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Is it safe to Ride a scooter or big bike in Thailand ?  

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Posted
25 minutes ago, madmen said:

Most bike riders are dead men riding. Might not happen this year or next year but it WILL happen

Whoever was born, is bound to die. Yes, it WILL happen, one way or another, one day or another.

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Posted
1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

It depends on your school of thought and risk profile... 

 

An equally wide ranging question would be is Thailand safe? - in comparison to our home countries it's less safe. The same can be said of the roads.

 

The Roads are less safe than many of our home countries when driving a car, risk to our own wellbeing and safety is exacerbated when we choose to ride a motorcycle. 

 

Once we get down to the nuts and bolts of it we can limit much of the risk by when and how we ride, also how we interpret and understand the 'traffic culture' around us. 

 

I limit my risk by: 

- Never riding at night 

- Never riding under the influence 

- Having driven here for 15 years before riding here

- Understanding that anything can and will happen for the oddest or unpredictable of reasons

 

The kit you wear can limit your risk. Whenever possible I wear protective (kevlar Jeans / or riding pants, Jacket and boots) - recently its been too hot, so when nipping out on the bike (BMW G310GS) its been in shorts, trainers, t-shirt, gloves & helmet - its still too hot, I've used the bike about 3 times in the past 3 weeks !

 

 

 

Thus: Is riding safe, probably not, but I voted it is Safe because I have ridden both scooters and Motorcycles here and drive here (in Bangkok) and although the stats are terrible I've had 3 minor bumps in a car, none on a motorcycle and see surprisingly few accidents given the density of traffic. 

 

 

 

Never riding at night 

Seriously? It's no more dangerous than in the daytime.

 

Whenever possible I wear protective (kevlar Jeans / or riding pants, Jacket and boots) - recently its been too hot, so when nipping out on the bike (BMW G310GS) its been in shorts, trainers, t-shirt, gloves & helmet - its still too hot, I've used the bike about 3 times in the past 3 weeks !

Seriously? It's way too hot for all that gear. I rode with helmet and gloves, but in shorts and t shirt and flip flops. I accepted the risk and got badly scraped when I had my accident, but the helmet saved my life.

I always cringed when I saw everyone riding without gloves as hands are fragile and a scrape will ruin them. The m'bike taxi drivers do wear them- only sensible m'bike riders in LOS.

 

OP. A "bike" is not the same as a motorbike or scooter. A bike has pedals and no engine.

It is definitely not safe to ride a bike in LOS.

Posted
18 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

once you have good enough skill and know the roads its ok. But, you have to concentrate 100%

Exactly, and that takes the 'fun/relaxing/feeling of freedom' part away from the driving.

 

 

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Posted
Exactly, and that takes the 'fun/relaxing/feeling of freedom' part away from the driving.

 

 

Yes, for me its now to get from A to B, its no longer the journey, but I don't ride for excitement, i ride carefully but i enjoy it

 

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Posted





More drunks about, haven't you noticed? also riskier early morning when the even more drunks are heading home

+ feral dogs!


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Posted
4 hours ago, moose7117 said:

Please explain your answer

yes, scooter or big bike

Rided bikes in UK from a young age, was professionally trained on road and track also passed an advance road test.

I don't fine Thailand different than other countries once you learn there road use ways.

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Posted
Rided bikes in UK from a young age, was professionally trained on road and track also passed an advance road test.
I don't fine Thailand different than other countries once you learn there road use ways.

Just curious, have you found as many drunk drivers/feral dogs and vehicles with no lights-on, in other countries?


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Posted
1 hour ago, DILLIGAD said:


Just curious, have you found as many drunk drivers/feral dogs and vehicles with no lights-on, in other countries?
 

Never come across drunk drivers, dogs get out the way and my lights pick up peoples vehicles with no lights, not that I travel much at night.

I've never had a bad accident on a motorcycle only in cars in my lifetime go figure !!. 

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Posted
13 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

 

 

OP. A "bike" is not the same as a motorbike or scooter. A bike has pedals and no engine.

It is definitely not safe to ride a bike in LOS.

Bike in the common venacular and according to the oxford dictionary is slang for either a bicycle or motorbike. 

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Posted
13 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

This is fairly typical, people going through red lights. You can't go just because its turned green.

https://www.liveleak.com/view?t=otU4_1556316669

Hiway 331 coming south toward Pattaya has many red-lights with long waits.

This morning, impatient, stopped, then, when clear, jumped 5 of them.

Max-performance launch.

Not many cops out there.

Sucks very big sitting there with the big trucks, loud, breathing dirty air, &c.

... ceeber running great.

 

Posted

Hell no- Idiot drivers have no respect for bicyclists or pedestrians on the road; in fact, many Thai drivers will speed up when passing you by ( it’s a macho thing with them),


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Posted
On 4/27/2019 at 3:33 PM, thaibeachlovers said:

Never riding at night 

Seriously? It's no more dangerous than in the daytime.

I consider riding at night more dangerous, primarily because there are more drunk people riding at night, the road lighting is often very poor, people drive with a high level of Windscreen tint impacting their visibility, lots of people driving / riding around with poor eyesight which is worse at night... 

 

There are lots of reasons that riding at night is a lot more dangerous than riding in the day time. 

It's up to you what you do. I for one consider riding at night a risk not worth taking unless absolutely necessary. 

 

On 4/27/2019 at 3:33 PM, thaibeachlovers said:

Whenever possible I wear protective (kevlar Jeans / or riding pants, Jacket and boots) - recently its been too hot, so when nipping out on the bike (BMW G310GS) its been in shorts, trainers, t-shirt, gloves & helmet - its still too hot, I've used the bike about 3 times in the past 3 weeks !

Seriously? It's way too hot for all that gear. I rode with helmet and gloves, but in shorts and t shirt and flip flops. I accepted the risk and got badly scraped when I had my accident, but the helmet saved my life.

Yes, seriously - protective kit is a must. Those of us (I mean myself too) who don't use it because of the heat are taking additional chances, especially when it could mean walking away from an accident with a couple of bruises vs walking away from an accident with a skinned leg, a de-gloved foot a broken elbow etc...  

But - riding a bike is a compromise and when it gets too hot I turn into a hypocrite and wear shorts and T-shirt (but ride with helmet, gloves and trainers (never flip flops)).

 

On 4/27/2019 at 3:33 PM, thaibeachlovers said:

I always cringed when I saw everyone riding without gloves as hands are fragile and a scrape will ruin them. The m'bike taxi drivers do wear them- only sensible m'bike riders in LOS.

Me too... Always gloves, always helmet, always trainers. It's not enough, but its better than nothing in a 10kmh bump and fall !...  beyond that we have to count on luck !

 

On 4/27/2019 at 3:33 PM, thaibeachlovers said:

OP. A "bike" is not the same as a motorbike or scooter. A bike has pedals and no engine.

It is definitely not safe to ride a bike in LOS.

He's knows the difference and you know what he meant in the Op.

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