Second Smash In 3 Days At Phuket Intersection

[webfact]

Second smash in 3 days at Phuket intersection
Tanyaluk Sakoot

PHUKET: -- Another road accident took place this morning (April 1) at the same spot where two Russian teens were badly injured on Saturday (March 30) – the intersection between Bang Yai Rd and the bypass.

This time a Thai man riding a motorbike from Central Festival towards Tesco Lotus slammed into a pick-up truck turning from the opposite direction Bang Yai Rd.

The motorbike rider, who was not named by police, was taken to the Mission Hospital with an injured shoulder.

Pick up driver Boonsong Laling, “I was almost into Bang Yai Rd when the motorbike smashed to me. It was shocking. It’s hard [getting across the traffic at this turning] but I had no choice.”

Sataporn Sornsana, Chief of the Phuket Highways Office told The Phuket News, “The turnoff [into Bang Yai Rd] was opened up by Italian-Thai construction company to ease the traffic at the Central Festival intersection [where it is building an underpass].

“It’s very dangerous. I will be talking with Italian-Thai tomorrow about opening more U-turns.

“In the meantime, all drivers should be more considerate when approaching the intersection.”

The superintendent of Vichit Police Station, Pol Col Chawalit Phetsipear, told The Phuket News, “Our officers are usually at the intersection in the morning and evening rush hour to direct traffic.

“I will coordinate with the Highways Department to work out something, such as putting up signs to make drivers more aware of the dangers of this intersection.”

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/second-smash-in-3-days-at-phuket-intersection-38324.php


-- Phuket News 2013-04-01

[retell]

any one can post a photo of this intersection ,, im curious whats so specially dangerous on that

[Payboy]

any one can post a photo of this intersection ,, im curious whats so specially dangerous on that

The drivers.

[LivinginKata]

any one can post a photo of this intersection ,, im curious whats so specially dangerous on that

The side road bends back, so drivers on the high speed main road tend to misjudge the angle and nearly all skew over to the wrong side of the side road. You want to watch the buses turning in, the take all of both sides of the road to get round.

[Eddy B]

Nothing new, just careless, selfish, stupid drivers.

[JetsetBkk]

any one can post a photo of this intersection ,, im curious whats so specially dangerous on that

The side road bends back, so drivers on the high speed main road tend to misjudge the angle and nearly all skew over to the wrong side of the side road. You want to watch the buses turning in, the take all of both sides of the road to get round.

The report is not very clear:

This time a Thai man riding a motorbike from Central Festival towards Tesco Lotus slammed into a pick-up truck turning from the opposite direction Bang Yai Rd.

I think it should say "into Bang Yai Rd."

I read it that the pickup was coming from Tesco and turning right into Bang Yai road. That's what I do and you have to judge the speeds of the various bikes and other traffic very carefully as they don't all travel at the same speed. (Obvious, I know, but sometimes you think there is a gap coming only to find that a faster bike has reduced the size of the gap.)

The problem you mention, LiK, is when you exit Bang Yai and have to be careful of cars from the main road coming over to your side.

Different quote:

It’s hard [getting across the traffic at this turning] but I had no choice.”

Had no choice but to make a dash for it and hope nobody would smash into him?

Edited April 1, 2013 by JetsetBkk

[Suffinator]

So if one U Turn is not dangerous enough open more? Thai logic

[JetsetBkk]

any one can post a photo of this intersection ,, im curious whats so specially dangerous on that

Here you go:

.

[Felt 35]

Smart move, guess there In the making of the underpass will be more people involved in accidents than without the underpass. The only thing to help congestion and prevent accidents on Phuket is less driving, strict enforcement of traffic rules, and sad to say roads which not encourage people to drive fast, oh forget it, government orchestred all of it.

[retell]

any one can post a photo of this intersection ,, im curious whats so specially dangerous on that

Here you go:

.

not very exravagant for thai roadworks there are thousands of that like this and with sharper angles so it must be the traffic

[NomadJoe]

Big "smash" with extraction needed at Vichit and Soi SaiYuan last night. Haven't seen any details in the news on that one.

[Phronesis]

Lunatics doing 90kmh.....pfffftttt

What about the pickup drivers doing 140kmh?

[Phronesis]

On a corner of a soi that joins Thep Krasattri road not far from my house there has been four fatalities in less than 18 months. One of them was a cop directing traffic. Nothing has been done...and nothing will be.

As I have posted on other threads the underground tunnel at Central will NEVER be completed. The rain is coming next month and that will transform it into a quagmire and all heavy machinery activity will have to be put on hold...after the first few mudslide deaths of course.

[starkey_rich]

The reason they closed it a few years ago was the amount of accidents there.Now with probably 4 times the amount of traffic on Phuket they have opened it again??????

[Locationthailand]

oooh I flashed my lights so I have right of way.

[Guest]

Here you go:

The descriptions were pretty much correct

[Guest]

How an earth people in the civilized countries with enforced 50km/h city limits can ever get to the places they are going in time.

[retell]

How an earth people in the civilized countries with enforced 50km/h city limits can ever get to the places they are going in time.

simple most of the time you cant even get to 50 kph speed due to traffic jams

and 50 is like a high speed road nowadays alot of those 40 and 30 signs

thats why i drive car here and a pushbike there

[Soupdragon]

How an earth people in the civilized countries with enforced 50km/h city limits can ever get to the places they are going in time.

simple most of the time you cant even get to 50 kph speed due to traffic jams

and 50 is like a high speed road nowadays alot of those 40 and 30 signs

thats why i drive car here and a pushbike there

True enough I checked my GPS and over the last month I averaged 33 kph around Phuket.

Edited April 2, 2013 by Soupdragon

[Johnnie99]

any one can post a photo of this intersection ,, im curious whats so specially dangerous on that

Here you go:

.

A woeful day late in seeing this but .. how is this at all, in any way whatsoever, a difficult or dangerous junction? As has been copiously mentioned, it is the idiotic speed which kills. Maybe - here's an idea, Thai drivers should need to attend driving lessons before getting their licence.

PLEASE do not state the obvious. My last sentence there was sarcastic.

[Commander Tamson]

any one can post a photo of this intersection ,, im curious whats so specially dangerous on that

Here you go:

.

A woeful day late in seeing this but .. how is this at all, in any way whatsoever, a difficult or dangerous junction? As has been copiously mentioned, it is the idiotic speed which kills. Maybe - here's an idea, Thai drivers should need to attend driving lessons before getting their licence.

PLEASE do not state the obvious. My last sentence there was sarcastic.

Not wanting to state the obvious - your last sentence was absolutely correct

[Guest]

A woeful day late in seeing this but .. how is this at all, in any way whatsoever, a difficult or dangerous junction? As has been copiously mentioned, it is the idiotic speed which kills.

Biker riding from south towards north:

First traffic lights - it's great to speed up from the traffic, when you have a bike with a bit more power.

Then there is a hill - full throttle, the bike is going nowhere.

After this it's all downhill - forgot to ease up with the throttle, but who cares.. finally some speed and it feels so great.

Car coming from south to north and going for an u-turn or turn to the street towards west:

"I have been waiting here for an long time. Now there is a free space finally. There is a bike coming towards, but it's still far. I can make it. I'll just speed up a bit. Wait.. it's coming too fast. I'll break.. no I can still do it.."

[Commander Tamson]

oooh I flashed my lights so I have right of way.

Yeah - what's all that about. Is it in Thailand's Highway Code? Oh Stupid me! Highway Code? Thailand? If Buddha wants me to die today, then I'll die. If he doesn't then I can drive like a lunatic and let the other people that Buddha wants to die, die.