British woman in Phuket hospital after bike crash

[MaxYakov]

Read and heed, you motorbikers: E_kinetic = MV² (yep, that's a square function of velocity)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinetic_energy

If people insist on riding motorbikes instead of walking or riding a bicycle or finding a safer alternative, then perhaps a review of basic physics is due on a daily basis until it becomes apparent. One does not have to jump off a cliff to experience the results of it.

An aside:

It didn't help the Asiana Airlines pilots the other day that their aircraft's speed was low - they had a lot of mass.

Anyway, rant complete. Wish her a complete recovery ... as I shake my head and think ... there, but for the grace of God, go I (except I almost refuse to go anywhere near a motorbike - it is for people without alternatives, like poor Thai folks). Rant really complete now, except for one thing: Is it just me or do I see a lot of obese people on motorbikes?

It amazes me that you think you are so safe in a car here, Max.

Let me know how you get on with E=MV after an out of control bus, or truck, or a drunk tourist in a hire car, crashes into.

That would be E=MV², for starters. Did not mention any of the vehicles in my reply that you have in yours so I don't know where you're coming from. I simply said (besides walking and bicycle) a 'safer alternative'. The alternative could have been BTS or MRT, airplane, etc. but I didn't state what I thought it might be. I'm fresh out of rants today, so ... BTW, do you, by any remote chance, routinely use motorbikes?

Edited July 15, 2013 by MaxYakov

[Dap]

I feel sorry for her but it just amazes me that people save money on insurance. And she must have been going at ba good click to do all that damage.......

Your assumption is just that, an assumption with no factual backing. Anything could have happenened and you weren't there to see any of it. So Sherlock, back off, as it may not have been her fault at all.

Does it matter if it was her fault, or not, or if she was speeding, or not? She was uninsured.

She could have been completely legal on the motorbike, and a drunk Thai without two baht to his name crashed into her. She was uninsured.

Even "Sherlock" would have insurance for such things.

I was specifically responding to ... "And she must have been going at ba good click to do all that damage......."

and not the fact that she was uninsured. I just figured that even Sherlock would have noticed that even though it was a bit off topic. Mea Culpa

Edited July 15, 2013 by Dap

[Dap]

I feel sorry for her but it just amazes me that people save money on insurance. And she must have been going at ba good click to do all that damage.......

Your assumption is just that, an assumption with no factual backing. Anything could have happenened and you weren't there to see any of it. So Sherlock, back off, as it may not have been her fault at all.

Maybe not her fault she had an accident but her fault she has no insurance.

And to that I agree.

[NamKangMan]

Read and heed, you motorbikers: E_kinetic = MV² (yep, that's a square function of velocity)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinetic_energy

If people insist on riding motorbikes instead of walking or riding a bicycle or finding a safer alternative, then perhaps a review of basic physics is due on a daily basis until it becomes apparent. One does not have to jump off a cliff to experience the results of it.

An aside:

It didn't help the Asiana Airlines pilots the other day that their aircraft's speed was low - they had a lot of mass.

Anyway, rant complete. Wish her a complete recovery ... as I shake my head and think ... there, but for the grace of God, go I (except I almost refuse to go anywhere near a motorbike - it is for people without alternatives, like poor Thai folks). Rant really complete now, except for one thing: Is it just me or do I see a lot of obese people on motorbikes?

It amazes me that you think you are so safe in a car here, Max.

Let me know how you get on with E=MV after an out of control bus, or truck, or a drunk tourist in a hire car, crashes into.

That would be E=MV², for starters. Did not mention any of the vehicles in my reply that you have in yours so I don't know where you're coming from. I simply said (besides walking and bicycle) a 'safer alternative'. The alternative could have been BTS or MRT, airplane, etc. but I didn't state what I thought it might be. I'm fresh out of rants today, so ... BTW, do you, by any remote chance, routinely use motorbikes?

"except I almost refuse to go anywhere near a motorbike - it is for people without alternatives, like poor Thai folks" - so, what transport do you use to get around the island, or to the airport? What are the "alternatives" you talk about?

