Pregnant Mother, Family Killed In Phuket Road Accident

[airconsult]

I would suggest to Land Transport that they do a safety ad during the soapies - drop a watermelon from a second floor onto concrete - now put a *good* helmet on the watermelon and drop it. Maybe that would get through?

Also of course - why is Land Transport allowing the sale of silly plastic helmets that won't protect anything - just deform on impact.

[PoodMaiDai]

Was either driver drunk?

[justcruisin]

Ideally all TV members would agree to boycott the place, which might improve the situation. So what do you all say? I'll happily avoid Spice, as I have for the last five years.

Great idea! Organise a boycott by people who don't go there anyway. That will hit 'em where they live.

Boycott the tourists who go there, that will hit them in the pocket. Oh and BTW just put a sign up in every guesthouse and watch with glee as the numbers subside !

[HaleySabai]

I see it everyday...Thais driving bikes out of a soi and into freeway traffic without even batting an eye. A very un-mindful,strange and potentially deadly habit.

[SouthernMan3]

When will Thailand do anything about the propensity of people riding scooters in a manner that is totally unsafe? 3+ people at a time or by kids barely old enough to wipe their own <deleted>?

When will Thailand do anything about the propensity of poorly lit, poorly maintained roads?

When will Thailand do anything about the propensity of unsafe cars and drivers, kids on the roads?

When will Thailand do anything about the propensity of signages that often obscure warning signs that are intended to improve safety on the roads?

When will Thailand do anything about the propensity of doing nothing about the problems that occur on a daily basis instead of reacting in a state of shock or horror, when these things do happen???????

When will, when will?????????????

When they raise the tax rate and the gov. has more $ to spend on social services.

Notice I am assuming that the money will not all be just stolen by poloticians.....

[monty1412]

Another tragic loss of 4 lives. This is not the moment to discuss helmets and driving proficiency. RIP

Really? When is the time to discuss it? After a few more hundred kids die

How about when the relatives of this family have had time to grieve. A bit of respect please ....

I think your being precious about this.

[chrissables]

Another tragic loss of 4 lives. This is not the moment to discuss helmets and driving proficiency. RIP

So when is.. belive you can moderate what we say but not when we say it... something has to happen to Phuket's traffic system. and enforcement thereof

Condolences and RIP in all sincerity but let not the loss of these lives be totally in vain yet again.

It is sad, I do not mean to take that away from a terrible accident. But also, i sometimes do have enough of people saying "and no helmet". Surely they should thinking about prevention of accidents instead of thinking wearing a helmet would have helped. (Maybe even a "proper" one)

Bad driving, bad roads are the cause, not not wearing a helmet.

I beg to differ - about 20 years ago a driver pulled out onto a highway (100km/h) limit in front of me with 15m distance to go and opposite flowing traffic in the next lane - I flew over his hood and did the slide and bounce for a good 50-60m - my Arai kevlar and carbon fibre composite helmet certainly stopped my brains getting splattered all over that road (judging by the gouges and grooves in it later. Also my jacket with kevlar reinforcing strips along spine and elbows prevented injury there - I got out of it with just a broken leg.

Safety equipment when riding a motorbike is not optional - it's life-saving.

So what caused the accident!!!??? I am not saying that in the event of an accident, SOMETIMES a helmet won't help. But to say (or insinuate) that by wearing one, it may prevent one is stupid.

[stevenl]

I passed this accident just after it happened last night, the family were not pulling out from a soi but returning from the temple fair that was happening just up the road, conditions were very wet and this is a very bad part of the road where it instantly turns from 2 lanes traffic to one and people are always racing to get in front as the two lanes become one. Sad sad loss of life, I didn't see the driver of the Nissan but most people were saying that he was a farang driver.

Some paople say that Thailand is quite safe for drivers if you're careful, one thing I know, in all my life I had never seen a dead body after an accident, here though, I see them nearly every week.

With on average on Phuket roads about 4 deaths a week you're surely looking for them then.

[stevenl]

Safety equipment when riding a motorbike is not optional - it's life-saving.

Yes, it is life saving, but when talking about kevlar reinforced jackets and pants not realistic.

