Motorcycle accidents kill an average of 15 Thai youths every 10 days

[VN4now]

7 hours ago, canopus1969 said:

Does it matter - just Darwin Principe kicking in

Darwin does not apply to youths, they are still developing and clouded with hormones. That is where society, parents and family step in. 

[VN4now]

2 hours ago, Scotwight said:

USA motorcycle injuries 2014 92,000. 4,300 deaths.  What country are you from? 

On a per capita basis this is much lower that LOS.

[VN4now]

2 hours ago, Scotwight said:

USA motorcycle injuries 2014 92,000. 4,300 deaths.  What country are you from? 

On a per capita basis this is much lower that LOS.

[Anthony5]

3 hours ago, jaltsc said:

"All those people who saw the under aged riding on the pillions of motorcycles or who ride the bikes and did nothing about it are to blame..."

 

However, the police who direct traffic at the entrances to schools, and who do nothing, are NOT to blame. Can you imagine what would happen if a civilian attempted to do a policeman's job. There would be so much loss of face that the resulting deaths and injuries would make those resulting form motorcycle crashes seem minuscule.

 

So typical....Always diverting the blame away from those in power who are supposed to be responsible.

 

Not too long ago there was an inquiry from the insurance sector in Thailand, which concluded that about 7% of the Thais wear a helmet so far.

 

The news article was posted in the news section, if you don't believe me.

 

So after 20 years only 7% of the population realise they are playing with their lives.

 

There is a word for that attitude, but posting it here would probably be considered Thai bashing or flaming, however it doesn't make it less true.

[Scotwight]

7 hours ago, VN4now said:

On a per capita basis this is much lower that LOS.

Is it lower per capita for people who drive motorcycles?  Thailand is a poor country and many more people drive motorscooters as the main means of transportation.  Are the accidents per mile driven any more or less than any other country that has the same amount of motorscooter main form of transportation?  I don't know I'm asking a question.  

[Brigante7]

15, really? After seeing the way they ride I would have guessed at least 30.

 

 

Brigante7.

[cumgranosalum]

As ever bot the place and Thai Visa members think that there is a simple single solution to the problem. it is in reality both a road safety and sociological problem - kids all over the world  get involved in "extreme" activities - there is nothing special about Thai kids.........there is something "special" about how thai society is incapable of taking an objective look at the situation and addressing the underlying problems - if they think the answer lies in a single video, then they really need to get educated themselves.

[hansnl]

15 hours ago, ClutchClark said:

 

This type of regulation and enforcement needs to start in the home...you can't just arrest and lock up all teenage boys. 

 

 

Boys, and girls, I presume?

Girls may be a bit less, ehhhhh, stupid, but are certainly getting there.

Getting locked up for some time, from past experience, is very refreshing on your outlook on how to behave.

That is, if you are not stupid and want to learn.

[cumgranosalum]

This is of course just another exercise that shows how statistics are not "facts"

 

A much quoted "stat" 0 is 80 deaths per day

of that is another much quoted figure of 80% being motorcycle deaths = 64 

15 of those are youths as classified by the stat getherers = 24%

 

How about the other 76%? - so it would seem that rather than identifying a major source of road deaths they are in fact looking for a socio-group to target?

Edited September 20, 2016 by cumgranosalum

[hansnl]

11 hours ago, Thian said:

 

Well i would show them the receipt, i just bought the new headlight and had proof of that. 

 

I don't complain about them targetting farang, last week they stopped me (while i was really misbehaving in chinatown and there are no rules at all, it's mayhem there), he pointed at me while i stood on the middle of the road waiting for the light to get green. I had to come to him which i did, then he got nervous and didn't dare to speak to me. The light went green, all cars pulled up but i waited for his instructions or fine. Go GO he suddenly yelled, which i did of course...but i was waiting for the fine actually.

 

But go have a look in Chinatown, there's no beginning in writing fines there, they all misbehave, it's the rules of the jungle there. They even push your motobike when there's really no place to go between the cars.

 

I follow all rules except i won't keep lept and also drive too fast because that's more safe. I hate when they pass me from the back.

Ever seen clips or videos from traffic in China?

Not much difference from any Chinatown.

[Thian]

Just now, hansnl said:

Ever seen clips or videos from traffic in China?

Not much difference from any Chinatown.

 

No but my wife told me they ONLY  drive electric scooters there. 

 

I've seen them at Swampy many times though, running around like a bunch of drunk chickens not caring AT ALL for any other travellers.

 

I like driving in chinatown, it's very easy...don't drive into anybody is the only rule there...for the rest you can do what you want or suits you the best.

[catman20]

16 hours ago, ratcatcher said:

I agree with you on principle, but, the problem arises when the parents themselves are just as culpable and irresponsible, Children learn by example..

the saying monkey see monkey do comes to mind

[DM07]

" between 10 and 14..."- really says it all!...

[prakhonchai nick]

Our local schools have just started enforcing the wearing of helmets for those riding bikes to school. Lack of licences or being underage does not concern them.

 

Many many kids arrive about 100metres from school, then don helmets for the final 100 metres. Those that do not have helmets, park their bikes by the bus station (hundreds every day) and walk the remaining distance to school.

 

Never see a police checkpoint anywhere during school arrival and leaving time.` On the rare occasions they are stopped (out of school uniform) they are fined a paltry 100/200baht. That is  no deterrent. Fine them 5,000baht (let the parents pay -they oversee their kids) and confiscate the bike for 1 month, (regardless of ownership) and there would be significant results.