I'm simply suggesting that many feel safe in a car here, and whilst a car does offer you more protection, you are still not safe from the the driver coming the other direction who is speeding, drunk, unlicenced, in control of a vehicle that is not road worthy, under the influence of drugs, fatigued, or a combination of these.

I use a motorbike, but I keep my use to a minimum.

With the lack of proper public transport here, you have just about every local, expat and many tourists on the road here, more often than not, drunk.

Th whole, "this wouldn't happen to me because I drive a car" belief is wrong - you still need insurance.

[pagallim]

I use a motorbike, but I keep my use to a minimum.

With the lack of proper public transport here, you have just about every local, expat and many tourists on the road here, more often than not, drunk.

What an absolutely absurd statement. Of the local (Thai) residents that I know here (and I know many), very few actually drink at all. Likewise, expats that I know abstain from alcohol if they're using their car/bike other from the very shortest of journeys. I think you're using your own circumstances to 'broad brush' the whole tourist and resident expat population on the island, i.e. 'if I'm doing it, everybody else must be'.

I would say that very late at night, could be a different story, but again a very, very small minority, but that's no different in many countries.

I get the impression that you're living in an environment that stimulates your views, and you genuinely believe that what you see and experience is the norm for the whole of the island. It's not. I don't know if your medical insurance covers counselling, but it's perhaps worthwhile to ask the question.

Proper public transport doesn't exist in most of the developed world, so why should it be different here. My mother lives in an area of Devon in the UK that has many visitors/tourists, and her village has 2 buses a day to the nearest town, the last of which is 6 p.m. Sure, taxis are available, but at quite eye watering cost.

[NamKangMan]

I use a motorbike, but I keep my use to a minimum.

With the lack of proper public transport here, you have just about every local, expat and many tourists on the road here, more often than not, drunk.

What an absolutely absurd statement. Of the local (Thai) residents that I know here (and I know many), very few actually drink at all. Likewise, expats that I know abstain from alcohol if they're using their car/bike other from the very shortest of journeys. I think you're using your own circumstances to 'broad brush' the whole tourist and resident expat population on the island, i.e. 'if I'm doing it, everybody else must be'.

I would say that very late at night, could be a different story, but again a very, very small minority, but that's no different in many countries.

I get the impression that you're living in an environment that stimulates your views, and you genuinely believe that what you see and experience is the norm for the whole of the island. It's not. I don't know if your medical insurance covers counselling, but it's perhaps worthwhile to ask the question.

Proper public transport doesn't exist in most of the developed world, so why should it be different here. My mother lives in an area of Devon in the UK that has many visitors/tourists, and her village has 2 buses a day to the nearest town, the last of which is 6 p.m. Sure, taxis are available, but at quite eye watering cost.

I will not respond to your personal attack, as much as I would like to, but will respond to the other parts of your post.

Firstly, it appears to me that you are tucked in bed asleep, before 1am, this is when a majority on the roads here are driving/riding intoxicated. Note, I said "majority" and that "majority" is the tourist areas and that's your bar girls, expats, tourists and Thai's that have been on the whiskey.

Go to a bar area and stay out/up one night. Watch the people who have been drinking, heavily, pay their bill, after several hours, and ride off. Many of them are expats.

Just how many heavy vehicle accidents on Patong Hill, the drivers of which, all claim brake failure, would it take you to realise driver training and education is just about zero here? Yes, that driver is on the same road as you and he's driving all over Phuket. He's coming to a road near you soon.

I really don't see the relevance of "all the Thai's I know" when most of the others are driving/riding intoxicated. Just the other week I saw tuk-tuk drivers playing checkers for whiskey shots. If/when they are called on their little red walkie-talkies, I guess someone is getting a drunk tuk-tuk driver.

I live in Patong. I have never had a problem admitting that. What makes you think you are safe in Kata, for example. There's every chance that drunk driver/rider is coming out of Patong on the road to Kata.

Why is he driving/riding - because of a well documented lack of proper public transport here.

You mention Devon in the UK. How about I mention Pattaya, only 1000 kms north of here, where 10 baht goes a long way on a baht bus. Yes, Pattaya is in Thailand. They have a great system there, we have nothing.