[Johnnie99]

Another tragic loss of 4 lives. This is not the moment to discuss helmets and driving proficiency. RIP

Really? When is the time to discuss it? After a few more hundred kids die

How about when the relatives of this family have had time to grieve. A bit of respect please ....

You reply as if the families will be reading this?

Surely now really is the time to talk about this. Why wait a few days - when they have all forgotten the accident, the victims and the results of ignoring the law?

[airconsult]

Safety equipment when riding a motorbike is not optional - it's life-saving.

Yes, it is life saving, but when talking about kevlar reinforced jackets and pants not realistic.

O/T but Kevlar strips for reinforcement at spine and elbows/(arms sometimes) have been available in jackets since the early 90's.

Certainly helmets *may* not save your life - but the skull is a very fragile thing, and it doesn't take a large impact to kill if unprotected.

None of this says that the rider was at fault, but I have refused taking my wife for a ride many times unless helmet/boots/jacket are in place - uncomfortable in the heat sometimes, but always worth it. (eternally scared when she insists on jeans instead of proper pants)

Bye the bye - I realised later that that Arai helmet was kevlar and fibreglass - carbon fibre and kevlar was not available until a few years later. (sorry confusing it with a later one I had).

[stevenl]

Safety equipment when riding a motorbike is not optional - it's life-saving.

Yes, it is life saving, but when talking about kevlar reinforced jackets and pants not realistic.

O/T but Kevlar strips for reinforcement at spine and elbows/(arms sometimes) have been available in jackets since the early 90's.

Certainly helmets *may* not save your life - but the skull is a very fragile thing, and it doesn't take a large impact to kill if unprotected.

None of this says that the rider was at fault, but I have refused taking my wife for a ride many times unless helmet/boots/jacket are in place - uncomfortable in the heat sometimes, but always worth it. (eternally scared when she insists on jeans instead of proper pants)

Bye the bye - I realised later that that Arai helmet was kevlar and fibreglass - carbon fibre and kevlar was not available until a few years later. (sorry confusing it with a later one I had).

So? I have had kevlar reinforced garments for a long time as well while riding a bike back home.

To expect people to wear helmets here? Maybe possible, but a long way from where we are now.

To expect people to wear kevlar reinforced garments while riding their 100 cc Dream? Is not going to happen.

[airconsult]

It is sad, I do not mean to take that away from a terrible accident. But also, i sometimes do have enough of people saying "and no helmet". Surely they should thinking about prevention of accidents instead of thinking wearing a helmet would have helped. (Maybe even a "proper" one)

Bad driving, bad roads are the cause, not not wearing a helmet.

I beg to differ - about 20 years ago a driver pulled out onto a highway (100km/h) limit in front of me with 15m distance to go and opposite flowing traffic in the next lane - I flew over his hood and did the slide and bounce for a good 50-60m - my Arai kevlar and carbon fibre composite helmet certainly stopped my brains getting splattered all over that road (judging by the gouges and grooves in it later. Also my jacket with kevlar reinforcing strips along spine and elbows prevented injury there - I got out of it with just a broken leg.

Safety equipment when riding a motorbike is not optional - it's life-saving.

So what caused the accident!!!??? I am not saying that in the event of an accident, SOMETIMES a helmet won't help. But to say (or insinuate) that by wearing one, it may prevent one is stupid.

Reduction of number of accidents by better driver (and rider) training is certainly the goal - but prevention of all is impossible.

Even if you manage to avoid contact with other vehicles, sooner or later you'll be in the rain, and not see an oil slick left on the road by a leaky car/truck, and the only thing available to you to reduce (or maybe prevent) serious injury is the safety gear.

[vijer]

Sorry to say but shit happens ... everywhere.

I have been driving in BKK for 8 months and with the exception of the motorcycle riders, who do what they please in any direction they please, driving here is actually pretty easy. In my experience the motorcycle riders pull into traffic with little regard for the cars coming at them, drive against traffic, when it is more convenient, without regard for the cars coming at them, drive on the sidewalk, ride on the white line even when they have plenty of space to move away from adjacent cars, etc. They have little respect for themselves or other motorists. So while sad, in all likelihood it was his fault. It is only really sad for his family, who had no choice in how the motorcycle was driven.

