Video: Much debate as big biker hits pick-up after "tow truck" goes the wrong way

[Farangwithaplan]

6 hours ago, Jadam said:

No one rides with their fingers on the brake lever "just in case" and also on a big bike the left lever is the clutch.  If you take a motorcycle safety course (not that anyone does in Thailand) they will teach you to take your fingers off the brake and clutch levers when you're not using them; even when accelerating and changing gears they tell you to bring your fingers back to normal position each time you release the clutch.

 

When you're driving a car, you don't rest your foot on the brake or clutch pedal, so why would you do it when riding a bike?

Basic safety training teaches you to return all fingers back to the bar - at least in my home country. I think it is still technically illegal to keep fingers on the brakes when not engaging and in my home country, that is why basic safety courses drum it into you to return the fingers to the bar grips when not engaging the brakes. Every Advanced road riding riding course I have done suggest you cover the brake and anticipate.  Advanced track courses I have completed are a different technique again.

 

But for the road, cover the brakes for sure. It cuts down reaction time and allows you time to 'set' the front suspension before going hard on the front brake thus avoiding potential lockup on non ABS and allows for greater weight shift for stronger braking.

[Jadam]

Keep talking about how the rider did the wrong thing with his fingers. 

Talk talk talk. 

If any of you were on that bike, you would have ate the back of the black truck just like he did, regardless of what lane you were in or where your bloody fingers were.

[Farangwithaplan]

32 minutes ago, Jadam said:

Keep talking about how the rider did the wrong thing with his fingers. 

Talk talk talk. 

 

If what I type helps keep someone else alive if they ever find themselves in a similar position, then that's a good thing, no?

 

36 minutes ago, Jadam said:

 

If any of you were on that bike, you would have ate the back of the black truck just like he did, regardless of what lane you were in or where your bloody fingers were. 

That's simply not necessarily true. But it sounds like this is a raw subject for you so I will leave it there.

 

[richard_smith237]

I'm an extremely cautious rider.... When in traffic I ride with my brake covered.

In the same situation I too would have been wearing the back of the pickup truck... 

 

Some keyboard hero's are writing about motorcycle safety and and they're spouting rubbish straight from their backsides....  

 

Driving defensively is one thing, however, in this situation in flowing traffic a motorcycle was about to pass a pickup on a dual-lane-road. This is something quite normal and something we all do daily in our cars or on motorcycles..... However, in this instance a 'tow-truck' heading the wrong way down the road has a head on collision with a pickup. The pickup is stopped dead and lurches into the second lane.

 

It doesn't matter if you are covering the brake or not. It doesn't matter if you are in a car or not - hitting the back of the pickup in this case is an inevitability.

 

This is as unpredictable as it can get - some accidents are just unavoidable unless you are someone who considers defensive driving as never passing another vehicle in flowing traffic, then what's the point of getting a motorcycle if you are never going to pass other traffic. You can't defensively ride for such things otherwise you'd never end up riding at all. 

 

 

 

 

[Farangwithaplan]

6 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

I'm an extremely cautious rider.... When in traffic I ride with my brake covered.

In the same situation I too would have been wearing the back of the pickup truck... 

 

Some keyboard hero's are writing about motorcycle safety and and they're spouting rubbish straight from their backsides....  

 

 

It doesn't matter if you are covering the brake or not. It doesn't matter if you are in a car or not - hitting the back of the pickup in this case is an inevitability.

 

This is as unpredictable as it can get - some accidents are just unavoidable unless you are someone who considers defensive driving as never passing another vehicle in flowing traffic, then what's the point of getting a motorcycle if you are never going to pass other traffic. You can't defensively ride for such things otherwise you'd never end up riding at all. 

 

 

 

 

You mean the black pickup changing to the left lane while the right indicator being on wouldn't have been a warning to you to be ready for 'something' that might happen? That would have had me braking well before the unforseen impact with the tow truck.

 

[metisdead]

An offensive post has been removed. 

[brokenbone]

1 hour ago, Farangwithaplan said:

You mean the black pickup changing to the left lane while the right indicator being on wouldn't have been a warning to you to be ready for 'something' that might happen? That would have had me braking well before the unforseen impact with the tow truck.