It really is "absolutely absurb" that you can not see a direct correlation between the many accidents causing death and injury here and the lack of proper public transport.

Hundreds, from all countries, die on the roads here, every year - many of them would still be alive today, if they had the OPTION of taking proper public transport. Sadly, it doesn't exist.

The transport problem is island wide, and is killing people.

We all use the roads here. even as pedestrians. We all have a vested interest in getting some sort of proper public transport here one day, in order to make the roads safe, for all of us.

That's safer for you too, pagallim.

Edited July 15, 2013 by NamKangMan

[DefaultName]

Lets not get hung up on the motorbike bit here.

She could have tripped over a loose paving stone, got knocked down while walking, been bitten by something nasty, or just fallen seriously ill, and be in as bad a condition. The issue is that she didn't have insurance, how she got injured is really irrelevant.

She does have my sympathy, but her situation IS her own fault.

[stevenl]

I use a motorbike, but I keep my use to a minimum.

With the lack of proper public transport here, you have just about every local, expat and many tourists on the road here, more often than not, drunk.

What an absolutely absurd statement. Of the local (Thai) residents that I know here (and I know many), very few actually drink at all. Likewise, expats that I know abstain from alcohol if they're using their car/bike other from the very shortest of journeys. I think you're using your own circumstances to 'broad brush' the whole tourist and resident expat population on the island, i.e. 'if I'm doing it, everybody else must be'.

I would say that very late at night, could be a different story, but again a very, very small minority, but that's no different in many countries.

I get the impression that you're living in an environment that stimulates your views, and you genuinely believe that what you see and experience is the norm for the whole of the island. It's not. I don't know if your medical insurance covers counselling, but it's perhaps worthwhile to ask the question.

Proper public transport doesn't exist in most of the developed world, so why should it be different here. My mother lives in an area of Devon in the UK that has many visitors/tourists, and her village has 2 buses a day to the nearest town, the last of which is 6 p.m. Sure, taxis are available, but at quite eye watering cost.

I will not respond to your personal attack, as much as I would like to, but will respond to the other parts of your post.

Firstly, it appears to me that you are tucked in bed asleep, before 1am, this is when a majority on the roads here are driving/riding intoxicated. Note, I said "majority" and that "majority" is the tourist areas and that's your bar girls, expats, tourists and Thai's that have been on the whiskey.

Go to a bar area and stay out/up one night. Watch the people who have been drinking, heavily, pay their bill, after several hours, and ride off. Many of them are expats.

Just how many heavy vehicle accidents on Patong Hill, the drivers of which, all claim brake failure, would it take you to realise driver training and education is just about zero here? Yes, that driver is on the same road as you and he's driving all over Phuket. He's coming to a road near you soon.

I really don't see the relevance of "all the Thai's I know" when most of the others are driving/riding intoxicated. Just the other week I saw tuk-tuk drivers playing checkers for whiskey shots. If/when they are called on their little red walkie-talkies, I guess someone is getting a drunk tuk-tuk driver.

I live in Patong. I have never had a problem admitting that. What makes you think you are safe in Kata, for example. There's every chance that drunk driver/rider is coming out of Patong on the road to Kata.

Why is he driving/riding - because of a well documented lack of proper public transport here.

You mention Devon in the UK. How about I mention Pattaya, only 1000 kms north of here, where 10 baht goes a long way on a baht bus. Yes, Pattaya is in Thailand. They have a great system there, we have nothing.

It really is "absolutely absurb" that you can not see a direct correlation between the many accidents causing death and injury here and the lack of proper public transport.

Hundreds, from all countries, die on the roads here, every year - many of them would still be alive today, if they had the OPTION of taking proper public transport. Sadly, it doesn't exist.

The transport problem is island wide, and is killing people.

We all use the roads here. even as pedestrians. We all have a vested interest in getting some sort of proper public transport here one day, in order to make the roads safe, for all of us.

That's safer for you too, pagallim.

Where is the 'don't like' button?

[grumpyoldman]

I'm agreeing with stevenL's "not like" NKM, as well as with pagallim.

