Two seriously injured in another Pattaya Highway 7 Overpass Crash

[webfact]

Two seriously injured in another Pattaya Highway 7 Overpass Crash



PATTAYA: -- In yet another serious road crash on the overpass leading to Highway 7 in Central Pattaya, the driver and passenger on a motorbike were seriously injured following a collision with a pick-up.

Police and medics rushed to the scene, in the early hours of Tuesday, and attended to the injured bike driver and passenger who were not carrying any forms of identification.

The driver of the pick-up, Khun Egachai aged 26, was not hurt, despite extensive damage to the front-end of his vehicle. He explained to Police that he was driving up the entrance ramp to Highway 7 and claimed to be driving at a normal rate of speed and as he entered a sharp right-hand curve at the top of the ramp, he collided with the motorbike which was travelling in the wrong direction at a high rate of speed.

Source: http://www.pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/144178/two-seriously-injured-in-another-pattaya-highway-7-overpass-crash/


-- Pattaya One 2014-09-10

[patekatek]

People have to get used to this type of carnage. It will NEVER go away in a country where the need for common sense driving is critical. I was once told by a Thai doctor that a lot of Thais, mostly young males, have no fear of death and when this attitude is mixed with drugs and alcohol, they tend to leave their brain in the storage compartment of their motorcycle or vehicle when driving. Unfortunately, I must add, I think this is where their brain physically ends up after an accident. I hope the injured in this accident recover, especially the passenger who likely had little control over the actions of the driver.

[jacko45k]

Further to my last post on this subject, I must apologise and state there is a no motorcycles sign on the Northbound entrance to Hwy 7 from Sukhumvit.

One of those circular ones with silhouettes in a red circle.

I missed it previously as it is on the far right and I am normally trying to filter in from the left of Sukhumvit, my attention is focussed on vehicles behind and to my right as I try to come across.

There also has been some of those plastic bollard things put in to filter traffic coming in from South bound Sukhumvit, and make it difficult for traffic to come left off HWY 7 and get onto the Railway line bypass (me). I am not sure how this will work out as this area is used to park up large coaches and switch passengers to minibuses sometimes. A lot of illegal manoeuvres occur there, coming the wrong way on the slip-road and making a steep turn into fast traffic being common. The police like to lay traps on the railway line bypass under the flyover too.

It must be said that these advanced large interchanges, like flyovers, underpasses, cloverleafs and filtering seem beyond the grasp of drivers here.

Edited September 10, 2014 by jacko45k

[thhMan]

I hope more action is done by the police to stop motorbikes doing stupid things like this... Ive nearly hit a few of those imbeciles.... I may get a bullbar put on the car so I dont have to consider swerving out of the way for them

[topt]

If I am reading and understanding this correctly I just don't understand how anybody can even consider going the wrong way on this overpass. It is two tight lanes and absolutely no space for a motorbike coming the wrong way. How did they even get on it and more to the point why? Defies all belief.

[waynethor]

If I am reading and understanding this correctly I just don't understand how anybody can even consider going the wrong way on this overpass. It is two tight lanes and absolutely no space for a motorbike coming the wrong way. How did they even get on it and more to the point why? Defies all belief.

Riding scooters in the wrong direction is something we can see many times a day. I think it's been done for so long here without the police doing their job of stopping it that it's not even considered to be illegal by Thais.

When are the police going to take correcting Thai's dangerous riding/driving habits seriously rather than just worry about how much tea money they can collect? I was passed by 5 pre-teen riders on one scooter yesterday. As they went by me they were all laughing and poking each other in the ribs, which was making it difficult for the puny young child to control the bike he was driving too fast. In these types of cases, the parents have to be involved. For starters, don't give a scooter that can go 100 kph to a young child.

Even in countries where the children are actually taught to use their brains and would have enough mental capacity to be careful on a motorbike, they aren't allowed to ride them on the streets until they reach an certain age, and for a good reason.

