British tourists warned against hiring motorcycles and quad bikes in Thailand

[spidermike007]

Driving here is a very dangerous activity. And when it comes to motorbikes that is compounded. No foreigners should be driving a bike here unless they have years of experience. Why is this place so dangerous? And why are these drivers speeding in the first place? The primary reason is the toy police force. Nobody, and I mean nobody takes these guys seriously. There is absolutely nothing in the way of a deterrent here, and both the local governments, the central government (weak Little P.) and the police do not take traffic safety seriously. Not even one iota. The safety of the public means less than zero to the small men in charge here. Nothing. They show that on a daily basis. They will not do a thing. Why? They do not care about the people one iota. Not the common people. Not the average pleb. No way. Never have cared, and may never care in the future. It is all about protecting the elite, the super wealthy, those that are connected, and those in power. The rest of the population? They do not matter. The ex-pat community does not matter. And the police will not get involved unless an accident has already occurred. There is no prevention. None. The idea of getting the police more involved, is an interesting one, and it would be an effective one. But, the issue is money. They are grossly underpaid, and until the government steps up, and spends the trillion baht on updating the police equipment, and paying each cop a living wage, it is not going to happen. Until then, they will just work the franchise. 

 

When I was growing up, we took drivers education classes. They showed us these horrendous films, of semi trucks crashing into cars, and literally obliterating them, and everything inside. Also, they showed very graphic images of head on collisions. Even as a young kid, it left a lasting impression, and I realized driving was no joking matter. Especially when you have your friends, or loved ones in the car with you. I am constantly astonished at the kinds of chances people take here, with their entire family in the car with them. Why? What is the logic? What is the reason? Why take those risks? Often, when someone cuts onto the highway in front of me, as I am doing 100kpm or more on the highway, I look in my rearview mirror, and there is nobody behind me for quite some distance. Which means, had they paused, and waited 2 or 3 seconds, there would have been zero risk to them, their family, or me and my family. What can one even say? All of this matters even more when driving a motorbike, where there is no protection. 

 

The only way to survive here on the road, is to be patient, have eyes in the back of your head, drive with caution, and always, and I mean always watch out of the other guy. Chances are, he does not have much driving skill, nor patience, nor reason, nor common sense. You cannot be too careful on the road here. Especially considering that the toy police offer no traffic safety, nor enforcement of the law. All the checkpoints do is clog traffic on the highways, and put alot of cash into the pockets of the toy police. It is all about catching people performing moving violations. That is what causes most accidents. And herein lies the deterrent. As long as everyone is allowed to get away with extremely reckless driving, entering the highway in front of an oncoming vehicle that is only 100 meters away, going 100kph, cutting in front of vehicles within one meter at high speeds, swerving like crazy idiots all over the highway, trucks and 40 year old cars occupying the fast lane doing 40kph, when other vehicles are approaching doing 120kph, drunk driving, etc, accidents, major injuries and deaths will continue to happen, and no amount of rhetoric and platitudes by the fabulously incompetent and insincere authorities are going to make any difference. 

 

If driving, especially on a motorbike, treat the activity as an act of war, in a sense that you may be mowed down or killed at any moment.

Maintain eyes in the back of your head. Watch everyone. Expect craziness, insanity, lack of reason, and a complete lack of courtesy and respect on the roads, at all times. 

Expect cars and trucks to be coming at you in the wrong lane. Expect people to overtake you with the slimmest of margins.

Expect trucks to be driving very slowly in the fast lane of a highway. 

If riding a motorbike, only do so if you have many years of experience. Especially on the southern islands, where huge numbers of foreigners leave Thailand in a wooden box. Wear the best helmet you can afford. And drive like a grandmother. This applies to ex-pats too. Bring along an international drivers license. This helps you to avoid being fleeced by the local police franchisee.

 

The police only show up after the accident takes place. There is nothing in the way of traffic safety on the roads, or on the highways. Those traffic stops are all about weapons, drugs and handouts. Nothing to do with safety. I suppose there is no money in traffic safety. However, if they levied real fines for speeding over 120kph, for reckless driving, making severely quick lane changes, etc, there would be some money to be made, and the highways would be safer. 

 

Just a few days ago, I was driving along at about 110kph, on a good, straight stretch of highway. A safe speed. And some joker cuts in front of me with his pickup truck. Within two meters in front of me, then slams on his brakes. I guess he never stopped to look at the lane he was cutting into to see that there was no room for him! I slammed on my brakes to avoid the numnut, and barely missed him. Would have been a horrific crash. Why? What was the point of him changing lanes? Why didn't he look first? Who changes lanes without looking first, when they are doing over 100 kph? Why so little regard for his wife, and for others? Where does that mentality come from? Why do Thais seem so polite, yet when they get into a car, everything they have ever learned in life goes right out the window? Why so little in the way of common sense, reason, and the ability to be careful and maintain some vision? Why such idiocy? The apparent lack of skill and peripheral awareness on the road here is very scary.

