Is there any reason to own a car here if you are living in a city?

[sungod]

11 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Of course no one is debating that... so, whats your point ?

Whats yours? Why did you pipe in?

 

Thats exactly what I have been debating..........

Edited January 17, 2022 by sungod

[sirineou]

Quote

Is there any reason to own a car here if you are living in a city?

Only if you need to drive places. 

[JensenZ]

1 hour ago, sungod said:

But cars are safer than motorcycles, just common sense

This was never up for debate. The debate was over the degree of risk and how statistics distort that. That's also just common sense.

[JensenZ]

On 1/16/2022 at 7:02 PM, sungod said:

Not sure I would want to hire a car you have no idea how well maintained, and a driver you hardly know to drive me around, each to their own I guess.

This is what we were debating, Mr Sungod... that we could not hire well maintained cars with good drivers in Pattaya (or Thailand), then out of desperation you started going on about how unsafe motorcycles are. That topic had already been covered extensively before you came to the party and I even admitted in an earlier post that there's no doubt that in general they are (a riskier form of transport). Then you just started your silly, sarcastic baiting, when in actual fact you were just preaching to the choir.

 

I have had plates on my tibia and left forearm and still have a K-nail in my left femur from a serious accident in my 20's. I have a bunged up knee from an altercation with a car door too. This all happened before I arrived in Thailand. I don't need an eduction from you about the dangers of balancing on 2 wheels. One reason why I am so careful is that I've felt the pain of hitting the tarmac and one time the dirt on a dirt road. This was only a short list of all the accidents I have had and here you are lecturing me about the safety of motorcycles as if I need a reminder from you.

 

At the same time I also owned cars. One time I had an accident at 120 km/h and the car landed on its roof. That wasn't fun. That was a case of trying to get to the next town on a long rural run in Australia as I was starting to getting sleepy. I nearly made it. The things we did when we were young and stupid.

Edited January 17, 2022 by JensenZ

[The Hammer2021]

People should enjoy cars whilst they can here before Thailand  follows the west and like in London declare war on cars and car owners using them as a revenue  source.

[JensenZ]

 *duplicate post*

Edited January 17, 2022 by JensenZ

[KhunLA]

31 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

People should enjoy cars whilst they can here before Thailand  follows the west and like in London declare war on cars and car owners using them as a revenue  source.

Way too late for that.

[The Hammer2021]

14 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Way too late for that.

Not compared to London or the UK in general.  There is more freedom to use and enjoy cars here. Fuel is cheaper, parking is cheaper,  toll are cheaper, insurance is cheaper, road tax is cheaper, traffic  fines are cheaper. There are no congestion charges or expensive bus lanes here. The laws and police are more lenient.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/cars/article-10410301/Drivers-London-TODAY-face-increased-160-fines-Red-Route-rule-breaking.html

Edited January 17, 2022 by The Hammer2021

[richard_smith237]

2 hours ago, sungod said:

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Of course no one is debating that... so, whats your point ?

Whats yours? Why did you pipe in?

 

Thats exactly what I have been debating..........

See below... thats why I piped in....  

 

You were arguing an issue no one disagreed with, but you used ‘aggregate’ stats which are unrepresentative of foreigners riding motorcycles in Thailand - there is more risk riding a motorcycle than driving a car here, but the risk is not as elevated as the statistic you quote.

 

1 hour ago, JensenZ said:

then out of desperation you started going on about how unsafe motorcycles are. That topic had already been covered extensively before you came to the party and I even admitted in an earlier post that there's no doubt that in general they are (a riskier form of transport). Then you just started your silly, sarcastic baiting, when in actual fact you were just preaching to the choir.

 

[scubascuba3]

7 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

There is an element where you are both correct....

 

75 % of road fatalities are motorcycle riders.....   I ride a motorcycle and consider my risk significantly less than the average motorcyclist because of the following factors. 

- I wear a full face helmet and also riding gear (when going onto a main road).

- I never ride drunk.

- I don’t ride at night.

- I don’t take any chances.