[IAMHERE]

My thought,is that for the driving habits of so many Thai's, the carnage isn't that much. I'd expect a lot more deaths, crashes, etc... by the way they drive. So all in all they do pretty good job of not crashing into one another.

[butch333]

the problem with the thai-drivers is that they get the driving licence so easy , they don't know the driving code , so everybody have his own driving code , they are scare to loose 5 seconds to go to the right U-turn , so they drive on the wrong way ( motorbikes and cars ) , they canot estimate how large is their vehicule as they change line without look in their miror , cross 2 or 3 line without looking ,burn the lights , use the lines for go right or left and go straight , see the shop on last moment and push on the brake and move line without looking in their miror , they don't care for the other drivers like they are alone on the roads , it's in their mentality , selfish at 100% ( they just think ME ME and only ME ) , and the problem is that the police see but say nothing fbut when y.te same for the pick-up overcharged who stay on 3 th line and don't want to move .

[JSixpack]

Further to my last post on this subject, I must apologise and state there is a no motorcycles sign on the Northbound entrance to Hwy 7 from Sukhumvit.

One of those circular ones with silhouettes in a red circle.

I missed it previously as it is on the far right and I am normally trying to filter in from the left of Sukhumvit, my attention is focussed on vehicles behind and to my right as I try to come across.

Exactly. Same here.

[Briggsy]

The article appears to insinuate the car driver is at fault. However, anyone who knows that entrance ramp to the motorway knows that a motorcycle driving the wrong way on it is a completely suicidal move. It truly beggars belief. I drive here every day and that is beyond the normal stupid moves that one sees habitually.

[petercool]

A reply to and quoting a deleted insensitive post was removed.

[NanLaew]

Many accidents with motorbikes outbound on that ramp but you can't prevent stupid. If someone thought it was a short cut inbound to Sukhumvit, then there's a village somewhere missing an idiot right now.

The biggest offenders IMHO are the trikes, especially the empty ones heading back to the boonies after a day in town, Usually empty, driven flat out but frequently with a child in the third seat.

I would hope that when the motorway toll booths at the 3240 flyover are completed, all motorbikes will be unable to get off the motorway so will be forced to use the feeders only when commuting. However, with the ramp extending as a flyover for the railroad tracks, there will be more motorcycle mayhem at the nearest u-turns over the tracks on either side of the ramp.

[Benmart]

I hope more action is done by the police to stop motorbikes doing stupid things like this... Ive nearly hit a few of those imbeciles.... I may get a bullbar put on the car so I dont have to consider swerving out of the way for them

While a bullbar may be an poor option, I would recommend defensive driving as an alternative. A body coming through the windscreen may injure or kill you and/or your passengers.

[Triplebank999]

The article appears to insinuate the car driver is at fault. However, anyone who knows that entrance ramp to the motorway knows that a motorcycle driving the wrong way on it is a completely suicidal move. It truly beggars belief. I drive here every day and that is beyond the normal stupid moves that one sees habitually.

The report actually specifically states the opposite, no action was taken against the pickup driver.

[Dublin]

If they continue to allow driving in the opposite direction on the wrong side of the road they will continue to have accidents. No brainer really,,

Rather than drive an extra 200 meter for a U-turn they put the life's of others and their own at risk. No Brains

Edited September 10, 2014 by Dublin

[Geordie59]

If the police would stop taking so much of their time picking out foreigners for easy pickings and try enforcing the laws against dangerous driving we might see a reduction in these cases.

I even saw a German police volunteer pulling over farangs the other day. Does that come under his job description?

[petercool]

If the police would stop taking so much of their time picking out foreigners for easy pickings and try enforcing the laws against dangerous driving we might see a reduction in these cases.

I even saw a German police volunteer pulling over farangs the other day. Does that come under his job description?

Firstly, the German Traffic Police volunteer is probably specifically used for just that purpose of checking helmets and iicences of foreigners who most Thai policemen cannot readily converse with. Secondly, you only have to see the queues at police station fine desks to realise that foreigners who were legitimately fined for not wearing helmets or not having valid passports are far out numbered by Thais paying fines. Try breaking such laws in your own country and see how much more severe the penalties are there .....

