Why Do So Many Of Us Love To Risk Our Lives Every Day.

[LinkPopularity]

because it's perfectly possible to drive it safe anyway ... it's all up to yourself !

[kankaroo]

Feel almost squeamish just thinking about the way I sometimes used to carry on in Phuket years ago. Bunch of us (Thai & Farang) racing around the island at night drunk as hel_l with nobody wearing a helmet CRAZY !!

I can't count the amount of times that we would be taking somebody to the hospital for cuts, bashes, bruises, cracked heads and even broken bones !!

I was younger then and didn't give a f*** if I lived or died. Guess I had a death wish.

Scary stuff.

[jeffrosner]

Sensationalism at it's worst. First, where did he get the statistic of 1 motorcyclist dying every 40 minutes? That's <deleted>. The official statistics:

According to official statistics (police), 12,858 people were killed in road crashes in 2005. However the real number might even be higher. According to documentation from the health sector, the real death toll could be 20,000 or more if victims who die after being removed from the crash scene are included.

And:

32% of the vehicles involved in crashes are motorcycles and 28% are cars

http://www.grsproadsafety.org/?pageid=28

That guy pulled statistics from thin air just to write a shocking article.

I rode motorcycle taxis in Bangkok for my first two years here. At first I thought it was dangerous, than I got used to it. About 6 months ago, I bought a Honda Wave and started riding myself. Now I know that the motorsai taxis are by far the worst, craziest drivers on the road. I feel much safer riding myself than riding with them. I can't believe I ever did it in the first place.

If you keep your head and look everywhere, all the time, I think riding is not that dangerous. Being a passenger with a motorsai taxi is.

Mr. Rosner says that the "official" Thai stats are bogus or <deleted> as you British like to say.

Mr. Rosner thinks that he would like to sell you a bridge - only after reading your last paragraph.

[ThaiPauly]

I used them when I first came to BK and they scared he sh*t outta me.

Once I spent 2 friking hours on the back of one as the driver did not understand that I wanted to go fom Prakenong to Phrom Phrom..he though I meant PATPONG...but he did not know where it was and got completely lost. My Wife was convinced I had been kiled as she took off on the back of the motorcy in front

It was an unforgtable experience and I have never used one since.

When we are in BK now I always tell my Wife never to use them ..but I suspect she does...She grew up with them and just not see the dangers

Edited June 5, 2007 by ThaiPauly

[jeebusjones]

I had a very close call today on Bangna Trad road. Another split second and I would have been underneath the wheels of a lorry. It was a nasty situation that was the result of two complete maniacs in vehicles in front of and behind me, and I was unfortunate enough to be trapped in the middle.

This experience has made me rethink riding motorcycles in Thailand. I will very likely be selling mine soon. But at the very least, I have decided to only use it for short trips on quieter streets without lorries.

[jetjock]

because it's perfectly possible to drive it safe anyway ... it's all up to yourself !

Unfortunately this statement was a sad reminder for me because it is almost exactly the same statement that one of my good friends made to me a few years ago. He was a great guy and had 25 years experience on all types of dirt bikes

and street bikes and he always prided himself on always wearing a helmet and riding safely. He was on his Harley and hit from behind by an overtaking car on a quiet country road and was killed instantly. They said the driver of the car was daydreaming and my friend never knew what hit him.

I agree that safe riding helps but I think luck (a lot of it) also plays a big factor when bikes and cars share the same space. Ride safe and wishing good luck to all you TV bikers.

Edited June 5, 2007 by jetjock

[Lickey]

Hi Pikey, i wouldnt dream of riding a big bike would you???

Well, not right now, just had 4 chang lites...

[Pikey]

Jetjock,

You echo my sentiments 100%. I have been riding for 27 years in Europe and the past couple here in Thai. IMHO, Driver awareness in Thai is next to zero so you need to ride EVEN MORE defensively than in your home country. We travel a lot faster than they appreciate (outside of town) and mostly they cannot calculate our speed - I am sure that this is a big conributor to larger (+250cc) bike accidents and is the main reason I try to use my little Tiger 125 in town - to keep the speed down and travel at the same pace as the local traffic.

