16 minutes ago, BerndD said:

I think you'd better take care of your business. Once you have done that, you can give your good advice to others.

I'm not part of the German heritage telling Thais what to do. I'm guessing you are.

15 minutes ago, Unamerican said:

Are ”states” at all relevant?  Or do you mean “Changwat”??   

Who or where ever that actually keeps stats, is relevant.   And it's not Changwats.  And since most accidents happen within a few miles / kms from home, the argument of village or metro driving slow is irrelevant also.   

 

You can trip and crack you head open walking or running and die, so falling off a MC, with slightest force or colliding with something is irrelevant.   A helmet, even a crappy one is going to provide some protection.

 

As an example of stats recorded, same as ICEV vs EV fires.  It's not YT or MSM, it's the insurance companies that actually pay out claims for vehicle fires.

Wearing a helmet is the choice you make when trying to increase your chance to survive Thai traffic on a motorcycle. Paying a fine may be ok but losing your life is too high a price.

What a crock of crap. The Thai police selectively enforce helmet laws for farang but not Thais.

I walk Beach Rd every other day. It is a common sight to see Thai police in front of the main police station beside Central Festival mall stopping every bike driven by a farang and stopping NO bikes ridden by Thai. 

I once ask a Thai policeman (in Thai language) why only farang are stopped. The just smiled and shrugged his shoulders while scanning the street for the next farang to stop. 

 

Is seems as if the Police and TTA are working at cross purposes. 

"Welcome to the LOS" (Land of Smiles)

22 hours ago, smedly said:

helmet use depends largely on what you are doing, if scooting around town at bicycle speeds it's not so important

Sorry, but you really have no idea. Falling down with your head crashing to the concrete curb from just standing can even kill you, especially at older age. That is why it is even recommended to wear a helmet or helmet-like head protection on a normal bike.

Well once your face resembles a peeled mango from your face sliding down the road maybe you should have used a full face and put up with a sweaty hair do.

1 hour ago, Dirk Z said:

Sorry, but you really have no idea. Falling down with your head crashing to the concrete curb from just standing can even kill you, especially at older age. That is why it is even recommended to wear a helmet or helmet-like head protection on a normal bike.

well that could happen so are you suggesting we should wear a helmet once we get out of bed, go back and read my original post, I was simply stating that it depends on your activity, would you wear a helmet while out walking ? - of course not simply because the chance of falling and hitting your head and dying are so remote it is not practical. My original post .............. helmet use depends largely on what you are doing, if scooting around town at bicycle speeds it's not so important.............I am saying it's not so important same as not so important when taking your dog for a walk, get it ?

 

I own and ride a motorbike capable of 300kph have toured all over Thailand and beyond - I always wear a helmet and other gear when touring, nipping out to the 7/11 on a scooter not so important, but hey you know everything right and I have "no idea" 

 

put it another way, would you ride a bicycle wearing a full face motorbike helmet ? - if not why not, go on explain it

What I see is foreign tourists looking very happy to be able to adjust to the Thai culture and ignore traffic rules on the roads...

On 8/15/2025 at 5:29 PM, smedly said:

helmet use depends largely on what you are doing, if scooting around town at bicycle speeds it's not so important

absolute nonsense🫣🫣🫣

1 hour ago, smedly said:

I always wear a helmet and other gear when touring, nipping out to the 7/11 on a scooter not so important,

 

Because at bicycling speed, untrained and inattentive Thai drivers won't hit your pushbike or scooter from behind and knock you headfirst into a power pole.  Gosh, that's even less likely than being rear-ended at a traffic light!

 

Never happens.

 

Just like it's unpossible to ride into a pothole or be nudged into the gutter and get flipped over the handlebars.

 

Crazy talk! 

 

At bicycling speed, inattentive drivers are prevented from pulling out of side streets without looking.  That's a law, I think.

 

Just silly urban legends.

 

I heard one the other day............when you're out riding your bike and you have a rearview mirror, if you look into the mirror and say three times "uninsured, uninsured, uninsured!", some mushhead on a Scoopy looking at Facebook will undertake you, clipping your handlebars throwing you into traffic.  Really, like that could ever happen!

On 6/26/2025 at 5:17 AM, Everyman said:

 

That was also my experience.

 

On 7/14/2025 at 10:56 AM, FritsSikkink said:

Sell the land

 

On 7/14/2025 at 4:15 PM, quake said:

Not fair on the kids man. 

Your not loaded or have high paying jobs here.

So it's all going to go south at some point. 

