coming from his ears,nose and mouth. Pretty horrible - drove past as soon as I could. 3 or 4 people trying to comfort him. 15 to 20 people just gawking.

Not too much damage to his bike - but no helmet.

Take care everyone and if you are on a bike - wear a bloomin helmet.