Prayers won't get you safety on the roads

COMMENTARY

Prayers won't get you safety on the roads

Published: 30 Nov 2012 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

Even though I am not a gambler, my last trip to Siem Reap in Cambodia, through the Aranyaprathet checkpoint which is just a stone's throw from a casino complex, made me feel very much like I was taking a gamble.

My "gambling" had nothing to do with any of Poi Pet's casinos, however. Instead, it was about taking the road from Bangkok to the border town in Sa Kaeo province.

Anyone would probably have felt like I did if they took a public van, a popular choice with travellers.

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BKK-boy
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Discussion 17 : 30 Nov 2012 at 18.4917
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A few months ago, on the way from BKK tot Kanchanabury, I made a loud remark on the drivers' behaviour. He stopped and wanted to kick me out his van in the middle of nowhere. My girlfriend had to give nice words and to make excuses in my place to make him change his mind. At arrival in Kanchanabury, I made a picture of the van, and went to the Tourist Police, but nobody was available at that moment: the office was not manned. Since than I avoid taking vans.
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Victor
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Discussion 16 : 30 Nov 2012 at 18.4016
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Dinost (D6),
Speed by itself is not the main cause of accident (re: autobahn in Germany) eventhough it has a direct impact on the severity of injuries if it did happened. By having GPS on board, even with remote monitoring, nothing much will be achieved because of the lack of enforcement in this country. GPS is good only for the owner of large fleets of vehicle for other purposes and not for speed control.
Most accidents occur because van drivers tend to drive recklessly, weaving in and out of the lane trying to overtake other vehicles in front, left and right, with no regard to safety. We need other mean to control these dangerous behaviou
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kramom
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Discussion 15 : 30 Nov 2012 at 18.2615
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The situation is not at all better here, on the other side of the border, sis.! Your original plan only shortens your exposure.
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bkkmatt
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Discussion 14 : 30 Nov 2012 at 18.0114
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I think the general reason why people don't confront the driver and ask/tell him to slow down is the realisation that the driver might not like to be TOLD to slow down and instead of slowing down .......actually speed up in retaliation to be questioned about his driving.
Sad but true for most.
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bennu
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Discussion 13 : 30 Nov 2012 at 17.4513
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It may not be enough if marks are left by the road, as Catholics do, where people have died.
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lungstib
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Discussion 12 : 30 Nov 2012 at 16.4912
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Its quite simple really. You have real driving tests to ensure the driver is properly trained. You have real speed limits which drivers must stick to. Then you have real policemen who enforce the laws. But that's all just a dream in Thailand isn't it?
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ricoaj22
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Discussion 11 : 30 Nov 2012 at 12.5511
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couldn't agree more with D8 and D9 especially. Why no mention of seat belts. EVERY van i have ever travelled in whilst in this country has intentionally had its seat belts disabled for all rear passengers.
Not being fully fluent in Thai (i am learning however) I can never ask why this is, and i am amazed how they justify their policy (especially in the wake of the tragic don meuang case for one).

As sad as it is, these drivers compound this negligence and display abhorrent driving habits and road awareness, breaking every road rule at will on every trip. What happens if a foreign customer is dissatisfied, who should they call?
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dao
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Discussion 10 : 30 Nov 2012 at 11.3110
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Van spend more time in oncoming traffic playing chicken and actually pushing oncoming traffic into their shoulder .Its hard to believe 14 people couldnt get the driver to slow down .Unfortunately like in most conflict situations most people just sit silently and do nothing .
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karl2009
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Discussion 9 : 30 Nov 2012 at 10.089
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One thing the editor forgot to mention apart from the van driver's crazy driving is. Was she wearing her seat belt at the back of the van? All vans do have seat belts and in an event of a crash from the driver's recklessness this is the only thing that is going to save your life.

The accident involving the 17 old girl on the Don Muang tollway the nine passengers that were killed were thrown out of the van due to its high speed. Wearing a seat belt would have prevented this and saved there lives.

However, I was traveling in a van to go to work this morning; even though the vans have seat belts you cannot wear them as they are disabled.
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drsmith
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Discussion 8 : 30 Nov 2012 at 10.078
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I am curious why you didn't lash out and tell the driver to slow down and drive safely? These are not professional drivers, they are uneducated, low paid drivers who have no idea of drivers education or safety. Each year there are 1,000's of van accidents resulting in multiple deaths. What happened to the government hotline to report these speeding drivers? Did you report him or simply be quiet and let him get away with it? Saying nothing becomes part of the problem, doing something becomes part of an eventual solution. Next time yell at him to slow down. I don't want your van crashing into me and killing my family due to driving recklessly
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Prayers won't get you safety on the roads | Bangkok Post: opinion