Hi,

Just wanted to share my experience of my first accident here in Thailand. I have read much about them and was very scared to have one.

I was driving along 2 lane (each way) road. U turns were from the inside lane and did not have dedicated lane. I was on the inside lane and came up behind 2 cars making a U turn. When both cars did their turn I started to dive off. Bang!!! A thai guy on a motor bike must have thought I was going to do a U turn as well and came around the outside of me just as I started off. Needless to say I hit him and knocked him off the bike.

I got out of the car and helped him up and pick his stuff up. A guy got out of the car behind me could speak english. He started telling me that it is different in thailand and I need to drive slower and watch out for bikes. All I said to him was that I could not have gone much slower.

Anyhow the guy I hit never said a word, checked himself out and his bike, lifted his visor, looked at me, shook my hand and rode off. Maybe he realised he was in the wrong.

You can imagine how relieved I was,

Consider for a moment if you had killed the motorcyclist. Really think hard about that.

Both you and the motorcyclist were lucky.

Be careful out there.

Consider for a moment if you had killed the motorcyclist. Really think hard about that.

Both you and the motorcyclist were lucky.

Be careful out there.

I'm sure he has been thinking of little else since it happened........

Lets hope it's your first and last....

Lucky it was a slow motion hit

One word:-

Dashcam!

Consider for a moment if you had killed the motorcyclist. Really think hard about that.

Both you and the motorcyclist were lucky.

Be careful out there.

Why dwell on it? It happened.

Fortunately, nobody was injured.

The thing I have noticed here, especially when riding the motorbike, is drivers expect you to do what a Thai driver would do. For example, I have had numerous incidents where I was riding to the left of a car, the driver and I have made eye contact. When the road cleared in front of me, the guy on my right assumed that I would accelerate since the road was clear, and started moving left without looking over again.

Surely be careful, and assume that anything can happen, as it likely will.

One word:-

Dashcam!

A dashcam recording may absolve you of any technical blame but it doesn't stop accidents.

Being alert to local conditions/situations is far more effective.

In Thai eyes the OP didn't help the motorcyclist. No matter how stupid the manoevre.

Thankfully the incident was pretty inoccuous.

Be a lert. Thailand needs lerts.

Jerry

One word:-

Dashcam!

A dashcam recording may absolve you of any technical blame but it doesn't stop accidents.

Being alert to local conditions/situations is far more effective.

In Thai eyes the OP didn't help the motorcyclist. No matter how stupid the manoevre.

Thankfully the incident was pretty inoccuous.

Be a lert. Thailand needs lerts.

Jerry

Lert in Thai is blood... I don't wanna be Lert thanks

Why dwell on it? It happened.

Mindfulness. Samādhi. Right mindfulness I believe is the seventh element of the noble eight-fold path. On a more practical level we all need to be in the right mind when driving, especially in Thailand.

One word:-

Dashcam!

A dashcam recording may absolve you of any technical blame but it doesn't stop accidents.

Being alert to local conditions/situations is far more effective.

In Thai eyes the OP didn't help the motorcyclist. No matter how stupid the manoevre.

Thankfully the incident was pretty inoccuous.

Be a lert. Thailand needs lerts.

Jerry

Lert in Thai is blood... I don't wanna be Lert thanks

Bloods "Luad" round here .

I find it incredible he shook your hand? Did he offer it? If so, maybe you did more damage then you realize and knocked the west right into him!!

Edited December 7, 201312 yr by WarpSpeed

Never have a car without a class A insurance.

If the shit hit the fan, you call the insurance and let them deal with it.

Never have a car without a class A insurance.

If the shit hit the fan, you call the insurance and let them deal with it.

This is by far the best advice I've seen on TV in a long time.

Without 1st class/class A insurance the police will impound your car and put you in jail. You are presumed innocent but are a flight risk. There will you sit until somebody pays or the other party signs off their claims against you.

Class A or 1st class insurance is Thailand's answer to a "get out of jail free card".

All one needs to do is call the number on the insert and wait for them to show up on the scene. If you are driving and have an accident the first number you should call is the insurance company, then call the police.

Never have a car without a class A insurance.

If the shit hit the fan, you call the insurance and let them deal with it.

Absolutely right!

Lucky for the OP that it was a slow-motion bump and the motorcycle rider was sufficiently shaken not to make a meal out of it. Even the other local motorist passing his 100% correct advice (although totally NOT applicable in this instance!) didn't try and talk the motorcyclist into a bit of money cadging.

Always, ALWAYS check your mirrors as motorcyclists are more than likely trying to shoot-the-gap or under-take (pardon the pun) what they see only as a slower object versus the reality of being a larger, much more lethal object.

I find it incredible he shook your hand? Did he offer it? If so, maybe you did more damage then you realize and knocked the west right into him!!

Yes, after he shook himself down. lifted his visor and then offered his hand.

Never have a car without a class A insurance.

If the shit hit the fan, you call the insurance and let them deal with it.

I have that for sure. Cost me a fortune with Honda themselves.

Lets hope it's your first and last....

Lucky it was a slow motion hit

Yes, me too.

Consider for a moment if you had killed the motorcyclist. Really think hard about that.

Both you and the motorcyclist were lucky.

Be careful out there.

Bit of a strange statement as if I had intended to do it. I am usually very careful and in this cad as I started to drive off was watching the cars doing a U turn into my lane.

One word:-

Dashcam!

A dashcam recording may absolve you of any technical blame but it doesn't stop accidents.

Being alert to local conditions/situations is far more effective.

In Thai eyes the OP didn't help the motorcyclist. No matter how stupid the manoevre.

Thankfully the incident was pretty inoccuous.

Be a lert. Thailand needs lerts.

Jerry

Lert in Thai is blood... I don't wanna be Lert thanks

Bloods "Luad" round here .

I was trying to link it to the post I was replying to...

It's a hard one to pronounce but think you may be being a touch picky

One word:-

Dashcam!

Have been going to get one but been looking for one I read about that has 4 cams, so front back, speedo and one other.

We expediate purchase

A dashcam recording may absolve you of any technical blame but it doesn't stop accidents.

Being alert to local conditions/situations is far more effective.

In Thai eyes the OP didn't help the motorcyclist. No matter how stupid the manoevre.

Thankfully the incident was pretty inoccuous.

Be a lert. Thailand needs lerts.

Jerry

Lert in Thai is blood... I don't wanna be Lert thanks

Bloods "Luad" round here .

I was trying to link it to the post I was replying to...

It's a hard one to pronounce but think you may be being a touch picky

Afraid he's right.

"Lert" means awesome/wonderful.

Never mind Cornish Carlos, Type in Jethro, watch Denzils Daughter on You Tube. Hes worth a peek for everyone.Infectious accent, i love it.

Nah, just checked with Mrs Cornish and down south it is more like l'eut.. Must be regional accents