Video: Who's in the wrong? Three injured as ambulance and pick-up collide in Ayutthaya

[metisdead]

A post containing profanity has been removed. 

[seajae]

look at the speed the pick up is doing, looks like the usual thai driver running a red at speed, the ambulance was going slower than it. Thai drivers do not give way to any one including ambulances, I have seen an ambulance with siren and lights on yet drivers pull out in front of them and refuse to move aside as required. The pick up driver has done exactly that, ignored the siren and lights, run a red and then tried to make excuses, while the ambulance has slowed look how far across the intersection it was as well, the other driver would have to have seen it if they were paying attention, they should have stopped as required by law but then most thais have no idea of the road laws and what is required of them. While the pick up is definitely in the wrong the govt needs a big rev for not enforcing road rules on all road users, in any other country the driver would have stopped for the ambulance because they have to know and obey the rules

[manarak]

5 hours ago, Crossy said:

Can't see the stop lines or the lights themselves so not an easy call.

 

Pickup must have been quick off the mark (most unusual) or anticipating the lights to get where he was in the time between the ambulance going through a (very late) amber and his light going green.

 

Could easily have been a typical Thai motorcyclist rather than an ambulance.

 

I put it 50-50.

agree with crossy.

the ambulance driver was going slow enough to avoid collision, but somehow didn't.

the pickup is in the wrong too because emergency vehicles with lights and siren on have "sort of" right of way regardless of the color of the traffic light.

Edited July 5, 2017 by manarak

[Ceruhe]

Unfortunately we don't have a better angle of either vehicle (mostly ambulance to account for speed, although it looks legit), buuuuut keeping in mind the minivan across the street had tremendously slowed down approaching the intersection on a green light and came to a full stop as they were blinking shortly after hinting the ambulance's claim of having the sirens on ought to be a true statement and emergency vehicles get the right of way if they follow their set rules, which appeared reasonable in this case (and because it needs to be specifically pointed out to you pedantic unable to read between the lines and applying common sense to common things exceptionalists: Of course that doesn't mean the emergency vehicles get a free pass of driving recklessly, without any consideration or are divinely protected by god-mode or whatever nonesense you feel like needing to point out), we ought to come to the following conclusion:

 

127% pick up drivers fault. Before he gets to the intersection, his light has turned red already, which has been flashing to be about to turn red, pointing out from the time the signal starts blinking, turning red and the car appearing, it's beyond a reasonable doubt the pickup driver had more than enough time to react. No excuse whatsoever besides the usual "I was close enough to the intersection and despite it being red now I got right of way and maybe the car behind me as well, if there is one following me" mentality.

 

 

[Baerboxer]

7 hours ago, davehowden said:

A siren does not automatically give you right of way.

 

The pickup driver could be deaf (not part of the driving test) and he was on a green light apparently.

 

Deaf ? What and blind as well?

[Ace of Pop]

When 2 Chumps Collide.[emoji603][emoji238]


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[phetpeter]

The stop lines are way back so both vehicles are in the junction, so the ambulance has right of way. Pick up driver is wrong for not checking and giving way to vehicle from the right let alone an ambulance.

[Ron19]

Nonsense post removed.

[hugh2121]

In my own mind the pick up driver is totally in the wrong, regardless of any road traffic laws. Always, always, always get out of the way of an emergency vehicle with lights flashing. Next time it could be you in the back of it. 

[tifino]

I see that the other van in the video had done the right thing, and stopped (for the ambo?)

 

anyhow, as afar as traffic lights, and theire precedence go; the ute failed to ultimately give way to a vehicle on his Right

 

Even with witnesses to could show he had a Green, whilst the Ambo van on a hypothetical Red;

the ute still bears a proportinate level of blame - even if only 20/80%

[thhMan]

Its all irrelevant, because the requirements to pass a driving test are a joke to start with and the law enforcement that reminds people to obey the law is rarely in effect, so thats why there is an abundance of stupidity in driving and both could plead ignorance or stupidity, which should be accepted as its probably true

 

 

[marquis22]

Doesn't matter who is  wrong,  most drivers here don't give a rat's a*** about giving way to ambulances.

[Gerard052]

8 hours ago, petermik said:

Yes but we are here in Thailand where "civilized" actions/thoughts are not even considered....

I agree 100%.

[YetAnother]

ambulance has the right of way; only trouble is that no-one in thailand knows what that is

[whaleboneman]

14 hours ago, Srikcir said:

" had slowed for the intersection"

Is that not caution?

No it isn't. Slow down and prepare to stop would be caution. Slowing down and hitting someone is lacking in caution.

[Stargeezr]

If the Ambulance driver had an amber light,   the other light would still be Red!!!

  The pickup driver is in the wrong for blowing through a red light, then say it was

green,  as of course ,  as a Thai man he was not in the wrong,   but the other guy

sure was.  In this face saving country that is why no adult takes responsibility when

they mess up.

