Nailed From Behind At High Speed

[Galong]

So, I'm coming up on the Thalang Tesco area and I'm in the fast lane. I'm doing the speed limit. A big six-wheel truck come up on me going a LOT faster and nails me! The impact rips my stereo amp from the floor, causes my ash tray to fly open and spill coins all over the place... just to give you an idea of the impact.

I pull over as far as possible in the fast lane. I look back at this *&*&^ from Surat Thani and the five other people in the front of the truck and through shere willpower, avoid doing what my instinct was telling me to do.

Instead, I go back about a hundred meters and start flagging folks to get over so they don't plow into the back of both vehicles. EVENTUALLY, the cops show up. They chat with him. I wait for them to come talk to me. Obviously, they should have parked where I was and turned on their lights. That would have been the professional thing to do. But no, I have to go talk to them... while still waving a white cloth at oncoming traffic.

Long story short, it was his fault and his insurance will pay. The bed of my truck and the camper shell are totaled... I get them replaced, but this maniac didn't get a wreckless driving ticket! Nor did he get in any trouble. He was allowed to drive off.

I'm OK, though my neck is a tad stiff. I can't imagine what would have happened if this accident involved me getting seriously injured. I am underwhelmed by the lack of professionalism of the two officers who showed up. My guess is they didn't want to do the paperwork or something. Wow.

[NomadJoe]

Glad you are OK, but what paperwork were you expecting? The guy didn't do a runner, no one is injured, and he is paying. A very good outcome for you. A non-injury accident wouldn't generate paperwork for the cops at where I am from either. Don't even need the cops for that. Back home the dispatcher is likely to tell you to just exchange info and move on. They were probably wondering why they were even called, and rightly so.

And BTW, if you were in the fast lane and not overtaking someone, the cops could have written you a ticket.

Edited May 5, 2012 by NomadJoe

[goober]

As long as you're ok. That's all that matters.

[aussiebrian]

Glad you are ok, and as someone else said you should not be traveling in the right lane unless overtaking, even if you thought you were on the speed limit. Speedometers are usually very inaccurate, my motorcycle reads 10% slower than the true speed, and this is Thailand where speed limits don't mean much. That is no excuse for the other party running into your rear. By the way, what do you think the speed limit along there is? You must be the only person that knows the limit.

Edited May 5, 2012 by aussiebrian

[Galong]

I was over-taking. I was going the speed appropriate for this type of road. I've lived here for 20 years. I know full-well that speed limits mean nothing. I was doing between 60 - 70 kph on slightly wet roads.

The truck came up behind the slow lane car (the same one I was passing) and apparently didn't look in the lane he was entering.

Failing to give him any punishment means there was no lesson learned. The only party suffering any monetary damage is his insurance company. He learned nothing. Perhaps the next time he'll hit someone and send them spinning. I was lucky.

It's nice that folks assume I was somehow at fault. Thanks to those who said nice stuff. :-)

[HongKongPhooey]

It's nice that folks assume I was somehow at fault. Thanks to those who said nice stuff. :-)

It quite clearly wasn't your fault, and I don't think anybody really said it was. However, once again the words 'Toto' and 'Kansas' come to mind.

It's great you weren't hurt but nothing that happened should be of any surprise to you, and if it was, it shouldn't be next time. Live, learn and move on.

[NomadJoe]

I was over-taking. I was going the speed appropriate for this type of road. I've lived here for 20 years. I know full-well that speed limits mean nothing. I was doing between 60 - 70 kph on slightly wet roads.

The truck came up behind the slow lane car (the same one I was passing) and apparently didn't look in the lane he was entering.

Failing to give him any punishment means there was no lesson learned. The only party suffering any monetary damage is his insurance company. He learned nothing. Perhaps the next time he'll hit someone and send them spinning. I was lucky.

It's nice that folks assume I was somehow at fault. Thanks to those who said nice stuff. :-)

I nor anyone else suggested you were at fault. Obviously your weren't. I was merely pointing out that it could have gone much worse, and often does. How many times have you heard the adage "You are farang, you must pay." That's not the vast majority of peoples experience, at least not anymore, but it can still happen.

