2-year-old girl, one man killed after speeding car rams into their bicycles

[FredNL]

Who caress? I don't any more. With a country loaded of retards, over 20,000 deads per year on the streets.... How about that other 100 lives lost today???

[siamcrut]

I just found the video on LiveLeak, the car was not being driven at a reasonable speed, the victims were hit so hard and fast, they probably did not know what hit them. And the bicycle was going along on the left side of the road. RIP to the victims.

Just watched it!

Now that is some brutal raw footage. No chance at all for the poor cyclist.

When is the next nationwide annual bike event...?

[jerojero]

Speeding. Carelessness. Death. Coward Driver. RIP little girl.....

[Paul Henry]

Is a compulsory eye sight test given before a drivers licence is issued.I know several Thais who have poor eye sight drive without wearing glasses.There should be an endorsement on their licence as in other countries to wear"suitable visual aids".while driving.

[Khon Kaen Dave]

It is my theory that the reasons for these light punishments,is that there is just no room in the prisons for any more miscreants.In all the 16 years i have been here,i have never heard or read of any new prisons being built(please correct me if i am wrong)

I think this is due to the budget for the department of corrections,has long been plundered and now they are in the situation where they cannot afford to and will not build more.It is far better to release these thugs back into society than have to house and feed them for the time of their incarceration.

It would seem that even the most heinous of crimes are allowed to be put to bed after a certain amount of 'forgetting' time has elapsed.

Therefore the police are never interested in really investigating,because they know the result before and also they have become so lazy that they would rather go after the crime that pays them the most, than investigate (if they were even capable)any serious criminal acts.Why do you think that so many people,conveniently fall off of balconies.

I read book once called 'Marching Powder' about La paz prison in sth America.It was a self maintained prison,where the inmates are responsible for running the place.Cells were bought on a 'mortgage' basis the more money you had,the better the cell.One could even buy a 2nd cell and rent it out.All sorts of businesses were active and even shops,such as barber's,bar's food shops,cafe's whore houses and tailors existed in this place.In fact it was a British drug trafficker that got the powers that were to open it to the public and conduct tours of the place.

My idea would be this.Thailand has so many islands that are virtually doing nothing,why not turn them into 'prison islands,making the inmates completely responsible for their own existence.The cost to the government would be food delivery's and building materials,and let them get on with it.

I know that this idea is purely unrealistic,given the mentality of some,but,as i said....its only a theory.

[ratcatcher]

It is my theory that the reasons for these light punishments,is that there is just no room in the prisons for any more miscreants.In all the 16 years i have been here,i have never heard or read of any new prisons being built(please correct me if i am wrong)

I think this is due to the budget for the department of corrections,has long been plundered and now they are in the situation where they cannot afford to and will not build more.It is far better to release these thugs back into society than have to house and feed them for the time of their incarceration.

It would seem that even the most heinous of crimes are allowed to be put to bed after a certain amount of 'forgetting' time has elapsed.

Therefore the police are never interested in really investigating,because they know the result before and also they have become so lazy that they would rather go after the crime that pays them the most, than investigate (if they were even capable)any serious criminal acts.Why do you think that so many people,conveniently fall off of balconies.

I read book once called 'Marching Powder' about La paz prison in sth America.It was a self maintained prison,where the inmates are responsible for running the place.Cells were bought on a 'mortgage' basis the more money you had,the better the cell.One could even buy a 2nd cell and rent it out.All sorts of businesses were active and even shops,such as barber's,bar's food shops,cafe's whore houses and tailors existed in this place.In fact it was a British drug trafficker that got the powers that were to open it to the public and conduct tours of the place.

My idea would be this.Thailand has so many islands that are virtually doing nothing,why not turn them into 'prison islands,making the inmates completely responsible for their own existence.The cost to the government would be food delivery's and building materials,and let them get on with it.

I know that this idea is purely unrealistic,given the mentality of some,but,as i said....its only a theory.

My idea would be this.Thailand has so many islands

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070511/

[sugarcane24]

Doing a runner after an accident should be a doubling of the fines and automatic guilty sentence. Especially for drink driving or drugs.

