Renting a bike on Samui - Deadly or Essential?

[CG1 Blue]

1 hour ago, khunPer said:

I'm seriously afraid that I need to upgrade my view on motorbike safety at Koh Samui, after the incident yesterday.

 

I luckily snapped this real hybrid invention with my dash cam, and if combined with a helmet, I believe this car tire solution, presume 4WD off road is best, will limit many a tilting Samui-tattoo, or the risk of being squeezed between two cars; and it's probably also more safe than riding pillion of a bird...

What the...

I wonder if this is a novel way to transport the tyre he just bought, or he actually has damage limitation in mind

[csabo]

Yes and yes

[Chongalulu]

On 15/02/2018 at 4:22 PM, CG1 Blue said:

Thanks guys.  I don't have an MC license and I'm far from being an experienced rider. I only used bikes on Samui in the past because it was so easy to get around on them, and I had the misconception that if I go fairly slow I won't come to any harm. I didn't even wear a helmet.  Feel pretty stupid about that now...

 

Anyway, it's time I checked out those Jeeps!

DON'T do it! No licence and yoir travel insurance is invalidated and you could face a massive medical bill for some moron (and Samui is full of them) running into you. 

Frankly ,I think the place is a cesspit with mostly lousy beaches . Ko Lanta is far more pleasant but if it’s that sort of nightlife you’re after....

[crazykopite]

Hire a car or walk there are so many accidents on Samui with people using motor bikes , scooters in 7 years of living there the roads have become crazy .

[Sapporillo]

On 2/16/2018 at 2:11 AM, CaptainWindsock said:

You're just rolling the dice of bad luck every time you go out on the ring road.

So true....unfortunately 

[peperobi]

70% necessary because the taxi service is absolutely bad, 30% deadly.

[user4643453]

Been twice to Samui and just about to go again, each time I hired a motorcycle and can not see any problem with riding in samui, of course it needs common sense and ride with the flow, best in a group, check your mirrors all the time and expect the unexpected, ride according to the conditions, road, bike, traffic, weather and own ability - no problem.

But then again I've been riding bikes for over 50 years, experience counts.

By the way don't agree with Captain Windsock, - read the Thai Government requirements and you'll see that an appropriate License (in my case Australian) is valid and can be used on holidays in Thailand.

Have been pulled over by Thai police for license check and never was a problem.

So enjoy your holidays and experience the freedom a bike gives you.

Am also a member of Thai Ulysses Club and Thailand World Bikers, we all ride bikes (small ones and big ones) daily in Thailand and are all still alive :D 

[scubascuba3]

read the Thai Government requirements and you'll see that an appropriate License (in my case Australian) is valid and can be used on holidays in Thailand.
Have been pulled over by Thai police for license check and never was a problem.

You have a link? The consensus seems to be a IDP is required

[cornishcarlos]

13 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

 

 

You have a link? The consensus seems to be a IDP is required

 

 

The consensus is wrong. Although the RTP will try to extract money from you anyway.

Thailand signed up to the 1949 Geneva convention on driver licensing, can't remember the proper name for it. But if your licence is in English, it is valid to use without an IDP.

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎2‎/‎16‎/‎2018 at 4:06 PM, CG1 Blue said:

I agree to an extent.  But sometimes I just like to ride/drive to nowhere in particular, just looking around at the scenery.  It's not easy to explain that to a songtheaw driver.

On an island if I feel like that I go for a long walk on the beaches, though once on Phuket I walked from Patong to Kata along the road. Interesting, but probably too much traffic to be safe now.

[thaibeachlovers]

2 hours ago, cornishcarlos said:

 

The consensus is wrong. Although the RTP will try to extract money from you anyway.

Thailand signed up to the 1949 Geneva convention on driver licensing, can't remember the proper name for it. But if your licence is in English, it is valid to use without an IDP.

Irrelevant. If a cop asks for it, better have one or pay large. The rule is whatever they say it is at the time.

[scubascuba3]

 
The consensus is wrong. Although the RTP will try to extract money from you anyway.
Thailand signed up to the 1949 Geneva convention on driver licensing, can't remember the proper name for it. But if your licence is in English, it is valid to use without an IDP.

Cobblers. No chance a traffic cop will know about the 1949 Geneva convention

[cornishcarlos]

3 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

6 hours ago, cornishcarlos said:

 
The consensus is wrong. Although the RTP will try to extract money from you anyway.
Thailand signed up to the 1949 Geneva convention on driver licensing, can't remember the proper name for it. But if your licence is in English, it is valid to use without an IDP.

Cobblers. No chance a traffic cop will know about the 1949 Geneva convention

 

Its not cobblers but you notice I did say the RTP will still try to extract money from you :)

Get a Thai licence and no worries 

[yogavnture]

it all depends on the amount of traffic. i havnt been to samui in years and dont plan on going back..... if u stay away from the busy areas. and certain time periods you will be fine. my experience in Thailand its the farang u have to watch out for........especially those who dont know the road rules or how to drive

[TheLobster]

1 hour ago, yogavnture said:

it all depends on the amount of traffic. i havnt been to samui in years and dont plan on going back..... if u stay away from the busy areas. and certain time periods you will be fine. my experience in Thailand its the farang u have to watch out for........especially those who dont know the road rules or how to drive

555 so the Thais aren't a problem, especially the ones who don't know any rules of the road on Samui. There are no rules, other than wear a helmet through a police check ?