I am not sure if in Thailand cops area allowed to write people traffic tickets for incidents they do not witness. I have only heard of this happening in cases which end in death. From where I am from in the states they can when it is obvious a traffic infraction caused the accident. I'm not even sure there is a reckless driving law in Thailand, but if there is and if it is similar to the U.S. laws then it will likely contain wording similar to: "willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property" which is very hard to prove without seeing it. A guy running into the back of you because of inattention is not reckless driving. It would have been nice for the cops to cite him for something though, even if it was for following to close.

In the end you kind of have to let it go. With the amount of time you have spent in Thailand you know the way this guy drives is how most people drive in Thailand. You also know that the police here are not really police in the way we understand the word.

Oh, and one suggestion...make sure the insurance company understands that the repairs are to take place at a dealer. They will often try to get a private shop to do it for cheap. Obviously you don't want that.

The only party suffering any monetary damage is his insurance company.

I'd be happy with that. I think you understand that a ticket will not change his driving habits.

You mentioned "his company". If you feel so passionate about it, you could call and complain to the company. I have done that before. As did a mate of mine who then got a call back from the driver apologizing for cutting him up!! Talk about loss of face!

Edited May 5, 2012 by NomadJoe

[Hostile17]

coasting at less than 85kph in the fast lane is looking for trouble. if i had a truck id be tempted to rear end you just to teach you a lesson. If the road is wet and you are scared, move to the little girl's lane.

[KeyserSoze01]

The point so obviously missed so far in this thread is that the driver of the truck failed to brake before running into the back of the OP. Just what was he doing or not doing to miss the fact that he was going to run into the back of the OP's truck and to hit the brakes?

[aussiebrian]

Ok, I will suggest you could possibly be at fault from what you have now said. I asked you what the speed limit was and you say you were traveling at 60km/h to 70 km/h. Maybe the speed limit was 80km/h or even 90km/h but that really doesn't matter in Thailand as you know. Maybe you were even slower than the 60km/h, even if only by the speedometer error. What I am suggesting is that possibly you moved into the right lane, on a wet road in front of a big truck traveling much faster than yourself or at the least swapped lanes with a big truck coming up behind you traveling at a much faster speed than yourself, blocking his only path to avoid you. Did you see him in your mirrors coming up at a much faster speed than you when you swapped lanes? It takes a truck much longer to slow down than it does a car. I have had what I am describing to you happen to me many times when a vehicle moving slowly in the left lane doesn't check his mirrors properly, and do a head check or just fails to see me approaching at a much faster speed than he is traveling, and then moves into the right lane in front of me, causing me to brake hard to avoid him.

I am not saying this is what happened as I wasn't there and haven't spoken to the other party. It is just a possibly scenario as to why the truck ran into the back of you, from your description of the events, when you were traveling along as you said ‘’at the speed limit’’ when you obviously don’t even know how fast you were traveling or what the speed limit is.

If I am wrong, please accept my humble apology.

Keysey, there is nowhere in the op's description to say if the truck braked or not.

I was over-taking. I was going the speed appropriate for this type of road. I've lived here for 20 years. I know full-well that speed limits mean nothing. I was doing between 60 - 70 kph on slightly wet roads.

The truck came up behind the slow lane car (the same one I was passing) and apparently didn't look in the lane he was entering.

Failing to give him any punishment means there was no lesson learned. The only party suffering any monetary damage is his insurance company. He learned nothing. Perhaps the next time he'll hit someone and send them spinning. I was lucky.

It's nice that folks assume I was somehow at fault. Thanks to those who said nice stuff. :-)

I nor anyone else suggested you were at fault. Obviously your weren't. I was merely pointing out that it could have gone much worse, and often does. How many times have you heard the adage "You are farang, you must pay." That's not the vast majority of peoples experience, at least not anymore, but it can still happen.

I am not sure if in Thailand cops area allowed to write people traffic tickets for incidents they do not witness. I have only heard of this happening in cases which end in death. From where I am from in the states they can when it is obvious a traffic infraction caused the accident. I'm not even sure there is a reckless driving law in Thailand, but if there is and if it is similar to the U.S. laws then it will likely contain wording similar to: "willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property" which is very hard to prove without seeing it. A guy running into the back of you because of inattention is not reckless driving. It would have been nice for the cops to cite him for something though, even if it was for following to close.

