TwoSailors Posted September 6, 2018 Share Posted September 6, 2018 (edited) Holy cow! Was he trying to commit suicide? Edited September 6, 2018 by TwoSailors Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted September 6, 2018 Share Posted September 6, 2018 (edited) The officer was assigned to Boquete. Edited September 6, 2018 by Keith Woolford 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 (edited) The deceased officer’s photo. He was a 20 year veteran of the PN on the way to his shift in Boquete. Apparently he lost control of the vehicle, got into the ditch until he hit a driveway culvert pitching the car against a tree. R.I.P. Edited September 7, 2018 by Keith Woolford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brundageba Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 I feel so sad. When they created those ditches so close to the road it looked so dangerous. . They are ridiculously deep. There is no chance for recovery if something causes a loss of control...could be as simple as an animal in the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 (edited) Two Coaster buses in Chiriqui were towed and the drivers were briefly detained and charged with racing on the PanAmerican highway yesterday morning. According to passengers, one driver was talking on the phone at the time. http://elsiglo.com.pa/cronica-roja/sancionan-boletas-transportistas-protagonizaron-regata-chiriqui/24081803 Edited September 7, 2018 by Keith Woolford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bud Posted September 7, 2018 Author Share Posted September 7, 2018 Here is a case of where some "clamping down" by the police should be applied. This happened earlier this week. This video clip is from our dashcam recorder. It is a 41 second clip as we were exiting Boquete just before noon on Tuesday, September 4th. In this case are three incidents in less than one minute of people driving over the center divider line: a taxi, a bus, and a vehicle. It was the bus that was the scariest. We were within one inch (not exaggerating here) of hitting, and note that I had completely stopped and honked and flashed my lights. The bus driver still came on without reducing speed or moving further to his right until we were side by side. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 I agree that this is a dangerous situation, Bud. It's amazing that people will put their own safety and that of others at risk to avoid a bumpy section of road under construction. The same holds true for those going outside their lane to avoid potholes. This is an ongoing problem and is particularly dangerous on curves when visibility is compromised. I can't count the number of near accidents I've experienced on the Palo Alto-Alto Lino loop because an oncoming vehicle swerved into my lane to avoid a pothole or other bump in the road. The major offenders are taxi drivers. Speaking of the loop, there is another thing that really concerns me. About 80% of the hikers, mostly tourists but some locals, walk with their backs to traffic. This is doubly dangerous. A vehicle is obliged to swerve into the other lane to avoid them, thus endangering himself and an oncoming driver. And the hikers are at risk when a car comes around a curve, up behind them, doesn't see them in his lane until it's too late. Neither do the hikers see the car because their backs are to traffic. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brundageba Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 Potholes are getting bad on the Interamerican Hwy in David. Makes for swerving. ( Drivers here seem adverse to a teeny dip.) It's actually a rare day we don't have some adrenaline producing episode. Nearly ran down a backpacker the other day like Bonnie said. (They seem to be oblivious). I couldn't get to sleep last night thinking about that policeman and his fatal accident near Algerrobos. That road gives me the creeps. Driving here requires quick responses and anticipation of automobile activity front side and back. Driving here is just flat out dangerous. It also requires an awareness of common local driving skills ( risk taking). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 35 minutes ago, Bud said: Here is a case of where some "clamping down" by the police should be applied. This happened earlier this week. This video clip is from our dashcam recorder. It is a 41 second clip as we were exiting Boquete just before noon on Tuesday, September 4th. 90% of the time, I travel N-S on Av. Bellisario Porras in order to avoid the main street. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcelyn Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 Local driving skills (risk taking)? Maybe? When I first came to Boquete I thought the locals did not value life very much because of their bad driving skills. Recently I’m thinking these people have minor or no spatial skills. Can’t identify how much space is needed to pass another vehicle to avoid an accident. This is a major problem for others on the road. Backpackers walking on the roadway with their back to traffic and people crossing the road without checking traffic are also scary for drivers. Bottom line: comprehensive driver training should be part of the licensing process IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 (edited) It seems that many drivers are only concerned with what's ahead in the direction they're going, oblivious to the problems they're causing for others when they enter from a side street without stopping, or change lanes without looking, among other things. A woman crumpled the whole side of her KIA van yesterday morning just north of Ivan's when she started changing lines and found a big delivery truck there. * I think the bus driver in Bud's dashcam video was deliberately being a jerk because of the horn blowing, etc. Edited September 7, 2018 by Keith Woolford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 (edited) Quote Posted Sunday at 09:15 AM (edited) In front of Mall Chiriqui a few hours ago. Small vehicle destroyed after crashing into a fixed object. (post?). The injured have been hospitalized. This beautiful young woman, Melany Valdes, 21 years old, has now passed away as a result of the injuries she suffered as a passenger in this wreck on Sunday in front of Mall Chiriqui. R.I.P. Edited September 7, 2018 by Keith Woolford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoSailors Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 3 hours ago, Brundageba said: Driving here is just flat out dangerous. It also requires an awareness of common local driving skills ( risk taking). Very true and, it has gotten worse! Why the Panama government is not taking any action is amazing. Higher fines, jail time for repeat offenders, mandatory driving safety class when anyone gets a moving violation, suspension of DL, confiscate the vehicle if there was a fatality, vehicle road safety inspections, and most importantly more police enforcement. