Farang in fatal traffic accident

[JR]

Today I learned (have not witnessed myself so it is hearsay) that a farang man was hit by a car and killed on the Ring Road outside Tesco Lotus. Apparently he was trying to cross Ring Rd when he was struck by a speeding car driven by a thai.
You are all aware of the dangers trying to cross any road in Thailand and the utter disrespect thai drivers have for the lives of others. My wife says she cannot understand why thai drivers behave the way they do. I have thought about carrying a steel bar with me when walking. For self protection.
I read yesterday that over 20% of car fatalities here are caused by limited vision. No wonder seeing so many cars with blacked out windscreens. I had rental car once with such a screen and it was just undriveable at night or in rain.
This accident (or manslaughter may be more accurate) took place this morning in broad daylight. Whether the driver did actually not see him (he is blind or has impaired vision) or just did not care if he hit him, I do not know. The result is the same.
I do not know who the man was, expat or tourist, but my thoughts go nevertheless to his family whereever they are.

[BKKSTAN]

The death is unfortunate and unnecessary,but it is normal driving here to not stop for pedestrians,the drivers seem to have the right a way.Unless the car swerved out of the driving lane,the falang caused his own death whether from ignorance or incompetence.This is Thailand,and whether anyone likes the way they do things or not!

I agree it is dangerous on Thai roads,if you are not paying attention!I am amazed that it isn't worse than it is!

He should not have expected them to stop for him.That is ,if he did!Who knows,he might have been checking out!

[jackspratt]

Another story of a farang fatality outside Tesco yesterday - I wonder whether it is the same incident?

Yesterday on the main Udon / N.Khai Road just past Tesco at the traffic lights, ( going towards N.Khai ) a foreigner was cut in two while trying a speedy getaway from the lights.

A lorry was finishing it,s manouvre at his notoriously busy juction, sadly the foreigner went to time getting away via the back end of the truck.

Unfortunately it was pulling a trailer and the now deceased gentleman got between the two moving parts and the back end went over him.

Cut him in two, with both parts going in different directions....., yes it was horrific and messy.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Beware-Ri ... try3193941

[WBU ALUM]

Not too pleasant on a motorbike either. I've been cut off a few times and nearly sideswiped in the process by speeding cars on the Ring Road. Lanes of traffic were wide open. There was no slow traffic causing any frustration for anyone. The road was wide open ahead. There was no purpose for it on either occasion.

The actions of the drivers seemed to be that he/she just did not like the fact that I was on a motorbike on the Ring Road. Pretty scary. I don't take anything for granted out there.

[Khun Paul]

My information is ( hearsay I might add, any inaccuracies I apologise for in advance) that in relation to the accident at the Tesco's crossroads, the Motorbike was moving on green and the lorry went through red. The motorbike attempted to stop but was unable to miss the lorry, and was dissected by the lorry, ( WHICH DID NOT STOP). The farang was a Swedish man who had just dropped off his friend.
It is once again running the red that has caused the accident, I have no idea if those lights have cameras and if they do were they working.
Did the lorry have any brakes, was the driver drunk or suffer ( limited vision), these and other questions are unanswered and likely to remain so.
My thoughts to the family of the deceased, whether here or in Sweden.
Yet another horrific accident due in main to the incompetence of Thai drivers.

[Laan Yaa Mo]

Khun Paul, how can you do this?!?

On the one hand you say, "My information is ( hearsay I might add, any inaccuracies I apologise for in advance)", and on the other hand you conclude, "Yet another horrific accident due in main to the incompetence of Thai drivers".

You might be entirely correct, but you have not presented any concrete evidence to support your conclusion.

Would it not be better to leave out your final sentence until you have the proof?

[lepidoptra]

I always try to avoid hearsay. This thread will probably end up like a chinese wisper. Whatever the circumstances, may the man RIP

[maaka]

I generally ride a bicycle along the main road to Tesco, sometimes do the whole Ring Road. never had a problem, but it can be scary, after all its a highway six lanes wide, its busy and fast and you got to be alert, even at the lights. some of them old trucks are slow off the mark at the lights, and I have seen lots of near misses at the lights from speeding motorbikes fanging thru to slow buses and truck chugging across..its the same in any country, intersetions beware....but hey dont just jump the gun early and accuse the thai driver, because a farang is dead..accidents do happen, you know as much as I do that a farang needs to be more alert when driving in a foreign land, especially like thailand where cars come at you on both sides of the road, and god knows what else..I dont know who is at fault here, I just dont like guys slagging off thais when that person wasnt even at the scene...

My condolences go out to the family and friends of the deceased..rest in peace bro

[goodison]

I watched "Home News" this morning at 09:30 hrs. and the accident was indeed caught on camera. It seems the deceased came from Switzerland. R.I.P and condolences to family.

[innercircle]

I was having a few drinks at a thai friends house last night and one of his friends came over, he was pissed by the time he left.
Last thing he said to me was bye and see you tommorow.
The wife got a call this morning that he was killed on his way home he lives about 15 k out of udon, he was on a motor bike.
but what i was told realy sickend me, the news was that he was hit by a large car which didnt kill him but then the driver seeing that he was alive came back and finished the job so that he did not have to pay any money!
Can this be true? my wife said it happens all the time as long as there is no one around as a witness?

