Phuket cement truck driver flees after deadly crash

[Friendly Stranger]

I don't get the act of fleeing. Like hello! The vehicle is either registered to you or your place of work. This would result in additional charges.

[harrry]

I don't get the act of fleeing. Like hello! The vehicle is either registered to you or your place of work. This would result in additional charges.

Here as in many companies it is the driver who carries the liability in a vehicle accident. The employer has no direct liability. Australia use to have this problem withe Parking and Speed Camera fines where the owner was never driving and did not know who was. This wwas stopped by legislation making the owner liable for these unless he identified the driver.

We probably need new legislation here making the employer liable for all damage done by his employees.

[pee paub]

"...both vehicles were going in the same direction,... when the motorcycle sped in an attempt to pass the cement truck."

"At that moment the truck turned abruptly into Phuket Cement Co, across the path of the bike."

Meaning, the bike was trying to pass him on the right side.

I've had morons do that to me countless times while I've had my signal on.

I don't see any mention of the truck having it's turn signals on, only that it "...turned abruptly...". So what side would you suggest the "moron" use to pass?

Are you for real pee paub???

I have always thought so.

[rethaier]

I had this happen to me once but thankfully nobody was killed. I had my indicators on and was turning right, obviously I was in the inside lane, as I turned a stupid person on a motorcycle, obviously going to fast on in the oncoming lane, decide to pass me and slammed into the right side of the truck. He and his passenger admitted fault and we took him to the hospital. Whilst at the hospital, six family members showed up, collaborated and decided the accident was my fault. I would not be surprised if this accident occurred in a similar manner.

[Strangebrew]

Can you show me concrete proof of that statement? Back home we call it MUD

[pee paub]

I had this happen to me once but thankfully nobody was killed. I had my indicators on and was turning right, obviously I was in the inside lane, as I turned a stupid person on a motorcycle, obviously going to fast on in the oncoming lane, decide to pass me and slammed into the right side of the truck. He and his passenger admitted fault and we took him to the hospital. Whilst at the hospital, six family members showed up, collaborated and decided the accident was my fault. I would not be surprised if this accident occurred in a similar manner.

I sure would be.

[Strangebrew]

There is a saying drivers passenger side Suicide when passing while vehicle marking turn.

[Johnnie99]

"...both vehicles were going in the same direction,... when the motorcycle sped in an attempt to pass the cement truck."

"At that moment the truck turned abruptly into Phuket Cement Co, across the path of the bike."

Meaning, the bike was trying to pass him on the right side.

I've had morons do that to me countless times while I've had my signal on.

The motorbike seemed to be on both the right side and the correct side.

How is the motorbike driver a moron if the truck driver

• fails to notice him
• fails to signal and
• without due care and attention turns?

Someone here is a moron and I am not, for once, suspecting the truck driver alone.

Edited November 14, 2014 by Johnnie99

[monkeycountry]

Don't know why they bother running away.

They are always eventually picked up at their own residence upcountry, or a relatives house.

But by then traces of alcohol or drugs will likely have gone, and since Thailand does not seem to punish "fleeing the scene of an accident", running away makes sense in cases where drugs or alcohol are involved.

[mgjackson69]

Don't know why they bother running away.

They are always eventually picked up at their own residence upcountry, or a relatives house.

I think the running away phenomenon has two components:

1) The cultural aspect of going away from anything uncomfortable

2) The desire on the part of the driver to avoid the beatdown from the angry mob that forms and decides he is in the wrong

[Tchooptip]

It is concrete, not cement. Cement is just one of the ingredients.

And maoro wins the pedant of the month award for November.

No offence but if you allow me to correct you the Pedant Awards are daily awards on TV not montly

[stevenl]

Don't know why they bother running away.

They are always eventually picked up at their own residence upcountry, or a relatives house.

I think the running away phenomenon has two components:

1) The cultural aspect of going away from anything uncomfortable

2) The desire on the part of the driver to avoid the beatdown from the angry mob that forms and decides he is in the wrong

Yes, agree that those are 2 of the reasons. There is also a third one though, being time is needed to rid the body of any substance (drugs, alcohol) that is illegal while driving.

[mgjackson69]

Don't know why they bother running away.

They are always eventually picked up at their own residence upcountry, or a relatives house.

I think the running away phenomenon has two components:

1) The cultural aspect of going away from anything uncomfortable

2) The desire on the part of the driver to avoid the beatdown from the angry mob that forms and decides he is in the wrong

Yes, agree that those are 2 of the reasons. There is also a third one though, being time is needed to rid the body of any substance (drugs, alcohol) that is illegal while driving.

Your third addition is a valid point...that is one that is not unique to Thailand, by the way.

I *might* have used a similar action in the way back days ...granted, it was a single vehicle crash on a remote rural road and there was nobody with me.