Condolences to the families of the deceased. How terrible.

should be a manditory jail term were a death is the result of at least 5 years, Thailand really needs to get serious with these people and start locking them up or it will never stop, a country that has the worst accident/fatality rate in the world and yet they still let this sort of thing go generally unpunnished

Thais applying for a driver's license don't even have to go for a drive with a policemen to demonstrate whether they are capable of handling a car - a contraption which can turn into a lethal weapon if handled carelessly, especially under the influence of alcohol.

[jeab1980]

Doing a runner after an accident should be a doubling of the fines and automatic guilty sentence. Especially for drink driving or drugs.

Condolences to the families of the deceased. How terrible.

should be a manditory jail term were a death is the result of at least 5 years, Thailand really needs to get serious with these people and start locking them up or it will never stop, a country that has the worst accident/fatality rate in the world and yet they still let this sort of thing go generally unpunnished

Thais applying for a driver's license don't even have to go for a drive with a policemen to demonstrate whether they are capable of handling a car - a contraption which can turn into a lethal weapon if handled carelessly, especially under the influence of alcohol.

correction they have to drive a vehicle in transport office grounds. Do your home country make you drive with a policeman!!!!!. I fully agreement it is not enough more training should be required and that goes for Farangs too.

But my point is you are incorrect.

[BritManToo]

I just found the video on LiveLeak, the car was not being driven at a reasonable speed, the victims were hit so hard and fast, they probably did not know what hit them. And the bicycle was going along on the left side of the road. RIP to the victims.

That video is just shocking.

[MaxYakov]

The cyclist broke several of my cycling safety (aka survival) rules:

 

1) Minimize sharing the road with motor vehicles, especially where there is high-speed traffic

 

2) If sharing the road, ride as far off the road as possible. In this case, the cyclist is well into the road and should have been traveling to the left of the white shoulder-edge marker, not to the right.

 

3) Have a mirror and monitor constantly for rear-approaching vehicles. Chances are 99.9% he didn''t have one.

 

4) If a sidewalk is available, use it to avoid motor vehicle traffic. He could have used the other side of the road where there appeared to be more opportunity for separation from motor vehicles and he would have been facing oncoming motor vehicles so he could have had a chance to react.

 

This type of oblivious cycling is common in Bangkok and probably Thailand in general, if not the entire world. He could have used the other side of the road and had more safe areas available and been able to see approaching cars.

 

Talking to Thai cyclists, most will  not even mount a mirror on their bicycles. It's a "style" thing, or they didn't think of it or they didn't have the money or they can hear vehicles coming or they can just turn their head and look.

 

Cyclists have to realize that they are essentially pedestrians and should utilize motor vehicle roads as if they were walking. They have advantages  over pedestrians in that they are moving faster, can utilize a mirror and lights and can gain some minimal protection from a helmet.

 

Ride Safely (i.e. Establish some defensive cycling rules and stick to them)

 

The saddest part, to me, is that a 2-year old who did not have a say in the matter of cycling safety and trusted the judgment of adults had died and so young.

 

Edited September 19, 2016 by MaxYakov
Tweaks

[richard_smith237]

30 minutes ago, MaxYakov said:

 

 

This type of oblivious cycling is common in Bangkok and probably Thailand in general, if not the entire world. He could have used the other side of the road and had more safe areas available and been able to see approaching cars.

 

 

 

Agreed - Not just oblivious cycling, but simple obliviousness... 

 

Just yesterday I was driving down a Small Soi (two way) and two girls were walking down the road, In the Road...  totally oblivious to traffic behind them...  

 

I see this obliviousness all the time, well, its either obliviousness or a complete trust that those in Motorvehicles will avoid them... a trust which I would never carry in any country. 

 

 

However, the above comments do not take away from this tragic event - one which frustrates so many of us and our Thai friends.... It seems that there is never enough done to deter the selfish and inconsiderate actions of those antisocial pigs who stain our roads with dangerous driving, driving under the influence of narcotic or alcohol. 