 

 

 

On 8/15/2025 at 5:29 PM, smedly said:

helmet use depends largely on what you are doing, if scooting around town at bicycle speeds it's not so important

Sorry but is nothing to do with speed. If you fall down without helmet you can damage your brain even with a bicycle!

On 8/15/2025 at 1:06 PM, still kicking said:

No, that is the USA

No the US is the land of the free and hypocrisy.

20 hours ago, Thumbs said:

Police don't want to sort the problem, what easier way to generate fines for the police force. Can simply set up a check point and let people come to you, issue a fine and let them continue their journey with no helmet, so safetyhasn'tbeen improved one bit... fastest way to fix the problem is to fine and confiscate the bikes of those riding without a helmet until they can return with a new helmet covered under safety standards 

As they do every year before Christmas/ New Year and Songkran.

On 8/15/2025 at 12:34 PM, Negita43 said:

For helmets it's a sensible law whatever the locals think/do and you won't leave yourself open to "on the spot fines"

 

Correct, use a "baht bus"  or take a taxi.

20 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

I'm not part of the German heritage telling Thais what to do. I'm guessing you are.

Germany is the third largest economy in the world, but they never would do such a thing.

Germans do not have a MAGA-like claim, such as MakeGermanyGreatAgain!

On 8/16/2025 at 3:28 AM, Rampant Rabbit said:

too many overbearing rules in the west, ive come to the conclusion up to you  with the proviso no helmet no free medical aid......youre choice, let them die they had the choice, but the choice must be left into the equation, dont end up like the UK where youll get fined  and lose your licence now for virtually farting,  stupid slow 20mph speed limits , average speed  cameras etc the list goes on and on you spend all your time thinking  am I doing 25mph in a 20mph with homicidal "wreckless speeding" headlines pronounced

Go back under your rock

I almost never use motorbike taxis in Bangkok, primarily because I think it looks ridiculous to see a wealthy, well dress person, sitting on the back of a sh*tty old scooter being driven by a peasant in dirty old clothes.

But *if* I were to be a motorbike taxi user, I'm not putting on a helmet that is full of other people's sweat and lice.   
 

On 8/15/2025 at 4:56 PM, JoePai said:

This 'no helmet' only applies to Thais

I have seen Thai's being stopped by the police and given a ticket for not wearing a helmet. Having said that not wearing a helmet is putting your life in potential jeopardy plus the hospital, assuming you are alive will have to provide more care for you. If you want to be stupid and not wear a helmet do so but don't complain if you get hit after being in a hospital with a massive bill for the additional care you needed because you didn't wear a helmet.

On 8/16/2025 at 3:30 AM, KhunLA said:

The stats prove helmet use saves lives.  Ms Google points it out to easily.  Comparison of death & head injuries of states with or without helmet laws.  Simply Google:

 

... "statistics on death & injury of states with and without helmet laws usa" ...

 

Isn't the CDC the Centre for Disease Control? How does helmets come under their remit?

23 hours ago, Expat Tom said:

What a crock of crap. The Thai police selectively enforce helmet laws for farang but not Thais.

I walk Beach Rd every other day. It is a common sight to see Thai police in front of the main police station beside Central Festival mall stopping every bike driven by a farang and stopping NO bikes ridden by Thai. 

I once ask a Thai policeman (in Thai language) why only farang are stopped. The just smiled and shrugged his shoulders while scanning the street for the next farang to stop. 

 

Is seems as if the Police and TTA are working at cross purposes. 

"Welcome to the LOS" (Land of Smiles)

Not where I live it is mostly Thais that are stopped.

4 minutes ago, Photoguy21 said:

Not where I live it is mostly Thais that are stopped.

Agree, on rare occasion they do have a check point, I always get waved through, if they are checking paperwork.   For helmets, I wear, so never stopped, but always Thais mostly getting cited.

On 8/15/2025 at 5:29 PM, smedly said:

helmet use depends largely on what you are doing, if scooting around town at bicycle speeds it's not so important

first time - I am going sleep withdout a helmet - I hope I survive the night

 

next - I am going to venture into the danger zone and take my bicycle for a ride

 

OMG  some ass---- on a scooter just passed me at 100kph not wearing a helmet 

 

he is the problem----- along with drunk drivers

On 8/16/2025 at 10:27 AM, Furioso said:

I think Shark helmets are made in Thailand they offer great protection at a reasonable price. 

unfortunately after a  few years ther insert is made of an awful sticky gooey plastic , at least thats what it detioriorates to....is what Ive found.

On 8/17/2025 at 1:01 PM, still kicking said:

Go back under your rock

Thank fully I can choose to go rockless in Thailand