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On 2/25/2017 at 0:50 PM, Bud said:

Marcelyn and I noticed police activity at the "Windy City" Terpel Station as we were headed out for our dog obedience training session in Potrerillos. They were using tape measures kinda like a crime scene investigation. That was about 9:15am this morning.

This report from TVN indicates that the young man who died there was transported to hospital by other drivers, due to the lack of an ambulance in Boquete.

http://www.tvn-2.com/nacionales/Nueva-victima-accidente-transito-Chiriqui_0_4698280169.html

Edited by Keith Woolford
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Actually, he did have a chance to survive. Unfortunately he was left to bleed out in the road for 45 minutes. No ambulance would come from Bomberos. Finally the private ambulance showed up but a payment of $300 had to be made first. He died shortly after being put in that ambulance. This according to my Panamanian friend who has worked in conjunction with the SS clinic for many years.

I have lived here for 11 years. I continue to be shocked and often horrified at the treatment Panamanians receive from their government - especially working class citizens who have no financial leverage. How it is that a country that has the wealth that Panama does, the ability to pay from the government coffers for extravaganzas of all types (including private weddings) travel junkets, villas, and just plain stuffing private bank accounts with the people's money not able to supply a major community with one functioning ambulance? How is it that the wretched state of the so called new Social Security clinic is good enough for the residents of Boquete?

Shame on you, Panama

end of rant

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I know it's possible for all ambulances to be out on calls.  The accident would get a 10 minute response ( max) if one were available and certainly an IV started right away along with immobilization and rapid transport would be bottom line.  Every individual deserves a chance to survive.  I believe if all ambulance are all out on calls and the only ambulance is the private one there needs to be donations to an account for the use of that private ambulance and staff provided by donations from this community available. .

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Two women killed in separate traffic incidents

crash-2-620x264.jpg

A  PIRATE busito  attempting to overtake a vehicle struck a taxi coming in the opposite direction and killed a woman passenger on Sunday, Feb. 26, says a police report.

The accident  happened e  near the  cemetery  in Puerto Pilón Colon,  shortly before 5 pm. The passenger who was killed instantly, was returning home from work.

cinta-300x192.jpg

A woman   of approximately 50 years of age  heading for the Carnival area of the Cinta Costera in Panama City  was hit and killed by a diablo verde (green devil) on Monday morning, Feb. 27.

 

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/pirate-bus-kills-taxi-passenger

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Two Carnival deaths in Cocle

Hospital-Aquilino-Tejeira-Penonome_LPRIMA20170227_0016_27-1-620x264.jpg

A 29-YEAR-OLD  driver lost control  of his vehicle, demolished a fence in front of a house and killed Anayansi Rodriguez, 63, who was standing on the front step of her home, in Penonomé, on Sunday, February 26.

She  was rushed  to the Aquilino Tejeira Hospital in Penonomé,  where she died.

The Joint Task Force (FTC) reported a second Carnival death in Cocle on Monday when lan Arcia Arcia, 31, was found dead in a ditch in the Rio Blanco sector Of the community of Barrigón in  the El Harino district of La Pintada.

 

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/two-carnival-deaths-cocle

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Two women killed in separate traffic incidents

crash-2-620x264.jpg

A  PIRATE busito  attempting to overtake a vehicle struck a taxi coming in the opposite direction and killed a woman passenger on Sunday, Feb. 26, says a police report.

The accident  happened e  near the  cemetery  in Puerto Pilón Colon,  shortly before 5 pm. The passenger who was killed instantly, was returning home from work.

cinta-300x192.jpg

A woman   of approximately 50 years of age  heading for the Carnival area of the Cinta Costera in Panama City  was hit and killed by a diablo verde (green devil) on Monday morning, Feb. 27.

 

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/pirate-bus-kills-taxi-passenger

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3 crash deaths lift year’s total to 102

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THE DEATHS of three  men in an early morning traffic accident in Los Santos province  brought the total of highway deaths to 102 in the first 72 days of the year.

The grim statistic puts Panama on track to exceed  the tragic total of 440  in 2016..

The  latest incident  took place in Las Tablas-Pocrí, near the entrance to  La Palma.

The victims were the driver Juan Gabriel Ponce, 31, César Julián Sánchez Días, 34, and Jorge Luis Sánchez Días, 21. They had reportedly left a cantina shortly before the fatal accident.

Investigations are continuing but authorities believe that alcohol and speed were the cause of the accident. The vehicle was completely destroyed

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/3-crash-deaths-lift-years-total-102

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Keith follows more than me this type of news but according to what I have read and seen on the local tv news this is going out of proportions.   People, specially young people are killing themselves on the streets in car accidents.   