 

Until the national culture shifts towards one of social responsibility and awareness of consequence nothing much can or will improve. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 19, 2016 by richard_smith237

[alocacoc]

That's tragic.

 

But it's the norm in Thailand because of no law enforcement's.

 

Actually we can't complain. Here where i live, the big buses speeding every day like crazy. The faster the better. It's a miracle that we don't have heavy accidents every day.

 

 

[jak2002003]

Quote

38 minutes ago, MaxYakov said:

The cyclist broke several of my cycling safety (aka survival) rules:

 

1) Minimize sharing the road with motor vehicles, especially where there is high-speed traffic

 

2) If sharing the road, ride as far off the road as possible. In this case, the cyclist is well into the road and should have been traveling to the left of the white shoulder-edge marker, not to the right.

 

3) Have a mirror and monitor constantly for rear-approaching vehicles. Chances are 99.9% he didn''t have one.

 

4) If a sidewalk is available, use it to avoid motor vehicle traffic. He could have used the other side of the road where there appeared to be more opportunity for separation from motor vehicles and he would have been facing oncoming motor vehicles so he could have had a chance to react.

 

This type of oblivious cycling is common in Bangkok and probably Thailand in general, if not the entire world. He could have used the other side of the road and had more safe areas available and been able to see approaching cars.

 

Talking to Thai cyclists, most will  not even mount a mirror on their bicycles. It's a "style" thing, or they didn't think of it or they didn't have the money or they can hear vehicles coming or they can just turn their head and look.

 

Cyclists have to realize that they are essentially pedestrians and should utilize motor vehicle roads as if they were walking. They have advantages  over pedestrians in that they are moving faster, can utilize a mirror and lights and can gain some minimal protection from a helmet.

 

Ride Safely (i.e. Establish some defensive cycling rules and stick to them)

 

The saddest part, to me, is that a 2-year old who did not have a say in the matter of cycling safety and trusted the judgment of adults had died and so young.

 

 

This is very bad advise.

 

1.  How can you minimize sharing the road with motor vehicles.?!  Cars use roads. I don't know any roads with no traffic.  If you need to cycle somewhere you need to use a road.

2. Ride as far OFF THE ROAD as possible?  What?  Ride in the rice fields or down the drain?  Riding very close to the edge of the road is very dangerous.  Have you tried that?  There are holes, drain covers, rocks, bricks, glass and plastic bottles, etc.. if you front wheel hits a rock or worst a bottle, it can throw you off balance and into the main road.

3.  Your only good idea.  Having a mirror will help you see approaching cars, but its no guarantee a stupid, drunk or incompetent driver is not just going to slam into you anyway.

4.  NEVER RIDE A BIKE OF THE SIDEWALK.  This is actually ILLEGAL in most western countries.  Have you seen the state of the sidewalks here in Thailand... you would be hitting you head on roads signs, falling off down open drains with no covers, weaving around trees planted randomly everywhere, smashing through plastic chairs and street cart vendors stalls.  Also you would be a danger to adults and children walking or using the sidewalk, or leaving shops.

 

 

[MaxYakov]

8 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Agreed - Not just oblivious cycling, but simple obliviousness... 

 

Just yesterday I was driving down a Small Soi (two way) and two girls were walking down the road, In the Road...  totally oblivious to traffic behind them...  

 

I see this obliviousness all the time, well, its either obliviousness or a complete trust that those in Motorvehicles will avoid them... a trust which I would never carry in any country. 

 

 

However, the above comments do not take away from this tragic event - one which frustrates so many of us and our Thai friends.... It seems that there is never enough done to deter the selfish and inconsiderate actions of those antisocial pigs who stain our roads with dangerous driving, driving under the influence of narcotic or alcohol. 

 

Until the national culture shifts towards one of social responsibility and awareness of consequence nothing much can or will improve. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the reply. It's not only the Thai. I see foreigners walking in the road on a daily basis, often with their backs to high-speed traffic. I've given up asking them where they are from and if they teach them to walk in the street in their country.