Gezer

[Ace of Pop]

Why don't folks realize both Red and Go still have If Safe to do so . Not just it's Green so Gunnit..pretend there's no lights n steady up, avoid Hospital Food.?[emoji603]


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[tryasimight]

Replying to the comments about "deaf" drivers.

Not in the literal sense of being physically impaired but in the context of modern cars. 

One of the selling points of cars/trucks these days is how well insulated they are from road noise etc. get in a new car with the radio/stereo playing and it is very hard to heard any noise from outside - including emergency vehicle sirens....practically impossible if being approached from the rear....which is why a good, well trained driver should use his mirrors - check the rear view mirror every 7 seconds was what I was trained to do.

I doubt not using the rear vision mirror frequently is a Thai driving trait but suspect many posters on this board from 'civilised' countries fail in this aspect also.

Ever wonder why ambulances have the word 'ambulance' written across them in mirror writing?

[kannot]

On 7/4/2017 at 6:35 PM, davehowden said:

A siren does not automatically give you right of way.

 

The pickup driver could be deaf (not part of the driving test) and he was on a green light apparently.

is being  blind also allowed as wouldnt the ambulance have lights on as  well?

[kannot]

On 7/4/2017 at 8:07 PM, Thechook said:

The ambulance is in the wrong if it's a controlled intersection as he failed to pay due care and attention.  Yes he can legally go through a red light with emergency lights and siren activated but must proceed with caution.  Been in this situation a hundred times, you edge forward into the intersection and when sure all other vehicles are aware of your presence you put the foot down again.  If the intersection isn't controlled then the pickup is at fault as he failed to give way to a vehicle on his right.   Having said that I'm well away of the Thai attitude towards emergency vehicles,  they don't give a stuff about them and it's still the me, me, me first attitude.

except  isnt the Thai highway code wrongly printed as  saying give way to the LEFT??

[Juan Garcia]

As an Emergency Medical Services and Fire Science Instructor, I have been both an active responder and taught among others, Emergency Vehicle Operators in the USA, Kenya, Liberia Indonesia, Guinea, and Kazakhstan and other places. I am qualified then, to state that the driver of the truck should be cited for failure to yield, however, the driver of the Ambulance should also be cited for failure to obey the law and failing to exercise a reasonable degree of caution. Most serious accidents involving ambulances occur at intersections. A well-trained ambulance driver will not enter an intersection until he KNOWS it is safe to do so, This means slowing down even when you DO have the right-of-way in anticipation of just this sort of occurrence. You, as the driver of the emergency vehicle, have the legal right to disregard most traffic rules, BUT ONLY if you do so safely. The driver's primary goal is safe operation of the vehicle, for themselves, their partner(s), the patient and the public. That is both their duty and a legal responsibility. You never assume that you have the right-of-way, you make certain other drivers have given it to you before you enter an intersection--always--even when you have the green. If an ambulance or any emergency vehicle is involved in an accident it is almost always the fault of the emergency vehicle operator because if they were doing the job as they should be, they could have avoided it. That is the case here, this was an avoidable accident, the ambulance driver did not exercise sufficient caution. Any driver in Thailand knows there will be cars going through that 'pink' light. Others have commented on the possibility of deaf drivers and sound insulated ones, they are correct. You never assume you have been heard or seen... you make sure of it, or you come to a stop, and you are ready to do so if necessary. In this accident, both are at fault. This could be addressed through proper training. Accident rates fall drastically when the drivers are properly trained. They also creep back up even (though not to the same levels) with repeat training since they are human beings and become more careless as time passes with no accidents. I would be happy to provide such training here, but speak very little Thai not terribly well!

[FruitPudding]

The ambulance driver is at fault. He went through the red far too fast. He was going so fast the other driver wouldn't have even had time to figure out which direction the siren was coming from.

 

He should have expected a car to be coming around the corner, if he went through a red it had to be green somewhere else.

 

He did the typical thing here, like all the other drivers: speed ahead without thinking.

 

Driving an ambulance does not give you a license to drive like an idiot. He just injured people more people.

[YetAnother]

On 7/5/2017 at 6:34 AM, colinneil said:

Both drivers are in the wrong, neither of them were paying attention to the situation.

Just because you are driving an emergency vehicle does not give you the right of way, yes you can go through red lights, but only if it is safe to do so.

yes this scenario seems discouragingly everyday thai driving

[Psimbo]

31 minutes ago, FruitPudding said:

The ambulance driver is at fault. He went through the red far too fast. He was going so fast the other driver wouldn't have even had time to figure out which direction the siren was coming from.

 

He should have expected a car to be coming around the corner, if he went through a red it had to be green somewhere else.

 

He did the typical thing here, like all the other drivers: speed ahead without thinking.

 

Driving an ambulance does not give you a license to drive like an idiot. He just injured people more people.

Probably the best and most accurate summation so far. The onus is on the person entering the intersection against the traffic flow to ensure the way is clear. Better to be thirty seconds late and alive than to crash and be dead.

 

The fact that the pickup driver probably had his head up his erse still does not absolve the ambulance driver from his duty of care.