Video: Freak accident as cyclist killed in tour bus accident at Cha-Am beach.

[Aussieroaming]

RIP, horrible way to go.

[Jimbo2014]

The headline "Freak Accident" implies this is something unusual or rare.  Sadly cyclist and motorcycle accidents are a daily occurrence and need to be addressed using all means possible.

[kcpattaya]

A horrible tragedy with no one to blame in my opinion.
Looks like the poor cyclist wasn't able to manoeuvre in time and couldn't avoid a minor bump into the pedestrian which made her cause unbalance and tripped.
   

[sgracer]

15 minutes ago, SpeakeasyThai said:

How sickening that we are openly invited to watch a video of another human being maimed. Then, perversly all invited to comment and give our opinions of how, why, or just the usual anti Thai rhetoric that infests thai visa.

What a wonderful Utopia we have created. 

 

what are you doing here then?......you didn't have to click on it

[Tchooptip]

6 hours ago, piersbeckett said:

Poor woman - a case for riding more slowly with greater concentration in such a congested area, having a mirror fixed to your bike or checking the situation behind you frequently, not using the road as the pavement/sidewalk and the pavement as a commercial area (forcing pedestrians on to the carriageway) and having tighter parking restrictions particularly on such a busy beach road.

 

To me it's a wonder such accidents don't occur more often - awful news and a warning to us all.

A warning to all of us, well said?

[Aussieroaming]

2 hours ago, Jeremy50 said:

The fat woman who caused the accident certainly disappeared fast enough.  Arguably most cyclists might have seen the threat that a fat woman walking carelessly in the road might pose.

I think the cyclist should have stopped. She veered away from the bus and hit the pedestrian, then bounced off. Very difficult to make split second decisions though. I went under a truck trailer riding a bike, luckily between the two sets of wheels as the truck suddenly shot across an intersection, so appreciate how quickly it can all turn petong. Luckily the truck had to stop because a vehicle was in front of him, he never even knew I was there.

[PremiumLane]

I see the TVF slueths are out chucking blame around as usual. Must be a blessed life to sit on the Internet all day judging others

[Aussieroaming]

2 minutes ago, PremiumLane said:

I see the TVF slueths are out chucking blame around as usual. Must be a blessed life to sit on the Internet all day judging others

Are you talking about yourself, sitting on the internet and judging others?

[PremiumLane]

4 minutes ago, Aussieroaming said:

Are you talking about yourself, sitting on the internet and judging others?

of course and you too :)

[Aussieroaming]

Just now, PremiumLane said:

of course and you too :)

Not really old mate, I'm holding you to your own standards. You know the saying "people in glass houses"

[PremiumLane]

1 minute ago, Aussieroaming said:

Not really old mate, I'm holding you to your own standards. You know the saying "people in glass houses"

This could go around in circles, but I will point out that you too are judging :) Nothing wrong with pointing out the crassness of the TV sleuths and their ranting about Thais etc. etc. I call it a public service

[Baerboxer]

8 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Yes, it was a horrible accident but I think you're jumping to an unfair conclusion that the pedestrian was really at fault. This is a horribly unfriendly nation for pedestrians and people do walk in the roads, sometimes without choice. Yes, her running away was not admirable but that's not the same thing as saying it was her fault. You didn't even consider that maybe the cyclist was going too fast for the road conditions considering she was riding on the edge where it was entirely predictable that there would be pedestrians, even if just stepping out to cross the road.  

 

Did you watch the film? The cyclist was hardly speeding, but the woman wandered out, quiet far into the road, was only concerned with looking at her phone and barged into the cyclist with her shoulder.

 

Typical Thai, in a world of her own, oblivious to all surroundings and contexts and then, seeing the result of her carelessness runs off quick as she can as she must't loose face and doesn't want any criticism.

 

Maybe it was the tourists fault then eh? If they hadn't been in Thailand the bus wouldn't have been there.

[sawadee1947]

7 hours ago, JamJar said:

 

Perhaps you missed the bit where I wrote that she wasn't paying attention because she was looking at her phone. Not because she was walking on the road.  It's quite possible that the cyclist had clip in pedals, so couldn't jump off the bike easily.

That's not the point. The cyclist should be aware of being overtaken by any car. And it doesn't matter if the woman got her phone or was just walking.