There are still plenty of opportunities to have fun and enjoy the biking experience here and once out of the big cities, so long as you keep your awareness, this is one of the best (NOT safest) countries to ride in for quality of raods & lack of traffic, at least here in the north.

BTW, have only taken a couple of m/c taxis in BKK for a few KM and yep, bloody terrifying! But, having said that, as a bike rider, I hate being pillion, even on a trusted mate. There you go....

Cheers,

Pikey.

[Pikey]

Hey Lickey,

Hope you are still enjoying the XJR1200 and yep, don't need to get on a bike when you are full of piss. Why not take a motorcycle taxi instead, maybe they are not so scary then..... ?

Cheers,

Pikey. (full of Leo!)

Edited June 5, 2007 by Pikey

[Lickey]

A bit pissed i might be, but being a fully fledged biker like yourself, I think youve got more chance of getting a wank of the pope than me getting on a MC taxi,

[Lickey]

Pikey, Yams going fine, had a lovely blast along the road that runs parralell with the Mekong river, road was empty, no trucks,pick-ups,little bikes, its a good smooth road and some lovely curves and hills, made her sing through the gears, sounded great!! spose you want ti back now ??

[wasabi]

I thought this was a well written article by someone who has at least a decent vocabulary and sense of humor and not someone who has spent about 5 minutes in BKK yet claims to be an expert.

I have ridden Motosai taxis a few times and always regret it! I'm a somewhat risk adverse person and riding one of those taxis always feels like tempting fate. I guess the reason is being in a hurry and having no faster way to get where I need to go. I too have had my knees scrape against buses and come millimeters away from being jammed between merging Songtaews.

Edited June 5, 2007 by wasabi

[ray23]

Regardless of the statistics, I think everyone knows that riding motorcycles in an environment where there are cars is extremely dangerous. It is not only the probability of losing your life in an accident but also of losing limbs or paralysis. Everyone should be free to choose how they do not want to die. I stopped riding motorcycles when I was young after a few close calls as my choice is not wind up as road kill. I do extreme flying and diving because if I have to make a choice of a place to die, I would prefer in an airplane or with a scuba tank on. My friends tell me I lead a dangerous life--but I tell them that motorcyclist are the ones that lead a risky life and what I lead is what I consider merely an interesting life. Best of luck to all you real daredevils on motorcyles out there.

Lets see jumpimg out of a perfectly good airplane, swimming up to drown. Niether one of those activities sound very safe to me. But safer then riding M/C taxis

I really don't like riding on the back of a bike with anyone else driving. Yuo know in the end everyone of us pick something that we do in life that probably isn't the best thing for us.

For me It's bike touring, It is my sanity, where I go and not think about anything else but riding the bike and what is happening around me. For others it can be sking down a mountain, flying in rental plane and hoping the maintance was really done. Being pulled behind a boat at break neck speeds. Riding seadoo, you name it if you get out of the house in activity there is risk

.. I have alway thought that the mere act of driving anything is a total act of faith, think about you have vehicles weighing tons run at each other in excess of 200Klms an hour , with an imaginary barrier seperating the two vehicles by mere inches. You have absolutley no control of what the other driver is going to do. If that isn't faith I don't know what is.

Anyone who has any time in country understands the rules of the road here are really a pecking order with busses at the top and pedestreians at the bottom. So if we apply the real rules of the roads here no one should be walking. Me on my bike I'm up the scale a bit LOL

Seriously I understand that many who have posted about bike riding here have nothing but good thoughts for others. But there is existing in life and then there is living and for some of us that is what riding means to us. So for those who wih to jump out of perfectly good airplanes, or swim up to drown. Not my cup of tea, but I hope you can do it as long a your biody can hold up to it. Yuo can die from lack of excercise from watching TV all day and do nothing as well. The difference could be what brings qaulity of life to the individual. Personally I respect people who make an effort to put that qaulity that matters to them in thier lives.

[chinthee]

I too love bikes, and rode for years in farang land, but came to the very difficult decision to stop riding them in Thailand. I kept and enjoyed a big bike in Phuket for years, mostly only riding it around the village and on road trips. I also live in BKK, and generally never get on a motorcy taxi, no matter how pressed for time, though I also drive in BKK.