[scubascuba3]

555 so the Thais aren't a problem, especially the ones who don't know any rules of the road on Samui. There are no rules, other than wear a helmet through a police check ?

There are loads of Thai rules but not the official ones, its just a case of learning them. Sticking to farang highway code will get you killed

[thaibeachlovers]

16 hours ago, cornishcarlos said:

 

Its not cobblers but you notice I did say the RTP will still try to extract money from you :)

Get a Thai licence and no worries 

?????????????????

You are aware that tourists can't get a Thai driving licence, aren't you?

[thaibeachlovers]

7 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

11 hours ago, TheLobster said:

555 so the Thais aren't a problem, especially the ones who don't know any rules of the road on Samui. There are no rules, other than wear a helmet through a police check ?

There are loads of Thai rules but not the official ones, its just a case of learning them. Sticking to farang highway code will get you killed

and a tourist is able to learn them, how?

[cornishcarlos]

21 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

?????????????????

You are aware that tourists can't get a Thai driving licence, aren't you?

 

Well, again that is not true... You can get a 2yr Thai licence on a tourist visa. Not at all DLT offices but a lot. See post 17

Anything else ??

Edited February 19, 2018 by cornishcarlos

[thaibeachlovers]

4 minutes ago, cornishcarlos said:

 

Well, again that is not true... You can get a 2yr Thai licence on a tourist visa. Not at all DLT offices but a lot.

Anything else ??

Hmmmm. OK, I'll take your word on that, but don't you have to have a m'bike licence in your own country to do so? I did when I got my Thai licence. If I hadn't, I'd have had to do the test and sit through the VDO etc.

Most tourists only have a few days in country, I'm sure not many want to spend part of it in an office.

Lot easier to get an IDP before they leave home.

Edited February 19, 2018 by thaibeachlovers

[cornishcarlos]

Just now, thaibeachlovers said:

don't you have to have a m'bike licence in your own country to do so?

 

No, if you don't have a motorbike licence from home, you have to do the whole test. 

But as I stated in my 1st post you replied to, by law your English language home licence is valid to use whilst on holiday.

The fact that the RTP either don't know the law or just want to get backhanders is a shame...

[scubascuba3]

and a tourist is able to learn them, how?

Just look and learn, simple

[CG1 Blue]

As I've said, I'm not a natural on a bike, and I never owned one in the UK. License or no license, I think it's pretty obvious now that I've been lucky to escape serious injury (or worse) when hiring bikes on Samui.

 

I'll look at Jeeps. I also like the idea of walking and might do a bit more of that.

 

Is it possible to walk from Chaweng to Lamai along the beach / shore or are you forced to use roads for parts of the journey?  And if I headed north on foot from Chaweng beach, how far could you reasonably expect to go in a couple of hours - is Bophut etc. out of the question?

[PoorSucker]

5 hours ago, CG1 Blue said:

Is it possible to walk from Chaweng to Lamai along the beach / shore or are you forced to use roads for parts of the journey?  And if I headed north on foot from Chaweng beach, how far could you reasonably expect to go in a couple of hours - is Bophut etc. out of the question?

You must use the road in both examples.

You can walk from Chaweng to Bophut in 45 min.

[user4643453]

T_driv..pdf

 

[cornishcarlos]

2 minutes ago, weri said:

T_driv..pdf

 

 

That covers the topic perfectly....

[scubascuba3]

and a tourist is able to learn them, how?

If you want to understand how Thais ride read the link below, a very good explanation.
http://www.chiangmailocator.com/wiki-traffic-rules-in-thailand-and-how-to-avoid-traffic-accidents-p169

[thaibeachlovers]

17 hours ago, CG1 Blue said:

As I've said, I'm not a natural on a bike, and I never owned one in the UK. License or no license, I think it's pretty obvious now that I've been lucky to escape serious injury (or worse) when hiring bikes on Samui.

 

I'll look at Jeeps. I also like the idea of walking and might do a bit more of that.

 

Is it possible to walk from Chaweng to Lamai along the beach / shore or are you forced to use roads for parts of the journey?  And if I headed north on foot from Chaweng beach, how far could you reasonably expect to go in a couple of hours - is Bophut etc. out of the question?

Depending on where one started from on Chaweng, that is one long slog to Lamai. Not something I'd like to do, and I did many hours long walks around Chaweng back in the day.

Roads would be dangerous now for walking. Sometimes, it's just not worth the risk, for the sake of a few baht.

Don't forget that one would dehydrate fast on a long walk in the heat.

[user4643453]

On ‎18‎/‎02‎/‎2018 at 3:58 PM, scubascuba3 said:

 

 

link is posted today on end of the blogs
You have a link? The consensus seems to be a IDP is required

 

 

[scubascuba3]

 

I don't believe it based on all the guys that have been stopped. But i may take my UK licence out as an experiment and hand it to the police first.

 

I know that if turn up at the Land Transport office to get a driving licence with a UK licence rather than IDP there is 1 or more additional stages to go through