Cyclist dies after being hit, thrown from bridge by 6-wheeler in Bangkok

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Cyclist dies after being hit, thrown from bridge by 6-wheeler
By Coconuts Bangkok


Photo: MCOT

BANGKOK: -- A 52-year-old cyclist was killed yesterday after he was hit by a six-wheeler truck and thrown off the elevated Chaiyapruk road in Bangkok's outskirts.

Nattawat Romyenjai, 52, died instantly after the crash threw his body off the bridge while his bicycle was found flipped upside down, leaning against the bridge's barrier.

The truck driver Roongruang Tansor, 44, said he was heading to Tesco Lotus warehouse when the sun hit his eyes, so he did not notice the cyclist.

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2015/12/08/cyclist-dies-after-being-hit-thrown-bridge-6-wheeler


-- Coconuts Bangkok 2015-12-08

[ianf]

He didn't notice the cyclist? He means he didn't look or slow down when the sun got strong. Another kwai behind the wheel of a truck.

[steven100]

crikey ! poor guy ............ just riding his bike.

The truck driver Roongruang Tansor, 44, said he was heading to Tesco Lotus warehouse when the sun hit his eyes, so he did not notice the cyclist.

This statement indicates his complete lack of experience in driving a truck, so every time the sun hits his eyes he doesn't notice anything around him !! he deserves a charge culpable driving causing death at least and 7-10 yrs jail.

[steven100]

He didn't notice the cyclist? He means he didn't look or slow down when the sun got strong. Another kwai behind the wheel of a truck.

exactly ... lack of common sense. Why didn't he slow down ? proceed with caution in a straight line ?

[ChrisY1]

RiP the poor cyclist.......

Anyone riding bikes on Thailands roads are contenders for death or serious injury......

Thai drivers do not care about cyclists!

"Bike for Dad" on Friday...........I hope they shut all roads down that will be used!

[Thian]

And he didn't have any sunglasses or tainted windows? Why i don't believe this? I would like to see a pic of his windscreen.

But Chaiapruck is not a good place for cyclists, cars drive fast on this road.

[ianf]

RiP the poor cyclist.......

Anyone riding bikes on Thailands roads are contenders for death or serious injury......

Thai drivers do not care about cyclists!

"Bike for Dad" on Friday...........I hope they shut all roads down that will be used!

There are many good roads for cyclists in Thailand. In the Chiang Mai area I ride about 500k a week and feel reasonably safe. However, riding on those highways around Bangkok would scare me to death.

[pgrahmm]

RiP the poor cyclist.......

Anyone riding bikes on Thailands roads are contenders for death or serious injury......

Thai drivers do not care about cyclists!

"Bike for Dad" on Friday...........I hope they shut all roads down that will be used!

There are many good roads for cyclists in Thailand. In the Chiang Mai area I ride about 500k a week and feel reasonably safe. However, riding on those highways around Bangkok would scare me to death.

I live off the Canal Rd....Keep waiting to see this here....Plainly no margin for safety + with the road getting busier the drivers are now using the bike/mc lane as a second lane adding to an already dangerous situation........ Edited December 8, 2015 by pgrahmm

[trogers]

I thought elevated roads and bridges are out of bound to cyclists and motorbikes...

[geronimo]

I thought elevated roads and bridges are out of bound to cyclists and motorbikes...

well prostitution is illegal ........

[villagefarang]

RiP the poor cyclist.......

Anyone riding bikes on Thailands roads are contenders for death or serious injury......

Thai drivers do not care about cyclists!

"Bike for Dad" on Friday...........I hope they shut all roads down that will be used!

There are many good roads for cyclists in Thailand. In the Chiang Mai area I ride about 500k a week and feel reasonably safe. However, riding on those highways around Bangkok would scare me to death.

Even some bridges are relatively safe like this one in my area.

I sometimes have a little traffic to contend with but it is usually manageable.