During my time of riding the bike, I was taken down by chickens running into the road suddenly, and had many other close calls with stray dogs, etc., idiot young boys full throttle in the opposite direction on your side of the road, never checking mirrors, on and on and on. Over those years, the death and maiming toll just kept rising, and it did bring it home for me when I visited a local hospital where they had posted all the photos on the wall of motorbike accidents - gruesome. I also knew many people personally who were paralized, killed or otherwise damaged. I personally have driven by a couple of accidents, and vividly remember one tourist that was struck by a truck was lying in the road with both feet severed. No matter how good a rider you are, no matter the enjoyment you get from bikes, in Thailand, there are just too many unpredictable and competing elements on the road to contend with to make it safe anymore. One of the considerations is that even if you're not killed, you may require ongoing medical help and that can be very expensive. One guy I knew who crashed looked like a stroke victim and went through years and years of expensive therapy and still never got right, hobbling around in pain at mid thirties.

This is not meant to discourage other bikers. We all know the risks, and I agree you have to live your life and not sit on the sidelines. I love riding. I would do it again, but not in Thailand. I respect the decision of and am envious of those who do ride, but not for me anymore.

[larvidchr]

Here is a link, so you can recgonise the different motorcycle brands without looking,

http://www.myvideo.de/watch/14670

Kind regards,

[SamuiJens]

I agree with chinthee, to many lives ruined in Thailand and larvidchr, your link wouldn't open for me, just as well! All ppl coming to Samui should (if they hold there life dear) stay off the Ring road, especially at rush hours, also seen to much misery to want to get hit or have a the stray dogs wander right in your path and stop, looking into your fearful eyes of what is to be. NOT to mention the drunk drivers, both cars and bikes! Have a nice vacation, and walk!

[larvidchr]

I agree with chinthee, to many lives ruined in Thailand and larvidchr, your link wouldn't open for me, just as well! All ppl coming to Samui should (if they hold there life dear) stay off the Ring road, especially at rush hours, also seen to much misery to want to get hit or have a the stray dogs wander right in your path and stop, looking into your fearful eyes of what is to be. NOT to mention the drunk drivers, both cars and bikes! Have a nice vacation, and walk!

Sorry Jens, just tested it, opens fine for me, shame you would have had a laugh, it is nothing bad or bloody just pure fun.

Kind regards,

[jdinasia]

I love riding my bike down in Phuket .... let's see how much i ride it when I get back up in BKK full time though!

[madjbs]

I ride my bike all the time in BKK and to be honest its not all that bad. However I am thinking of getting a car but I am woried that the trafic and parking is just gonna be such a pain that I will end up back on the bike.

[jdinasia]

I ride my bike all the time in BKK and to be honest its not all that bad. However I am thinking of getting a car but I am woried that the trafic and parking is just gonna be such a pain that I will end up back on the bike.

I don't even ENJOY driving the Jazz in BKK ..... but it's a funny trade off!

On the bike I am worried about an idiot hitting me and really hurting me! In the car I am worried about hitting an idiot and hurting/killing him! <Thank goodness for firstclass insurance and a mobile phone just in case!>

Get me upcountry and I enjoy driving and riding ... on the island riding is the way to go!

[madjbs]

HaHa That is Exactly what I am thinking I will be like if I buy a car or pickup. It doesnt help that I havnt driven cars all that much and BKK is not the nicest place to learn. Maybe I should get an auto (cant afford a Jazz though )

Edited June 7, 2007 by madjbs

[jdinasia]

automatic is the only way to go in BKK traffic ... if not then your clutch leg will be twice the size of your accellerator leg!

[madjbs]

very good point, I shall keep that in mind while I ponder my dilemma.

[jdinasia]

and the Jazz Vtec is the way to go ! .... great fun ride out and around ... but small enough to park in the city!

a tish pricey ... but since the BF paid for it in cash .......

[madjbs]

I was going to say I wish I had a BF like you but then I thought better of it as I already have a girlfriend and im not inclined to go both ways (and she reads this sometimes) Unfortunately its going to be a pickup for me but now im going to have to add a auto box to the already long list of requirements the GF has given me (black paint, pink seats, furry steering wheel, etc...)

Edited June 7, 2007 by madjbs