 

 Real men do what is necessary to save lives. Kids and highly underdeveloped people make promises, tell lies and engage in deflection.

 

Little P.  - Moving Thailand backwards at a breath taking, alarming, and astonishing pace. 

 

Now for my scooter rant:

Many of us drive motorcycles or scooters here, and it is dangerous getting on the roads with some of these other drivers. 

Getting on a scooter, or a motorcycle anywhere in Thailand, much less Phuket, Phangan, Dark Tao, or Samui without a very good helmet, is like playing Russian Roulette with three or four bullets in the chamber. It is absolutely asking for problems. The degree of recklessness here is astounding. And many foreigners come here thinking "how much trouble could I get in on a little scooter, on a tropical island"? Well, the answer is alot. The amount of foreigners who are killed on the Southern islands is staggering. Most are not reported in the media. I had a friend who worked for Samui rescue for many years, and said the numbers were about 30-60 a month, on Samui, Phangan and Koh Tao. The official number is about 3 a month. Rider beware. Use as good a helmet as you can afford, and do not use these eggshells pieces of crap. They crack at the first impact, and what lies underneath them? Your skull, which is very delicate. 
 
Just ask yourself- do I have enough problems already, without a broken skull, or smashed head, or face injury, or lost eye? I have two friends who have been in motorbike accidents on Samui within the last two years. One still cannot walk, or talk or function on her own, from a motorbike accident, where she hit her head on the pavement going only 20 kph. The other one has lost alot of his mental capacity after hitting his head. He insisted for years he would never wear a helmet. Now, he seems 15 years older. 

[farcanell]

So.... British tourists warned....

 

come on.... this is a set up to get a British only passport lane at swampy.....

[simoh1490]

A foreigner would have to be nuts to ride a bike of any kind in Thailand, I don't care how experienced they are.

[balo]

If they are only on a short holiday , don't rent bikes or even cars. Leave it to someone experienced with Thai traffic. 

But I suspect most of the injured or dead Brits were long term stayers . 

 

[EVENKEEL]

3 hours ago, Foxy52 said:

I was wondering the same thing - degloved?

 

Not sure myself, but doesn't sound good.

[EVENKEEL]

By simply riding at a reasonable speed you can avoid most dangers. 

[sawadee1947]

Everybody might ride a bike...... If you like to face death. 

Has a lot to do with ignorance, stupidity and lack of knowledge 

[simoh1490]

1 hour ago, EVENKEEL said:

By simply riding at a reasonable speed you can avoid most dangers. 

Ummm, you don't get it, have you ever been to Thailand!

[tifino]

2 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

Ummm, you don't get it, have you ever been to Thailand!

 

     it is more important to learn from the experience of others;

   - that accidents (might) be avoidable,

 - but it is impossible to avoid the Renter Mafia

[observer90210]

- all tourists are not stupid , ignorant riders, but those who will knock them down  [the tourists]  on the roads, are stupid, reckless careless and ignorant drivers,

 

- tourists on bikes are the ideal prey for being racketed all over by boys wearing shiny golden wings in tight brown outfits,

 

- the helmets  provided by the rental mafia are usually cheap chinese crap that would not protect a stone from getting shattered,

 

- Thailand does not recognise the International Driving Licence delivered by many european or western nations refering to the 1968 convention (another excuse for the accident insurance not to pay or to get racketed at a police check point),

 

- hiring a bike is giving money to a well organised mafia (like the Taxis, tuktuks, jetski's etc. etc.)

 

and this goes for any nationality, not only the Brits.

 

Advice: use public transport or GRAB/Uber, or negotiate a daily price with a taxi

[NoshowJones]

8 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Its not just the English who need to be warned. Thailand's roads are officially the most dangerous in the world. It is no place for an inexperienced rider, regardless of where they come from. Were it not for the horrible profit renters are making, something would have been done to stop people without a valid license being able to do it. This carnage is set to continue.

"This carnage is set to continue". It sure is, the renters will never be stopped, brown envelopes to certain establishments will see to that.

[NoshowJones]

7 hours ago, from the home of CC said:

given the stats, the statement is a no brainer. Even if you're the most experienced rider in the world you still have no control over the 'other guy'.

That's true, but if you use genuine common sense all the time, you will have a much better chance of staying safe.

 

Just like if you do not drink or smoke, and do regular exercise, you will have a much better chance of staying healthy.

[Elfin]

5 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

What's a par??

The 2nd par is a 5 with a dogleg! ?️‍♀️

[NoshowJones]

5 hours ago, Vacuum said:

 

Ok, I thought they were illegal to use on the streets.

AAAAH! But This is Thailand.

[Jonah Tenner]

5 hours ago, wwest5829 said:

I apologize but, as a native English language speaker, can someone define a “degloved” leg?

When a foot is degloved it means that most, if not all skin is removed from the foot.

 

A definition from wikipedia:

A degloving injury is a type of avulsion injury in which an extensive section of skin is completely torn off the underlying tissue, severing its blood supply. It is named by analogy to the process of removing a glove.