[harness]

What's a cyclist doing on a road like that full of trucks??

[klauskunkel]

he was heading to Tesco Lotus warehouse when the sun hit his eyes, so he did not notice the cyclist.

driver's brainstorm:

what am I gonna say?

brakes not working? nah, maybe they'll check...

distracted by a bee? nah, window's closed...

blame the cyclist? nah, he's not a farang...

what's that song playing on the radio? "When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie...", hmmm !!!...

Edited December 8, 2015 by klauskunkel

[LivinLOS]

What's a cyclist doing on a road like that full of trucks??

cycling ??

travelling from A to B ??

Are you suggesting, a couple of days short of the Bike for Dad event.. That bicycles are not allowed on Thai rds ??

[Snackbar]

500 kilometers a week?

[Assurancetourix]

I thought elevated roads and bridges are out of bound to cyclists and motorbikes...

Sometimes they are, sometimes they aren't ..

Never forget we are in Thailand, the hub of just about anything ...

I used to cycle twice in Bangkok with my MTBike ;

bridges like this one are dangerous because we must cycle in the middle of the left lane ;

Everywhere it's dangerous for cyclist or pedestrians in Thailand, except where is living our friend Villagefarang ; and also where I'm living, like him, in the countryside of nowhere ...

But my friend, be careful with the dogs ;

speak with them before having a meeting;

something like that:

Bo kin farang, bo sep

[jacky54]

Driver more likely looking at his phone

[soalbundy]

That's what i call over doing it.

[SunsetT]

RiP the poor cyclist.......

Anyone riding bikes on Thailands roads are contenders for death or serious injury......

Thai drivers do not care about cyclists!

"Bike for Dad" on Friday...........I hope they shut all roads down that will be used!

There are many good roads for cyclists in Thailand. In the Chiang Mai area I ride about 500k a week and feel reasonably safe. However, riding on those highways around Bangkok would scare me to death.

In Nakhon Phanom and in the centre of Udon Thani I actually feel safer on my bicycle than on a motorbike. Vehicles seem to give me more room. But, sadly, on the main roads and highways outside of towns and cities I would say that an incident like this could happen anywhere, anytime in Thailand.

[Assurancetourix]

500 kilometers a week?

Why not ?

It's possible with a road bike and no bags ;

I used to cycle about 1200 km a month with my MTBike since 5 years ;

sometimes much more when visiting some beautiful provinces in the north with many mountains ..

I did 2600 km in 19 days in august 2011 with a thai friend and saddle bags

Beginning and finishing Sawang Daen Din in Sakon Nakhon province

Edited December 8, 2015 by Assurancetourix

[Nemesis7]

RIP.

[HooHaa]

RiP the poor cyclist.......

Anyone riding bikes on Thailands roads are contenders for death or serious injury......

Thai drivers do not care about cyclists!

"Bike for Dad" on Friday...........I hope they shut all roads down that will be used!

i grow so very tired of remarks like this, they are just plain false, despite this tragedy.

i have been riding on bangkok city streets daily for the last 10 years and (wood proactively knocked) i have yet to have an incident worth the term.

to the contrary, i find that bangkok vehicles are so attuned to the existence of motorcycles food cart and the like, they actually do give cyclists the right of way, even slowing to allow you to past side streets and the like without shedding momentm.

I have however had accidents commuting in vancouver , toronto and seattle.

more to the point of the OP however i recently spent 3 months in manila, commuting with trepidation over the kalayan flyover into makati, and was very aware that the barrier, exactly like the one pictured is just below the center of gravity of an average cyclist.

other things that are stupid are the bike route between soi 12 and lumpini, running parallell to sukhumvit can only be accessed or left at soi 12, soi zero, and lumpini. that is sheer stupidity on the part off urban planners.

to those on a sofa saying people who cycle in thailand are nuts, i say, grab the remote, have another beer and try not to be deafened by the sound of your hardening arteries.

dont knock it until you try it.

