You have to have a motorbike

[JensenZ]

On 5/7/2024 at 10:37 AM, Upnotover said:

People who want to travel regularly away from where they live buy cars.  

And in Pattaya, most of those people who own cars also own motorcycles. All my neighbours own both and use their motorcycles more often than their cars. It's worth noting that petrol is now roughly the price of milk.

[scubascuba3]

9 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

I'll go back to my original point: More powerful capable bikes are far safer for highway and open road riding than scooters.

Scooters are a lot more practical around town...  I wouldn't want to ride one at highway speeds.

I'll go back to my original point, if you keep needing to get out of trouble, you need to change your riding style

[KhunLA]

11 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Only in your mind.

 

On my 160 i can do 100 easy, easy enough and in the example above you shouldn't be in that situation in the first place, you have mirrors and can view what's coming around you. I see guys with big bikes just shouldn't have them, not skillful enough

Agree, and size of the MC/MB/Scooter means little, since the speed limit is usually 90 kph anyway.  125cc handles that quite well.

 

Larger bike may afford more comfort, but we see plenty of the newer 150/160cc all loaded up for an extended stay somewhere when we're O&A, and surprised sometimes where they're registered.  Quite the distance traveled sometimes.

 

Long distance, or just a long time on a MC, and those days are way behind me now.  Especially with dog and seemingly the need to bring half the house with us at times.

 

But do notice many O&A on their <400 cc scooters, enjoying life.  Others prefer to do that from the barstool.

 

Different strokes & all ... ENJOY whichever floats you boat.

[jacko45k]

19 hours ago, 5davidhen1 said:

Appropriately, and judiciously used power and speed (acceleration) can get one out of trouble, sometimes better than brake application.

"Speed" per se does not kill --- it is INAPROPRIATE speed which kills.

Or the rapid deceleration!

[newbee2022]

On 5/7/2024 at 9:50 AM, georgegeorgia said:

This is mainly aimed at Pattaya expats 

How do you get around if you can't ride a motorcycle 🏍️ 

 

If I lived in Pattaya I can't keep using Grabb/bolt etc too expensive on the monthly budget 

 

So in reality does it save you a lot by driving a motorcycle, this is where my budget would unfortunately in all wisdom and hindsight quadruple 

 

I guess you just use baht buses and the problem with that is if say you lived at Jomtien and wanted to go to LK metro a lot of running around changing buses etc 

So you really need a form of transport 

I don't trust myself on a bike 

I wouldn't mind those three wheeler things but I don't see many 

 

Ok for those of you expats who don't /can't ride a motorcycle are you finding it more difficult time wise and financial wise 

 

If you love your life then you would not ride a motorbike, unless you like to end your life as Flatpack on the road🙏

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, newbee2022 said:

If you love your life then you would not ride a motorbike, unless you like to end your life as Flatpack on the road🙏

 

As below...  

 

On 5/8/2024 at 12:34 PM, richard_smith237 said:

Yawn... the usual boring response... 

 

[richard_smith237]

10 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

19 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

I'll go back to my original point: More powerful capable bikes are far safer for highway and open road riding than scooters.

Scooters are a lot more practical around town...  I wouldn't want to ride one at highway speeds.

I'll go back to my original point, if you keep needing to get out of trouble, you need to change your riding style

 

Which not a wholly valid response...  you are missing the issue (or refuse to recognise) that a scooter and its lack of power could be the issue placing a rider at greater risk on a highway in the first place....    

 

... having more power to move away from a position of risk is a facet of defensive riding that a scooter does not offer. 

 

 

.... The brakes & tyre contact are also a lot better on a larger motorcycle... 

Thus, your argument would be like suggesting if a rider needs to emergency brake or brake hard, they need to adjust their riding style...  which would be a dumbed down over simplification of a bigger picture. 

 

 

[newbee2022]

8 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

As below...  

 

 

...😂😂😂..and BIG yawn...the usual reply👏👏

[Celsius]

On 5/8/2024 at 8:36 AM, Tropicalevo said:

Yet millions ride a bike every die and do not have accidents.