 

the bike had the right of way, the pickup new it

as do everyone except yourself,

then the unimaginable happen !

an imbecile came down the wrong way aiming

to hit a head on with the pickup,

and in doing so throw the pickup into the right lane

a split second before the bike came.

 

you got nothing in terms of common sense

or experience

[Farangwithaplan]

41 minutes ago, brokenbone said:

the bike had the right of way, the pickup new it

as do everyone except yourself,

then the unimaginable happen !

an imbecile came down the wrong way aiming

to hit a head on with the pickup,

and in doing so throw the pickup into the right lane

a split second before the bike came.

 

you got nothing in terms of common sense

or experience

No one is denying an "an imbecile came down the wrong way aiming

to hit a head on with the pickup."

 

41 minutes ago, brokenbone said:

you got nothing in terms of common sense

or experience

Why do you feel I have no common sense or experience? I would like you to expand on why you feel that.

 

Do you feel I have no common sense because I slow my vehicle when I sense danger? My experience has taught me that.

 

 

But I will ask my question again. Does a vehicle changing into a different lane while indicating the opposite way give you cause for concern?

 

It is a simple yes or no question.

[brokenbone]

5 hours ago, Farangwithaplan said:

No one is denying an "an imbecile came down the wrong way aiming

to hit a head on with the pickup."

 

Why do you feel I have no common sense or experience? I would like you to expand on why you feel that.

 

Do you feel I have no common sense because I slow my vehicle when I sense danger? My experience has taught me that.

 

 

But I will ask my question again. Does a vehicle changing into a different lane while indicating the opposite way give you cause for concern?

 

It is a simple yes or no question.

even if the will of the pickup driver had been to

change lane,

the biker has the right of way and it falls upon

the pickup to wait until the right lane is clear.

 

the fact that people like yourself think

otherwise gives me concern.

you can flash your light and honk your horn

all you want, the fact that the bike in the right lane has the right of way

does not hinge on morons honking horns

or anything else for that matter,

save policemans gesture if any

[brokenbone]

transam i understand that traffic regulation must be horribly confusing at your age, but read up on it if you still have the cognitive skills it takes, it might just save innocent lives

[transam]

1 minute ago, brokenbone said:

transam i understand that traffic regulation must be horribly confusing at your age, but read up on it if you still have the cognitive skills it takes, it might just save innocent lives

Well doing the stuff to pass a bike, car and heavy goods vehicle test in the UK hasn't left my ol' gray cells yet after many a decade...????

PS....Up to now I have never taken anyone out here or there...????

[ttrd]

5 hours ago, Farangwithaplan said:

No one is denying an "an imbecile came down the wrong way aiming

to hit a head on with the pickup."

 

Why do you feel I have no common sense or experience? I would like you to expand on why you feel that.

 

Do you feel I have no common sense because I slow my vehicle when I sense danger? My experience has taught me that.

 

 

But I will ask my question again. Does a vehicle changing into a different lane while indicating the opposite way give you cause for concern?

 

It is a simple yes or no question.

RE - Do you feel I have no common sense because I slow my vehicle when I sense danger? My experience has taught me that.

 

If everyone should slow down every time they sense a danger on the roads in Thailand then it would be a queue from Chiang Mai to Nakhon Si Tammarat ....

 

In Thailand as every where else you need to go with the flow, but at the same time expect the impossible to happen ...

[RobbyXNorway]

I ride a 750cc here in Thailand so from my perspective the MC rider was likely not paying enough attention. He should have started breaking the second he sees the white pickup in front of him break. But the accident between the tow truck and the black pickup comes out of nowhere. So in my case I would likely also have smacked into the black pickup, although at a slightly lower speed. I will venture a guess and say the MC rider probably survived unless the helmet went flying due to unfastened chin-clasp. But he hit the pickup at an angle and smacked into a hard corner from what I saw. So who knows. Hope there was no serious injuries.