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whskyman Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 I'm sorry ..... some J.A. one Boquete.ning saw the video on YouTube ..... then claimed it was because the drivers were "old" ... "expats". I couldn't bite my tongue, had to respond to him. Sure there there is a problem with ALL drivers (expats and Panamanians), but don't blame this one on "Bud" 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoSailors Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 Tell Oscar. He will get rid of the J. A. We have driven in many countries but so far our experience driving in Panama is the worse. There are too many drivers that are careless and just plain rude. Especially the commercial drivers, taxis, and buses. Need to start throwing their butts in jail for a few weeks and get them off the roads. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 (edited) 2 hours ago, Whskyman said: I'm sorry ..... some J.A. one Boquete.ning saw the video on YouTube ..... then claimed it was because the drivers were "old" ... "expats". I couldn't bite my tongue, had to respond to him. Sure there there is a problem with ALL drivers (expats and Panamanians), but don't blame this one on "Bud" Bud was reacting cautiously and safely, imo, and as I stated, the bus driver was deliberately being a jerk. Good time to use the Inspector Ciudadano App. Edited September 7, 2018 by Keith Woolford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantah Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 1 hour ago, TwoSailors said: Tell Oscar. He will get rid of the J. A. We have driven in many countries but so far our experience driving in Panama is the worse. There are too many drivers that are careless and just plain rude. Especially the commercial drivers, taxis, and buses. Need to start throwing their butts in jail for a few weeks and get them off the roads. 6x the highway fatality rate of the US per 100,000 km driven. I might even buy an airbag jacket (they do exist)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 22 minutes ago, Pantah said: 6x the highway fatality rate of the US per 100,000 km driven. I might even buy an airbag jacket (they do exist)! Statistics based on different criteria give a different impression Road Fatalities per 100,000 Inhabitants per year U.S. 10.6 Panama 10.0 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-related_death_rate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 (edited) 2 hours ago, TwoSailors said: Very true and, it has gotten worse! Why the Panama government is not taking any action is amazing. Higher fines, jail time for repeat offenders, mandatory driving safety class when anyone gets a moving violation, suspension of DL, confiscate the vehicle if there was a fatality, vehicle road safety inspections, and most importantly more police enforcement. Sadly, and ironically, excess speed has been identified as the cause of the crash that killed the PN officer yesterday on his way to work in Boquete. Edited September 7, 2018 by Keith Woolford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcelyn Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 Sad news. Our thoughts and prayers to the policeman’s family and associates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted September 8, 2018 Moderators Share Posted September 8, 2018 Quote Street thief among Three traffic deaths Posted on September 7, 2018 in Panama Three pedestrians were killed in separate traffic incidents in Panama West on Thursday, September 6, one in Ariajan and two in Chorrera. One of the Chorrera deaths was a man fleeing from a street robbery who attempted to board a moving bus, and fell under the wheels according to witnesses. Meanwhile, in La Cabima, a young passer-by stopped to provide shade with her umbrella for a man hit by a truck until an ambulance arrived. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/street-thief-among-three-traffic-deaths Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted September 9, 2018 Moderators Share Posted September 9, 2018 Moderator comment: That looks serious. Thankful that it resulted in no fatalities. Quote 5 injured in rear-ender Posted on September 8, 2018 in Panama Five people were injured in a rear-end collision involving a delivery truck and a taxi in f San José, Chilibre, on Saturday, September 8. Both vehicles were badly damaged and a concrete structure collapsed. Paramedics treated the injured. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/five-injured-in-rear-ender Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcelyn Posted September 9, 2018 Share Posted September 9, 2018 I’ve seen a number of these very small taxi vehicles dash around trucks without knowing what was ahead in the road. Don’t know the circumstances that caused this accident, but I don’t drive hoping trucks can stop quickly. Can’t happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted September 10, 2018 Moderators Share Posted September 10, 2018 Quote Dump truck closes highway and bridge Posted on September 9, 2018 in Panama Post Views: 131 The Transístmica highway near the Arnulfo Arias Madrid Social security Hospital Complex was closed through Sunday, September 9 after a dump truck crashed in the morning into one of the columns that support a pedestrian bridge. Experts from the Civil protection authority (Sinaproc) were called in to assess the damage and the footbridge was closed. After striking the column, the truck also collided with one of the kiosks that operate at a stop under the bridge. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/dump-truck-closes-highway-and-bridge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted September 10, 2018 Share Posted September 10, 2018 Transitos were busy in Chiriqui over the weekend sanctioning over 1100 drivers for various infractions. about half for speeding.. 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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