I think that you have a problem.

 

That is a bit of a stupid post, but I think in some really stupid and dumb way you are right.

 

Foreigners who drive in Thailand indeed have a problem as they were not taught the disrespectful and suicidal driving practiced by Thais.

 

My wife drives like a maniac and she is still alive. What does that prove? One day she may ran out of luck.

 

 

Edited May 10 by Celsius

[scubascuba3]

22 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Which not a wholly valid response...  you are missing the issue (or refuse to recognise) that a scooter and its lack of power could be the issue placing a rider at greater risk on a highway in the first place....    

 

... having more power to move away from a position of risk is a facet of defensive riding that a scooter does not offer. 

 

 

.... The brakes & tyre contact are also a lot better on a larger motorcycle... 

Thus, your argument would be like suggesting if a rider needs to emergency brake or brake hard, they need to adjust their riding style...  which would be a dumbed down over simplification of a bigger picture. 

 

 

The problem you have and are ignoring is the greater speed puts you more at risk on a faster bigger bike.

 

I ride my Click 160 on Sukhumvit and it's fast enough and i don't need additional speed, not once have i needed it, same on my previous Click 125.

 

I've had big bikes in the UK as it was the norm, they're over rated, i had a 500, 600 and 800 BMW, much prefer the smaller scooters

[richard_smith237]

18 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

...😂😂😂..and BIG yawn...the usual reply👏👏

 

Your implication that "unless you like to end your life as flat-pack on the road" suggests every one who rides a motorcycle dies from a motorcycle accident... 

 

Your response has no critical intellect to it whatsoever... its just a typical emotional knee jerk response...

 

If you were to suggest that those riding a motorcycle should first evaluate their risk profile and make and informed choice balancing convenience and that risk - that would be an intelligent response. 

 

Yours is far from it...    as pointed out the usually, poorly thought out, ill-educated, knee-jerk response of someone who hasn't really given the subject critical thought.

[richard_smith237]

1 minute ago, scubascuba3 said:

The problem you have and are ignoring is the greater speed puts you more at risk on a faster bigger bike.

 

I agree with that....  greater speed 'can' put you at greater risk. 

I agree that someone is more inclined to ride a more powerful bike at greater speed.

 

But, when on a highway, the stability and capability of a 'bigger bike' compared to a scooter makes the bigger bike safer, and the reasons for that are numerous. 

 

One of them being - on a 'faster highway'... If you want to ride on the main lane, you have to ride at the same speed as the surrounding traffic and doing so may mean that you can get 'trapped' between trucks etc or end up with an idiot tailgating you etc I want to extract myself from those situations and its much easier (and safer IMO) to do so on a more powerful bike.

 

On a scooter if you want to avoid such issues you'd have to drift to the frontage part of the road (I'm not sure what its called, but some people think its a motorcycle lane), which IMO is more dangerous to ride on...   

 

1 minute ago, scubascuba3 said:

I ride my Click 160 on Sukhumvit and it's fast enough and i don't need additional speed, not once have i needed it, same on my previous Click 125.

 

Same here, because I don't ride on the highway - I'm happy with a 300cc scooter... 

 

Note: you mentioned Sukhumvit rd (which I assume to mean Pattaya) - but thats not a highway, that I'd class as a 'inner city road' and I'd agree that a scooter is more than fine for this... 

 

When referring to highway riding,  I mean the major roads between cities... where the traffic is often at 90-120km (even though speed limits are 90 kmh).

 

 

 

[newbee2022]

16 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Your implication that "unless you like to end your life as flat-pack on the road" suggests every one who rides a motorcycle dies from a motorcycle accident... 

 

Your response has no critical intellect to it whatsoever... its just a typical emotional knee jerk response...

 

If you were to suggest that those riding a motorcycle should first evaluate their risk profile and make and informed choice balancing convenience and that risk - that would be an intelligent response. 