 

They more often than not get offended and irate and say stupid things like they were in a dangerous place somewhere else and survived that so .... 

 

Don't get me going.  

[transam]

ANY driver of a motorised vehicle must READ the road ahead.......Simple stuff.......

[MaxYakov]

6 minutes ago, transam said:

ANY driver of a motorised vehicle must READ the road ahead.......Simple stuff.......

 

Do you cycle or even operate a motor vehicle (especially a motorbike/cycle) in Thailand?

 

Because if you do, with your appartent attitude, I'd call ahead to Bumrungrad International or your favorite hospital and have them keep a room at the ready for you.

 

PS: Carry your passport with you at all times and hope that it will still be with you afterwards.

Edited September 19, 2016 by MaxYakov

[transam]

4 minutes ago, MaxYakov said:

 

Do you cycle or even operate a motor vehicle (especially a motorbike/cycle) in Thailand?

 

Because if you do, with your appartent attitude, I'd call ahead to Bumrungrad International or your favorite hospital and have them keep a room at the ready for you.

 

PS: Carry your passport with you at all times and hope that it will still be with you afterwards.

What are you on about....?

I was a professional driver for decades, even have a heavy goods vehicle license, whether in farangland or not folk should read the road ahead and look for possible problems....If Thai folk don't, which they don't, they are the problem..

[MaxYakov]

50 minutes ago, jak2002003 said:

This is very bad advise.

 

1.  How can you minimize sharing the road with motor vehicles.?!  Cars use roads. I don't know any roads with no traffic.  If you need to cycle somewhere you need to use a road.

2. Ride as far OFF THE ROAD as possible?  What?  Ride in the rice fields or down the drain?  Riding very close to the edge of the road is very dangerous.  Have you tried that?  There are holes, drain covers, rocks, bricks, glass and plastic bottles, etc.. if you front wheel hits a rock or worst a bottle, it can throw you off balance and into the main road.

3.  Your only good idea.  Having a mirror will help you see approaching cars, but its no guarantee a stupid, drunk or incompetent driver is not just going to slam into you anyway.

4.  NEVER RIDE A BIKE OF THE SIDEWALK.  This is actually ILLEGAL in most western countries.  Have you seen the state of the sidewalks here in Thailand... you would be hitting you head on roads signs, falling off down open drains with no covers, weaving around trees planted randomly everywhere, smashing through plastic chairs and street cart vendors stalls.  Also you would be a danger to adults and children walking or using the sidewalk, or leaving shops.

 

 

 

It's not just advice. It is acually minimalistic rules for safe (aka survival) cycling in Thailand. The full rule set is too voluminous for this thread.

 

If your life is worth anything, ride wherever it is necessary to preserve it. A bicycle is not a motor vehicle and does not belong on roads used by motor vehicles.

 

As I stated: A cyclist is essentially a pedestrian.

 

As far as riding on sidewalks, Hello!

 

Thailand is not a Western country, but even in Western countries cycling on sidewalks it is common for it to be both legal and accepted.

 

The Bangkok Metropolitan Authority has spent much time and money making many of the sidewalks capable of being used by cyclists and in advertising that fact. In fact, in Bangkok sidewalks are used by cyclists of all sorts. If you don't believe me, go to Sukhumvit Road or just about anywhere and watch them.

 

You obviously do not cycle in Bangkok and do not know what you are talking about.

Edited September 19, 2016 by MaxYakov

[MaxYakov]

9 minutes ago, transam said:

What are you on about....?

I was a professional driver for decades, even have a heavy goods vehicle license, whether in farangland or not folk should read the road ahead and look for possible problems....If Thai folk don't, which they don't, they are the problem..

 

Yes, it could be their problem.

 

You wouldn't their problem to become your problem, would you?

 

This is, AFAIC, standard defensive-operating-anything procedure, worldwide, except those going for a Darwin Award, of course.

[transam]

7 minutes ago, MaxYakov said:

 

It's not just advice. It is acually minimalistic rules for safe (aka survival) cycling in Thailand.

