Why don't Thais............?

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Originally Posted by Pragmatic

Sorry I forgot to mention that the bus/songthaew that run over the poor kid failed to stop and the driver was arrested later and, along with the other motorcyclist, charged with negligent driving.

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Really cant see how the bus driver is to blame at all here apart from not stopping. No way is he negligent.

The two motorcyclists involved in the collision are to blame, aided and abetted by a common Thai attitude of not taking things seriously.

The other motorcyclist, who was riding close to the young motorcyclist, moved away from the white line and the junction in plenty of time. The young lad didn't seem to be paying any attention until it was too late.

RIP young lad. I hope others learn from your unfortunate demise.

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Originally Posted by Latindancer

the mentality behind peoples' failure to look is some kind of village mentality

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Yeah, I think it's partly that, but also a belief in karma (if it's going to happen, it's going to happen so I don't need to be careful) combined with no thought to consequences and also a bit of not being aware of the surroundings single-mindedness.

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Originally Posted by Maanaam

if it's going to happen, Allah wills it so I don't need to be careful

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...a variant of such thinking found in other parts of the world...

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Originally Posted by Pragmatic

That solid white line you refer to is the demarcation line between the actual road and the hard shoulder. I believe it is illegal to cross over that line to either park or drive. The white line is there instead of kerbs being as it's cheaper and easier to construct a road in rural areas that way.

When should you use the hard shoulder?


The hard shoulder: A narrow emergency lane along the left of a motorway, separated by a solid white line. Most deaths on the hard shoulder happen within 30 minutes of the driver pulling over. Using this part of the motorway should be an absolute last resort, for a breakdown or emergency

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Are you quoting from a Thai "Highway Code"? "Hard Shoulder" is that a Thai or more a European term?

Most Thais, I observe, use the portion of the road between the edge of the tarmac and the white line as a bicycle/motorbike lane. Rightly so as the width of the minor roads are dangerous, as they are narrow. The road in question here seems to be a highway and as such motorbikes, I observe, use the "hard shoulder" for their own protection and widely differing road speeds. As well as driving against the traffic flow if more convenient.

The tarmac at the junction is very limited in width causing the motorcyclist entering the main road little option but to edge out into the main carriageway.

Yes the roads are poor but the Thais need to adjust to differing road usage than possibly when they started driving. The lad that dies was driving too fast, he didn't see the other bike entering the main road and panicked, was not aware of traffic behind and lastly was not wearing a helmet, not that it would have helped I suggest, in this accident.

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Originally Posted by OhOh

Are you quoting from a Thai "Highway Code"? "Hard Shoulder" is that a Thai or more a European term?

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It's irrespective, a continuous white line

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You can cross a continuous white edge line and travel for up to 100m when you are: entering or leaving a single lane road. turning at an intersection from a single lane road. stopping at the side of a road—unless signs or markings say not to.

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The road was a dual carriage way so the rider coming from the side road should not have proceeded to enter the dual road. The stop line, clearly marked on the side road, should not have been crossed until it was clear to do so. Which in this case, it wasn't.

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Solid White Line: requires you to stay within the lane and also marks the shoulder of the roadway.

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From possibly the same Australian road safety rules.

https://www.qld.gov.au/transport/saf...oad/lines#edge

"Continuous edge lines

Edge lines mark the edge of the road. The area to the left of the edge line is called the shoulder of the road and is not an extra lane for vehicles to travel. Cyclists may travel on the road shoulder.


Motorcyclists—with an open licence for the type of motorcycle they are riding—can also use the road shoulder on roads with a speed limit of 90km/h or over, to pass stationary or slow moving traffic providing they’re not travelling over 30km/h."

But are Thais taught Australian RSR, I doubt it. Even those Thais and foreigners who actually have a licence have only to sit through an hour briefing and how much is absorbed is probably very little.

Thai usage, in my observations, use the "hard shoulder/road shoulder, for their own safety similarly. Europeans and others probably also believe they are allowed the full road for general driving and overtaking slower traffic - when safe to do so.

Thais appear not to obey the "Keep Left" rule much, which means many "undertake" manoeuvrers occur.

When I drive my bike on dual carriageways I will use the "hard shoulder" if they are wide enough. If not I will use the left lane for driving and the outer lane for overtaking- when safe to do so. On local roads I keep left if the road surface is good, if not I drive where the surface is good.