Sad news

Post by **jackspratt** » November 17, 2014, 8:05 pm

I didn't know LR, other than through his posts here and on UT.

Based on that, I am pretty sure that he would be appalled by the Thai bashing that has suddenly appeared on this thread.

I have ridden thousands of kilometres around Ban Dung and nearby Amphurs on my bike, and I have yet to see unsupervised cattle or buffalo.

Please show some respect - if you want to whinge about Thais/Thailand, take it elsewhere.

Post by **Stantheman** » November 17, 2014, 8:38 pm

Thank you Jack, could not have said it better, some people just can not show respect without bashing Thailand or complaining about something that has nothing to do with the person who just lost his life.

Post by **Drunk Monkey** » November 18, 2014, 3:29 am

Stantheman wrote:Thank you Jack, could not have said it better, some people just can not show respect without bashing Thailand or complaining about something that has nothing to do with the person who just lost his life.

Yep .. been busy and away last few days and learned of Neals death Via UM ...... very sad to lose such a nice man , a real gent when ever i met him , a music lover, politically astute but more so a REAL GOOD GUY , condolences to his family .

Hope many turned up to give a good send off.

dm

Post by **johnrace** » November 18, 2014, 6:54 am

Thailand has cows on the road. In England we have sheep roaming onto the roads on the North Yorkshire Moors!

Post by **maaka** » November 18, 2014, 9:14 am

yup, come down to my island and my neighbour has his black poll cattle on the road, even after years ago a local bloke swerved at night to avoid what he said was a black poll standing in the middle of the road late at night, swerved into a deep ditch and his passenger was paralyised for the rest of her life, which didnt last too long, as she died in a rental house fire on the same farmers land...no one ever believed the driver, but I was heading thru the valley one pitch black night, and there in the windscreen at the last moment was a black poll bull parked in the middle of the road..just managed to avoid it...his cows are still on the roadside...' exisiting use rights ' or some dam thing..he is supposed to remove them before dark, but theres no law out here..and it escaped anyway..wink wink..

I am afraid on motorbikes you can be prepared for everything, such as kids and dogs running out in front of you, but there are always surprises, in road conditons, hazards, blind spots..etc etc..all you can do is wear all the right gear, drive to the conditions, and hope for the best...

re helmuts, I kissed the Sakon Nakhon highway a beauty some weeks back, and if I hadnt been wearing my NZ helmut , which I bring to and forth every trip, I would be a vegetable in Udon Hospital now..my head fair smacked the road, I can tell you...like falling off horses, ones head tends to hit the ground first most of the time..I know I have fallen of my horses too....wear a helmut

Post by **noosard** » November 18, 2014, 9:38 am

There are a lot of hazards on the road here
especially now with the rice harvest in full swing
you need to take care all the time
as Jack said livestock mostly has someone tending them
with long ropes attached
these beast of burden are very qquiet animalsand not the brightest
hence the kids name calling " buk kwai"

Post by **bumper** » November 18, 2014, 11:21 am

No disrespect to Neal, two things come to mind, he wanted very loud pipes I got um for him. They were loud enough to spook an animal. That being said Neal rode very slow, But, he seldom wore a helmet.

his bike was sit up to gave the easy rider look, that looks great. But, leaves a lot to be desired in Handling. There is a group of cattle that go unattended in the First Home area very often, to include th4e main road outside. I think he owned some land in Nong Sai. A few years back a farrang and his girlfriend were killed on that road, night time Water Buffalo, that would be hard to see at night.

Bikes are dangerous and unforgiving. He was a good hearted guy sad to see.

If you have ridden in the Country side much you have ridden through a herd of cattle.

It is against the law to allow animals to run on the road, Money is the key here, it will be up to Neal's widow to settle that aspect

RIP

Post by **Udon Map** » November 18, 2014, 11:27 am

FWIW, one of my friends is the Accident Reconstruction Officer of a police department in the U.S. His patrol vehicle is a new Harley for 8½ - 9 months a year (his department leases them for one year at a time, so he gets a new one every year). He told me that one of the things they taught him in the police officers' motorcycle academy is that loose animals always run forward when spooked. So (he said), if you realize that you're going to run into a large animal and won't have time to stop, aim for the rear of the animal because there's a reasonable chance that it will be spooked and run out of your way.

Post by **Jsell50** » November 18, 2014, 4:19 pm

Neal had a good sendoff, lots of farang friends and a good number of Thais. Hopefully they have lots of guitars and Harleys in heaven... Maybe he can teach the angels how to play a blue's harp!

Post by **bumper** » November 18, 2014, 5:51 pm

Things I've learned with dogs, yes they can put you down, hit them straight stay off the brakes. What I found as I was skidding along the pavement you go up in the air wheels lock up and you end u[ in a skid. Stay off the brakes a bump in the road more or less. Believe me it's not as easy as it sounds natural reflex is to stop

Something as large as cow, I doubt there is much you can do except lay it down and hope for the best.

Neal Old friend sometimes you just have bad luck.

RIP

Post by **Macca** » November 18, 2014, 6:04 pm

Friend of mine back in UK was a police rider and instructor. He had every conceivable certificate of advanced driving.
After 36 years of accident free ridding, other than a couple of minor scraps, he finally met his match.
He is currently lay in a hospital bed after hitting a fox whilst on a sunny Sunday ride in Cheshire.
It doesn't matter how experienced you are and how careful you ride there are certain situations that are unavoidable to us all.

Never met Neal but from what i read he is another good guy gone too soon.

Post by **BigBubba** » November 19, 2014, 9:41 am

Drunk Monkey wrote:
Hope many turned up to give a good send off.

Yes, a very nice turnout. Hard to give an exact number because such a big area around the temple. I'd guess well over a hundred, including a former classmate of his from college, who just happened to be in Bangkok at the time. I'm still having trouble grasping with the fact the big guy is gone. Life is so fragile. Don't let a day go by without telling those closest to you that you love them.

Post by **Sakhonnick** » November 19, 2014, 10:24 am

never a truer word said Bubba...one minute we are on a high the next on a low..i always tell my family members i love them...
im sorry for your loss i never met your friend..may he rest in peace now...