News Forum - Wrong-way motorbike accident in Phuket claims renowned artist’s life

[Thaiger]

A 44 year old man lost his life last night after his motorbike, which he was riding in the wrong direction, collided with a tourist bus. The tragic accident took place on Srisoonthorn Road, Phuket. The bus was transporting people back to their hotels from their expedition to Phuket FantaSea. News of the crash reached the Thalang … …

The story Wrong-way motorbike accident in Phuket claims renowned artist’s life as seen on Thaiger News.

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[Grumpish]

A foreign national driving on the wrong side of the road is easy enough to understand (being British, Thailand is one of the few countries where I don't have to constantly think about what side of the road I am driving on). But this was a Thai national, riding a motorcycle in the way that so many Thais do - dangerously.  

[cowslip]

" He explained the slick road conditions, caused by persistent rain that evening. He was driving and suddenly spotted the Honda Wave motorbike coming at him on the right lane."

Firstly whose "right lane"

"slick" road conditions - it is a sad feature of Thai roads that in t wet road markings etc just vanish.

THere is also a culture "of necessity that overrides the laws and it rider may have decided that was worth driving on the wrong side - if that was indeed the case.

It's also possible he  didn't know

[ChrisS]

Sadly it is all too frequent that you see motorcycles driving the wrong way down the road for expediency. I have seen this done in front of police officers who took no action as seems to be the case with the majority of driving laws in Thailand particularly regarding motorcycles.

[cowslip]

4 hours ago, ChrisS said:

Sadly it is all too frequent that you see motorcycles driving the wrong way down the road for expediency. I have seen this done in front of police officers who took no action as seems to be the case with the majority of driving laws in Thailand particularly regarding motorcycles.

Yes - this is so but to make conclusions about one incident is to make a "politicians fallacy" of the whole thing.

As said "i have seen" is anecdotal evidence and the plural of anecdote is not data.

THe reality is that crashes in THailand are not measured or calibrated professionally and we seldom get the opportunity to have a scientific breakdown of what happened - the best we can get is a casual statement for a police officer who bases his conclusion on the hearay of a gaggle of unreliable witnesses.

 

I don't know if you've ever read a crash report  - for instance from the UK where every reported crash is measured out in detail - take a rummage around this government stats pages - te detail is astounding.

 

PS - if you want to understand traffic in Thailand just pretend you are in a boat

[cowslip]

The is a tendency for people to misunderstand this sort of behaviour and through prejudice and confirmation bias attribute it to something inherent in Thai people - the fact is that human error is CONSTANT in all populations - it is what authorities do to avoid it that countr=s - eg. building better roads and traffic systems

THis article in the UK press from 2 days ago shows it isn't a problem restricted to THailand

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/14/frightening-rise-in-vehicles-driving-wrong-way-on-englands-motorways

[Fanta]

4 hours ago, cowslip said:

THis article in the UK press from 2 days ago shows it isn't a problem restricted to THailand

Not restricted to Thailand the same as Ebola is not restricted to Africa… 

[Chas]

Phuket's bike lanes are full of bikes going the wrong way - often because the solid central reservation stops bikes crossing the road. 

[Ramanathan.P]

This wrong way riding is happening basically in every country. I don't mind the person who is riding wrong day die. But sometimes the innocent road user who follows the traffic rules are the affected party. That is not acceptable to me. In this case the rider went the wrong way and he faced the consequences of it. Nothing to feel sorry about. 

https://www.nst.com.my/news/crime-courts/2023/06/920849/police-seek-witnesses-ducati-motorcyclists-fatal-crash-suke-highway

https://www.therakyatpost.com/news/2023/07/10/wrong-way-suke-biker-ordered-to-undergo-psychiatric-evaluation-following-fatal-ducati-accident/

https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2023/06/17/apologise-to-my-family-says-son-of-man-killed-in-suke-crash/

[cowslip]

5 hours ago, Chas said:

Phuket's bike lanes are full of bikes going the wrong way - often because the solid central reservation stops bikes crossing the road. 

that begs the begs "so what?". 

people over attribute simpoe causes to accidents which is why in Thailand so little progress is made.

[cowslip]

7 hours ago, Fanta said:

Not restricted to Thailand the same as Ebola is not restricted to Africa… 

You are right to identify road safety as a public health issue