DEATH BY STUPIDITY

[Just-1-Voice2]

30,000+ a year. That’s the number of people who die as a result of a motorbike accident in Thailand. Of course, that number doesn’t reflect the numbers of those who are maimed for life, or require expensive medical care – if they can afford it, which most can’t.

Who is to blame?

Well, we can start with high alcohol consumption. Drinking and driving is never a good idea, and a really stupid one when you’re riding a motorbike.

Then we can look at the behavior of young Thai men with the “male-warrior” mentality that their macho behavior on bikes that make them think they are invincible.

Next we can add the fact that the overwhelming majority of motorbike riders never wear helmets, so that even a “minor” accident can, and often does, lead to death from head injuries.

I can’t even begin to count the number of times I’ve been stopped at a red light at an intersection and see police officers on all four corners, with motorbikes carrying three people, none of them wearing a helmet, pull up and stop right in front of the police, and the police act as if they don’t even see them.

Nor can I count the number of times I’ve seen children who are no where near the legal age required by Thai law for the operation of a motorbike, zipping around the city as if they didn't have a care in the world.

And then you have those who think it’s perfectly fine to try and navigate a motorbike with one hand, while holding their cell phone up to their ear and chatting away.

What can be done? With the present attitude that seems to be embedded in everyone, nothing. What SHOULD be done? Glad you asked.

1) Anyone riding a motorbike without a helmet should be subject to a 500 baht fine, and have to go to the police station to pay it (not the police who stopped them), and have their name put into the computer. That’s for the first offense. For the second, 1,000 baht fine, and their motorbike confiscated for 1 week. And if they are stupid enough to get caught a 3rd time, 10,000 baht fine, motorbike confiscated for 30 days, and a week in jail.

2) If a minor is caught riding, go arrest the parents and charge them with “child neglect” for allowing their minor child to operate a motorbike. Fine them 5,000 baht the first time. If there is a second time, 10,000 baht fine, confiscate the motorbike for 30 days, and toss the parents in jail for a week.

3) Anyone caught talking on a cell phone while driving a motorbike should be fined 500 baht the first time. Second offense: 1,000 baht fine and confiscate both the motorbike and cell phone for a week. Again, if they are stupid enough to incur a 3rd offense, 10,000 baht fine, motorbike confiscated for 30 days.

Over the past year I’ve witnessed over a dozen motorbike accidents, and in only one of them can I say the driver of a car/truck was at fault. In all the others it was the motorbike driver being stupid.

When parents lose a minor child due to a motorbike accident they want to blame others for the death of their “baby”. But as far as I’m concerned the person they should blame is the one who looks back at them from the mirror. If they hadn’t let their “baby” drive in the first place they would probably still be alive. If a minor child is killed while driving a motorbike, whether they were at fault or not, I still say arrest the parents and charge them with child neglect and throw them in jail for 6 months.

If the laws were stiffened up like this, then perhaps we would see a change in the death rate of motorbike riders. Of course, even the best laws in the world aren’t worth the paper they are printed on if no one bothers to enforce them.

In view of the statistically documented rapidly declining birth rates in Thailand, the thousands of people killed yearly in motorcycle accidents will be surely missed in the future.

[Sean Moran]

Over the past year I’ve witnessed over a dozen motorbike accidents, and in only one of them can I say the driver of a car/truck was at fault. In all the others it was the motorbike driver being stupid.

IMHO the opposite seems to have applied, but good luck to all motorcyclists around this understeering Globe.

[villager]

It,s GREAT idea J1V and one that i,ve been floating on similar lines for years, unfortunately unless there is a monumental change in Attitude on behalf of both the Government who make the laws and the police who are supposed to uphold them it,s doomed to failure, i drive every day and observe manoeuvres on a regular basis which just defy logic whilst as you say the police look on with complete indifference , but in my view how do the police recognise acts of lunacy when they themselves haven,t a clue what constitutes safe driving or riding techniques, like yourself i,ve witnessed many very serious accidents right here in our town often with young children involved, in closing J1V you make a very valid point but i,m afraid it will be just a cry in the wilderness.