- I ride extremely defensively.

- I don’t speed or ride recklessly.

 

Will this stop a Lorry with no brakes taking me out at the traffic lights ??? Actually yes, because at traffic lights I do not stop in the middle of the lane, I stop to the side (defensive positioning)... But, a lorry could still hit me if it swerved etc...

 

So yes, there is a far greater element of risk accounted with riding a motorcycle here in Thailand, but for ‘most’ foreigners who follow the same rules (as above) that element of risk is not as high as the ‘raw stats’ highlight. 

 

 

Within the context of this thread......  IF making a comparison between taking a motorcycle taxi or riding myself, I am safer riding myself. The same can be said of driving a car vs taking a taxi.

 

I don’t take motorcycle taxi’s wherever possible and haven't for about 4 years.

 

I do take taxi’s.... usually at night when I’ve popped out for a beer and not taken the motorcycle or driven. 

 

I’ve also refused to get in taxi’s in the past, i.e. when going on an expressway where we’ll likely be travelling at 100kmh and the vehicle just doesn’t look roadworthy or has no rear seatbelts etc.

 

 

So... to highlight your discussion gents [Sungod and JensenZ] - safety is a factor, risk can be mitigated on both motorcycles and cars so that the raw stats are less applicable to us, but that does not completely mitigate risk. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

all good points, i reckon taking a motorbike taxi is far greater risk than me riding, apart from them breaking the law regularly their helmets are rubbish even if they fit which is unlikely

[JensenZ]

14 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

all good points, i reckon taking a motorbike taxi is far greater risk than me riding, apart from them breaking the law regularly their helmets are rubbish even if they fit which is unlikely

Personally I'm more concerned about what's in the helmets than it's crash intregrity. On the rare occasions I do take a motorbike taxi, I bring my own helmet.

[scubascuba3]

7 minutes ago, JensenZ said:

Personally I'm more concerned about what's in the helmets than it's crash intregrity. On the rare occasions I do take a motorbike taxi, I bring my own helmet.

i also take my own helmet if the journey is planned but for most people they don't bother

[JensenZ]

45 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

i also take my own helmet if the journey is planned but for most people they don't bother

Yes, there could be head lice problem, or some form of fungus or bacteria if you frequently used these share helmets. If you suddently start losing your hair..... LOL wearing a baseball cap might be the best option.

Edited January 17, 2022 by JensenZ

[sungod]

6 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

See below... thats why I piped in....  

 

You were arguing an issue no one disagreed with, but you used ‘aggregate’ stats which are unrepresentative of foreigners riding motorcycles in Thailand - there is more risk riding a motorcycle than driving a car here, but the risk is not as elevated as the statistic you quote.

 

 

No, I was debating that cars are safer than motorcycles, the posts show it. You can argue all you want, but no need to to disagree with one of my posts you later say you agree with. You make no sense

[sungod]

7 hours ago, JensenZ said:

This is what we were debating, Mr Sungod... that we could not hire well maintained cars with good drivers in Pattaya (or Thailand), then out of desperation you started going on about how unsafe motorcycles are. That topic had already been covered extensively before you came to the party and I even admitted in an earlier post that there's no doubt that in general they are (a riskier form of transport). Then you just started your silly, sarcastic baiting, when in actual fact you were just preaching to the choir.

 

I have had plates on my tibia and left forearm and still have a K-nail in my left femur from a serious accident in my 20's. I have a bunged up knee from an altercation with a car door too. This all happened before I arrived in Thailand. I don't need an eduction from you about the dangers of balancing on 2 wheels. One reason why I am so careful is that I've felt the pain of hitting the tarmac and one time the dirt on a dirt road. This was only a short list of all the accidents I have had and here you are lecturing me about the safety of motorcycles as if I need a reminder from you.

 

At the same time I also owned cars. One time I had an accident at 120 km/h and the car landed on its roof. That wasn't fun. That was a case of trying to get to the next town on a long rural run in Australia as I was starting to getting sleepy. I nearly made it. The things we did when we were young and stupid.