In the end you kind of have to let it go. With the amount of time you have spent in Thailand you know the way this guy drives is how most people drive in Thailand. You also know that the police here are not really police in the way we understand the word.

Edited May 5, 2012 by aussiebrian

[stevenl]

He was at fault, his insurance company is paying.

What you should have done is call your insurance company and let them sort it out. Don't get involved yourself, don't talk to the cops. Let the insurance guys do that.

But the end result is ok, why a ticket? That would not help anybody. Or do you really think a 300 Baht ticket. maybe even paid by the company, would deter any driver from fast/reckless driving?

[stevehaigh]

glad you are ok. out of interest, you say 'Long story short, it was his fault and his insurance will pay.' how do you know? what proof did you get? did you talk to someone at his insurance company?

[Galong]

My first move was to call my wife and make this a Thai on Thai thing. Her first move was to call our insurance company. The bad guy called his insurance company. The cops showed up. I didn't call them. I doubt he did either.

A 300 Baht fine would do nothing, but a wreckless driving infraction should. By the cops doing absolutely nothing, the likelihood of this guy driving like this again seems high.

[Galong]

glad you are ok. out of interest, you say 'Long story short, it was his fault and his insurance will pay.' how do you know? what proof did you get? did you talk to someone at his insurance company?

Paperwork from both his insurance rep and mine of course. It listed everything that would be replaced. My Thai wife checked it all over and explained it to me before I signed it.

[endure]

"Nailed from behind at high speed"

Wishful thinking...

[Galong]

Ok, I will suggest you could possibly be at fault from what you have now said. I asked you what the speed limit was and you say you were traveling at 60km/h to 70 km/h. Maybe the speed limit was 80km/h or even 90km/h but that really doesn't matter in Thailand as you know. Maybe you were even slower than the 60km/h, even if only by the speedometer error. What I am suggesting is that possibly you moved into the right lane, on a wet road in front of a big truck traveling much faster than yourself or at the least swapped lanes with a big truck coming up behind you traveling at a much faster speed than yourself, blocking his only path to avoid you. Did you see him in your mirrors coming up at a much faster speed than you when you swapped lanes? It takes a truck much longer to slow down than it does a car. I have had what I am describing to you happen to me many times when a vehicle moving slowly in the left lane doesn't check his mirrors properly, and do a head check or just fails to see me approaching at a much faster speed than he is traveling, and then moves into the right lane in front of me, causing me to brake hard to avoid him.

I am not saying this is what happened as I wasn't there and haven't spoken to the other party. It is just a possibly scenario as to why the truck ran into the back of you, from your description of the events, when you were traveling along as you said ‘’at the speed limit’’ when you obviously don’t even know how fast you were traveling or what the speed limit is.

If I am wrong, please accept my humble apology.

Keysey, there is nowhere in the op's description to say if the truck braked or not.

I constantly look for traffic around me. I had been in the fast lane. I was passing a line of slower cars. I did not change lanes. I did not cut over in front of a faster vehicle. I hate it when that happens to me and I don't do it to others.

He came from the slow lane to the fast lane and was going too fast to not hit me. I was going the average speed that the more sane drivers go on the highway. I wasn't going as fast as I normally go as it was wet. I wasn't go so slow as to be dangerous. I know I was going between 60 -70. I know I sped up when I was launched a few dozen meters by this wreckless driver. I know my neck hurts this morning from it.

[cdmtdm]

are any of you posters blind ? do you not see this happening daily on Phuket and the surrounding regions ? , these idiots in trucks , pickups and visa vans drive like brainless goons ...how in anyway would it be the op"s fault ? the guy rammed him at high speed from behind, regardless of the lane who gives a toss ... here is what played out .... driver and passengers wasted on grog and gear , decide they are super human and drive without care to other drivers , hit the OP , the cops come , money changes hand, so no charges and insurance pays out , cop goes home happy he had no paperwork .... OP the cops here are not in the business of educating drivers or taking them to court , its about quick money with little effort ... i posted on another topic ..if you want to be a cop and your a thai 350k and your in .....