[Sunak]

1 hour ago, SpeakeasyThai said:

How sickening that we are openly invited to watch a video of another human being maimed. Then, perversly all invited to comment and give our opinions of how, why, or just the usual anti Thai rhetoric that infests thai visa.

What a wonderful Utopia we have created. 

Thai internet (mainly on FB) are full of even more sickening content.

FB allows it and does not nothing when reporting.

The OP clearly says "graphic content".

 

[FitnessHealthTravel]

Very sad news. Again another death on a bicycle. There have already been more incidents than last year it seems. Accidents happen, people get distracted by phones and Cyclists get fatigue etc etc. RIP to the women, horribly painful way for her to go.  Expect the unexpected always...

[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, biplanebluey said:

Hope you were right Catman,but there was a lot of movement from her and she did get out from under the bus herself.What really gets me in this sort of accident where someone is lying in the road injured is the amount of people that can just stand and look or even take a quick look and walk away.Good on the cyclist who seemed very concerned,moved the bike away from her and got his phone out to call someone. Poor lady RIP

Like the fat  guy in the orange shirt who doesn't assist in any way but takes plenty pictures and video.

 

Took the other cyclist to come back and actually try and render any aid.

[eeyang wah]

2 hours ago, 12DrinkMore said:

I reckon the mess of parked vehicles should carry at least part of the blame.

 

There looks like plenty of room to have a single row of parking bays and a wide footpath and even a bicyle lane. Absolutely no need to force pedestrians to walk on the road.

Indeed.

[gios50hk]

9 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Yes, it was a horrible accident but I think you're jumping to an unfair conclusion that the pedestrian was really at fault. This is a horribly unfriendly nation for pedestrians and people do walk in the roads, sometimes without choice. Yes, her running away was not admirable but that's not the same thing as saying it was her fault. You didn't even consider that maybe the cyclist was going too fast for the road conditions considering she was riding on the edge where it was entirely predictable that there would be pedestrians, even if just stepping out to cross the road.  

+ Jingthing ...... As a long-time and experienced cyclist - I take great umbrage with your idiotic and insensitive comment regarding the manner in which the cyclist was riding! (having ironically stood up for the pedestrian - who the OP cited as not paying attention due to the fact she was playing with her mobile phone). We do not know for sure if this was the reason the pedestrian walked out into the path of the cyclist - but in any case, stepping out into a busy road without paying attention is totally irresponsible, and I'm sure that if it were a car or truck and not a cyclist you would have said she was plain stupid!

 

I have witnessed countless pedestrians walk out in front of me as well as other cyclists and only though sheer luck has a serious (possibly fatal accident) been avoided. Cyclists can easily travel at speeds that are commensurate with cars. (professional cyclists regularly average 45-50kph - and over 75kph in sprints - and even 'cycle-tourists' ride at approx. 20-30kph). Yet non-cyclists never take this into consideration. In addition - bicycles are considered as a mode of transport in many countries, and are therefore subject to the same traffic regulations as motorists. In effect, a cyclist is legally entitled to ride to the same speed limits as other road-users.

 

Clearly you have absolutely no concept of the dangers cyclists face and the fact that we have as much right to be on the roads as anyone else. Riding at the prevailing speed of moving traffic and 'commanding a position' on the road (ie; approx. 1 metre from the kerb) has long been advocated by numerous cycling bodies as far safer than riding 'defensively' and potentially delaying motorists - who are growing increasingly impatient and aggressive towards cyclists these days.

 

I suggest you acquire a bike for a few hours and experience what it is like - then perhaps you will be more qualified to pass judgment on the poor lady.

[sanukjim]

10 hours ago, JamJar said:

The disgusting cowardice of the woman who caused the accident, by wandering on to the road whilst looking at her phone and then running away when she saw the result of her careless action.

Also anact of carelessness on the bike rider as she was passing the bus on the inside and was not paying attention to the path ahead.The Bike rider's fault clearly.

[Krataiboy]

Yeah, but. . . 

 

The foreshore in central Cha-Am is a death trap at weekends and during holidays when  parked vehicles and vendors' stalls block the walkways, forcing pedestrians to take to the seething street.

 

There is a pavement only on one side of the street-  that furthest from the sea. But it is so cluttered and in such a bad state of repair that walking on it is a nightmare. There is no pavement on the side nearest the sea, which is routinely jam-packed with parked cars and food and souvenir stalls.

