Driving motorcycle far left of your lane…is it law?

[Gsxrnz]

22 hours ago, seedy said:

I ride where it is most safe for me.

Left - Right - Centre

Care not what the law says.

Do you want to be laying in a hospital bed saying "But I was in the Right ! ?"

To those who do not keep a very close eye on what is in your mirrors - that is a very good way to end up in said bed.

Totally agree.  Anybody who is one of the "few" that adhere to driving regulations in Thailand are an endangered species. Traffic, weather and road conditions, visibility, lighting etc. mean that there is no single safe place to ride and you should adapt accordingly and continuously. Generally riding towards the left is the safest option - until it's not.

 

Often the biggest factor controlling my riding is the "lunacy level of the day" being displayed by other road users, so I'm continually adjusting speed and road position to eliminate the potential for disaster.  Watch out for the non-local number plates - they are bound to do extraordinary things because a) they're Thai, b)they're lost for the 14th time that day, c) they're suffering low blood sugar because they haven't eaten for 45 minutes, and d) the chances of them actually doing anything logical were slim to begin with.

 

Knowing what's behind you is as important as knowing what's in front of you - at ALL times.  I want to know that I can make an evasive lane change (or not) or slam on the anchors (or not) without having to worry about what I don't know is behind me.

 

My tips:  Assume everybody on the road is on a personal mission to kill you, especially busses trucks and taxis.

Ride at least as fast as 90% of the traffic on the roads - it's safer to be the passer as opposed to the passee, and idiots are better to be behind you rather than beside you or in front.

Riding slowly will eventually get you nailed.

Use your mirrors and know what's behind you at all times (because you already have the idiots behind you).

Be decisive in every decision and action you take.

Don't assume the brakes are the only emergency option you have. 

Always let some other sucker act as the "pathfinder" when the lights turn green.

 

Yeah, yeah - no such word as passee.  But apply the payer/payee principle and it makes sense. 

 

 

 

[Moonlover]

On 9/23/2021 at 11:38 PM, jackdd said:

But don't confuse the hard shoulder for a lane.

Here a random Thai highway:

 

The left most lane is the "green" one, you are supposed to drive there, the "yellow" one is for overtaking.

Driving in the "red" lanes is against the law, most Thais don't know this though. It's also just dangerous to drive on the hard shoulder, especially on the outer one, thus should be avoided anyway.

A picture says a thousand words and you're absolutely right! I've been riding here for 7 years and I've seen far too many close shaves due  to riders using (what I know as) the hard shoulder as a motorcycle lane. And there have been at least 2 videos of fatal accidents shown on this forum.

 

I ride in the centre of the left lane so as to give myself plenty of maneuvering space around me. I do occasionally get the odd driver who try's to 'bully' me over so that they can pass. If I'm sure it's safe to do so, I'll move to the left, but never into the shoulder.

[Kanada]

2 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

I would add you should use your neck and eyes too that action does pick up more than mirrors.

Can’t depend on mirrors much…that’s true especially to make a driving decision! Mirrors just help you keep a general idea on what’s going around you!

[NoshowJones]

On 9/24/2021 at 8:15 AM, Kanada said:

That’s the answer I was hoping for….it makes sense to me!

Dangerous riding on the hard shoulder for any length of time…the ditch or jungle or a ravine is always right there but most people do that it seems!

Unfortunately riding left in the green lane is dangerous too but that’s just the way it is!

Thank You for that….that’s what I’m doing now and hope your info. is correct????

There are no rules for riding a motorbike in Thailand, if you do not have much common sense, do not ride here or you will not last long. ie ride the hard shoulder or left lane according to road conditions, not any law, as I said, common sense or forget it.

[The Hammer2021]

You are supposed to drive on the left hand-side of the road except when over taking, or when there is an obstruction or when requested to do otherwise by a police officer

[NoshowJones]

On 9/26/2021 at 8:55 AM, Gsxrnz said:

Totally agree.  Anybody who is one of the "few" that adhere to driving regulations in Thailand are an endangered species. Traffic, weather and road conditions, visibility, lighting etc. mean that there is no single safe place to ride and you should adapt accordingly and continuously. Generally riding towards the left is the safest option - until it's not.

 

Often the biggest factor controlling my riding is the "lunacy level of the day" being displayed by other road users, so I'm continually adjusting speed and road position to eliminate the potential for disaster.  Watch out for the non-local number plates - they are bound to do extraordinary things because a) they're Thai, b)they're lost for the 14th time that day, c) they're suffering low blood sugar because they haven't eaten for 45 minutes, and d) the chances of them actually doing anything logical were slim to begin with.

 

Knowing what's behind you is as important as knowing what's in front of you - at ALL times.  I want to know that I can make an evasive lane change (or not) or slam on the anchors (or not) without having to worry about what I don't know is behind me.

 

My tips:  Assume everybody on the road is on a personal mission to kill you, especially busses trucks and taxis.

Ride at least as fast as 90% of the traffic on the roads - it's safer to be the passer as opposed to the passee, and idiots are better to be behind you rather than beside you or in front.

Riding slowly will eventually get you nailed.

Use your mirrors and know what's behind you at all times (because you already have the idiots behind you).

Be decisive in every decision and action you take.

Don't assume the brakes are the only emergency option you have. 

Always let some other sucker act as the "pathfinder" when the lights turn green.

 

Yeah, yeah - no such word as passee.  But apply the payer/payee principle and it makes sense. 

 

 

 

"Ride at least as fast as 90% of the traffic on the roads" I agree with most of what you say, but not this, especially on a bike below 150cc, I don't think I need to explain.

Drive a car at say over 100kph and you can maybe get away with a mistake, ride a bike, even a 1000cc one at that speed and you cannot afford a mistake, remember you are on two wheels.

The people who never make a mistake have not been born yet. 

[Rampant Rabbit]

the best lane is the one where you can see the road  ahead the most safely

[VocalNeal]

On 10/5/2021 at 6:18 PM, possum1931 said:

There are no rules for riding a motorbike in Thailand, if you do not have much common sense, do not ride here or you will not last long. ie ride the hard shoulder or left lane according to road conditions, not any law, as I said, common sense or forget it.

Agreed. But I always make a point of stopping at stop lights in the left lane. No point in tempting fate.