Another Sad Motorbike Accident

[Jezz]

This subject has been done to death a million times but when fatal motorbike accidents happen on your doorstep it all comes back with a jolt.

This afternoon on highway 22, about 25 kilometres from Sakon Nakhon, direction Udon Thani, and only a few kilometres from my home, a family of four on one motorbike collided head-on with a pick-up. It happened on a newly-opened section of dual carriageway, the motorbike apparently moving along the wrong side of the highway and hitting the pick-up head-on. Two died instantly, the other two in a critical condition.

This family were neighbours and friends to part of my family just down the road. Why oh why don't Thais learn more about road safety, caution and care – especially when negotiating unfamiliar and confusingly signed new road projects? I've travelled this section of highway 22 in a pick-up many times since construction began more than a year ago. One day, signs directed you left, right or straight ahead. Next day it had all changed.

R.I.P. to the victims and condolences to family and friends.

[Mr niceman]

Sorry to hear this sad accident they where probably very nice people unlike the biker in my story.RIP

[siampreggers]

Idiot PoS rider from the sounds of it.

I bet all the neighbours will still be doing the exact same thing come tomorrow, riding the wrong way down a road with their entire family on board their 20 year old Wave.

There is little hope for these people.

At least the retard didn't get to maim or kill anyone in your family during his lifetime.

[Jezz]

I bet all the neighbours will still be doing the exact same thing come tomorrow

Sadly, you are right.

[transam]

Sadly it is daily stuf,f but natives just do not care about safety, even a simple thing about driving on the correct side of the road. Don't worry about it, l have, l see young kids every day riding a motorcycle home from school, 3 and 4 up, no license, no insurance, no helmet, and no problem with police. BUT, the main thing is the parents give them the keys to the bike and if an accident they're the first to scream it was somebody else's fault,so give me some money.

Forget it, this is not farangland, a different way of life, sadly.

[Jezz]

Forget it, this is not farangland, a different way of life, sadly.

I hear what you say and have known for a long time there's little chance of the locals changing their habits. In the aftermath of the accident I referred to, I attempted to plea with some of my family to take more care on their bikes – to be acknowledged with cheesy grins and nods of heads – straight over their heads as expected.

[Huayrat]

Until they understand between left and right then they will be many more killed

[thunder30101]

Buddhists lol they are coming back so why worry ?

[siampreggers]

Until they understand between left and right then they will be many more killed

Oh they understand that.

Left is for wiping their ass. Right is for picking their nose.

Both done simultaeneously whilst driving evidently.

[chris1dna]

Tragic and unfortunate. My condolences to you an your friends family.

[Phronesis]

Tonight on my way back home from Kamala...

Four school girls on a honda click, no helmets, driving (quickly) up the wrong side of a busy main road...after dark...with no headlight...in heavy rain...and the girl controlling the bike was using one hand to write text messages on her phone...

I thought sanctity of life was a prominent facet in Budhism????

Edited August 23, 2012 by Phronesis

[siampreggers]

^ Not the most intelligent of people, are they?

At least they'll be smiling as they accidently hit you and your family.

[sirchai]

Buddhists lol they are coming back so why worry ?

Your post is so insane, can't even find the right words now.....

Edited August 27, 2012 by sirchai

[JanKlaasen]

Sadly it is daily stuf,f but natives just do not care about safety, even a simple thing about driving on the correct side of the road. Don't worry about it, l have, l see young kids every day riding a motorcycle home from school, 3 and 4 up, no license, no insurance, no helmet, and no problem with police. BUT, the main thing is the parents give them the keys to the bike and if an accident they're the first to scream it was somebody else's fault,so give me some money.

Forget it, this is not farangland, a different way of life, sadly.

Now just wait untill the day that one of those multiple law breakers lands under your truck, and see how many problems you gonna have.

[transam]

Sadly it is daily stuf,f but natives just do not care about safety, even a simple thing about driving on the correct side of the road. Don't worry about it, l have, l see young kids every day riding a motorcycle home from school, 3 and 4 up, no license, no insurance, no helmet, and no problem with police. BUT, the main thing is the parents give them the keys to the bike and if an accident they're the first to scream it was somebody else's fault,so give me some money.

Forget it, this is not farangland, a different way of life, sadly.

Now just wait untill the day that one of those multiple law breakers lands under your truck, and see how many problems you gonna have.

Absolutely right, but those who have been here a while and were taught to read the road ahead in farangland and follow the rules, have much up on the native here. For sure my biggest worry in LOS is the way the Thai law looks at things. DAFT to a T. But we try and avoid stuff eh.

The law does not work, licensing, does not work, just taking cash works.

.

[thunder30101]

Insane is actually the farang that thinks he is going to change thais or thailand or their crazy beliefs of habits.

[transam]

First hand experience. Me having a beer in the garden, dark, hear a crash bang wollop and a helmet bounce past my gate. I went out to see a lovely young girl out of it in the road, bike revving.

Turned off the bike and saw claret coming from her head, l stroked her head and said your OK, of course she didn't know what l was talking about. A truck pulled up and talked to her, he phoned mum and an ambulance turned up the same time as mum. Mum was more concerned about the bike than the girl.

