Think twice before riding a motorcycle in Thailand - Thai biker in wheelchair warns others

[Saltire]

19 hours ago, Enzian said:

 

I never get on a bike taxi in Thailand, I'm crazy but not that crazy.

 

My whole life I have never seen the attraction of motorbikes, from school when half my friends got bikes and the other half cars. It wasn't long till the biker half started to reduce in numbers, some because they upgraded to a car, girlfriend pressure, or died or were maimed in accidents.

 

I have avoided motorbikes like the Covid since then and can count the number of times I've been on (the back of) one on one hand.

 

I quoted this one as after 5 years in Cambodia and 3 here resolutely avoiding motorbike taxis, on a medical visit to Bangkok from Cambodia about 4 years ago I had no choice but to arrange one to take me to an MRI clinic far from my hotel/hospital. My hotel and hospital were chosen for walking distance but I now found I had to cross the city. The hotel concierge advised it would be 2 hours by taxi and 20 minutes or less by motorcycle. He was correct.

 

I have to say this was the scariest 20 minutes (twice as he waited and brought me home) i have had, ever. Gripping the rack behind me for dear life brought home the true meaning of a white knuckle ride. I had showed him a map and the address in Thai but mid-weave he asked to see it again. After a few anxious seconds trying to think of a way of doing this without letting go, I gave up and tried to fish the paper out of my pocket. As I tried to hand it to him - he wasn't for stopping - the wind blew it away. As luck would have it when I was again holding on with both hands, I spotted the clinic on the left. What a relief. Not sure if the MRI showed my spineless condition, but he waited an hour then took me back the same way, back to the hotel, straight to the bar.

[NoshowJones]

17 hours ago, Disparate Dan said:

yesterday (June 9), 54 people died in motorcy crashes in Thailand. Not counting those who weren't counted (no insurance, not taken to hospital etc), in which case it is more than the entire Virus toll - in one day.

Does anyone need any more persuasion?

The Thai government is 100% to blame here, they do nothing to make sure the roads are safe, yet come away with all sorts of rules putting millions out of work unnecessary and keep them out of work mainly because of their power trips, then blame the virus.

[ChipButty]

37 minutes ago, actonion said:

They dont have the know how......if like a Thai lady i once knew  who repeatedly fell off her motorbike, after investigation as to  why she came off so much, she didnt know that one of the pedals down by her feet was the foot brake & not a foot rest as she's been told by the motorbike shop when she bought  it  ....she was using only the front brake..

Big ploblem using front break where we live sand on the road everywhere when Im driving my truck I sit well back from a bike I was behind a girl on a bike last night she was all over the road.

[rgrdns]

21 hours ago, curious297 said:

I've been riding a bike in Phuket and around Thailand for over 16 years and had only one accident. First days on the bike, I slipped on dirt at the side of the road while breaking. 

A few simple rules I follow to survive:

 

• Keep away from the dust and <deleted> in the left lane
• Drive with the traffic and not through traffic
• Mirror, signal and manoeuvre
• Stay behind at distance. Do not drive side by side to other vehicles
• Be vigilant of cars turning in and out of roads. They will pull out without warning
• Don't Jump traffic lights
• Don't drive in the rain. Car drivers rarely adjust their speed or breaking distance in rain.
• Don't drive with your whole family as passengers.
• Stop trying to impress yourself with your bike skills. No one cares
• Most important - Be safer than safe

 

 

Conclusion....best don't drive, take taxi or public transport much safer ????

[LomSak27]

49 minutes ago, inwardglee said:

but finally got to the conclusion I would not wish to tempt God any longer and got a car. Car driving is safer and yet also just hell, if being on some motorways, drove Ayutthaya-Pattaya last week, and I constantly see much madness that can also cost lives in a car crash.

Thanks for your complete post up. . 

