Scooter Lessons - Thailand or Europe?

[xtrnuno41]

Driving in Thailand is an experience you cant imagine.

You MUST drive very defensive. In Thailand ANYTHING can and will happen, you dont expect

Some issues i experienced:

Curves with line blockage, Thai ignore them and switch from lane to lane, to  make a straight line in curves.

Trucks, cars with no lights on in the  dark on the left or even right lane.

Motor drivers coming in wrong direction.

Ignoring traffic lights

Overtaking on all sides of you, normally only left or right , but had one trying to overtake right through me. which of course resulted in a happily soft bang.  And then they try to run. 

 

Start up in your home country, so you know what is is like to drive, as you dont have any experience.

It cost you more but its way better, you know how to handle and drive in European way.

But Thai way? Thats something complete different.

[richard_smith237]

26 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

Low risk kinda guys are the ones that stay alive when riding motorcycles!

 

I'm a 'low risk' type and I'm alive and well after riding here for 7 years. Most folks who post doom and gloom about riding here have never sat on a motorcycle.

 

Because those of us who do ride on a motorcycle don’t really like to look reality straight in the eyes and recognise that it really is a silly thing to do when we could take a taxi, a tuck etc... 

 

....  when thinking logically, it's an unnecessary risk for a bit of added convenience. I take the risk and justify that I’m careful and ride defensively, wear full gear etc... but really when I sit back and look at it from a big perspective the ‘doom and gloom' guys are right...  

 

..... but then getting drunk and having a good time can also be dangerous !!!... 

 

 

 

 

 

[Salerno]

1 hour ago, scubascuba3 said:

I didn't ride a bike in Pattaya for the first few years, then once I bought a bike it opened up many more opportunities which a car wouldn't have done. 

 

Can you elaborate please; other than perhaps getting through backed up traffic what am I missing? Genuine question BTW.

[Old Nomad]

Here a really good article that may help you to stay as safe as possible:

Traffic rules in Thailand and how to avoid traffic accidents

 

[DJ54]

Obtaining a drivers license requirements differ depending what 

country your from / does Thailand accept your country?  If so

what are the requirements. 

 

Example US citizen valid drivers license and International Driving 

permit then you won’t need to take drivers test and road test. Just basic test brake, color and one other don’t recall the name. 

 

If your planing on using your home country drivers license and  want car and motorcycle (2 separate license here) your country 

license would have to show car and motorcycle. US is one license 

if you qualified for car and mc will show both...

 

As one suggested go to the Honda or Yamaha 

driving school here in Thailand 

[wolf81]

To add to the discussion ...

 

My Thai girlfriend tells me when driving in the car: "Don't worry about people that drive behind you" (I worry a lot about tailgating, which 1 in 5 cars seem to do over here).

 

My Dutch friend (motorcyclist) tells me: "Better to have 10 idiots in front of you than 1 behind".

 

I have to say, I agree more with my Dutch friend than with my Thai girlfriend. I think most Thai people think the same as my Thai girlfriend and that is worrying. 

 

I am however getting my Thai motorcycle driving license tomorrow and probably will buy a 2nd hand motor in the coming month. I did drive for more than 2 years with a car on the road here and I tend to drive very defensively. I will do the same on the motor.

 

You might also want to get some experience in a car first, before considering using a motor. 

[scubascuba3]

9 hours ago, Salerno said:

 

Can you elaborate please; other than perhaps getting through backed up traffic what am I missing? Genuine question BTW

Just much easier around town, in my case Pattaya, fun with a girl on the back, taking them home, going places. A lot more advantages over walking,  like accommodation further out, obviously with a car you can do similar stuff but more of a PITA, parking etc

 

Many guys just on foot spend most of their time on Buakhao, so a small world, get a bike and you can go anywhere

[Salerno]

2 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

obviously with a car you can do similar stuff but more of a PITA, parking etc

 

Yeah, that's what I was thinking but thought maybe I missed something. Never got round to learning to ride yet; but never say never.

[scubascuba3]

37 minutes ago, Salerno said:

 

Yeah, that's what I was thinking but thought maybe I missed something. Never got round to learning to ride yet; but never say never.

If you had a bike you'd rarely use the car around town 

[OneMoreFarang]

10 hours ago, Salerno said:

12 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

I didn't ride a bike in Pattaya for the first few years, then once I bought a bike it opened up many more opportunities which a car wouldn't have done. 

