richard_smith237

4 hours ago, Get Real said:

Nope! I have been looking out for myself and for others in traffic. I have been using my knowledge of driving and senible speed. To me it´s not about how quick I will arrive. I has to do with that I will arrive.

Unless there are financial reasons m, why not just use a car then? It’s much safer.

I use my motorcycle for one single reason.... ‘to save time’....

I agree with your point though. The importance of saving time pales into insignificance when compared to safe arrival.

While waiting for delivery of our car my Wife and I were unable to get a hire-car for 2 weeks in Bangkok. 

I couldn't believe how disinterested even the major companies were. 

From offices not staffed at stated opening times, cars only available at the airport (we had to pick them up), availability in a 'few' days, to some of the smaller companies offering seemingly unscrupulous damage waiver costs and some without adequate insurance.... 

After 2-3 days of trying we simply gave up and relied on UBER & Grab. 

After attempting to deal with the car-hire companies in Bangkok I realized one thing: They are not there for the customer, the customer is there to provide them with business. 

Thus: Op: To avoid the run-around it may be worth while just biting the bullet and picking it up at the Airport (use the Airport link). 

4 minutes ago, AhFarangJa said:

Or did you mean to say Men hung like Elephants will be hunted down.........

.... erm... Just sayin'.... 

I find it quite impossible that someone drives into a stationary vehicle, but it does seem to happen quite often here in Thailand. 

I am wondering if the Pickup was not 'reversing' out into the traffic, or whether the rear of the pickup was sticking out into traffic while parked nose in, perpendicular to the main road. 

With regards to one comment regarding riding gear: What 'Riding' gear would he [Get Real] expect everyone to wear in Thailand?

I use a motorcycle to avoid traffic and wear a full face helmet, protective mesh jacket and gloves, always wear shoes (trainers)... but I don't put on protective trousers which would take more time.

Obviously this accident makes me consider whether I should in-fact wear protective trousers, but then the discomfort in the heat, the extra time it would take to get ready when nipping out makes me think I would just take the car, deal with the traffic and sit in the comfort of Air-con instead.... 

Sometimes something on the motherboard can work lose.

A number of years ago I had an ASUS laptop which would not start. A repair shop had it for 3 weeks but were unable to fix it. 

So, I just took it apart to take a look and put it back together. Surprisingly it worked !!

It turns out that with the on-off heat cycle a screw had worked lose and the motherboard shifted position (worked free a little) - All that was required was to tighten the screw again. 

My guess is that the Computer shop were too lazy to fix the Laptop, fortunately nothing was paid. 

9 minutes ago, transam said:

Actually the bloke was a Thai but had real insurance...

My point was aimed at another poster whose 'anti-nanny-state' argument forgets that the avoidance of civilized behavior (i.e. the avoidance of 'nanny state' rule and regulation) impact us all negatively... 

5 minutes ago, transam said:

Yep, I know a case where two twelve year olds crashed, one dead one with broken arm...The parents were paid out by the insurance of the bloke who did sod all wrong...

Aww... insurance...  why should we have all this 'nanny state' stuff... ? can't we just fit in with those Thai's who don't have insurance?  

[for those working with 'limited materials available to them' - the above remark is tongue-in-cheek!]

12 minutes ago, colinneil said:

  

Totally disagree with your comments, the only thing Thais would say seeing a farang behaving like that is....Farang baa.

haha... I think anyone looking at this would suggest 'Farang baa'....  anyone would have to be a 'few sandwiches short of a picnic' to carry out such an endeavor...  I'm quite sure anyone seeing anyone (Foreign or Thai) do this would suggest they are nuts...  But, if his message gets across then there can only be a positive outcome.... I hope he is featured in the Thai news, his message is a good one. 

Unless of course, you are fearful of being 'tarred with the same 'farang baa' brush' which is better than being tarred with the 'grumpy farang brush'.....

5 minutes ago, transam said:

Two weeks cruising the Norfolk Broads is heaven....

Quite... It often amazes me how often I 'leap-frog' over those many incredible areas closest to home and the Norfolk Broads is on my list.. (hopefully it will be out of fashion with the stag partiers).

That said, the most Amazing Skies - Kazakhstan and New Zealand

... the most Amazing mountains - Alps and Himalayas

... the most Amazing (and positive) Culture shock - Japan 

5 minutes ago, HAKAPALITA said:

That reply was aimed at a Puppy, more in annoyance than worth. Correct as you are about Educated Thais, but one has to work with Materials Available, and thats limited.

1

Oh... you left the door wide open there...  

39 minutes ago, HAKAPALITA said:

No young man, when in a War Zone, react accordingly, the other side dont want your oppinion.

From your comments in this thread, I can understand why the 'other side' as you call them don't want your opinion. Firstly you refer to Thai's as 'the other side' and not, us, as in part of a community within which you live.