 

Yours is far from it...    as pointed out the usually, poorly thought out, ill-educated, knee-jerk response of someone who hasn't really given the subject critical thought.

You're really funny. I like your jokes. Go on 👏, can't wait to read more 😂

[richard_smith237]

3 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

You're really funny. I like your jokes. Go on 👏, can't wait to read more 😂

 

Pathetic...  either join the debate with some intelligence or ignore it...       

 

Writing the above only serves to highlight that you don't have valid points, but want to argue...   

[Screaming]

On 5/8/2024 at 9:45 AM, Robert Paulson said:

You gotta admit that some funny stuff. Read it closer if you didn’t get it.

 

if you get into an accident on a motorbike in Thailand, you’re dead. Of course there are exceptions, but I’ll act conservatively thank you very much. And you cannot drive in Thailand for any significant amount of time without an accident.

So very true, it is only a matter of time before you die or get seriously hurt. Only fools get on motorbikes in Thailand.

[JimTripper]

Is there an issue with Thai's not yielding to foreigners or not driving the same around them as natives?

 

Or, is it basically a level playing field or more an issue of what you are driving, how big the bike is/what kind, etc?

Edited May 10 by JimTripper

[Korat Kiwi]

24 minutes ago, Screaming said:

So very true, it is only a matter of time before you die or get seriously hurt. Only fools get on motorbikes in Thailand.

So following on from that,  there must be how many million fools on Thailand roads every day? 

 

Get a grip.  The only fool on a motorbike is the one who causes or is involved in an accident.  

 

Your logic is seriously flawed. 

 

It's like saying it's only a matter of time that a diver will drown or a skydiver/parachuter will hit the ground hard. 

 

That in itself doesn't make them a fool. 

 

There are millions of bike riders in Thailand that live to a ripe old age.  Some don't. And? 

 

I agree there is more risk... as there is in crossing the road.  This is Thailand.  

Edited May 10 by Korat Kiwi

[Sigmund]

When ever you visit Thailand, if possible, choose accomodation close to what is of interest to you. Avoid driving around yourself as we all know that the Thai roads are amongst the worst in the world and the Thai trafic police is always on the hunt to racket foreigners who drive on any excuse. Use public transport where available or Grab (avoid the regular taxi or tuk tuks that are all just a bunch of cheats).

[richard_smith237]

43 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

Is there an issue with Thai's not yielding to foreigners or not driving the same around them as natives?

 

Or, is it basically a level playing field or more an issue of what you are driving, how big the bike is/what kind, etc?

 

IMO - its a level playing field...  I don't see any disregard or deliberate lack of yielding to a foreigner etc.. 

 

There are certain traits to driving in town here that are very different and often shocking... 

 

It has been said that Thai's only pay attention to what they can see... which generally means their sphere of responsibility is the 120 degrees they can see in front of them....  It is quite astonishing the number of times a motorcyclist will pull out in front of traffic without looking.

 

 

Here's an example (below)....    (and the reason I have a dash-cam on both the car and the motorcycle).

 

When there are a lot of riders like this - the stats are horrific... 

 

I think a lot of people (some posters on here) see a lot of people riding very poorly and project this those riders present to themselves on all who ride a motorcycle here. 

 

 

Edited May 10 by richard_smith237

[richard_smith237]

22 minutes ago, Korat Kiwi said:

So following on from that,  there must be how many million fools on Thailand roads every day? 

 

Get a grip.  The only fool on a motorbike is the one who causes or is involved in an accident.  

 

Your logic is seriously flawed. 

 

It's like saying it's only a matter of time that a diver will drown or a skydiver/parachuter will hit the ground hard. 

 

That in itself doesn't make them a fool. 

 

There are millions of bike riders in Thailand that live to a ripe old age.  Some don't. And? 

 

I agree there is more risk... as there is in crossing the road.  This is Thailand.  

 

100% agree...        The risk of riding a motorcycle in Thailand is elevated...   and as you mention so is the risk of crossing the road here... 