Not shocked easily but this really taught me a lot.

[jamescollister]

Insane is actually the farang that thinks he is going to change thais or thailand or their crazy beliefs of habits.

[siampreggers]

Thais are never a boring people to observe.

[ROBINPATTAYA]

How can they ever be taught the road rules when I see hundreds of students exiting a school without helmets past the Policeman who stops the traffic to let them go. The schools should issue warnings about helmets for a week, then have staff members at the gate to stop the students without helmets & makes them walk home, ring their parents or make other arrangements. The only issue here is that those staff members would probably ride home without helmets as well. How do you get the message through their thick skulls about safety??

I saw a policeman with his wife & baby on a bike, all without helmets, how can you win?

Another time a policman pulled up at the lights next to 3 bikes with various numbers on board, all without helmets, no a glance did he give.....

They are all victims of the education system & this will take a complete shakeup to eradicate the sub par mentality of all concerned. The Government refuses to look at western societies where safety is a priority & adopt similiar systems. All too hard, let the status quo remain.

[SantiSuk]

When I was a lad in the UK motorcycle helmets were not compulsory and I believe it took some time after the law was enacted before there was a high rate of compliance. I seem to remeber that 30 years ago people were still flouting the law regularly. I believe that in some US States weraing a helmet is still not compulsory. Were we all "victims of our education system"?

We can all see the merits of enforcement of such laws but there's an element on this thread of assuming that every safety feature in the West is comprehensive, inviolable and enforced effectively. I agree we should talk about the wasted lives with Thai friends but Calvanistic preaching about the sanctity of what are relatively recent Western standards is counter-productive.

At least Thailand has made helmet-wearing compulsory on paper. Enforcement will come to Thailand - just a matter of waiting a decade or so until the development gap closes.

Edited August 29, 2012 by SantiSuk

[siampreggers]

How do you get the message through their thick skulls about safety??

You don't.

You sit back and enjoy the show.

At least Thailand has made helmet-wearing compulsory on paper.

Yeah... back in 1977!

[4u2mad]

Recently returned from UK on first trip with wife. Apart from how clean everything was, she was most impressed that everyone obeyed the highway code. Her words 'Driving here easy, everyone drive very good'

[Gweiloman]

Recently returned from UK on first trip with wife. Apart from how clean everything was, she was most impressed that everyone obeyed the highway code. Her words 'Driving here easy, everyone drive very good'

Fully agree. There is another thread on TV about improvements for Thailand. The only thing that I would really like to change about Thailand is for driving standards to be on par with (Western) European standards as this would be a real improvement in everyone's (Thai and Farang) lives.

[NeverSure]

I believe that in some US States weraing a helmet is still not compulsory. Were we all "victims of our education system"?

In the US, you have vast differences in core beliefs in many states. Some states are crowded and the government is more controlling. Other states are more rural and the people are more independent. In general, personal freedom is greater in the more rural states and the people demand it of the state government.

In the US, driving is controlled by each state, not the federal government and therefore the people can put pressure on the local government as to what rules there should be. Driver's licenses are issued by each state as are vehicle licenses and registrations. My driver's license and the plates on my car are differnet from any other state.

Regarding expectations of personal freedom, there are some people who think it is none of the government's business if they crack their skulls. This has been a fair argument for some, where there is no national health system and the government doesn't pay for hospitalization or medical care.

The US is a relatively new country by world standards and it was founded by immigrants who arrived seeking freedom from what they considered oppression in their countries of origin. Up until the past few decades there has been almost unlimited freedom with almost no government interference in people's lives.

So it has come down to a debate about which is more important. The government dictating helmets for personal safety, or personal freedom to choose.

It hasn't been that long since my state mandated helmets and there was an uproar by many. I always wore a helmet before they were mandated because I thought it was the wise thing to do. But many believe I have no right to tell others what they should decide.

It's just the culture. We could have almost the same discussion about gun ownership. Demands for freedom are the reason that most US citizens can own and carry a gun. Most people would rather live with any risk of being shot that to have the freedom taken away and that's the truth.

Different cultures, different ideas.

Cheers.

[MYKTHEMIN]

I live here because I really enjoy the freedom, I hated all the do gooders and endless redtape in the UK, please if you don't like the freedom here go somewhere where you will be told what to do and when to do it, please don't try and change this paradise!

[tom21]

Recently returned from UK on first trip with wife. Apart from how clean everything was, she was most impressed that everyone obeyed the highway code. Her words 'Driving here easy, everyone drive very good'

yes you do not need laws there or police as everyone follows the highway code.

[ericnoodeeka]

i've driven in many countries all over the world, and really i dont think this is by any way the worst place to drive.

i've done many many miles from bkk to sakon and back, to loei, from sakon to krabi and back.

yes, there are a lot of idiots on the roads, but by being extra carefull, u can avoid many mishaps.

im not saying its 100% safe, but i seen very much worse than driving in thailand,

try india, try the mountain roads in bolivia, now thats somthing else.