 

Riding here in Thailand takes 100% concentration 100% of the time. No lapse is allowed. Often back home I drive completely on mental autopilot. Here in Thailand you can never do that. So much craziness, cutting corners, inattention, drunk driving etc etc... I have had a couple of close calls, but luckily I drive at a relaxed pace and had time to react. The closest was at an intersection here in Hua Hin where i put on my turn sign and slowed down for a car to pass before turning to my right. As I start turning I hear a scream to my right and 2 ladies on a scooter blast past me on the outside (none wearing helmets). My turn sign is clear and I slow down and show obvious intent to turn right, but they STILL choose to ride outside me and risk a collision when I start the turn. Here its hard to know where stupid stops and crazy takes over.

[ttrd]

On 3/27/2019 at 12:14 PM, Jadam said:

No one rides with their fingers on the brake lever "just in case" and also on a big bike the left lever is the clutch.  If you take a motorcycle safety course (not that anyone does in Thailand) they will teach you to take your fingers off the brake and clutch levers when you're not using them; even when accelerating and changing gears they tell you to bring your fingers back to normal position each time you release the clutch.

 

When you're driving a car, you don't rest your foot on the brake or clutch pedal, so why would you do it when riding a bike?

Yeah - It seems that the fingers are needed for the phone while driving motorbike in Thailand ....

[watcharacters]

On 3/26/2019 at 2:41 PM, Just Weird said:

in a position to slur and denigrate every Thai driver.

 

 

Did he say all that.     Weird??

[johng]

On 3/27/2019 at 12:14 PM, Jadam said:

No one rides with their fingers on the brake lever "just in case"

I do and always have...even in the UK ( must have been before silly laws ) but especially here where

"things really do just jump right out in front of you"

and when riding my 2 stroke bike I always cover the clutch too..."just in case" the piston seizes.  ????

 

[Farangwithaplan]

1 hour ago, ttrd said:

 

In Thailand as every where else you need to go with the flow, but at the same time expect the impossible to happen ...

Well that may be the case but that is part of the reason why I am at home with a beer in hand watching sport and the poor buggar in the video is in hospital or worse. Sad but true. When I see a moron driving ahead of me, I give myself time and space to get away from them until it is clearly safe to get ahead of them. And when I say clear, I mean clear.

 

 

I know that strategy won't save me every time when riding a motorcycle, but the extra metres and milliseconds of time gives me a fighting chance.

 

[brokenbone]

the ignorance of right of way makes my stomach

turn inside out here, i dont drive on sukumvit any longer,

too many times have i seen dimwits pull out of nowhere

and proceed to cut through all lanes as if to make damn sure

to cause accidents and unbelievable pain at any cost,

entirely oblivious that its their duty to give right of way

to those already driving in the lane.

and then, to top off the stupidity, even foreigners

jump on the bandwagon of idiocy as to completely

block off any progress in following regulations

[Farangwithaplan]

2 hours ago, brokenbone said:

even if the will of the pickup driver had been to

change lane,

the biker has the right of way and it falls upon

the pickup to wait until the right lane is clear.

 

I have no idea what you are trying to say.

 

I am saying the black pickup is driving in an unsafe manner. It is my suggestion that when you see an idiot driving like that, to put space and time between you and them.

 

If you can't see the tail lights of the car in front of the car in front of you, you should be riding very defensively with more space in front of you.

 

 

 

[ttrd]

1 hour ago, brokenbone said:

the ignorance of right of way makes my stomach

turn inside out here, i dont drive on sukumvit any longer,

too many times have i seen dimwits pull out of nowhere

and proceed to cut through all lanes as if to make damn sure

to cause accidents and unbelievable pain at any cost,

entirely oblivious that its their duty to give right of way

to those already driving in the lane.

and then, to top off the stupidity, even foreigners

jump on the bandwagon of idiocy as to completely

block off any progress in following regulations

RE - even foreigners jump on the bandwagon of idiocy

 

Yeah - no doubt about that:

 

 

 

 

 

[canthai55]

3 hours ago, brokenbone said:

even if the will of the pickup driver had been to

change lane,

the biker has the right of way and it falls upon

the pickup to wait until the right lane is clear.

This would be a great comfort to me when I am recovering in the hospital - "I was in the Right"

Altho if I died and was on my way to the last big fire ... not so much.

I would be willing to hazard a guess that you do not ride a motorcycle.