 

Can you elaborate please; other than perhaps getting through backed up traffic what am I missing? Genuine question BTW.

 

Some trips have to be done, like going/driving/riding to work.

 

But many trips are optional, and the frequency of these trips is optional. I live in Bangkok and it's great to have a bike. A trip to the fresh market, another trip to the supermarket, let's have some noodle soup in that soi 2km away and buy some bread in that bakery instead of the one around the corner.

With your own bike all these trips can be made and cost very little. And if you forget something just make another short trip.

Parking a car is often so difficult that it would take often more than double the time of a motorcycle trip.

Motorcycle taxis are an option. But would anybody spend 40B on a motorcycle taxi to go to a place to eat noodle soup for 40B? That doesn't make much sense. But with your own bike it's cheap and no problem.

Having a motorcycle makes life more flexible. Lots of things are in a few km radius and perfect for motorcycles.

 

 

 

[jomtienisgood]

On 1/29/2021 at 6:03 AM, Lacessit said:

I got my scooter license in Thailand first. The test consisted of being able to tell the difference between red, green and yellow traffic lights.

I subsequently got a motorbike/scooter license in Australia. There was a written test of 50 questions on various road rules, then a practical test where I had to demonstrate skills such as slow riding, balance through tight curves, braking from set speed within a certain distance etc.etc. Only 70% of the 30-odd would-be qualifiers passed.

OP, please be aware in Thailand you have to assume every other vehicle on the road is trying to kill you. Not through malice aforethought, but simply because the training here is so incompetent.

I'd suggest in your home country, also take a course in defensive driving. It's kept me accident-free ( touch wood ) here.

I would even advise ' general self defense ', not only driving. 5555555 ????????

[NoshowJones]

21 hours ago, transam said:

I have been in LOS many years and seen a lot of bike incidents where folk have not walked away. The road savvy here is NOT like farangland, it is a constant gamble.

I had bikes and scooters when a kid, I have a m/c licence, we have a scooter, but I only use it if the car isn't available, but even then I will think about it.

If me, I would buy a small car with auto trans (CVT), safer, easy to drive, easy to park. Modern small cars also have, power steering, power brakes, and aircon...... Cheap to run too........

 

I agree with you Trans, but riding a motorbike in the city or congested areas does away with all the long waits at traffic lights and traffic jams, that's the main reason I have a motorbike.

I always prefer automatics, and did not know that you could get a bigger automatic motorbike. when looking in a motorbike showroom one day I saw a Honda Forza 300, then noticed it was an automatic, so I bought it right away.

It obviously does not have the comfort of a car, but it is comfortable to ride on long journeys.

[Moonlover]

57 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

I agree with you Trans, but riding a motorbike in the city or congested areas does away with all the long waits at traffic lights and traffic jams, that's the main reason I have a motorbike.

I always prefer automatics, and did not know that you could get a bigger automatic motorbike. when looking in a motorbike showroom one day I saw a Honda Forza 300, then noticed it was an automatic, so I bought it right away.

It obviously does not have the comfort of a car, but it is comfortable to ride on long journeys.

And you haven't mentioned the pollution caused by cars, especially the big SUVs and pick ups.

[transam]

1 hour ago, Moonlover said:

And you haven't mentioned the pollution caused by cars, especially the big SUVs and pick ups.

My small car has one of the lowest carbon footprints out there, can carry 5 people, has a very economical 998cc engine, which was my advice to the OP, noooooooooo mention of SUV from me.....????..

[StevieAus]

Considering the driving test here for two wheels, scooters or motorcycles is a farce, if there is some training course I cannot imagine what they would be training you for.

As other posters on this thread have stated driving in Thailand is not like in Europe so before making your decision have a look at the numbers killed on two wheels.

[ICELANDMAN]

9 hours ago, Moonlover said:

And you haven't mentioned the pollution caused by cars, especially the big SUVs and pick ups.

 

Do not tell the Thais, the bigger and more polluting they are, the happier they are. The protection of the environment only concerns us poor Farangs

[Moonlover]

On 1/31/2021 at 7:50 PM, richard_smith237 said:

Because those of us who do ride on a motorcycle don’t really like to look reality straight in the eyes and recognise that it really is a silly thing to do when we could take a taxi, a tuck etc... 

 

It might be a silly thing to do when taxis and tuc tucs are readily available. But when you live like me, 25km out in the countryside, such facilities are not available. Now that's really looking reality straight in the eyes. ????