[HooHaa]

500 kilometers a week?

Why not ?

It's possible with a road bike and no bags ;

I used to cycle about 1200 km a month with my MTBike since 5 years ;

sometimes much more when visiting some beautiful provinces in the north with many mountains ..

I did 2600 km in 19 days in august 2011 with a thai friend and saddle bags

Beginning and finishing Sawang Daen Din in Sakon Nakhon province

why not, i do around 100 kilometres a week and that takes an hour a day mid afternoon. if i feel particularly ambitious ill do an additional 50 on a nice weekend ride.

[AlphMichaels]

If the road is the section I think it is, it runs due south to Chon Buri and beyond to Rayong. There are lengthy stretches of elevated highway with NO real protection to prevent cars, trucks or buses from falling over. If you go over, the plunge is 30-40 meters, minimum.

And yes, the cyclist should not have been on the road either. RIP but not a wise bike path.

[OMGImInPattaya]

He didn't notice the cyclist? He means he didn't look or slow down when the sun got strong. Another kwai behind the wheel of a truck.

Actually motorbikes and peddle-bikes are not allowed to use most overpasses and bridges...not sure about the one in question. However, one must really be daft to ride a peddle-bike in Thailand...between the heat, potholes, and bad driving it's only a matter of time. Just ask the fellow who was biking around the world last year for charity and was killed in Thailand.

[wabothai]

500 kilometers a week?

Why not ?

It's possible with a road bike and no bags ;

I used to cycle about 1200 km a month with my MTBike since 5 years ;

sometimes much more when visiting some beautiful provinces in the north with many mountains ..

I did 2600 km in 19 days in august 2011 with a thai friend and saddle bags

Beginning and finishing Sawang Daen Din in Sakon Nakhon province

brave man, harp man !

[NoshowJones]

He didn't notice the cyclist? He means he didn't look or slow down when the sun got strong. Another kwai behind the wheel of a truck.

exactly ... lack of common sense. Why didn't he slow down ? proceed with caution in a straight line ?

When do you ever see common sense in a Thai driver?

[Jeremy50]

RiP the poor cyclist.......

Anyone riding bikes on Thailands roads are contenders for death or serious injury......

Thai drivers do not care about cyclists!

"Bike for Dad" on Friday...........I hope they shut all roads down that will be used!

There are many good roads for cyclists in Thailand. In the Chiang Mai area I ride about 500k a week and feel reasonably safe. However, riding on those highways around Bangkok would scare me to death.

Agreed. My regular 90k route takes me through scenic vistas and along wide roads with very little traffic. Thailand is perfectly safe for cycling, but choose your route well. I research new rides when I move to a new place and reject roads that don't have a wide cycle lane or are very busy. I wouldn't cycle in Bangkok except on the airport cycle lane that has been built recently.

[ianf]

RiP the poor cyclist.......

Anyone riding bikes on Thailands roads are contenders for death or serious injury......

Thai drivers do not care about cyclists!

"Bike for Dad" on Friday...........I hope they shut all roads down that will be used!

There are many good roads for cyclists in Thailand. In the Chiang Mai area I ride about 500k a week and feel reasonably safe. However, riding on those highways around Bangkok would scare me to death.

I live off the Canal Rd....Keep waiting to see this here....Plainly no margin for safety + with the road getting busier the drivers are now using the bike/mc lane as a second lane adding to an already dangerous situation........

I'm on the canal road nearly eveyday from Nong Kai. Not so bad or no worse than the UK.

[ianf]

500 kilometers a week?

Are you doubting me? Some weeks 600+. I don't have to prove anything to you man, but here's a strava link:

http://www.strava.com/clubs/a5-rangers

If you look at the American Kurt Seavogel or the Brit Steve Abrahams, you'll see that my 500 is well exceeded. Try

http://oneyeartimetrial.org.uk/

And if you are man enough why not come and try a few rides? Let me know