By the way I have seen the cars totally destroyed I think that there is a common denominator in these accidents.  High Speed.  

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School bus driver crushed by own vehicle

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THE DRIVER  of a school bus who failed to put the parking brake on when she was unloading a small passenger, was killed on Thursday  afternoon March 17.

Elia Isabel Chen was crushed by her own collegiate busito, in Santa Librada San Miguelito and brought Panama’s transit death total in less than three months to 103.

Transit  sources  said she had just parked to  deliver one of the children to the door of her home but left the engine on, and did not apply the parking brake.

Witnesses told police the woman tried to stop the busito, but was dragged until it was crashed against a wall.

None of the passengers were hurt.

 

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/school-bus-driver-crushed-vehicle

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Highway Deaths Increasing in Chiriqui - 4 Dead in the last 36 hours

A pedestrian was killed early this morning near Divala when he was tossed by a vehicle heading to David.

On Wednesday alone there were 17 accidents and 3 deaths in the province.

http://www.tvn-2.com/nacionales/provincias/Aumenta-victimas-accidentes-transito-Chiriqui_0_4723027691.html

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Well.  

As most of you may know, I live in Panama City.  A place with a terrible traffic conditions.  Going from one place to another may take you, instead of some minutes up to an hour.  So I try to drive just only when necessary to do some personal business or visiting my customers.  

I traveled this last weekend to David, Chiriqui to visit my wife brothers, stay a couple of days resting, visiting Volcan for some purchases my wife wanted to do and of course visit the Feria de David.

I found that my brother in law's best friend died a week ago in a very traumatic car crash neas Las Lomas.  He was devastated with this situation.  When driving around David, goint to Paso Canoas and also to Volcan I found the reason of so many car accidents with fatal consecuences.   I have to tell that people of Chiriqui seems to be the worst and the most bold and aggressive drivers.  I told my wife that driving in Chiriqui means that you have to be extra careful and drive defensively.  In just only 3 days I was there I saw drivers speeding, not respecting stop signals or red lights, and committing more infractions in a few seconds.  This statistics will increase if the traffic authorities dont take strong measures to fine those drivers.

 

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6 hours ago, Roger B said:

Well.  

As most of you may know, I live in Panama City.  A place with a terrible traffic conditions.  Going from one place to another may take you, instead of some minutes up to an hour.  So I try to drive just only when necessary to do some personal business or visiting my customers.  

I traveled this last weekend to David, Chiriqui to visit my wife brothers, stay a couple of days resting, visiting Volcan for some purchases my wife wanted to do and of course visit the Feria de David.

I found that my brother in law's best friend died a week ago in a very traumatic car crash neas Las Lomas.  He was devastated with this situation.  When driving around David, goint to Paso Canoas and also to Volcan I found the reason of so many car accidents with fatal consecuences.   I have to tell that people of Chiriqui seems to be the worst and the most bold and aggressive drivers.  I told my wife that driving in Chiriqui means that you have to be extra careful and drive defensively.  In just only 3 days I was there I saw drivers speeding, not respecting stop signals or red lights, and committing more infractions in a few seconds.  This statistics will increase if the traffic authorities dont take strong measures to fine those drivers.

Roger,

Well said. We are in total agreement. Unfortunately, defensive driving is at times not sufficient to protect life and limb.

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10 hours ago, Roger B said:

 I have to tell that people of Chiriqui seems to be the worst and the most bold and aggressive drivers.  I told my wife that driving in Chiriqui means that you have to be extra careful and drive defensively.  In just only 3 days I was there I saw drivers speeding, not respecting stop signals or red lights, and committing more infractions in a few seconds.  This statistics will increase if the traffic authorities dont take strong measures to fine those drivers.

 

You are correct Roger. We were doing a lot of driving around David for 4 or 5 hours today and had at least 3 close calls. By a close call I mean it was necessary to brake or swerve to avoid an accident because of the actions of someone else.

As we traveled down to David this morning there was a Police officer with a radar gun stationed in Los Algarrobos. A pickup truck came out of a stop street right beside her and turned the corner without signaling, slowing or stopping, and she totally ignored it.

It's been my observation that although drivers in the city may be more aggressive they also seem to be more skilled.

Edited by Keith Woolford
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5 hours ago, Roger B said:

Well.  

As most of you may know, I live in Panama City.  A place with a terrible traffic conditions.  Going from one place to another may take you, instead of some minutes up to an hour.  So I try to drive just only when necessary to do some personal business or visiting my customers.  

I traveled this last weekend to David, Chiriqui to visit my wife brothers, stay a couple of days resting, visiting Volcan for some purchases my wife wanted to do and of course visit the Feria de David.