 

BTW Two years back we were moving from Petchaboon to CM - long trips, truck loaded. I never made one where I DID NOT HAVE  a close encounter with a motor nut case doing potentially lethal things. The roads are a danger zone at the best of times.

[LomSak27]

I’ve had bikes all my life. Might have been 11 when I drove Paul’s sisters, Honda C90 into their back fence,  Heh. Commuted on one for 7 years living in rain city. Some western North American bike tour vacations back in the 90’s before I left.
 

Three years back, winding down my contract work. I decided to pick up a Honda 300. Not a big bike but big enough to do farewell tours  of the petchaboon, hills. I had done a few trips when I happened to glance at a motorcycle club online site for C Mai riders. An article, a memorial about one of their riders who had been in a fatal accident. It was on the road to Khao Khao, know it well. A truck coming the opposite direction, going downhill decided to pass on a curve. He never saw the motorcyclist. No chance, to avoid or survive. It doesn’t matter what protective gear a person is wearing
 

I did not know the rider, never asked,  but I knew where it happened, I ride there. That was the End. I still have the bike. Yes the G <deleted> at me to sell it. I still take it out Sunday mornings for a loop around CMai. I wash it and make it shine. But I am never going to take it on trips around northern Thailand, MHS loop etc. I love my little Honda Dream for in city scoots, and will ride that until hefting a cane, but motorcycling and Thailand, NO. Besides that biker, I know of others, no longer here, from bike accidents. Add in locals I see in accidents, week in, week out, for years, decades. Biking has inherent risks no matter where you do it.  Thailand takes that fact and multiplies it.
 

Love it but somethings in life have to be given up.

 

 

 

 

Edited June 11, 2020 by LomSak27

[DeeMoney]

He is the owner of the exhaust brand "Daivo" and runs a YouTube channel called Noi Daivo. I follow him and I enjoy his content. He's a cool guy.

 

That said, when it comes to riding, despite his experience in racing, is dangerous. Doing wheelies, speeding, not riding safely in general. Plenty of clips of him doing wheelies on his S1000RR at over 120km/h.

 

Yes you can ride like a saint and still die here, but he is not setting an example of safe riding himself. We've all been there. We didn't have a 200 HP superbike when we were young and stupid, and that's probably why many of us are still alive. Unfortunately for him, he had a rocket at a very young age and learned it the hard way.

 

He's not 100% paralyzed from the waist down though, saw videos of him walking with a bit of assistance. 

[Road Warrior]

photo shown appears to be a youngster ?????  no experience which is needed in this country as most are idiot drivers !!

[Denim]

14 hours ago, LomSak27 said:

I love my little Honda Dream for in city scoots,

 

I agree with your post. 

 

40 odd years ago I traveled the length and breadth of Thailand on a Honda 125. But back then there was way less traffic on the roads and almost no big bikes because high import duty.

 

Then about 15 years ago I gave up long trips because there are just too many crazy drivers out there now and no matter how defensively you ride when you meet a lunatic it could cost you your life.

 

I still have a wave for short trips but don't be fooled , you can die on one just the same. Last year a Swedish guy was killed on a wave just down the road from me. He took a bend coming out of town but he had forgotten to pull up the side stand. The sound of it meeting the road startled him and he pulled the bike up but in doing so drifted to the oncoming lane and hit an on coming saloon head on.

 

Both he and the car were only doing about 45kph but he was over the bars and head butted the cars windscreen killing him instantly. No crash helmet.

 

And that's it. Who bothers with a helmet on every trip ? But if he had been wearing one he would probably be alive today.

[Don Mega]

22 hours ago, holy cow cm said:

No, a big fast bike. I bought my kid a bike but it is a 125cc and not a peed demon bike. Big bikes also have a different weight ratio.

For my 8th birthday my parents bought me my first bike, A Suzuki RM80... Holy Snappin fish balls was that thing a demon, lost some much flesh riding that and numerous broken bones before I turned 9..... For my 9th birthday they purchased me an RM125 and that year was pretty much a rinse and repeat of the previous.