[sandpaper]

Helmets could have been stolen, that happens everywhere, and here it's quite popular. I'm just so sorry for that family Yet another tragedy that shows us we have to take care of each other and enjoy every single moment of our lives. For humans are mortal - and sometimes "accidentally mortal" ©.

RIP

[Thaimaishoe]

Ah well... At least the driver of the other vehicle didn't run away this time.

Maybe because he wasn't at fault ?

Like that's going to help him if he WAS Falang! (as the article indicates)

Then again, if he was Falang, he would not have run in any case.

[Thaimaishoe]

So what caused the accident!!!??? I am not saying that in the event of an accident, SOMETIMES a helmet won't help. But to say (or insinuate) that by wearing one, it may prevent one is stupid.

Of course that would be stupid. But if you are under the impression that those advocating helmet use are saying, insinuating, or even thinking, that using a helmet will prevent motorcycle accidents, then there is only one stupid person here. Do you also accuse people who advocate the use of smoke detectors in the home of insinuating they will prevent house fires? Helmets DO NOT prevent accidents, and I don't know anyone who says they do. Period.

But as the survivor of a motorcyle accident in 1992, whose Biaffi (sic?) helmet had a gash deep enough to reach through the hard outer layers into the styrophome (I can't guarantee it was styrophome but it was white and crumbly... just like the OUTER layers of the craptacular helmets you find here in LOS!) as the result of landing on my shoulder and head, and sliding on and over my head, I can tell you that I would not be here to insult your intelligence if it were not for my helmet. I did not have the benefit of Kevlar leathers, but thankfully natural leathers were enough to keep my shoulder intact.

Since as I said above, I am here today, and able to insult your intelligence, let me go ahead and explicitly do so...

"I am not saying that in the event of an accident, SOMETIMES a helmet won't help."

Well actually you should have said that! Because SOMETIMES a helmet WON'T help. I have seen pictures of accidents where the riders body is ripped in half... certainly a helmet would not have helped in that situation.

I'm pretty sure I know what you meant to say there, but given that you can not express yourself correctly, and you are so far off base with what you ARE saying, quite frankly I don't know why anyone would bother reading what you type.

[chrissables]

So what caused the accident!!!??? I am not saying that in the event of an accident, SOMETIMES a helmet won't help. But to say (or insinuate) that by wearing one, it may prevent one is stupid.

Of course that would be stupid. But if you are under the impression that those advocating helmet use are saying, insinuating, or even thinking, that using a helmet will prevent motorcycle accidents, then there is only one stupid person here. Do you also accuse people who advocate the use of smoke detectors in the home of insinuating they will prevent house fires? Helmets DO NOT prevent accidents, and I don't know anyone who says they do. Period.

But as the survivor of a motorcyle accident in 1992, whose Biaffi (sic?) helmet had a gash deep enough to reach through the hard outer layers into the styrophome (I can't guarantee it was styrophome but it was white and crumbly... just like the OUTER layers of the craptacular helmets you find here in LOS!) as the result of landing on my shoulder and head, and sliding on and over my head, I can tell you that I would not be here to insult your intelligence if it were not for my helmet. I did not have the benefit of Kevlar leathers, but thankfully natural leathers were enough to keep my shoulder intact.

Since as I said above, I am here today, and able to insult your intelligence, let me go ahead and explicitly do so...

"I am not saying that in the event of an accident, SOMETIMES a helmet won't help."

Well actually you should have said that! Because SOMETIMES a helmet WON'T help. I have seen pictures of accidents where the riders body is ripped in half... certainly a helmet would not have helped in that situation.

I'm pretty sure I know what you meant to say there, but given that you can not express yourself correctly, and you are so far off base with what you ARE saying, quite frankly I don't know why anyone would bother reading what you type.

Wow! A very interesting, if ill informed quote regarding my posting.

Indeed why would anyone read let alone answer it! Besides you maybe?

My initial quote, and indeed a follow up quote, if you had had the sense to read it, would explain the point I was trying to make. In this forum as well as newspapers, so often the letter writers state “….number of people were killed in a motorbike accident, none were wearing helmets”

My point is what caused the accident, not would a helmet have helped or not! I, for example, decide to ride my motorbike, correctly and safely I can’t see why I should be forced to wear a helmet because maybe some idiot will crash into me. Or I might disappear down a pothole!