To conclude that everyone rides around drunk is complete and utter horsescheit.

Also, we can moan about the lack of "public transportation" but as I have mentioned in ad nauseum tuk-tuk threads, the tuk-tuks are still a whole lot cheaper than many of the places in the western world. You load 4 in there and split up the fare, now what it's 150thb each from Karon to Patong

(5$US)?

Haven't taken one in years so not positive on the exact fares these days but hope my point is still there.

[NamKangMan]

Lets not get hung up on the motorbike bit here.

She could have tripped over a loose paving stone, got knocked down while walking, been bitten by something nasty, or just fallen seriously ill, and be in as bad a condition. The issue is that she didn't have insurance, how she got injured is really irrelevant.

She does have my sympathy, but her situation IS her own fault.

"her situation IS her own fault" - it's possible the accident is NOT her fault - but the ability to deal with the financial burden of such a negative occurrence in one's life IS her fault.

[NamKangMan]

I'm agreeing with stevenL's "not like" NKM, as well as with pagallim.

To conclude that everyone rides around drunk is complete and utter horsescheit.

Also, we can moan about the lack of "public transportation" but as I have mentioned in ad nauseum tuk-tuk threads, the tuk-tuks are still a whole lot cheaper than many of the places in the western world. You load 4 in there and split up the fare, now what it's 150thb each from Karon to Patong

(5$US)?

Haven't taken one in years so not positive on the exact fares these days but hope my point is still there.

I stated "just about every local and expat" and "many tourist" - not "everyone" drives/rides drunk. Many tourist are now staying walking distance to everything they would like on their holiday.

Obviously, you guys aren't out late at night.

Tell me, what percentage of the road using public, that's locals, expats and tourists, do you think are OVER the blood alcohol limit after 1am to 2am on the roads in the tourist areas on the island?

How many get up in the morning, after a big night out, and get straight onto the bike or into the car. They are all still OVER the alcohol limit.

In both the above cases, they are driving/riding on the road and could crash into a law abiding citizen.

Then let's look at all the "brake failures" on heavy vehicle here. How many bus and truck accidents are there here, and those drivers may be sober.

So, if they are not drunk, they are poorly trained, or have a vehicle that is not road worthly or are negligent by speeding or are inexperienced or fatigued.

All these road deaths on the island and you don't think any of them could have been prevented by having a baht bus system similar to Pattaya, you have to be joking?

Look at the traffic here now, because of no public transport. Every individual must have a vehicle, or access to a vehilce. More vehicles on the road more accidents.

As far as the "don't like" button - I "don't like" the sh*te transport system here either, and I can guarantee the families of the many deaceased and maimed here "don't like" what happened to their family or friend, either.

[BusyBee123]

I find the really heavy tints on the front windows of trucks make driving them lethal to bike riders at night, I have pulled out of dimly lit junctions at night and missed a motorbike even after checking, I also think it makes it more difficult to gauge the distance the motorbike is at and speed. I always put the windows down now. I can imagine a few accidents have occurred because of this.

Hope she gets better but unimpressed with these facebook appeals due to no insurance, my money can go to much more worthy causes. I'd have even more money if my insurance premiums weren't so high due to uninsured drivers too.

[personchester]

She has a shock coming. If she has moved out of the UK and can't prove residency, the NHS is not free. She could even still be paying tax in the UK and not have any right to free treatment.

As a wannabe expat, I've looked into this.

After a six months residency in the UK she will again be entitled to a free NHS service, but in view of

the current injury she can of course not wait for six months in order to get the treatment.

Thus family and friends must financially help her in the NHS matter.

[NeverToReturn]

Surely her parents/uncles/aunties/siblings can get a loan for £25K and pay for the healthcare in Phuket, remortgage use savings etc etc....

Nurses are well paid these days if it was my kid i know id come up with this money in an instant instead of spending weeks hoping others will dig deep, surely the earlier its treat the better the outcome.

[ChinChanGamble]

There is an Irish guy trying to get back from a hospital in BKK and the cost is €57k, not having health Insurance is terribly stupid, but guess it can happen anyone! Hope she recovers well!

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