I found that my brother in law's best friend died a week ago in a very traumatic car crash neas Las Lomas.  He was devastated with this situation.  When driving around David, goint to Paso Canoas and also to Volcan I found the reason of so many car accidents with fatal consecuences.   I have to tell that people of Chiriqui seems to be the worst and the most bold and aggressive drivers.  I told my wife that driving in Chiriqui means that you have to be extra careful and drive defensively.  In just only 3 days I was there I saw drivers speeding, not respecting stop signals or red lights, and committing more infractions in a few seconds.  This statistics will increase if the traffic authorities dont take strong measures to fine those drivers.

 

Hola Roger,

We usually take the express bus to David, then rent a car the next day for transportation to see Nena's primas and tias around Chiriqui.  Been doing it that way for 40 years. The last several trips have always provided "nail biter" experiences on the road, especially during Feria and leading into Semana Santa. The road traffic is many times the normal amount and everyone is in a hurry to be first.  Panama City traffic is bad but since we just take taxis, we don't worry about the driving.  All our taxi rides have been first class and certainly less stress than driving in the city.

Sorry about the friend of your cuñado, condolences.

jim

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10 hours ago, Keith Woolford said:

 

It's been my observation that although drivers in the city may be more aggressive they also seem to be more skilled.

Keith

I didnt want to say it but I agree with your statement.  My brother in law told me the same thing.  He was born and raised in Panama City but for job reasons he moved to Chiriqui almost 20 years ago.  He said to me that he found that drivers in Chiriqui are not so skilled and looks like they grab their license without passing any driving test and not reading the Driver's Manual.  It is amazing the way they drive in Chiriqui.  WE say in Panama:  "they think they are the owner of the road"

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Film at 11.

I agree about the driving skill in Panama City versus in the countryside.  Outside the city they lack "rhythm".  Here is a video I took a few years back in Panama City.  We watched this "dance" during the week we were there and only saw one minor bumper-to-bumper incident.  Notice the lack of speed as the major factor in merging easily.  No signals, no cops.  Try doing this in the USA!

jim

 

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127 highway deaths in 93 days

pirate-bus-crash-620x264.jpg

HIGHWAY DEATHS in Panama continue  on a record breaking course  with 127 tragedies in the first 93 days of the year.

Agedia Josué Abrego, 33, was killed  on Monday Apr 3 when a parked pirate bus was hit from behind  and catapulted into  Abrego who was attempting to cross the road behind a diablo rojo in Las Cuevas, Chilibre.

Two senior citizens, aged 61 and 80  were killed in different incidents in Anton  Cocle on the weekend bringing traffic deaths in the province this year to 30.

 

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/127-highway-deaths-93-days

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I'm SOOOO glad I put my foot down when my husband walked out the door with some cash in a bag to buy a motorcycle from the serial murderer of numerous people in Bocas (as well as Costa Rica) before that man got arrested.  ( little did my husband know at the time )  My husband was to meet him at Las Olas to buy that bike.   When Bill my husband asked me if I was SURE buying a motorcycle was OK I told him: " No ...not the way drivers drive here".  He called off the deal.  The rest is history; the murderer is in jail and my husband is bike-less.   (Of course my husband still wants a motorcycle)

It's dangerous to ride a motorcycle here.  Heck apparently it's dangerous just crossing the street !

Alison

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I commuted to work daily for 45 years in the US  on a motorcycle. One wreck in all those years so I was skilled or lucky. I have never driven a bike in Panama even when it was much less dangerous. Luck and skill only get one so far. If the drivers don't get you, the bad roads or bad weather will.

jim

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7 hours ago, JimAndNena said:

I commuted to work daily for 45 years in the US  on a motorcycle. One wreck in all those years so I was skilled or lucky. I have never driven a bike in Panama even when it was much less dangerous. Luck and skill only get one so far. If the drivers don't get you, the bad roads or bad weather will.

jim

Yes.  I might add I was an orthopedic trauma nurse in a big trauma center.  All it takes is one real bad motorcycle accident to change your life and the lives of your loved one forever.

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34 minutes ago, Brundageba said:

Yes.  I might add I was an orthopedic trauma nurse in a big trauma center.  All it takes is one real bad motorcycle accident to change your life and the lives of your loved one forever.

One of the safety riding classes I attended had an ER nurse, Noreen Valentine. She said they called the bike riders perfect organ donors: 19 to 25, healthy, and no electrical brain activity. She rode a Harley and rode to Austin to protest every try to get a helmet law passed. I never got near a bike without gearing up. She is still a mystery me me.

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