 

If your life is worth anything, ride wherever is necessary to preserve it. A bicycle is not a motor vehicle and does not belong on roads used by motor vehicles.

 

As I stated: A cyclist is essentially a pedestrian.

 

As far as riding on sidewalks, hello!

 

Thailand is not a Western country, but even in Western countries cycling on sidewalks is both legal and accepted. The Bangkok Metropolitan Authority has spent much time and money making many of the sidewalks capable of being used by cyclists and in advertising that fact. In fact, in Bangkok sidewalks are used by cyclists of all sorts. If you don't believe me, go to Sukhumvit Road or just about anywhere and watch them.

 

You obviously do not cycle in Bangkok and do not know what you are talking about.

In the UK it is illegal to bicycle on a sidewalk....Road only, motorised vehicles must read the road ahead....Easy...

[Ace of Pop]

All vey sad,but Cyclists can be any age and given no training ,and never get blamed here as far as I have seen


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[MaxYakov]

16 minutes ago, transam said:

In the UK it is illegal to bicycle on a sidewalk....Road only, motorised vehicles must read the road ahead....Easy...

 

Good thing I'm not in the UK then, huh?

 

How well do the drunks and texters (or sexters?) read the road ahead when the road is spinning around faster than their steering wheel is rotating or their faces are buried in a smartphone or ... you-name-it is going on inside the motor vehicle?

 

Then there's always the chance of a blowout or steering problem or how about being involved in a motor vehicle accident where you are simply an innocent bystander (but not standing (riding) far enough away?

 

Share the road without about as much protection as a pedestrian with tons of mass flying by going two, three, four times as fast as you, like the victims in the OP?

 

Good luck with that!

 

Personally, I'm going to rely less on luck, Thank You very much.

Edited September 19, 2016 by MaxYakov

[transam]

5 minutes ago, Ace of Pop said:

All vey sad,but Cyclists can be any age and given no training ,and never get blamed here as far as I have seen


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

That's why a guy and gal who 'passes' a test should be able to read the road ahead, but they are not taught that and have NO comprehension of reading the road ahead...The times I have given Mrs.Trans some verbal for not doing that stuff, it's like a <deleted> mindset, l am important behind my wheels.......

[richard_smith237]

10 minutes ago, transam said:

That's why a guy and gal who 'passes' a test should be able to read the road ahead, but they are not taught that and have NO comprehension of reading the road ahead...The times I have given Mrs.Trans some verbal for not doing that stuff, it's like a <deleted> mindset, l am important behind my wheels.......

 

I too am also shocked how how little my Wife reads the road ahead... 

 

While my Wife is driving I often have to point out "Watch out, that bike is about to pull out in front of you" or "That car is about to change lanes"....  its all about body language, car bike positioning etc... 

 

It's fairly easy to see what other vehicles are 'about' to do....  but my Wife just can't read the language or see it... 

 

That said... never take anything for granted... there are too many accidents here which proves there are lot of road users who simply do not pay attention at all....  and many more who ignore anything smaller than them (their vehicle)... this behaviour almost occurs at a subconscious level to the point that something smaller is almost 'not noticed'... 

Edited September 19, 2016 by richard_smith237

[JAG]

On 29/04/2016 at 3:48 PM, Broken Record said:

There's something wrong in a society where a driver has to flee the scene in fear of being beaten to death, he's probably handed himself in or is at his local temple by now.

The Police here are useless in general, to protect and serve is a bad joke, the only people they protect and serve are the few % of rich families that run Thailand, the general population are not important, in fact are more of a nuisance to them, they cannot gain anything of any substance from them, only a few hundred baht, they serve the wealthy by protecting them from the vast majority of Thai people who have nothing.

There's a reason why the general Thai population is scared of The Police and Army, the upper echelons of these organizations are allowed massive corruption opportunities as a payment for protecting those with everything from those with nothing.

Any wonder why this place seems so messed up at times ?

And one day, perhaps soon, something will happen which will wash the scales from their eyes.