 

[Moonlover]

9 minutes ago, ICELANDMAN said:

 

Do not tell the Thais, the bigger and more polluting they are, the happier they are. The protection of the environment only concerns us poor Farangs

And don't even whisper it when there's an American around.

[BTB1977]

Have your car and motorcycle license from your home country.  Than you can get an international driver's license that covers both a car and a motorcycle.  With the international drivers license for both you don't have to take any test here in Thailand. I had my international license and just went to apply for the car license and motorcycle license all at the same time. They weren't interested in my home country license. Only wanted to see the international license. Only test I was asked to take was a color blindness test. Most countries offer motorcycle training classes that are connected to the licensing department.  If you pass the training you will be given a motorcycle license. 

[Salerno]

  

18 minutes ago, BTB1977 said:

Have your car and motorcycle license from your home country.

 

Not much chance of having a motorcycle licence.

 

On 1/29/2021 at 8:21 AM, Somchair said:

Now when it comes to scooters, I have never driven one at all, however when I move to Thailand in the near future I would like to drive one there.

 

[APJ291]

1 hour ago, BTB1977 said:

Have your car and motorcycle license from your home country.  Than you can get an international driver's license that covers both a car and a motorcycle.  With the international drivers license for both you don't have to take any test here in Thailand. I had my international license and just went to apply for the car license and motorcycle license all at the same time. They weren't interested in my home country license. Only wanted to see the international license. Only test I was asked to take was a color blindness test. Most countries offer motorcycle training classes that are connected to the licensing department.  If you pass the training you will be given a motorcycle license. 

Excellent Advice...

I would suggest if possible, but is hard due to Covid restrictions here in the UK, would be to do a CBT course (£100 odd) for Scooters/Mopeds...  It will cover you on anything up to 125cc up to 2 years and you can do this on both a manual or automatic Bike.  Once you have the CBT along with the information provided above, getting a Thai licence will be easy.  

I once had a friend who had an accident on a Scooter here in Thailand... Long Story Short... He had medical bills in excess of £2000 and his medical insurance would not pay out afterwards after they initially told him that they would initially cover his costs and he will get reimbursed.  The reason they never paid out was the fact that in the insurance companies eyes/rules was that he hired a scooter out 125cc that he did not initially have a licence (CBT) allowing him initially to drive these type of vehicles for in his come country UK.

Anyways good luck in your move and stay safe!

[Moonlover]

9 hours ago, APJ291 said:

Excellent Advice...

I would suggest if possible, but is hard due to Covid restrictions here in the UK, would be to do a CBT course (£100 odd) for Scooters/Mopeds...  It will cover you on anything up to 125cc up to 2 years and you can do this on both a manual or automatic Bike.  Once you have the CBT along with the information provided above, getting a Thai licence will be easy.  

I once had a friend who had an accident on a Scooter here in Thailand... Long Story Short... He had medical bills in excess of £2000 and his medical insurance would not pay out afterwards after they initially told him that they would initially cover his costs and he will get reimbursed.  The reason they never paid out was the fact that in the insurance companies eyes/rules was that he hired a scooter out 125cc that he did not initially have a licence (CBT) allowing him initially to drive these type of vehicles for in his come country UK.

Anyways good luck in your move and stay safe!

You make some valid points, but I do want to counter your advise regarding getting a license in your home country. There are one-stop riding schools in Thailand which take the student through the whole process, from starting the bike to obtaining their license.

 

My wife took such a course in Udon Thani which took 3 days and she is now, having gained some experience, a safe and competent rider. And at the end of the day, it is the experience that counts, not the training. Training courses only point you in the right direction.

 

The O/P would have to get himself a Thai license anyway, so why go through the whole process twice?

 

[EVENKEEL]

I went to a school in Pattaya to get MC license, 3-4 days you take the written test over and over till passing is constant, they give you all paperwork needed to get license. 

[cali4995]

the manuever i cant stand is racing to get past you, then causing a " jam" because you've not anticipated traffic flow. classic hare v. tortiose scenario. ive heard of those honda, yamaha sponsred driving schools. gotta help just ANY instruction other than uncle tongs tips

[jomtienisgood]

5 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

I went to a school in Pattaya to get MC license, 3-4 days you take the written test over and over till passing is constant, they give you all paperwork needed to get license. 

My GF did the same... I think it was around 1000Thb