[koo]

If I am reading and understanding this correctly I just don't understand how anybody can even consider going the wrong way on this overpass. It is two tight lanes and absolutely no space for a motorbike coming the wrong way. How did they even get on it and more to the point why? Defies all belief.

Same here, I don't understand how to even access the ramp from the wrong direction. You would have had to ride the wrong way on the side of the road from Chonburi direction towards Pattaya, then cross two lanes to get to the tight ramp. Total idiocy. I hope Darwin Awards (http://www.darwinawards.com/ and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin_Awards ) picks this up for "honorable mentions" (since no one actually died).

The ramp can be seen on Google Maps Street View. The ramp has the "no motocycles, bicycles and trucks" sign on the northbound entrance, but I guess it should need one also at the opposite end (for idiots) ?

Edited September 10, 2014 by koo

[vogie]

I hope more action is done by the police to stop motorbikes doing stupid things like this... Ive nearly hit a few of those imbeciles.... I may get a bullbar put on the car so I dont have to consider swerving out of the way for them

While a bullbar may be an poor option, I would recommend defensive driving as an alternative. A body coming through the windscreen may injure or kill you and/or your passengers.

I shouldn't worry, I don't think he was being serious, albeit, it is a damn good idea.

[DekDaeng]

If I am reading and understanding this correctly I just don't understand how anybody can even consider going the wrong way on this overpass. It is two tight lanes and absolutely no space for a motorbike coming the wrong way. How did they even get on it and more to the point why? Defies all belief.

Seppo for sure.

[ableguy]

If I am reading and understanding this correctly I just don't understand how anybody can even consider going the wrong way on this overpass. It is two tight lanes and absolutely no space for a motorbike coming the wrong way. How did they even get on it and more to the point why? Defies all belief.

Simple it's the truck drivers excuse, no witnesses .

[thhMan]

I hope more action is done by the police to stop motorbikes doing stupid things like this... Ive nearly hit a few of those imbeciles.... I may get a bullbar put on the car so I dont have to consider swerving out of the way for them

While a bullbar may be an poor option, I would recommend defensive driving as an alternative. A body coming through the windscreen may injure or kill you and/or your passengers.

I shouldn't worry, I don't think he was being serious, albeit, it is a damn good idea.

Ive hit a few roos back home and a roo bar would have come in handy back then...

I tear around on my Benelli 600 motorbike and im not sure about a bullbar on that

The worst is at night when those little f&^%s have their high beam on and come towards you on the wrong way.

[jacko45k]

If the police would stop taking so much of their time picking out foreigners for easy pickings and try enforcing the laws against dangerous driving we might see a reduction in these cases.

I even saw a German police volunteer pulling over farangs the other day. Does that come under his job description?

Firstly, the German Traffic Police volunteer is probably specifically used for just that purpose of checking helmets and iicences of foreigners who most Thai policemen cannot readily converse with. Secondly, you only have to see the queues at police station fine desks to realise that foreigners who were legitimately fined for not wearing helmets or not having valid passports are far out numbered by Thais paying fines. Try breaking such laws in your own country and see how much more severe the penalties are there .....

There are far more Thais riding motorcycles without helmets around, even in Pattaya, than farangs.

Yet the queue at the police station is largely farangs with only a few locals dotted in.

The fines may be legitimate, but the persecution is selective!

[jacko45k]

If I am reading and understanding this correctly I just don't understand how anybody can even consider going the wrong way on this overpass. It is two tight lanes and absolutely no space for a motorbike coming the wrong way. How did they even get on it and more to the point why? Defies all belief.

Same here, I don't understand how to even access the ramp from the wrong direction. You would have had to ride the wrong way on the side of the road from Chonburi direction towards Pattaya, then cross two lanes to get to the tight ramp. Total idiocy. I hope Darwin Awards (http://www.darwinawards.com/ and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin_Awards ) picks this up for "honorable mentions" (since no one actually died).