[LoveDaBlues]

A Thai friend of mine was told by the police the farang was drunk. Drunk or not, it looks like he took off when the red light turned green without checking for anyone who might be continuing thru.

Even in the states when the light turns green I check before proceeding into the intersection. Saved my bacon a couple of times.

I ride a scooter here, you've got to be focused and drive defensive all the time. If you get in a hurry here and lose focus it can cost you your life.

RIP.

[Khun Paul]

On the one hand you say, "My information is ( hearsay I might add, any inaccuracies I apologise for in advance)", and on the other hand you conclude, "Yet another horrific accident due in main to the incompetence of Thai drivers".

I do regret for one instance the comment I made, if the rider of the motorcycle went on green which is supported by other people, then being hit by a lorry who went through green is sheer incompetence of the Thai driver.

How the police mangd to surmise the motorbike rider was drunk seems amazing to me, following on from the accident his remains were somewhat scattered.
It would appear that by asumng he was drunk obviated their need to investigate further, which is more like the truth. As to the ID of the lorry driver still unknown at time of writing. That is NOT hearsay.

[Brian Davis]

I watched "Home News" this morning at 09:30 hrs. and the accident was indeed caught on camera.

I haven't got Home News, but with all the discussion on who was at fault, did the camera not give any clues?

Whatever, it's not going to be much help to the guy's family.

[Lionheart]

Surely it is not a matter of incompetance as some quite competant drivers often risk there lives to save a few minutes wait at a red light.

A more objective view would be that the Thai driver, like a lot of Thai drivers, had a total disregard for the law and little or no concern for other road users.

Had the driver been incompetant, then surely he would have been incapable of driving a vehicle at all.

I feel that 'incompetance' is the wrong word to use in this instance.

[bumper]

Wait at intersections. The cops assumed I was drunk in a accident. I don't drink.

They have thier own set of prejudices, remember we are all the same to the people who don't know us.

[Khun Paul]

I must add to this post, has having had my ear bent to avoid lorries, as I was totally wrong in my assumptions, I was informed by a person who one would consider a reasonable source ( a farang) that the rider of this motorcycle had been reving up his motorcycle and as soon as it turned green off he went, my comment was ' he went on Green then' I was further informed that a Thai lorry loaded with gravel probably was not able to stop after the lights changed from green to red. ' My comment was, If one is approaching traffic lights and there are no cars waiting, one should assume that the lights are going to change', so take normal action like slowing down'
I was further advised that the Thai police had in fact traced the Motorbikes rider travels through Udon on that day and he was completely p*****.
I said amazing but then thought if this person knew so much maybe he was there and saw it all, but by then he had left the building a supermarket on the edge of town.

Now although one must accept that going immediately on green can be an action that could be considered daft in this country, Green still means ' Go ' and ' Red ' stop, notwithstanding that the lorry may have had limited time to stop, no effort was apparantly done to alleiviate this accident by the lorry driver.
The Rider of the motorbike might have been drunk or not, just becasue he jad been to various licensed establishments does not neccessarily mean he was drunk.

As I have said before my thoughts to this persons family here in Thailand and in his home country. The facts will probably never be accurately recorded or even investigated. TYhe outcome was due to an accident a fellow farang lost his life. How that accident occurred will be the result of suposition for many moons.

[parrot]

No offence to anyone who rides a motorcycle here, but I've seen a fair share of falangs on motorbikes in Thailand who didn't look comfortable behind the 'wheel'.....and often times no helmet, a pair of flipflops, shorts, etc. Add a few beers to the equation and it's an accident waiting to happen.

[bumper]

As my memory serves faulty most of the time. But, didn't that intersection claim lives in similar circumstances in the past. A brake failure by the truck smashed into several bikes.

Riders even the most experienced riders have to learn to read the roads here. Sometimes it;s simple thin gs l;ike knowing to watch out in the coutry for dogs, cattle, buffalo, and the farmer who ha driven the area so much he doesn't look anymore. The assumption by truck drivers that a bike will manuver around him. Since they are always ridden slowly. Not the case with guys who tour the country.

To knowing if you see a brake light in a bike no turn signal he is going to turn and taking a guess which way he is going to go. Tricky stuff.

My wife is always poking me in the ribs at lights cause I don.l go immediatley. Sorry this to common a cause of accidents here. I will wait. Doesn't matter who is right or wrong. If your on the bike you will be injuried if not killed.

I had to learn how to hit a dog on a bike and survive, not fun. But, there are tons of things you have to adapt to ride here.

As to the guy drinking I won't bet on that, I know they assumption by the Police from first hadn experience.

I feel for the guys family and friends. just hope his experience here was rewarding to him, as he lived it.

We are all going to check out we donlt know when or how. So live this day and enjoy it as much as you can.

Most of us have looked forward to the future, worked hard to have good one. What we fail to realize this is it.

[tomboy]

Again purely heresay from khun Paul. How can you justify commentating on this tragic accident? It is obvious that you were not near the scene but your self oppinionated nature has to make such a stupid comment.
Please comment on FACTUALS and do use the spell checker as obviously spelling and grammer has never been your forte.

[bumper]

Hmm!!! spelling time for me to find a new topic