Daily Carnage

[HeijoshinCool]

The driver of a motorbike must wear a helmet, but an infant can be carried on a motorbike with no protection whatsoever. Thai logic at its finest!

At least the Vietnamese custom-make little pads they strap onto their "dash." Keeps eyes, nose and mouth in original condition, unlike one of my neighbors little girls; a once beautiful six-year-old, she now looks like Frankenstein's monster. Sad.

Yesterday I saw a guy on a scooter, in the rain, hauling a$$ into a curve with a child so tiny on back, his arms couldn't reach around his, I guess, father. The old man was on the phone.

[Berkshire]

I fully agree that sitting on the back of a truck is not a good practice from a traffic security point of view

and would be totally unacceptable in the west (Europe, America) where people can afford decent cars.

But you are not in the rich west here.

Thai people in the country side can't afford million baht cars, that's why pickups are economicly supported

by the government and so commonly used. In families with maybe 20 persons on one car.

Yes, there are a lot to do in the Thai traffic. Thailand have a by the Thai people elected government that

handles questions about traffic security among many other things. It is big picture with hard prioritizing.

Who are you coming here from another culture telling Thais how to run their country? You can hardly see

the full picture and understand what implications your suggested rule will result in. As a immigrant in a

country I think you have to accept a lot of things that doesn't feel right for you. And trust that the native

handle the running of the country.

And there are a mentality in the west to create laws to protect people from themselves. What about responsibility?

Not sure what you are talking about; in every state in the US I know of it is quite legal to ride in the back of a pick up; there are a few restrictions on the highway though; no one under 16 etc. But it is legal.

Agree. I've seen people riding on the back of pick-up trucks in the USA all the time when, clearly, seat belts are required when riding in passenger cars. I also don't recall seeing seat belts on buses in the US--even school buses--although I haven't been on a bus for awhile. So it's not a "Thai thing."

As usual, these type of threads encourage certain unsavory elements to spout off their high horse about how "it wouldn't happen in my country," when in reality, it does. When will the TV hypocrisy end??

[mackes]

I fully agree that sitting on the back of a truck is not a good practice from a traffic security point of view

and would be totally unacceptable in the west (Europe, America) where people can afford decent cars.

But you are not in the rich west here.

Thai people in the country side can't afford million baht cars, that's why pickups are economicly supported

by the government and so commonly used. In families with maybe 20 persons on one car.

Yes, there are a lot to do in the Thai traffic. Thailand have a by the Thai people elected government that

handles questions about traffic security among many other things. It is big picture with hard prioritizing.

Who are you coming here from another culture telling Thais how to run their country? You can hardly see

the full picture and understand what implications your suggested rule will result in. As a immigrant in a

country I think you have to accept a lot of things that doesn't feel right for you. And trust that the native

handle the running of the country.

And there are a mentality in the west to create laws to protect people from themselves. What about responsibility?

Not sure what you are talking about; in every state in the US I know of it is quite legal to ride in the back of a pick up; there are a few restrictions on the highway though; no one under 16 etc. But it is legal.

Agree. I've seen people riding on the back of pick-up trucks in the USA all the time when, clearly, seat belts are required when riding in passenger cars. I also don't recall seeing seat belts on buses in the US--even school buses--although I haven't been on a bus for awhile. So it's not a "Thai thing."

As usual, these type of threads encourage certain unsavory elements to spout off their high horse about how "it wouldn't happen in my country," when in reality, it does. When will the TV hypocrisy end??

Hypocrisy ? You are not very well informed...

http://www.iihs.org/laws/cargoAreas.aspx

http://www.whosehighway.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=85%3Aqlr-caropass&catid=1%3Alatest-news&Itemid=62

and it is not legal in the EU.

Edited February 28, 2013 by mackes

[StreetCowboy]

"We read on a daily basis of passengers sitting unrestrained in the back of pick up trucks being thrown out and killed......"

"How does someone who doesn't have a car (or a bike etc) travel then?"

"Bus, Train."

I don't read of such deaths very often, certainly not on a daily basis.

I actually read about deaths in a bus crash or mini van more often.

The train service is usually not an option unless they are going to bangkok or somewhere on the route to Bangkok.

Bus will maybe leave them many miles from their ultimate destination.

For many, it may be their only way to get to work, so if they don't travel in the back of a pick-up, they don't work.

I'll agree that it is far from ideal, but for many it is the only option.

If it's good enough for SIngapore, it's good enough for Thailand. Admittedly, in Singapore the number of people who can ride in the back of a pick-up is limited.

SC

[oldsailor35]

passengers sitting unrestrained in the back of pick up trucks

How does someone who doesn't have a car (or a bike etc) travel then?

It's acceptable in Thailand ... to the Thais.

Dangerous ... sure ... but acceptable.

Bus, Train. It should just not be acceptable, attitudes like yours is the reason for so many deaths like the two young kids i recently saw die on the Suratthani to Donsak road. The poor little buggers never had a chance, mum and dad were safely buckled up inside. Totally irresponsible.

Didn't say it was my attitude ... it's the Thai attitude ... and they seem to be fine with it.

But you obviously accept it as ok!

[oldsailor35]

I fully agree that sitting on the back of a truck is not a good practice from a traffic security point of view

and would be totally unacceptable in the west (Europe, America) where people can afford decent cars.

But you are not in the rich west here.

Thai people in the country side can't afford million baht cars, that's why pickups are economicly supported

by the government and so commonly used. In families with maybe 20 persons on one car.

Yes, there are a lot to do in the Thai traffic. Thailand have a by the Thai people elected government that

handles questions about traffic security among many other things. It is big picture with hard prioritizing.

Who are you coming here from another culture telling Thais how to run their country? You can hardly see

the full picture and understand what implications your suggested rule will result in. As a immigrant in a

country I think you have to accept a lot of things that doesn't feel right for you. And trust that the native

handle the running of the country.

And there are a mentality in the west to create laws to protect people from themselves. What about responsibility?

Not sure what you are talking about; in every state in the US I know of it is quite legal to ride in the back of a pick up; there are a few restrictions on the highway though; no one under 16 etc. But it is legal.

Do they have compulsory seat belts in the USA ? If they do, then why the stupidity of compulsory in the front but ok to sit loosely in the back ! duhhh !

[oldsailor35]

We from the west are used to different standards and rules, rules that are enforced. Things are different here. Family transport is just that, that the way its been for a time now and no sees the dangers that we do. On the phone and on the move is a nightmare but its part of everyday life in Thailand, no time to stop and deal with it, there is not a moment to lose. "I have to be there first" no mia pen rae here then. It starts with having driving schools and proper driving tests although I think we all guess what would happen, same as checking the safety of vehicles, just another revenue stream developing, safety ads seem to be the best opotion that might slowly change the way people behave.

It is frustrating but there is nothing much we can apart from being aware and being prepared, drive safely and arrive in one piece.

[/quote

We from the west have used our brains and realised what is dangerous on the road and made rules for own safety, for example, back in the 30's it was the done thing to ride a motorbike and just put ones hat on backwards, but not any more. We in the west have to have proper driving training,once again for safety's sake. But not here in Thailand as all Thais train themselves and they know better than any farang.

[simple1]

It's been mentioned a number of times, but this AM saw two girls who were tailgating a mini van on a motorbike go straight into the back when it slowed down to turn right off the main road. Neither had helmets and suffered head injuries, didn't die at the scene. At the same time some foreigners were passing the accident scene on motorbikes, no helmets. A few hundred meters away is a school, parents are dropping off their kids, often 3 children on a motorbike, none wearing helmets, including the parent, on a busy main road. All this early morning in Pattaya.