[Just Weird]

5 hours ago, watcharacters said:

Did he say all that.     Weird??

No, I didn't claim that he had said that, I made that comment and I was making an accurate observation.   Not so weird.

[ravip]

2 hours ago, ttrd said:

RE - even foreigners jump on the bandwagon of idiocy

 

Yeah - no doubt about that:

 

 

 

 

 

These are fine. The keyboard warriors are paralysed. Quick, post a similar photo with a Thai and then the Rambos will come into action!

[radiochaser]

On 3/26/2019 at 1:18 AM, PremiumLane said:

he was in a different lane, do you slow down when you are in the right lane and anyone in the left slows?

Off topic some, but to answer your question. 

I drive on the freeways (motorways) around the area of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.  

Yes!  When I see multiple brake lights, lighting up in an adjacent lane, I slow down because drivers will bolt into a space in front of you that is as small as two or three car lengths. No matter what speed the traffic is moving.  Which can be as fast as as fast as 140 kph. 

I don't know if that happens in Thailand on the motorway, but it does here.
 

In the top two list of most aggressive drivers in the United States, Philadelphia is number 2.  

I can't tell how fast the motorcycle was going, how fast the traffic in his lane was going, or how fast the adjacent lane was going (which was much slower than the motorcycle was going).  But for my comfort level of driving, motorcycle driver was approaching the white pickup in his own lane much too fast.   The white pickup brake lights also lit up a fraction of a second before the black pickup was hit by the tow truck driver.  

Another, but, I don't know and someone else may know from reading the Thai language at the facebook page, motorcycle driver may have already applied his brakes to slow down.  

Tow truck driver was wrong in my opinion and it looks like the driver could have been driving closer to the his right side of the road than he was.  
 

[manarak]

5 hours ago, ttrd said:

RE - even foreigners jump on the bandwagon of idiocy

 

Yeah - no doubt about that:

 

 

 

 

 

these situations are all legal as far as I know.

 

[manarak]

13 minutes ago, radiochaser said:

I can't tell how fast the motorcycle was going, how fast the traffic in his lane was going, or how fast the adjacent lane was going (which was much slower than the motorcycle was going).  But for my comfort level of driving, motorcycle driver was approaching the white pickup in his own lane much too fast.  

 

at first I thought the same as you, but then I imagined being on the bike and blanked the black pickup out of my mind - then the situation turned into being a second late applying the brakes, nothing to worry about.

safety distance and all, nothing will change the fact that the black pickup was thrown into the motorcycle's way just a short distance from it, no time to brake in time, my opinion is that they would have collided even if the motorcycle was going 20 or 30 kph less.

in the end, you can't do a thing against something that's just thrown into your way.

 

the tow truck on the other hand - I would think it was criminal negligence.

emergency vehicles can go against traffic, but only if it is reasonably safe.

[brokenbone]

13 hours ago, Farangwithaplan said:

I have no idea what you are trying to say.

 

I am saying the black pickup is driving in an unsafe manner. It is my suggestion that when you see an idiot driving like that, to put space and time between you and them.

 

If you can't see the tail lights of the car in front of the car in front of you, you should be riding very defensively with more space in front of you.

if everyone was adhering to the same set of procedures,

the only accidents remaining would be tire blow-outs

and similar entirely unpredictable events.

 

remove unpredictable driving, and i dare say accidents

will go down 99.99%.

by far the most unpredictable driving in thailand

is related to the ignorance of the right of way principle,

red light jumping and line cutting is behind the vast

majority of accidents here,

when most think everyone else should

wait on them until they feel they

objective, whether that means crossing

lines, getting out on the main rode,

or merely crossing an intersection

past their window of opportunity,

or making a U-turn using all available lines,

in spite of oncoming traffic they cant be arsed with

[0815]

On 3/26/2019 at 12:10 PM, KhunBENQ said:

Completely mad and seemingly quite fast, not expecting that others might be caught by surprise.

In his other life he does that on the scooter.

Next chance would have been to crash in the back of the white truck with this speed in traffic ?
But as long as there are other people to blame, their world is ok.
Their = people who think they are alone on the roads.