 

Those comments suggesting motorcyclists are idiots and will end up dead etc are as dumb as suggesting those who cross a road are...   the comment itself lacks such a degree of critical thought it only serves to highlights the poster of such comments as being... well, not very bright at all... 

 

 

[johng]

23 minutes ago, Korat Kiwi said:

There are millions of bike riders in Thailand that live to a ripe old age.  Some don't. And? 

There are old riders and bold riders  but no old bold riders.

[metisdead]

An inflammatory post contravening our Community Standards and a reply has been removed:

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[newbee2022]

On 5/7/2024 at 10:30 AM, georgegeorgia said:

Very true if I moved to Pattaya 

Location to supermarkets ,bookshops ,cafes etc 

 

But....sometimes you want to travel a bit more 

Having no form of transport is difficult...but one may have to adapt to that 

Cars are not expensive here. Only the dumbest, as my friend said, are going by motor bike. 🙏

[transam]

Just now, newbee2022 said:

Cars are not expensive here. Only the dumbest, as my friend said, are going by motor bike. 🙏

Are you saying that those who cannot afford the expense of a car are dumb.....? 🤔

[jesimps]

I was 63 when I first came here and for my first two years lived in Pattaya and Jomtien. I found it no problem at all using baht buses and walking. Even at going on 80, if I moved back into town I'd do the same without any problem. Baht buses are a cheap, trouble-free way of getting around. Occasionally when you do have a bit of a walk and you don't want to get sweaty, you can always grab a normal cab.

[Pattaya57]

23 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

Cars are not expensive here. Only the dumbest, as my friend said, are going by motor bike. 🙏

How are cars not considered expensive here? I'd say they are almost twice as expensive as they are in Australia, which is also not a cheap place for cars. That's why they have so any cheap scooters  here and fit the whole family on one 

[scubascuba3]

30 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

Cars are not expensive here. Only the dumbest, as my friend said, are going by motor bike. 🙏

Depends where you live but in Pattaya a motorbike will take you to the next level

[Korat Kiwi]

44 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

Cars are not expensive here. Only the dumbest, as my friend said, are going by motor bike. 🙏

And you can stay with your thicket of friends with that attitude. 

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, transam said:

1 hour ago, newbee2022 said:

Cars are not expensive here. Only the dumbest, as my friend said, are going by motor bike. 🙏

Are you saying that those who cannot afford the expense of a car are dumb.....? 🤔

 

44 minutes ago, Pattaya57 said:

1 hour ago, newbee2022 said:

Cars are not expensive here. Only the dumbest, as my friend said, are going by motor bike. 🙏

How are cars not considered expensive here? I'd say they are almost twice as expensive as they are in Australia, which is also not a cheap place for cars. That's why they have so any cheap scooters  here and fit the whole family on one 

 

39 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

1 hour ago, newbee2022 said:

Cars are not expensive here. Only the dumbest, as my friend said, are going by motor bike. 🙏

Depends where you live but in Pattaya a motorbike will take you to the next level

 

25 minutes ago, Korat Kiwi said:

1 hour ago, newbee2022 said:

Cars are not expensive here. Only the dumbest, as my friend said, are going by motor bike. 🙏

And you can stay with your thicket of friends with that attitude. 

 

 

I think he's already proven quite well that he's just 'not that bright' and lacks the ability to have a discussion... 

 

It's clear that the thoughts of Scubascuba3 and I are not aligned regarding a scooter vs larger bikes (on highways) - but have continued to argue the debate bringing up some different, valid and interesting points...      rather than dumbed down and retarded remarks. 

 

[newbee2022]

1 hour ago, Pattaya57 said:

How are cars not considered expensive here? I'd say they are almost twice as expensive as they are in Australia, which is also not a cheap place for cars. That's why they have so any cheap scooters  here and fit the whole family on one 

My experience is not the same as yours. I don't know what you would spend for a scooter but for this price you'll find even a very reliable VW or Audi or any Toyota of course🙏. And you buy safety