News Forum - Road safety group says bad roads to blame for many motorbike accidents

[Thaiger]

The director of the road safety group, ThaiRAP, says bad roads are a significant contributor to motorbike accidents in the kingdom. Kasem Choo­charukul was commenting on Thailand having the highest number of deaths from motorbike accidents in the world. According to a Bangkok Post report, he says 3 out of 4 roads, covering a distance of 1,000 kilometres, have been deemed unsafe for motorbike riders. Risks include curved lanes that are designed for cars, not bikes, as well as hazards such as holes in the roads. He blames the fact that in Thailand, roads are designed for car drivers, not […]

The story Road safety group says bad roads to blame for many motorbike accidents as seen on Thaiger News.

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[DoUKnowWhoIAm]

18 minutes ago, Thaiger said:

roads are designed for car drivers, not bike riders,

The Bangkok sidewalks are designated for moterbikes, NOT  pedestrians.

[KaptainRob]

Quote

“If the government injects only 0.1 – 0.2 % of GDP each year, or about 15 billion baht into the road network, it will save some 7,500 people from suffering a road accident each year.”

Compulsory driver education and proper on-road testing would cost a fraction of that.  Impound any bike found to be unroadworthy or without a licensed driver.

Chiang Mai RTP have managed to increase helmet use by drivers but very few passengers.  And lane splitting is daily near-death experience to see anywhere around town.

[Shade_Wilder]

After 30+ years living and riding across Asia, I have one rule as to whether or not you are qualified to ride a motorcycle here.

If you haven't been hit in the face by a chicken whilst passing through a village, you shouldn't be on a road.

[NCC1701A]

i think they should add more U-turns. 

[Dr.Sivada]

Oh of course, it can only be the roads. I am positive the recklessness deeply engrained in Thai driving culture has not a damn thing to do with these accidents! 

[Thommo]

as both a car driver and bike rider in thailand i guess this guy has been transferred from TAT

 

[mickkotlarski]

A change in attitude from many local motor bike riders would also help. At the front of my village last month 3 lads all under 16 slammed into a Merc whilst the rider was talking on this mobile phone. None of the three had shoes or helmets  on and to add insult to injury said they hit the car because they ran out of footpath.

Because the rider had no insurance and claimed they were poor people being harassed by a rich bloke in a Merc, they got away with it as the driver knew it was a lost cause and not worth the hassle to get compensated. I see similar instances over and over all around Thailand. 

Of course the roads should be upgraded but enforcing some simple road rules would not go astray either.

[HolyCowCm]

Absurd. 

[Bluesofa]

3 hours ago, Shade_Wilder said:

After 30+ years living and riding across Asia, I have one rule as to whether or not you are qualified to ride a motorcycle here.

If you haven't been hit in the face by a chicken whilst passing through a village, you shouldn't be on a road.

Did you have a helmet on? Did the chicken?

I was hit in the stomach by a pigeon in the UK while on my way to work on a motorbike. It really winded me for a few minutes. I'm guessing the pigeon suffered more seriously injuries.

[Bob20]

2 minutes ago, Bluesofa said:

Did you have a helmet on? Did the chicken?

I was hit in the stomach by a pigeon in the UK while on my way to work on a motorbike. It really winded me for a few minutes. I'm guessing the pigeon suffered more seriously injuries.

Did they catch who threw the pigeon? 

[Bluesofa]

2 minutes ago, Bob20 said:

Did they catch who threw the pigeon? 

It was Dick Dastardly.

[Dedinbed]

40 minutes ago, Bluesofa said:

was hit in the stomach by a pigeon in the UK while on my way to work on a motorbike.

Hahaha sounds like he homed in on you Mr Sofa .. 

What did rich pigeon call poor pigeon .? 

A pheasant .. 

[Jason]

How there aren't more motorcycle accidents in Thailand, I'll never know. There has to be a balance between totally wreckless (no helmet, no protective clothing, multiple people on a motorbike) and the Nanny State (being wrapped in bubble wrap). Judging by the injuries, maybe it's time for at least some wiser measures.

[Thommo]

1 minute ago, Jason said:

How there aren't more motorcycle accidents in Thailand, I'll never know. There has to be a balance between totally wreckless (no helmet, no protective clothing, multiple people on a motorbike) and the Nanny State (being wrapped in bubble wrap). Judging by the injuries, maybe it's time for at least some wiser measures.

it would nice just to see enforcement of the laws that exist now.