[dcsw53]

I have to take issue with the word "accident".

Groups of young lads nightly race on a sparcely used dual carriageway near us, keeping hundreds of residents awake with the screams of high revving engines. There have been numerous CRASHES due to driver error / intoxication / inexperience, and most disturbingly due to one or two instances of locals taking to vigilante actions.

Many of the crashed are self inflicted and I have no sympathy, just like the police. When we phoned to complain again last night the boys in green said they had had many calls and would we please go away, they knew about it. Job done then by Thailand's finest.

Confiscate the bikes and fine the parents if underage, or lock the adults up until they pay a realistic fine, not a pittance by bank transfer.

[MaxLee]

17 hours ago, ClutchClark said:

Where are the parents?

 

Thai cultural practices on parental responibility are certainly different from my own. 

 

Well where are the parents?

 

well I guess at work....

[cardinalblue]

It does follow the Darwin principle...Without intervention, the stupid and the weak die off. To compare, my guess is 90% of Thai young males ride motorcycles (not learned but OJT) and In America maybe 10% (learned - required to before getting on the road)...Statistics do't lie....

 

This is the perfect example of human Darwinism....

Edited September 20, 2016 by cardinalblue

[trogers]

1 hour ago, hansnl said:

Boys, and girls, I presume?

Girls may be a bit less, ehhhhh, stupid, but are certainly getting there.

Getting locked up for some time, from past experience, is very refreshing on your outlook on how to behave.

That is, if you are not stupid and want to learn.

 

The highest hurdle for Thai society is your last statement...

[ctwtn]

Parents need to be more responsible and police need to enforce road laws.

 

Unfortunately, I don't see either happening anytime soon. 

[sangfroid]

As few as that eh?

[owenm]

I don't make sense of the stats given. Sounds like gross under-reporting. Thailand's yearly road fatality toll sits at 25-26,000, of which approx 83% are 2 wheel deaths. That equates to 400 deaths mainly from motorbikes per week, over 52 weeks. Approx. 15 youth fatalities every 10 days, equates to about 10 deaths every week. 

Which would mean that youths killed in motorbike accidents is about 2.5% of the total??? 

I'm sure the figure would be much, much higher, considering the young  unlicensed and inexperienced riders would be the most dangerous on the roads. 

[MorristheRunt]

lies damned lies and statistics.

[Bangkok Barry]

17 hours ago, Thian said:

 

It's all to blame on the lazy Thai police....the ones that are not on inactive posts all do nothing all day...yes they have checkpoints but 100 metre before a checkpoint you can see the offenders turnaround and drive against traffic to find another way...

 

The police are much smarter than most of us think. They've worked out that they get paid whether they work or not. So they don't. And why should they care if parents are too lazy or too busy to parent. Hopefully the kids kill themselves before they kill or injure others.

Edited September 20, 2016 by Bangkok Barry

[Navalator]

What surprises me about the statistics in this piece is that they are not higher.

[dick dasterdly]

It has to be remembered that the number of motorcycles/scooters on the road are far higher than those in wealthier countries - so its hardly suprising that a large number are killed as (unlike those in cars) they have no/little protection in the event of an accident.

 

A high percentage of motorbike riders are injured or killed in Western countries too - which is why Western parents do their very best to prevent their kids from buying or driving a 'bike!

[bbbbooboo]

At the risk of oversimplifying things, maybe it's time the Thai authorities did something(duh)

[dick dasterdly]

Just now, bbbbooboo said:

At the risk of oversimplifying things, maybe it's time the Thai authorities did something(duh)

Legislate so that only cars on legal on the roads?

 

I realise I'm being a touch dramatic here - but the vast majority of Thais can only afford scooters, and when they are involved in accidents they generally only kill or injure themselves.  Although yes, sometimes another 'bike rider is also killed/injured.

 

Very rare for a pedestrian or car driver to be killed by a bad 'bike rider?

[yardrunner]

22 hours ago, ClutchClark said:

 

This type of regulation and enforcement needs to start in the home...you can't just arrest and lock up all teenage boys. 

 

 

No but when you lock up the first ten or twenty the message will be passed round pdq

[cumgranosalum]

48 minutes ago, dick dasterdly said:

Legislate so that only cars on legal on the roads?

 

I realise I'm being a touch dramatic here - but the vast majority of Thais can only afford scooters, and when they are involved in accidents they generally only kill or injure themselves.  Although yes, sometimes another 'bike rider is also killed/injured.

 

Very rare for a pedestrian or car driver to be killed by a bad 'bike rider?

Just shows how wrong personal observation and assumption can be....pedestrian deaths rate on a par with motorcycles indeveloping countries...... The difference being they are far less likely to be the perpetrators. but are usually the victims of Soi. Off for. Vehicles

[CGW]

Parental responsibility, does it exist in Thailand? I fear not - a lot of the time the kids are bought up with their Grandparents as "parents" are working away, an example being the Isaan bar hostesses in the tourist & Thai entertainment areas or Motorcycle taxi drivers

I used to wonder why "the parents" of young kids riding motorcycles allowed them to have such ridiculously noisy exhausts on their bikes, generally creating noise pollution, then realised the "parents" were the ones driving the ridiculously noisy polluting trucks or the ones having "big" noisy exhausts on their cars, thats the way it is, no change in the 30 years I have been here.