 

Come my 10th birthday it was an RM250 and along with it some respect, no broken bones that year !!

[JensenZ]

20 hours ago, eisfeld said:

That is him in the left picture... he was a talented motorcycle racer (as in race track, competition).

But let's just throw around baseless accusations, that's more fun.

 

Perhaps he brought his racing skills to the city streets. On a race track vehicles don't usually come at you from all directions.

[herwin1234]

poor kid. good for him though, to post it on social media and make it a topic.

[colinneil]

31 minutes ago, DeeMoney said:

 

 

He's not 100% paralyzed from the waist down though, saw videos of him walking with a bit of assistance. 

Your above comment completely contradicts the OP, if you have proof of what you say post it.

He is either paraplegic or not, no half way point, i know from personal experience.

[JensenZ]

10 hours ago, samtab said:

No problem !

 

Foreigners, especially old men, are so gooooooooooood at driving that it will never happen to them !

 

I guess that is what has been posted on 5 pages that I didn't read ?

 

Ridiculous.

 

Apart from being too poor to own a car, I think only idiots drive a motorbike by choice in this country.

 

Allow me to return the compliment. IMO you're a nasty mother f***** because you're tempting motorcyclists with good safety records to brag in an attempt to prove they are not idiots, and that should not be done because there's another law constantly in play - Murphy's Law. Never, EVER brag about your safety track record on a motorcycle. 

 

Perhaps you'll get your justice for being such and insulting **** and break some legs in that expensive car you can afford that you're so proud of.

 

Having gotten off my chest... I believe the danger on a motorcycle is way lower than constantly stated by horrified expats who drive (expensive) cars. Having ridden the streets of Pattaya for 15 years, I'm constantly amazed at how few accidents I see in relation to the number of motorcycles on the streets. I would put money down that the percentage is low. Sure, a lot of accidents in total, but as a percentage of riders and rider-miles, not high.

 

I have one golden rule. I stay off fast moving roads such as Sukhumvit Highway as much as possible, and when I ride on it, I'm even more careful... meaning most of my riding time is at low speed, under 50 km/h, and probably averaging 20 - 30 km/h

 

Most expats I know who own expensive (cars) also have a motorcycle or two. What would call them? Half an idiot?

[darrendsd]

20 hours ago, colinneil said:

Well your post is one of the most idiotic i have read in a while.

You dont like reading posts on here, well sod off then, nobody forces you to read them, it is your choice.

I do enjoy reading them just not the idiotic ones and it's difficult to know if they are idiotic or not until I read them

 

You really didn't think your comment through did you? ????

Edited June 11, 2020 by darrendsd

[Denim]

17 hours ago, bamboozled said:

One problem driving at night is the tinted windows in cars. I have a very light tint on mine, put on by the previous owner, but it def makes my vision worse at night. I have rented cars that have darker tints and it is REALLY very hard to see well. No, scratch that, you CAN'T see well, you can't even see ok. It's a <deleted> shoot driving at night with the tinted windows. You can mostly make out the edges of the road and that's about it. I would rather not have any tint but....man, the daytime sun is a killer without it. So, I guess, one really shouldn't drive at night, neither car nor bike. And so very many of the motorbikes I see have no rear lights.

 

The option I went for on my last car was to only heavily tint the top 6 inches of the front windscreen but with no tint at all on the bottom so that my night vision was not impaired but I didn't have to squint in the daytime. Easily and cheaply done.

[holy cow cm]

17 hours ago, JensenZ said:

 

I hope yesterday was an exception for you, because if you have 2 close shaves every day, you're taking too many risks. I have close shaves too, but they are not frequent, or daily. 

Nope, it is just how Thai people drive. Every day you have to be on the defensive side, and some days are just worse than others.