[eeeya]

It is concrete, not cement. Cement is just one of the ingredients.

Where you at the crime scene taking a sample of the load it was carrying? Could have had jelly beans in it for all we know

[stevenl]

It is concrete, not cement. Cement is just one of the ingredients.

Where you at the crime scene taking a sample of the load it was carrying? Could have had jelly beans in it for all we know

He was probably empty.

[eeeya]

It is concrete, not cement. Cement is just one of the ingredients.

Where you at the crime scene taking a sample of the load it was carrying? Could have had jelly beans in it for all we know

He was probably empty.

This is true [emoji1]

[Mudcrab]

"...both vehicles were going in the same direction,... when the motorcycle sped in an attempt to pass the cement truck."

"At that moment the truck turned abruptly into Phuket Cement Co, across the path of the bike."

Meaning, the bike was trying to pass him on the right side.

I've had morons do that to me countless times while I've had my signal on.

I don't see any mention of the truck having it's turn signals on, only that it "...turned abruptly...". So what side would you suggest the "moron" use to pass?

Are you for real pee paub???

Wait one sec. A motorbike rider passes somebody where he is supposed to pass, on the right hand side. That person 'turns abruptly'. So if no indicators were used by the truck driver before the motorbike started overtaking, the motorbike rider did nothing wrong.

Except get killed.

<deleted> do you have any real life experience riding a motorbike....I mean a real motorbike not a scooter in real life traffic?

If you come up behind a very slow moving vehicle the alarm bells in your head ring - "he's going slow...2 things are possible, either he is in slow moving traffic - therefore so am I - or he is going to turn......I'll hold back a bit and wait and see what he is going to do". NEVER assume anything - I've seen cars/trucks indicate left and turn right before.

RIP to the young rider.

[stevenl]

Except get killed.

<deleted> do you have any real life experience riding a motorbike....I mean a real motorbike not a scooter in real life traffic?

If you come up behind a very slow moving vehicle the alarm bells in your head ring - "he's going slow...2 things are possible, either he is in slow moving traffic - therefore so am I - or he is going to turn......I'll hold back a bit and wait and see what he is going to do". NEVER assume anything - I've seen cars/trucks indicate left and turn right before.

RIP to the young rider.

Don't know if you noticed, but we were talking road law earlier. And he made no mistake against that.

And in case you were asking me, I have 30+ years experience riding real motorbikes.

Edited November 14, 2014 by stevenl

[oneday]

Probably the truck driver was on drugs or drunk, that's why he disappeared.

Using the indicators also its not a habit in Thailand, but that could have saved the young mans life.

RIP Chalermchai Lakbaan.

Oh no, I disagree. They do use turn signals here, but 2 seconds before they make the turn. Once they have turned the signals on then they feel there is no longer any reason to look in the rear-view or side mirrors. They don't have to be drunk or on drugs in this country to run over people.

[Lokie]

Defensive riding and driving technique should be adopted at all times (especially here in LOS) To attempt an overtake maneuver on the right, behind a cement mixer truck near a cement works which is also on the right of the road is suicidal, the fact the truck may or may not turn was not on this young lads mind, getting past it was all that matter and on this day his luck ran out. Everyones talking about the driver this and that (and maybe so) I wonder if the poor young chap had a valid licence (for what it is worth here) for the scooter? Maybe he did, more likely he didn't

Looking at the pic the cement mixer has done nothing wrong, no one on here knows whether he indicated right or not, fact is the lad put himself in danger and unfortunately died

R I P to the young lad

Maybe one day the law will be applied here and people have to undergo full and proper training for all vehicles before being allowed to use them on the roads (I know, sadly never going to happen)

[Friendly Stranger]

I don't get the act of fleeing. Like hello! The vehicle is either registered to you or your place of work. This would result in additional charges.

Here as in many companies it is the driver who carries the liability in a vehicle accident. The employer has no direct liability. Australia use to have this problem withe Parking and Speed Camera fines where the owner was never driving and did not know who was. This wwas stopped by legislation making the owner liable for these unless he identified the driver.

We probably need new legislation here making the employer liable for all damage done by his employees.

Thanks for this but my comment was on the lines of the culprit being caught due to tracing and so forth.

[mgjackson69]

This is what a sensible rider would do...but here we are in Thailand, where the norm is to *never* stay behind a slower-moving vehicle, rather just blindly pull out on either side and go around.

[kennw]

Seems strange that if the truck "turned abruptly" he was still able to stop with the rear wheels still on the roadway so his turn speed must have been rather slow. Could it have been the motorcycle was going a little bit fast and though he could get to past the turning truck ??

[maidee]

"CCTV footage from from nearby cameras is being studied by police in atn attempt to identify the truck driver."

so those 300 baht per day guys drive around nameless with a truck worth several million baht?