People are so funny, a friend that lives up by Nung Bua Lampo had an accident on his motorcycle a 1100 CC sport bike T boned a honda wave, she turned in front of him, he laid the bike down but hit her anyway. Her bike not bad damage the bike he was riding medium damage if he was not an excellent mechainc, but he is so no big bucks involved. Injuries to both parties to tell the truth I think he had the more signicant soft tissue injury to his shoulder. Her cuts a bruises but for her that meant that she stayed in the hospital for a bit. In the States she would not have been admitted. He is completly licenced lights on, helmet, bike registered and properly insured. Her none the previous. Witnesses available stating she was at fault and eventually she admitted her mistake of turning in front of him. He was sweating blood as this was his first time through this in Thailand, I gave him my favorite lady attornies name. With all the horror stories of cops here in Thailand he knew he was going to get nailed. My advice fight don't lay down for it. Others pay the lady and move on. Well sure enough she showed with a demand for 100K. Ray Ria made a call to the Police station for him. He took the position of I wasn't wrong and she was very lucky that he was demanding money from her. He stood his ground and sure enough he paid nothing. Truth is he could have filed suit agianst her and won, but in the end if all you have is a uncollectable judgement you've won nothing but a piece of paper, Same as everywhere not just Thailand. In my experience with these Issan cops, is that I have always been treated fairly. So my suggestion is if your wrong and you know it pay up. If your not say no and tell them you prefer to go to court. Your vehicle will remain in impund but so will thiers. Your going to pay 20k for a filing fee and and then attorney fees, but they have to 10k to file answer and pay thier attorney. The Police only resolve these things if there is an agreement by both parties. When it comes to brass tacks most Thai's will fold if you stand up, they simply can't afford to take the chance, of spending that money and possibly losing. The assumption is we are rich and by Thai standards most of us are, but there are Thai's in my neighborhood that could by and sell me ten times a day. When things go wrong for them they don't just throw, go away money at the problem. Why should we ? Don't misunderstand wht I'm saying if your wrong pay up and try to keep the losses down, but if your right don't follow the rumor mill and give up the go away money. Believe me all the Thai's expect you to do just that. If you stand up for yourself you stand a very good chance on being treated fairly.
very good post ray,,,i think u are 100% right in what u say,,,going to write this down in my dairy,,,,
Intelligence, thoughtfulness and reasonableness resonate throughout your post, Ray, and I applaud it all. Thank you.
She had no insurance and Mia Mee Baht, you know the routine blood and turnups. He held his own and did very well. I was really very proud of the guy first time through, he did very well. I believe it help us all when we skip the go away money
If she had no insurance she should be sitting in jail. It's the law. Hopefully next time she'll get done by an 18 wheeler.
Well he could of pushed that if he wanted to and did use it to get settlement he wanted to. But he lives in this community and I applaud his good judgement. In my thoughts since it is such small communiyt he gained true respect, they know he is fair but not a push over. If you look at the totality of what is really happening here, the Thai woman was ignorant to this believed the rumors a many of us do, that she had hit a gold mine. I would like to think that she learned something form this, but I'm willing to bet she still doesn't have a license, the bike isn't registered, nor is it insured. 18 Wheeler I don't wish that on anybody, although I do have a few canidates that come to mind, but they are not Thai. LOL
It's just as bad in Vientiane, Laos. Whoever the foreignor is, he or she pays. Even if your vehicle is parked and you inside the restaurant on lunch break! Most pay the "go away" fee. I was in an accident sometime end of last year...and I was cycling! The motorbike rammed my bicycle as I was in the middle of a busy street waiting to cross the next lane. I heard his brakes screech and when I looked over my shoulder he was right behind me. I got flung off my bicycle. so did he. Luckily, the other passing vehicles did not run either of us down. I picked myself and my bicycle up and hobbled over to the side. The Lao rider gave me a look :I smell falang money (anybody who isn't Lao is falang with the Laotians.) A crowd was gathering. I really owe it to a concerned Caucasian biker that I escaped before the police arrived and things really got out of hand.He squat down next to me and made sure I was okay. Then he said, "I think you should get on your bicycle and get yourself home - now." I knew exactly what he meant. I looked at him , could only see his eyes as his helmet blocked the rest of his face. Pain or no pain, I was up in a shot. Picked my bicycle and half hobbled and half limped my way out of the crowd. I must have looked quite funny, I was in such a hurry to get away. But the white dude who stopped for me saved me the unnecessary ordeal of dealing with police. On the lighter side: My heel had a deep cut that just missed the tendon. My boss took me to the Lao Japanese hospital. I was really terrified of going to the local hospital for treatment but there was little choice. No anti-tetanus jab, no local anaesthetic. A patient had just died in the next bed in the emergency ward as they brought me in. The dead man had tubes sticking out of his mouth. Not a pretty sight. His family had just been informed of his death and they were all gathered around his bed crying. I howled so loudly when the doctor began stitching my heel... they stopped wailing. I don't endure blood and needles very bravely. Suzi Q Live to Tell the Tale
Well Suzie I wold have yelling a lot louder then you LOL. Lao I don't have clue about. Here the first approach is they hit the brass ring. But the truth is the only way the cops can exact these crazy sums is if you agree to it. It might mean going to court and paying the costs, but when the other person finds out they will be paying to, things can change.
Ray, Am not so sure about how effective legal proceedings are in Laos. I know this falang (English-German)who was engaged to be married to some Lao damsel who may not have been too much in distress. The relationship soured (in his words, "she became this horrible monster"). Thing is his case has been going on for a yewar now with no apparent settlement. The 'dragon lady' has every intention of bleeding him dry. He's a pretty decent chap. Feel really sorry for him. Legal fees on going, matter still unresolved. She should have met one of you biker, dudes. I doubt any of you would have let her cause that much damage. SuziQ Live to Tell the Tale
The tale of 'horrible monsters' has a familiar ring to it the world over Suzi and I don't think we biker dudes are immune. If we were I'd just about be comfortably retired by now... NB. Ray, what's the brass ring - telephone? That's a new one on me.
It's an Amerian saying, years ago when they had crousels there was post with a brass ring and you got a price if you could grab it as you went by. Like finding the gold mine.
Aah, thanks for that Ray. We have an old fashioned carousel that pitches up for the summer in town but they'd be too fearful of some poor mite falling off his horse whilst trying to snatch the treasure nowadays I reckon - in fact there are probably seat belts now... But anyway, I digress.
I'd certainly like to think always friendly and big of heart Suzi, but we come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes that's for sure!
"Friendly" is open to interpretation, no? "Reeelly friendly" is open to ones imagination. laugh. But []all's fair in love and bikedom?