And no, Thailand is not a 'war zone' that comment is, well, for want of a better description is just daft...

Have a discussion with any well educated Thai, their opinions are very similar and critical discussions nearly always draw the same conclusions....

15 hours ago, HAKAPALITA said:

Well  improve your own pooe driving habits , treat them all as bad, preempt them and stop swerving around as if your a Kid.

Easier said than done...  Pre-empting the idiotic manoeuvres of motorcyclists in Thailand still results in daily emergency braking to avoid them.

Pretty much each and every day I consider I have saved a motorcyclist from injury by emergency braking... If we were to pre-empt the motorcyclist pulling out in front of me at each and every side Soi I would have to stop for each and every side soi....  You can throw words such as pre-empt, predict etc out there all you like, however, preempting the galactic stupidity and dangerous nature of some of the riders is unpractical as you'd have to come to a halt whenever near a motorcycle and even then I'm sure one would still manage to hit you !!!

16 minutes ago, nickmondo said:

what driving lessons?  there are none.  which is why this stuff happens in the first place.

one day the penny will drop and they Thais will realise they need to be taught some things.

Learning to drive should be the number one priority here.

Oh... I'm sure the 'Penny has dropped'.... no one really cares at all, starting from those right at the top in positions of decision making power - The apathy towards the most basic safety here is criminal in many other nations. 

1 hour ago, outsider said:

 

Looks like a modified rig too with higher ride-height and bigger (taller) wheels so I guess that all worked in the motorcyclist's favour. All the gods must've been smiling at her that day.

 

As for Kaysorn the truck driver, it seems like the motorcycle was in Kaysorn's blind spot in the beginning (hidden by the truck's A-pillar AND the higher ride height) and Kaysorn would've been looking the other way at oncoming traffic before making sure her path was clear (wrong sequence I know) but, as soon as the motorcycle was in front of her, and at the point where the truck hit the bike, Kaysorn would've seen the bike, and could've stopped. Or maybe she did try to stop, but in her panic, stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake pedal? That would explain why the truck looked like it was 'powering' over the bike. Just guessing here.

That's exactly the way I interpreted the video. 

It seems apparent that upon impact the driver of the pickup panicked and 'powered' over the bike then the curb. 

In short: This lady was clearly unfit to drive. I wonder how and where she obtained her driving licence. 

It's also clear how many have obtained their licence with the minimal of training - these 'accidents' are unfortunately par for Thailands course until serious attention is paid to these issues. 

21 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

Interested to know how you could possibly tell the difference between Lao, Cambodian , Thai etc. If they are Thai citizens or not.

The same way we can tell the difference between Spanish, Germans, Polish etc in Europe... Language !

Speak to any of the foreign staff and its easy enough to know they are not from Thailand, each nation has a 'specific' accent when speaking Thai. 

But of course, it would be impossible to know if they are 'actual Thai Citizens' or not, but it's a fairly obvious assumption that many of the 'foreign' sales staff in MBK (Nepalese, Burmese etc) are not citizens and not work permitted.... There are simply too many of them for the Immigration Police to be overly concerned with, they will be raided from time to time, arrested, if they have a passport or Pink card they will be released for a couple of thousand baht or detained and sent home later to return and continue their work or find a new job - It's just a cycle. 

Yes... you are breaking the law... and I imagine so are about 95% of the other expats in Thailand, myself included. 

Filling out the TM30 form after returning from traveling so frequently (almost weekly) would be an extreme headache for our landlords... It's their responsibility to I leave it up to them.

For those staying at their own property registered in their Wife's name... I wouldn't worry about it. 

Has anyone ever been fined or charged with not filling out the TM30 ?

2 hours ago, mortenaa said:

 

Doesn't have any safety features. I have been asking BMW about active cruise and steering and all that, but they say the software isn't ready for Thai roads yet. 

It does have Heads up display though.. 

A questionable excuse there from BMW... I'm quite sure they wouldn't 'target' their software specifically for Thai roads and driving style. 

That said, when using the radar cruise control and someone cuts in front of me, the brakes come on !!!

11 minutes ago, ardokano said:

What you choosing its up to you .

I say in fact. X1 its better handling...

And its fact. 

Another bla bla.

 

Who tell you this is?

Its is you dream?:)

If you think like this. It up to.

So mean you no need faster, better braking. better handling. Better technology...better materials.

You may be right on the 0-100 kmh times...  there are no official Mazda figures. I haven't tested the 0-100kmh in the real world, there are numerous different figures floating around from various reviews and tests... 

But your comment: Better Braking, Better Technology, Better Materials?

What better Materials? What grade materials are better? OR are you guessing?

Better braking? is it ? how did you test this? Or again, are you guessing? 

Better Tech? Is it? where is this stated? or, are you guessing?