[cdmtdm]

coasting at less than 85kph in the fast lane is looking for trouble. if i had a truck id be tempted to rear end you just to teach you a lesson. If the road is wet and you are scared, move to the little girl's lane.

your my hero

[petercallen]

The point so obviously missed so far in this thread is that the driver of the truck failed to brake before running into the back of the OP. Just what was he doing or not doing to miss the fact that he was going to run into the back of the OP's truck and to hit the brakes?

Maybe the trucks brakes were faulty, which would not be a supprise with the way some trucks are maintained

[HongKongPhooey]

There is no such thing as a slow lane or fast lane!!

You have inside lanes and outside lanes and middle lanes and overtaking lanes but no slow and fast ones.

[aussiebrian]

I know my neck hurts this morning from it.

I am sorry to hear that. Hope you feel better soon. You should go to the police and tell them about your neck pain, they will write a report then take it to the doctor and that will be covered by his insurance.

[Old Croc]

I know my neck hurts this morning from it.

I am sorry to hear that. Hope you feel better soon. You should go to the police and tell them about your neck pain, they will write a report then take it to the doctor and that will be covered by his insurance.

Whiplash injuries sometimes get much worse several days later. From the description you received quite a blow in the rear (leave that one alone Endure!) and there could be significant soft tissue damage.

Seek medical treatment and monitor.

[geriatrickid]

I was over-taking. I was going the speed appropriate for this type of road. I've lived here for 20 years. I know full-well that speed limits mean nothing. I was doing between 60 - 70 kph on slightly wet roads.

The truck came up behind the slow lane car (the same one I was passing) and apparently didn't look in the lane he was entering.

Failing to give him any punishment means there was no lesson learned. The only party suffering any monetary damage is his insurance company. He learned nothing. Perhaps the next time he'll hit someone and send them spinning. I was lucky.

It's nice that folks assume I was somehow at fault. Thanks to those who said nice stuff. :-)

Chances are the man will be fired from his job.

Yes, you were lucky. Count your blessings and be grateful it was you and not some kid on a motorbkie that would have been killed and that the fellow stopped and had insurance.

Try not to over exert your neck and back in the coming days.

BTW, I take it you had a seatbelt on. Did your airbags deploy?

[cdmtdm]

can the Op post a pic of the car ? like to see the damage ....

[lavender19]

Remember the guy sitting at a red light at Tesco Lotus the other week.

Got rear ended.The cops turned up and arrested both of them until they could figure out who's fault it was.

Priceless

[cdmtdm]

Remember the guy sitting at a red light at Tesco Lotus the other week.

Got rear ended.The cops turned up and arrested both of them until they could figure out who's fault it was.

Priceless

u think these cops sat an exam to enter the police force ??? and whats really scary is they carry guns ..... priceless yes ...

[steelepulse]

There is no such thing as a slow lane or fast lane!!

You have inside lanes and outside lanes and middle lanes and overtaking lanes but no slow and fast ones.

Don't forget wrong way lanes.

[NomadJoe]

Remember the guy sitting at a red light at Tesco Lotus the other week.

Got rear ended.The cops turned up and arrested both of them until they could figure out who's fault it was.

Priceless

Had not read that. Please provide link.

Anyway, I can say without hearing the story he wasn't likely arrested. Detained perhaps. There is a huge legal distinction. You can't be arrested unless you have committed a crime. It is illegal to leave the scene of an accident if your vehicle was involved. That does not mean you have been "arrested" every time you get into an accident. Parties are at times detained until the level of involvement could be determined, which in Thailand often means coming back to the police station with all parties. Westerners are not used to this concept thus we perceive it as being arrested. The cops don't technically need to determine fault either...insurance companies can sort that out. But if one side is claiming one thing and the other another, and there is no insurance companies involved, and someone asked the cops to mediate, well then yeah your going to get detained until the cops are satisfied your either not at fault or are convinced you're not going to try to do a runner.