[holy cow cm]

2 hours ago, Don Mega said:

For my 8th birthday my parents bought me my first bike, A Suzuki RM80... Holy Snappin fish balls was that thing a demon, lost some much flesh riding that and numerous broken bones before I turned 9..... For my 9th birthday they purchased me an RM125 and that year was pretty much a rinse and repeat of the previous.

 

Come my 10th birthday it was an RM250 and along with it some respect, no broken bones that year !!

I learned on a YZ 125. And also road a friends YZ 80. Fast little sons of b's. I broke my arm being towed by a YZ 80 while riding on a skateboard. Hit a manhole cover.

[Don Mega]

10 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

I learned on a YZ 125. And also road a friends YZ 80. Fast little sons of b's. I broke my arm being towed by a YZ 80 while riding on a skateboard. Hit a manhole cover.

Yep loves the little 2 strokers and back when times were simpler Saturdays and Sundays basically banned from the house in the morning with instruction from mum "don't come home till the porch lights come on"... spends the days terrorizing the farm animals on me noisey dirt squiters !!

[holy cow cm]

1 minute ago, Don Mega said:

Yep loves the little 2 strokers and back when times were simpler Saturdays and Sundays basically banned from the house in the morning with instruction from mum "don't come home till the porch lights come on"... spends the days terrorizing the farm animals on me noisey dirt squiters !!

Times have seriously changed. 

[tlandtday]

On 6/10/2020 at 12:31 PM, curious297 said:

I've been riding a bike in Phuket and around Thailand for over 16 years and had only one accident. First days on the bike, I slipped on dirt at the side of the road while breaking. 

A few simple rules I follow to survive:

 

• Keep away from the dust and <deleted> in the left lane
• Drive with the traffic and not through traffic
• Mirror, signal and manoeuvre
• Stay behind at distance. Do not drive side by side to other vehicles
• Be vigilant of cars turning in and out of roads. They will pull out without warning
• Don't Jump traffic lights
• Don't drive in the rain. Car drivers rarely adjust their speed or breaking distance in rain.
• Don't drive with your whole family as passengers.
• Stop trying to impress yourself with your bike skills. No one cares
• Most important - Be safer than safe

 

 

Great tips let me add a couple more

- get the best tires and keep the bike in good shape

- add led lighting to make the motorbike more visible

- either slow down or speed up to avoid traffic near you which will minimize risk

- fill up your own tires don't let the shops overinflate which will give problems with reduced grip and handling.

- never trust the signal lights of other drivers.  Always watch the front tires of nearby vehicles and you will have time to react if the tire turns.

[tlandtday]

2 hours ago, Denim said:

 

I agree with your post. 

 

40 odd years ago I traveled the length and breadth of Thailand on a Honda 125. But back then there was way less traffic on the roads and almost no big bikes because high import duty.

 

Then about 15 years ago I gave up long trips because there are just too many crazy drivers out there now and no matter how defensively you ride when you meet a lunatic it could cost you your life.

 

I still have a wave for short trips but don't be fooled , you can die on one just the same. Last year a Swedish guy was killed on a wave just down the road from me. He took a bend coming out of town but he had forgotten to pull up the side stand. The sound of it meeting the road startled him and he pulled the bike up but in doing so drifted to the oncoming lane and hit an on coming saloon head on.

 

Both he and the car were only doing about 45kph but he was over the bars and head butted the cars windscreen killing him instantly. No crash helmet.

 

And that's it. Who bothers with a helmet on every trip ? But if he had been wearing one he would probably be alive today.

Not to downplay the guy's accident but he must have been a bad driver or a newbie overreacting like that.  That should never have happened.  Additionally Honda has had stand cutoff switches for years and Yamaha has recently added them.

[tlandtday]

19 hours ago, time2093 said:

Another poor soul today who's life wont be the same again has become another statistic in Thailand's motorcycle accident cycle.