[Sean Moran]

Regarding motorcycling sans auto, or in reaction to a red-light running Audi or a big bad truck, it's about the frount brake around corners, and this is especially a perilous idea on wet/muddy/oily roads.

In a car, too much front brake causes UNDERSTEER when your brakes lock up, but on a motorbike it is more than just that, because you also lose that vital balance, directionally as well as gyroscopically, so IMHO make it a point to NEVER touch the front brake on a motorbike around a corner, and get into the habit of it.

[ATM]

the number of underage thais driving motorbikes is nothing short of crazy
no facts or figures here but my thai wife tells me that most motorcycle deaths here involve underage unlicensed children,if you love your children don't be lazy get on the motorbike and ride up to the 7/11 yourself

[stilljustbrowsing]

30,000+ a year. That’s the number of people who die as a result of a motorbike accident in Thailand. Of course, that number doesn’t reflect the numbers of those who are maimed for life, or require expensive medical care – if they can afford it, which most can’t.

Who is to blame?

Well, we can start with high alcohol consumption. Drinking and driving is never a good idea, and a really stupid one when you’re riding a motorbike.

Agreed.

Then we can look at the behavior of young Thai men with the “male-warrior” mentality that their macho behavior on bikes that make them think they are invincible.

Nothing new here, it's the same around the world.

Next we can add the fact that the overwhelming majority of motorbike riders never wear helmets, so that even a “minor” accident can, and often does, lead to death from head injuries.

[color=#FF0000]The guy that develops and produces a "regrigerated" helmet will make a fortune, fare better than wearing an oven on ones head. (point taken though)[/color]

I can’t even begin to count the number of times I’ve been stopped at a red light at an intersection and see police officers on all four corners, with motorbikes carrying three people, none of them wearing a helmet, pull up and stop right in front of the police, and the police act as if they don’t even see them.

FREEDOM!

Nor can I count the number of times I’ve seen children who are no where near the legal age required by Thai law for the operation of a motorbike, zipping around the city as if they didn't have a care in the world.

so despite their apparent youth, they can control a motorcycle sufficiently enough to negotiate the hazzards of city traffic.

And then you have those who think it’s perfectly fine to try and navigate a motorbike with one hand, while holding their cell phone up to their ear and chatting away.

That should be banned completly, as should the use of mobile phones be banned on all modes of public transport.
What can be done? With the present attitude that seems to be embedded in everyone, nothing. What SHOULD be done? Glad you asked.

1) Anyone riding a motorbike without a helmet should be subject to a 500 baht fine, and have to go to the police station to pay it (not the police who stopped them), and have their name put into the computer. That’s for the first offense. For the second, 1,000 baht fine, and their motorbike confiscated for 1 week. And if they are stupid enough to get caught a 3rd time, 10,000 baht fine, motorbike confiscated for 30 days, and a week in jail.

I see, so where will the motorcycles be kept and who will be be responsible for the storage at both a practical and financial level? I also thought the prisons are overcrowded already.


2) If a minor is caught riding, go arrest the parents and charge them with “child neglect” for allowing their minor child to operate a motorbike. Fine them 5,000 baht the first time. If there is a second time, 10,000 baht fine, confiscate the motorbike for 30 days, and toss the parents in jail for a week.

Send the parents to jail? Who is then responsible for taking care of the children?


3) Anyone caught talking on a cell phone while driving a motorbike should be fined 500 baht the first time. Second offense: 1,000 baht fine and confiscate both the motorbike and cell phone for a week. Again, if they are stupid enough to incur a 3rd offense, 10,000 baht fine, motorbike confiscated for 30 days.

See above comment.

Over the past year I’ve witnessed over a dozen motorbike accidents, and in only one of them can I say the driver of a car/truck was at fault. In all the others it was the motorbike driver being stupid.

There certainly is a lack of driving skills here, but not only the motorcyclists.[color=#FF0000][/color]


When parents lose a minor child due to a motorbike accident they want to blame others for the death of their “baby”. But as far as I’m concerned the person they should blame is the one who looks back at them from the mirror. If they hadn’t let their “baby” drive in the first place they would probably still be alive. If a minor child is killed while driving a motorbike, whether they were at fault or not, I still say arrest the parents and charge them with child neglect and throw them in jail for 6 months.