 

The woman in the video with the mobile telephone was doing the sensible thing and walking against the traffic flow. This is what I do every time I am obliged to risk life and limb on this stretch of Cha-Am foreshore which I call Murder Mile. Less sensibly, she took her eyes off the road ahead - with the tragic result we saw on the video.

 

It is pointless to blame any of the parties involved in this shocking incident. It was just another dreadful accident waiting to happen. Hopefully, it will spur the good burghers of this increasingly busy resort into action to improve the safety and security of visitors and local residents alike.

 

One obvious solution is to ban vendors from blocking the only pavement along Murder Mile and improve its poor quality (for example by including ramps for pram and wheelchair users) so that it offers a safe haven for walkers and shoppers.  

 

However, assuming kick-backs are probably involved, I won't be holding my breath.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JamJar]

23 minutes ago, sanukjim said:

Also anact of carelessness on the bike rider as she was passing the bus on the inside and was not paying attention to the path ahead.The Bike rider's fault clearly.

 

 

Just a nonsense post from you. 

How often do you see a cycle lane on the outside lane?

On the inside is exactly where it is expected for a cycle to pass. Apart from that she was not travelling faster than the bus, she was travelling alongside, trying to keep a safe distance. 

The problem was that the woman on the phone didn't see her coming, because she was looking at her phone. 

Not the fault of the cyclist at all. Cyclists are by design aware of their surroundings. There is no doubt that the cyclist knew the coach was alongside.

[anon4637435435]

Maybe if they cleared the garbage and cables of a side walk and encouraged people to get some common sense skills this wouldn't have happened. Horrendous!

[JamJar]

9 hours ago, balo said:

I think they are both to blame, the pedestrian for not looking at the road and the cyclist who clearly were speeding , this looks to be a busy road so caution always comes first .

 

I use the bicycle myself almost daily but not on busy roads and always slowly .  You need to pay attention every second on Thai roads.  

 

Another tragic accident that could have been avoided . RIP: 

 

 

 

Cyclist speeding?? How exactly did you surmise that? Certainly doesn't appear to be be going any faster than the coach moving alongside. Perhaps 10 mph to 12 mph.

 

[Moti24]

6 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

I find it hard to blame the pedestrian.  The cyclist should have clearly seen that lady.  Accidents happen.  Especially here in Thailand.  Proper bike paths should be constructed, not forcing cyclists to be near busy traffic.  It's like this all over Thailand.

The pedestrian was mostly to blame in this instance, just walking into the road without a care in the world.  But, she wouldn't have been in the road if vehicles weren't parked on the sidewalk; a common practice all over Thailand.  

 

The pedestrian should be charged with causing death by reckless walking, and leaving the scene of the accident faster than a rat up a drainpipe.  Then, it only remains for the BiB to remove the illegally parked cars.

[Jingthing]

+ Jingthing ...... As a long-time and experienced cyclist - I take great umbrage with your idiotic and insensitive comment regarding the manner in which the cyclist was riding! (having ironically stood up for the pedestrian - who the OP cited as not paying attention due to the fact she was playing with her mobile phone). We do not know for sure if this was the reason the pedestrian walked out into the path of the cyclist - but in any case, stepping out into a busy road without paying attention is totally irresponsible, and I'm sure that if it were a car or truck and not a cyclist you would have said she was plain stupid!
 
I have witnessed countless pedestrians walk out in front of me as well as other cyclists and only though sheer luck has a serious (possibly fatal accident) been avoided. Cyclists can easily travel at speeds that are commensurate with cars. (professional cyclists regularly average 45-50kph - and over 75kph in sprints - and even 'cycle-tourists' ride at approx. 20-30kph). Yet non-cyclists never take this into consideration. In addition - bicycles are considered as a mode of transport in many countries, and are therefore subject to the same traffic regulations as motorists. In effect, a cyclist is legally entitled to ride to the same speed limits as other road-users.
 
Clearly you have absolutely no concept of the dangers cyclists face and the fact that we have as much right to be on the roads as anyone else. Riding at the prevailing speed of moving traffic and 'commanding a position' on the road (ie; approx. 1 metre from the kerb) has long been advocated by numerous cycling bodies as far safer than riding 'defensively' and potentially delaying motorists - who are growing increasingly impatient and aggressive towards cyclists these days.
 
I suggest you acquire a bike for a few hours and experience what it is like - then perhaps you will be more qualified to pass judgment on the poor lady.