 

Foreign motorbike driver seriously injured after stray dog allegedly ran across road in Pattaya

 

 

https://pattayaone.news/foreign-motorbike-driver-seriously-injured-after/

The dogs here are a huge danger to drivers whether in a car or motorbike.

[pineapple01]

41 minutes ago, tlandtday said:

The dogs here are a huge danger to drivers whether in a car or motorbike.

Dogs just damage a Car Drivers wallet .

[BritManToo]

Been driving around for nearly 12 years mostly without a helmet, shorts, t-shirt and flip flops.

Bit of sunburn, two lots of road rash, I've had a great time.

 

For the last 7 years my son as well, standing in the foot-well, no helmet recently to school and back every day.

 

Back to the photo in the OP, why's a ten year old driving a big bike?

You're not gonna convince me the person in the wheelchair is an adult!

Edited June 11, 2020 by BritManToo

[connda]

How many Covid deaths in Thailand?  58?

That about one day's worth of carnage on Thai roads where 80% of the deaths are on motorcycles.

Shouldn't the government shut down the economy and make driving illegal until the chaos on the road has been solved?

"But if you do choose to drive a motorcycle, wear a mask - Covid will kill us all."    Right!

[connda]

On 6/10/2020 at 11:45 AM, webfact said:

A former motorcyclist went online to warn others about the dangers of riding a motorcycle in Thailand. 

You pursued your sport with passion.  You got hurt.  It happens.

How many of those who engage in sports get seriously hurt each year?  Should all people stop their lives? 

I feel sympathy.  But you can't have it both ways.  I'm sure last year someone got paralyzed after having an accident while surfing, while mountain bike riding, while snow boarding, while base jumping, while extreme skiing, while engaged in gymnastics and the list goes on. Do we all just stop?  

There but for the grace of God go I.  It's true. Not everyone survives risk taking.  Most do.  Some don't. 

I feel for you kid. 

[Denim]

16 hours ago, tlandtday said:

Not to downplay the guy's accident but he must have been a bad driver or a newbie overreacting like that.  That should never have happened.  Additionally Honda has had stand cutoff switches for years and Yamaha has recently added them.

 

Well, from the info I got he had only been here a week and had borrowed his family's wave to nip into town .

Who knows what experience he had but as you say, an over reaction cost him his life. A real shame because I pass the spot daily ( just after a bridge ) and I can see that a small mistake cost him dearly.

 

 

Just a grim reminder , if one were needed , that on a motorcycle you are not as protected as you would be in a car. Apologies if some find this picture offensive but it does illustrate the damage that can be done at low speeds when its a head on collision. Also shows just how important it is to wear a helmet even on short trips on a slow motorcycle.

 

Very sad indeed. 

 

 

Edited June 11, 2020 by Denim

[OneeyedJohn]

23 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

That would depend on with whom you have your conversation. Given his comment, I very much doubt that any conversation with 'OneeyedJohn' could ever be considered 'intellectual' !!!

You are hilarious , you pompous  self inflated idiot.

 

 

[JensenZ]

On 6/10/2020 at 12:31 PM, curious297 said:

I've been riding a bike in Phuket and around Thailand for over 16 years and had only one accident. First days on the bike, I slipped on dirt at the side of the road while breaking. 

A few simple rules I follow to survive:

 

• Keep away from the dust and <deleted> in the left lane
• Drive with the traffic and not through traffic
• Mirror, signal and manoeuvre
• Stay behind at distance. Do not drive side by side to other vehicles
• Be vigilant of cars turning in and out of roads. They will pull out without warning
• Don't Jump traffic lights
• Don't drive in the rain. Car drivers rarely adjust their speed or breaking distance in rain.
• Don't drive with your whole family as passengers.
• Stop trying to impress yourself with your bike skills. No one cares
• Most important - Be safer than safe

 

 

That sand is an ever present danger in Pattaya too as it accumulates on the roads after heavy rain. It's the quickest way to come off if you're not aware of it. I do ride in the rain.