 

[stanleycoin]

5 hours ago, Vacuum said:

I've never seen a "quad bike" on the roads.

There is a few  idiots in Pattaya and Jomtiem using them on the roads.

[Elfin]

The OP was refering to mopeds and quads.

By definition, a moped has both a small petrol engine (normally not more than 50cc) as well as pedal power. I don't recall seeing these anywhere in Thailand.

I think he meant what we call in Oz "stepthroughs" which are Honda Waves etc., 100-125cc in engine capacity.

 

Edited August 5, 2018 by Elfin

[JTXR]

1 hour ago, Jonah Tenner said:

A degloving injury is a type of avulsion injury in which an extensive section of skin is completely torn off the underlying tissue, severing its blood supply. It is named by analogy to the process of removing a glove.

 

 

Any emergency room physician in a place where folks commonly ride bikes without helmets will have stories of entirely degloved faces.

[DJ54]

I’ve rented motors in Chiang Mai to ride the triangle etc.  Rental shop

supplied riding jacket, gloves, helmet. Whoever is riding a moto needs to make sure there confident on dos and don’t dos, pay attention and look out for possible dangers. 

 

Apologies for for the long message but no one talks to me much in English. 

 

The point be be safe and think..... it can be dangerous if you make it so.

ive road off and on for 50 years and been fortunate 

[CLW]

I’ve rented motors in Chiang Mai to ride the triangle etc.  Rental shop
supplied riding jacket, gloves, helmet. Whoever is riding a moto needs to make sure there confident on dos and don’t dos, pay attention and look out for possible dangers. 
 
Apologies for for the long message but no one talks to me much in English. 
 
The point be be safe and think..... it can be dangerous if you make it so.
ive road off and on for 50 years and been fortunate 

Spot on. Proactive and defensive driving is the key. Don't trust others than yourself

[billd766]

8 hours ago, Vacuum said:

I've never seen a "quad bike" on the roads.

 

There are several where I live in rural Khampaeng Phet but I have only seen them on the local roads and never on the main roads.

[ZeVonderBearz]

9 hours ago, Vacuum said:

I don't see the issue with this. They always drive very slowly and are very aware of the oncoming traffic.

They're an issue if you're a cyclist as these wrong waters tend to occupy the space used by cyclists. It's just silly behaviour and completely needless. 

[oldlakey]

10 hours ago, Vacuum said:

I don't see the issue with this. They always drive very slowly and are very aware of the oncoming traffic.

Vacuum very appropriate

[Damrongsak]

10 hours ago, Torrens54 said:

...”Serious INDUSTRY,  should read, Serious INJURY.”

Patching up injured foreigners is a serious industry.  Not much money to be made from the dead ones.

[Enoon]

4 hours ago, Elfin said:

The OP was refering to mopeds and quads.

By definition, a moped has both a small petrol engine (normally not more than 50cc) as well as pedal power. I don't recall seeing these anywhere in Thailand.

I think he meant what we call in Oz "stepthroughs" which are Honda Waves etc., 100-125cc in engine capacity.

 

 

In truth the OP was referring to a warning about various different countries......not just Thailand:

 

Moped and quad bike warning for UK tourists - BBC News

"The Association of British Travel Agents (Abta) said holidaymakers should only use quad bikes, which are popular in places such as Cape Verde, Greece and Turkey, as part of organised tours."

 

"Lewis Evans, from Thornbury near Bristol, suffered "devastating injuries" when he came off a quad bike on the Greek island of Zante in 2016.

His family then had to raise £30,000 to bring him home via air ambulance after they discovered his holiday insurance did not cover quad biking."

 

 

 

 

Edited August 5, 2018 by Enoon

[Vacuum]

12 hours ago, ZeVonderBearz said:

They're an issue if you're a cyclist as these wrong waters tend to occupy the space used by cyclists. It's just silly behaviour and completely needless. 

Speaking of "occupy the space", I think cyclists (with their silly looking outfits) going side by side (for some reason they always do) occupies much more space.

[EVENKEEL]

16 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

Ummm, you don't get it, have you ever been to Thailand!

Only 8 yrs now, but thanks for asking. And speeding on my part has been main reason for near mishaps. In the country you have more dangers like free range cattle as an example.

[anon4637435435]

tourists need to have an mc license right? so whos the root cause? 

i ride all over thai and been doing so for decades on all forms of bikes, big little and even off road mx, enduro. Its chaos on the roads for sure but allowing any person to rent a bike with no ability is insanity. 

Forget insurance! Thais should be held responsible to some degree.

[balo]

20 hours ago, observer90210 said:

Advice: use public transport or GRAB/Uber, or negotiate a daily price with a taxi

Or just get a bicycle and ride around , works well in tourist resorts. Just avoid the big roads. 

[nausea]

About time too, only an idiot rides a motorcycle in Thailand unless it's absolutely necessary, or someone very rich who can afford the medical fees.