The ramp can be seen on Google Maps Street View. The ramp has the "no motocycles, bicycles and trucks" sign on the northbound entrance, but I guess it should need one also at the opposite end (for idiots) ?

No you wouldn't. Take a look at Google Maps from above. Plenty of opportunity to access the wrong side.

For example he could turn off the Northbound Railway line bypass after the underpass and head the wrong way from there.

A very common site, I have seen coaches doing it.

Many seem to just miss the correct left turn! Likely trying to overtake on the bend.

Or one can turn back on oneself after leaving Sukhumvit Southbound, awkward but possible. He may have come from the housing area just north of the main flyover just before the Railway line Rd.

Why do it... to get to the other side.

As stated, Thais would rather put themselvees (and others...others?) at risk than go 100 metres further to a safe place. My missus is puzzled by my preference to come right to the end of Rt36, and make the easy loop back at Sukhumvit to cross to the other side, rather than using the available U-Turn points earlier, she thinks going just 100 metres against traffic makes much more sense.

I guess the sign actually needed from your posted view is 'WRONG WAY'.....not just for idiots, I have seen these in the USA, and elderly people and those from the other side of the English channel in trucks have been known to get it wrong in the UK.

Edited September 10, 2014 by jacko45k

[Geordie59]

If the police would stop taking so much of their time picking out foreigners for easy pickings and try enforcing the laws against dangerous driving we might see a reduction in these cases.

I even saw a German police volunteer pulling over farangs the other day. Does that come under his job description?

Firstly, the German Traffic Police volunteer is probably specifically used for just that purpose of checking helmets and iicences of foreigners who most Thai policemen cannot readily converse with. Secondly, you only have to see the queues at police station fine desks to realise that foreigners who were legitimately fined for not wearing helmets or not having valid passports are far out numbered by Thais paying fines. Try breaking such laws in your own country and see how much more severe the penalties are there .....

[Geordie59]

As the foreign police volunteer was on his own I do not see how he was helping the Thai policemen who were about 40m further up the street with translations.

It is a sad thing really that a country who earns so much from tourism should pick on the tourists in this way. I think I get angry about this particular case as I got stopped a while back with an international drivers licence from the UK. and also a Philippine licence both of which are legal here but still had the inconvenience of going to the police station and cost of a fine which I paid as I did not fancy the alternative process of trying proving myself correct.

I would also have had a Thailand licence if it were possible to get one with the visa I was on.

And to think people with a Thailand licence can drive legally for 1 year in the UK on the licence.

[topt]

As the foreign police volunteer was on his own I do not see how he was helping the Thai policemen who were about 40m further up the street with translations.

It is a sad thing really that a country who earns so much from tourism should pick on the tourists in this way. I think I get angry about this particular case as I got stopped a while back with an international drivers licence from the UK. and also a Philippine licence both of which are legal here but still had the inconvenience of going to the police station and cost of a fine which I paid as I did not fancy the alternative process of trying proving myself correct.

I would also have had a Thailand licence if it were possible to get one with the visa I was on.

And to think people with a Thailand licence can drive legally for 1 year in the UK on the licence.

It is possible to get a Thai driving licence on a visa waiver stamp so if you really want to........

[Geordie59]

Contribution to some benevolent fund required????

I do want the license but will not be back in the UK to renew my international permit for several months, not that it was any use last time I was stopped.

[topt]

Contribution to some benevolent fund required????

I do want the license but will not be back in the UK to renew my international permit for several months, not that it was any use last time I was stopped.

From personal experience certainly in Pattaya it used to be no problem and no extra payments required - except for the Immigration Certificate of Residence which some say should be free.

IDP seems to help more than just your home country licence. Loads of info in some of the pinned threads.

You can renew/apply IDP online and arrange for it to be posted. Theoretically you are only supposed to use IDP for I think it is 3 months after which you should have a Thai licence anyway. Apologies if you already know all this

[Rimmer]

Troll post removed