 

All the comic opera generals and plastic senior policemen with their medals and aguillettes will not be able to protect the small % then. Forget the ordinary soldiers and Cops,  remember that they  come from the people. They are not going to risk or even be interested in fighting and dieing for the very wealthy.

 

When the dust settles it may be a different  Thailand.  I wonder if it will happen rather soon....

Edited September 19, 2016 by JAG

[Hawk]

On 4/29/2016 at 1:34 PM, captspectre said:

On 4/29/2016 at 4:44 AM, craigt3365 said:

Doing a runner after an accident should be a doubling of the fines and automatic guilty sentence. Especially for drink driving or drugs.

Condolences to the families of the deceased. How terrible.

thai,s have always ran off after an accident! It is built into their genes, forty five years ago, if you were in a taxi and the driver had an accident and ran off! YOU were held responsible because you hired him!

 

That law is still being used, my Thai friend was in a tuk-tuk which bumped into a car, the police came and tried to arrest her even though the driver was still present. Luckily  another cop turned up who knew her, so the first cop let her go. 

[Assurancetourix]

50 minutes ago, transam said:

What are you on about....?

I was a professional driver for decades, even have a heavy goods vehicle license, whether in farangland or not folk should read the road ahead and look for possible problems....If Thai folk don't, which they don't, they are the problem..

 I was , a trucker ( autista in italian , routier international in french ) during 13 years all over Europe from 1970 to 1983;

If , as write Transam, I cannot read the road, if I cannot know what can happen in front of me and also behind me I must find another  job ;

 

In Thailand, I'm retired and cycling a lot ; about 15, 000 km a year on a MTBike since 10 years ;

and also on a MTBike I MUST read the road and read what can happen in front or behind me;

I have a rear mirror on my bicycle and use it so often ..

 

Only one example, when approching the entrance of a super market or a benzine station, I never cycle in the left side of the road , the lane for iron buffaloes or motobikes and cycles ,but always in the middle of the first left lane for the cars or trucks;

so if the want to enter the super market or the benzine station they must stay behind me, they cannot overpass me;

if they do like that , overpass me ,  they cannot enter the supermarket or the benzine station

[MaxYakov]

11 minutes ago, Assurancetourix said:

 I was , a trucker ( autista in italian , routier international in french ) during 13 years all over Europe from 1970 to 1983;

If , as write Transam, I cannot read the road, if I cannot know what can happen in front of me and also behind me I must find another  job ;

 

In Thailand, I'm retired and cycling a lot ; about 15, 000 km a year on a MTBike since 10 years ;

and also on a MTBike I MUST read the road and read what can happen in front or behind me;

I have a rear mirror on my bicycle and use it so often ..

 

Only one example, when approching the entrance of a super market or a benzine station, I never cycle in the left side of the road , the lane for iron buffaloes or motobikes and cycles ,but always in the middle of the first left lane for the cars or trucks;

so if the want to enter the super market or the benzine station they must stay behind me, they cannot overpass me;

if they do like that , overpass me ,  they cannot enter the supermarket or the benzine station

 

Very amusing. Does you health insurance cover you for injury caused by incidences of road rage? You may want to check that.

[Hawk]

14 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

I too am also shocked how how little my Wife reads the road ahead... 

 

While my Wife is driving I often have to point out "Watch out, that bike is about to pull out in front of you" or "That car is about to change lanes"....  

 

I have to do exactly the same, for some reason many Thai drivers lack the ability to judge what other drivers may do or even will do.  And how many idiots can't stop even when they can clearly see a vehicle or person crossing their path up ahead, they freeze for some reason and of course crash into the object.

[Assurancetourix]

1 minute ago, MaxYakov said:

 

Very amusing. Does you health insurance cover you for injury caused by incidences of road rage? You may want to check that.

Injuries ? What is that ? thai car drivers are afraid of me; I have too many thai truckers in my friends .

I have no health insurance ;

35 baht the consultation  in a public hospital as thai people ;

I don't need a health insurance ..

I don't smoke, I don't drink alcool..

I like to listen Chris Rea, love my dogs and Le Chat ;