My comment was more about not jumping to conclusions that the pedestrian caused the cyclists death. This is an unsafe country for cyclists and pedestrians.

[ajarnmarc]

4 hours ago, Jeremy50 said:

The fat woman who caused the accident certainly disappeared fast enough.  Arguably most cyclists might have seen the threat that a fat woman walking carelessly in the road might pose.

I'm a bit confused on how the weight of the woman has anything to do with the accident?

If it doesn't, then why all the reference to her being overweight?

Not once, but twice.

 

The woman took six strides after coming onto the street, 

which normally results into 2 meters of distance she had covered when she was struck by the bicyclists approaching.

She appears to have seen the cyclist coming,

as the lady walking is seen swaying to the right to try to avoid the cyclist.

 

After the collision between the pedestrian,

and cyclist, which resulted in the cyclist bouncing off of the pedestrian, 

and into the bus tires, the pedestrian saw what happened, and panicked, ran; most likely in shock.

Many females would most likely do the same thing...

I fail to see how the pedestrian caused the accident,

or more importantly,

how she could of avoided the cyclist running into her,

from what appears to be the coach cutting off the cyclist,

causing the person on the bicycle to run into the pedestrian. 

 

How many times have we seen that happen?

Coaches taking up as much of the road as they can, 

never any concern about how the motorcycles / cyclist are to travel past.

 

It is true that the pedestrians are ofter forced to have to walk onto the roadways,

to get from where they are to where they want to go.

At least she wasn't like so many foreigners I see,

walking down the middle of the road,

as if they are entitled to all the space around them to travel.

I saw foreigners,

even though I'm one myself,

because that describes the people I see walking down the roads;

normally not the local citizens,

as they know better than to put their lives at the faith that others will look out for them walking on the roadways.

 

It's a tragedy that won't go away,

for there are so many area where there's no where to walk, 

but onto the roads itself, just to get past.

 

This is especially so in Bangkok, 

where the sidewalks are considered real estate,

for some reason...?

 

After all the fuss about food vendors taking over the paths, 

it's supposed to have improved.

 

Then there's the travel coaches that think it's their duty to show everyone on the roads who is the biggest, 

and therefore is entitled to at least one lane,

most often 6 meters of space is preferred, 

from the shoulder,

which places the larger vehicles in the middle of the roads,

swaying from left to right, 

as they see fit,

and all the on comers can do is try to get out of the way. 

 

 

 

[joecoolfrog]

5 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

These small streets are never designed to take big buses, a small soi with no footpath, already being shared between pedestrians, bikes, motorbikes and cars, there is no room for big buses in little sois.

I was in Cha am a few weeks back and was amazed at the number of huge tour buses , literally dozens in convoy. As mentioned the sois are simply not designed to accomodate them.

[balo]

2 hours ago, JamJar said:

Cyclist speeding?? How exactly did you surmise that? Certainly doesn't appear to be be going any faster than the coach moving alongside. Perhaps 10 mph to 12 mph.

I agree that the video does not confirm if the cyclist was speeding before the accident. I guess she could  have slowed down a bit when she realized there was a pedestrian blocking her.

But a collision could have been avoided if the cyclist also had paid more attention , just like the pedestrian . 

 

 

[Eli1]

13 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Yes, it was a horrible accident but I think you're jumping to an unfair conclusion that the pedestrian was really at fault. This is a horribly unfriendly nation for pedestrians and people do walk in the roads, sometimes without choice. Yes, her running away was not admirable but that's not the same thing as saying it was her fault. You didn't even consider that maybe the cyclist was going too fast for the road conditions considering she was riding on the edge where it was entirely predictable that there would be pedestrians, even if just stepping out to cross the road.  

Not jumping to conclusion at all I think she should have stop assisted and help in some ways even by calling the ambulance don't make up excuses for that sick demented lady that did a run absolutely disgusting.

[Jingthing]

4 minutes ago, Eli1 said:

Not jumping to conclusion at all I think she should have stop assisted and help in some ways even by calling the ambulance don't make up excuses for that sick demented lady that did a run absolutely disgusting.

Yes running away was not admirable but in the context of being a Good Samaritan (in some countries there are laws obligating that) and offering help, that doesn't apply in this case. There were many people about and someone on the scene was obviously going to call for an ambulance right away. It didn't need to be that pedestrian. 

As far as any legal culpability for the pedestrian. Highly doubtful in Thailand. Possibly so for a similar case in some other countries.