If this, or any country wishes to cut road deaths, surely stopping the cause of the accident is paramount? But making, or attempting to make people wear helmets is an easy fix.

Your obvious inability to read and comprehend the full point I was trying to make is pitiful. TO SAVE LIVES, STOP THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENTS.

[lioness]

Accidents happen everywhere, not just Phuket.

In the last week on 3 consecutive days, at a small U turn on the Sai Yok/Kanchanaburi road, there were 3 seperate accidents, with 4 adults dead and one small child, all these were on motorbikes. None of the accidents were due to the motorcylists, the issue was the 3 vehicles that didn't stop at the red light.

More driver education is needed, a safety awareness campaign and more stringent testing for licenses and more road patrol. However with regards to the testing, that will only help if they are bothering to get a license because many drivers I know have none.

[chrissables]

Accidents happen everywhere, not just Phuket.

In the last week on 3 consecutive days, at a small U turn on the Sai Yok/Kanchanaburi road, there were 3 seperate accidents, with 4 adults dead and one small child, all these were on motorbikes. None of the accidents were due to the motorcylists, the issue was the 3 vehicles that didn't stop at the red light.

More driver education is needed, a safety awareness campaign and more stringent testing for licenses and more road patrol. However with regards to the testing, that will only help if they are bothering to get a license because many drivers I know have none.

Exactly the point i was trying to make above. Of course also the problem is the motorbike riders who ride badly too!

[Thaimaishoe]

So what caused the accident!!!??? I am not saying that in the event of an accident, SOMETIMES a helmet won't help. But to say (or insinuate) that by wearing one, it may prevent one is stupid.

Of course that would be stupid. But if you are under the impression that those advocating helmet use are saying, insinuating, or even thinking, that using a helmet will prevent motorcycle accidents, then there is only one stupid person here. Do you also accuse people who advocate the use of smoke detectors in the home of insinuating they will prevent house fires? Helmets DO NOT prevent accidents, and I don't know anyone who says they do. Period.

But as the survivor of a motorcyle accident in 1992, whose Biaffi (sic?) helmet had a gash deep enough to reach through the hard outer layers into the styrophome (I can't guarantee it was styrophome but it was white and crumbly... just like the OUTER layers of the craptacular helmets you find here in LOS!) as the result of landing on my shoulder and head, and sliding on and over my head, I can tell you that I would not be here to insult your intelligence if it were not for my helmet. I did not have the benefit of Kevlar leathers, but thankfully natural leathers were enough to keep my shoulder intact.

Since as I said above, I am here today, and able to insult your intelligence, let me go ahead and explicitly do so...

"I am not saying that in the event of an accident, SOMETIMES a helmet won't help."

Well actually you should have said that! Because SOMETIMES a helmet WON'T help. I have seen pictures of accidents where the riders body is ripped in half... certainly a helmet would not have helped in that situation.

I'm pretty sure I know what you meant to say there, but given that you can not express yourself correctly, and you are so far off base with what you ARE saying, quite frankly I don't know why anyone would bother reading what you type.

Wow! A very interesting, if ill informed quote regarding my posting.

Indeed why would anyone read let alone answer it! Besides you maybe?

You obviously do not realize it, but YOU just called YOURSELF ill-informed.

And you are correct there is no reason for anyone to read or answer what you write.

Edited April 21, 2012 by LivinginKata
flame removed

[chrissables]

You obviously do not realize it, but YOU just called YOURSELF ill-informed.

And you are correct there is no reason for anyone to read or answer what you write.

Where do i start! You did read and answer, so talking of stupid, high opinionated, ill informed people, you take the biscuit! I am assuming you are an America from the way you signed off. How many states in the past have not enforced or repealed the helmet law there, and why? No proof of them doing so in the case of a full contact accident. If you get side swiped at even low speeds, the likely hood is the helmet will not help. In the case of coming off on a slippery road and sliding down the road I would agree to the possible benefit.

Your pathetic example of wearing protective gear in you country and comparing it to here is just so stupid, I can but conclude you have never been here and seen thing close up! Try riding a bike across Bangkok at the moment in the full kit, you would probably die of dehydration.

Edited April 21, 2012 by LivinginKata
reply to flame removed