[billywillyjones]

No question road conditions can cause accidents just like at Pattaya with it's sink holes and metal sheets across holes in the road... ridiculous.  The more they fix the worse the roads become.  Amazing Thailand.

[KaptainRob]

34 minutes ago, billywillyjones said:

No question road conditions can cause accidents just like at Pattaya with it's sink holes and metal sheets across holes in the road... ridiculous.  The more they fix the worse the roads become.  Amazing Thailand.

Fortunately the road maintenance problem does not extend to all regions and seems more prolific in the tourist areas of Pattaya and Phuket for $ome reason. 

[Soidog]

The really scary part about this article, is that this utter nonsense was said by “The Director of road safety group”. God help us! 
Deserving of my favourite meme

[cowslip]

This is very true - unfortunately the standard of road design and engineering in Thailand is very poor. Heavy vehicles and rain can cause considerable surface damage and it is often weeks or months before this is repaired - motorcycles are particularly vulnerable to the damages, in particular linear damage such as rutting etc.

Edited October 22, 2021 by Khunwilko

[cowslip]

10 hours ago, Dr.Sivada said:

Oh of course, it can only be the roads. I am positive the recklessness deeply engrained in Thai driving culture has not a damn thing to do with these accidents! 

you really don't gettit!

[cowslip]

4 hours ago, Soidog said:

The really scary part about this article, is that this utter nonsense was said by “The Director of road safety group”. God help us! 
Deserving of my favourite meme

ThaiRAP - is NOT the Thai government - it is a road safety body that lobby's authorities on behalf of road safety.

There are several organisations that have tried to influence the government into taking a modern scientific approach to road safety. Successive governments have chosen to ignore them - in a reckless lamest murderous disregard for human life.

[cowslip]

11 hours ago, KaptainRob said:

Compulsory driver education and proper on-road testing would cost a fraction of that

You are ill-informed as to the lasting effectivem=ness of driver training. You also don't appreciate that there needs to be a HOLISTIC approach to road safety. Picking out random single issues is just blowing off into the wind.

[Soidog]

8 hours ago, Khunwilko said:

ThaiRAP - is NOT the Thai government - it is a road safety body that lobby's authorities on behalf of road safety.

There are several organisations that have tried to influence the government into taking a modern scientific approach to road safety. Successive governments have chosen to ignore them - in a reckless lamest murderous disregard for human life.

I never said it was the Thai government!! However this person claims to be a road safety expert. Either he’s blind or never driven on Thai roads. Yes, the road design and surface will play a part in accidents. However, it is a minuscule contribution compared to a long long list of other issues. Starting with proper driving instruction and testing. It is utter stupidity and ignorance to suggest road surfaces or bends in road are the source of many accidents. It’s the nutters who drive too fast, too close, lane switch, no lights, wrong side of the road, no helmets, overloaded bikes, no breaks, bald tires, tailgating, no mirrors, no road sense, no license, etc etc etc. 
 

Needed to add a few more:

Poor lane and road markings:

Poor intersection lighting

Utterly confusion signage such as flashing amber traffic lights at intersections after midnight. WTF?

No one understanding “right of way” or yield to the right.
 

I could go on and on and on. But I won’t!!   
 

Road design! . Give me a break 

Edited October 22, 2021 by Soidog
Extra problems added

[Faraday]

8 hours ago, Khunwilko said:

You also don't appreciate that there needs to be a HOLISTIC approach to road safety

Is that where people sit 'round a campfire singing Kumbaya?

 

[Soidog]

8 hours ago, Khunwilko said:

You are ill-informed as to the lasting effectivem=ness of driver training. You also don't appreciate that there needs to be a HOLISTIC approach to road safety. Picking out random single issues is just blowing off into the wind.

“Picking out random single issues is just blowing off in to the wind”. Why are you telling KaptainRob this? It’s the imbecile ThaiRAP who said it was the roads . Everyone else knows it’s the long list of other things that need to be acknowledged and address in an “Holistic approach”. 
 

The fact is that just about anyone who has learned to drive in a developed western or Asian country could fix the Thai road problem inside of 12 months. It would however mean 50% of road users were banned from driving until they achieved the correct driving skills. Until their vehicles had passed a proper road worthiness inspection certificate and until the police actually got in their cars and started stopping offenders and fining them properly. Will never happen due to Thai mentality. It’s not the Thai roads, it’s the Thai system that’s to blame.