Great post, last line really sums it all up, you cant teach stupid! ????

 

 

[The Hammer2021]

Thailand gives people the opportunity to enjoy car ownership and the freedom to drive cars that is being taken from people in many western 'civilised' countries. State sponsored attacks on car owners are increasing and a younger generation knows no better having been brainwashed with anti car propaganda and eco extremist ideas

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10412367/Sadiq-Khan-plots-hit-motorists-London-pay-mile-charges.html

[KhunLA]

and these people get elected ...  som nam na

[Yellowtail]

There is one really good reason to own a car, and that's because you want one. 

 

If you want one, buy one. If you don't want one, don't buy one. 

 

I could get along without a car, just like I can get along without air conditioning and without hot water for shaving and without and any number of other things I enjoy. I like having a for me.  car, and that's reason enough

 

Having a car is a cost, but it's not in any way a bother. It stays exactly where I leave it until I want to use it again. It does not get lonely if it just sits for a week, and it doesn't get jealous if go for a walk or take a taxi someplace. It does not seem to care at all either way. 

[grin]

I moved to Chiang Mai semi-permanently when I was in my late forties. For the first ten years or so all I had was a nice little 125cc Honda Wave and it served me well. I could easily hang ten bags of groceries off of it. Eventually when I got married we bought a Honda City but it was driven more by my wife than by me for the first few years. Then after being T-Boned on my Wave by a pickup running a red light I started driving the car and seldom rode any of our motorcycles anymore. I did fully recover but it took about 9 months including rehab.

 

However, a few years ago my stepson, who now lives in Bangkok, got paranoid about his Kawasaki Z1000 being stolen. That would be a Zed 1000 to some of you. So he started keeping it here at our house in Chiang Mai. My wife doesn't like me riding the Z1000 but every time I get on it and take it out I feel 10 years younger. Of course I tell her that I promised my stepson to keep the battery charged, etc. There are lots of nice rides around here that I used to do on my Wave and they are much better on the Z1000. But now having diminished reflexes in my late sixties I seldom take any chances when riding. And I still have my nice DOT approved helmet that I bought in the US.

 

In general I feel like your location has the most to do with whether you need a car or not. Also whether you have a family or not and if you are still working and need the convenience. Being still employed and married here on the outskirts of Chiang Mai it's hard to imagine living here without a car. Plus at this point it's hard to see relocating just to remove our dependence on a car.

[richard_smith237]

12 hours ago, sungod said:

Great post, last line really sums it all up, you cant teach stupid! ????

You'll have to simply blame genetics then.... ????

[0james0]

On 1/16/2022 at 8:09 PM, Skallywag said:

Transportation emits more greenhouse gases than electrical power plants in the US, likely more in Thailand.  Power plants have CO2 scrubbers and other ways to reduce emissions, plus are outside urban areas where gases are diluted and released high above the land.  66% of power plants are natural gas and 21% are Coal 

10's of millions of cars and mototcycles are a constant in your face in the city blowing the CO2 and NOx gases right at street level.  20 million motorbikes and over 18 million cars in Thailand. 

Big difference IMO  

So what...I don't care about this economic plunderous Green BS ideology, it's sum is to set the disadvantage back to the Stone Age.

 

I like cheap fuel = lower prices = more money for everyone = happier poor people.

 

Feel good, good for nothing Green mentality = less money = everything more expensive = the poorest are hurt the most, as we can see beginning to happen in a lot of poor rural villages. 

 

ok now I wait for the Greenie diaper rash response 555 

Edited January 23, 2022 by 0james0

[0james0]

I agree with many, a car is not needed, or even a motorbike depending on where you live and what your needs are.

 

For me, having a car is a necessity. We often travel north to visit family and friends and go on trips to one of the river eateries, flower parks, hot springs, or just taking a 4 or 5 day trip exploring the northern provinces.  

 

I don't think I could live without a car. Also I really enjoy filling it with fuel to burn, contributing to the economic vitality of planet earth and local community, it really makes me feel very good and happy, I love burning fuel!