Again, who then takes care of any other children belonging to said parents.

If the laws were stiffened up like this, then perhaps we would see a change in the death rate of motorbike riders. Of course, even the best laws in the world aren’t worth the paper they are printed on if no one bothers to enforce them.

In view of the statistically documented rapidly declining birth rates in Thailand, the thousands of people killed yearly in motorcycle accidents will be surely missed in the future.

Perhaps I appear controversial here but the road "infrastructure" itself does not help.

[villager]

Hi SJB, It,s quite obvious that J1V is somewhat dismayed at this totally needless loss of life, and has made a few recommendation,s which may or may not allay this senseless daily carnage on Thailand's roads, the problem is of course that many innocent live,s are lost solely through the actions of these mindless cretins who are allowed to commit mayhem without incurring any financial penalty for doing so , it would appear you seem to be pouring cold water on J1V,s views, and as there is an obvious problem just what would you yourself suggest?,and in closing are you seriously suggesting that "road infrastructure" causes 3 ten year old kids on a Honda 125 to ride at breakneck speed on the WRONG side of the road at night with no lights , sorry SJB this just won,t wash, the sole cause of this sort of thing happening is solely down to the MI PEN RI attitude of the so called"law enforcers".

[stilljustbrowsing]

I was expecting your comment, having read previous posts from someone similar to you in the past.
It cetainly is a difficult one to answer. I used to ride a bicycle as a kid in Liverpool, sure, the traffic was not so bad then, but the potential hazzards were the same. Situational awareness is the key, teaching people to take note of their surroundings before they move, not after. (I never wore a "crash hat" at the time for none were available, and even if they were, I would have chosen not to wear it.)
I had a cycling proficiency test at my school when I was 7 years old, what happened to that scheme?
I started riding motorcycles at 12 years old, on fields, not roads and learnt a lot from that.
For as long as vehicles have to be controlled by people, there will always be accidents!
So automate everything and totally remove our right to an eliment of independence, or accept we have a freedom of choice which will incurre fatalities on occassion. For example, ban all mountain climbing, it proves nothing, enhances nothing and just requires emergency services where they would not otherwise be required. Oh yeah, ban all sports as well, they are not necessary and only increase the hospitals' workload.

[Profiler]

I was expecting your comment, having read previous posts from someone similar to you in the past.
It cetainly is a difficult one to answer. I used to ride a bicycle as a kid in Liverpool, sure, the traffic was not so bad then, but the potential hazzards were the same. Situational awareness is the key, teaching people to take note of their surroundings before they move, not after. (I never wore a "crash hat" at the time for none were available, and even if they were, I would have chosen not to wear it.)
I had a cycling proficiency test at my school when I was 7 years old, what happened to that scheme?
I started riding motorcycles at 12 years old, on fields, not roads and learnt a lot from that.
For as long as vehicles have to be controlled by people, there will always be accidents!
So automate everything and totally remove our right to an eliment of independence, or accept we have a freedom of choice which will incurre fatalities on occassion. For example, ban all mountain climbing, it proves nothing, enhances nothing and just requires emergency services where they would not otherwise be required. Oh yeah, ban all sports as well, they are not necessary and only increase the hospitals' workload.

Sorry SJB, I agree with former posters... maybe because of western educational standards but in the matter of letting a kid out to drive motorbike to do arrends is a question of common sense not about educational principals. As for the matter of punishing the parents, jail time doesn´t work here since most are so poor they can´t even have a nanny , but a substantial fine will do...
What´s needed is to get a totally new teaching plan regarding driver license, I mean how hard is it to get thai driver license, you practically get it in the mail. The first to retest are the busdrivers and the truckdrivers as they consider themselves roadkings which no one dare to question since they probably will be rammed.

[stilljustbrowsing]

Oh so sorry, an' I thought the ones doing the ramming where the educated rich kids in their Mercedes, silly me!