Allright Give Me The Dirty On Driving In Bangkok

[Mattchu9999]

Ive seen the videos, read the storys but would like to hear if from you folks whom live it every day.

Being a young healthy dude, would owning a Moped for getting around in Bangkok be just too risky and stupid and thusly the potential savings from not taking cabs everywhere be outweighed by the almost surity of getting in an accident?

Ive driven mopeds in Mexican border towns before where traffic rules are more like suggestions so what do you folks think?

[Thanyaburi Mac]

Ive seen the videos, read the storys but would like to hear if from you folks whom live it every day.

Being a young healthy dude, would owning a Moped for getting around in Bangkok be just too risky and stupid and thusly the potential savings from not taking cabs everywhere be outweighed by the almost surity of getting in an accident?

Ive driven mopeds in Mexican border towns before where traffic rules are more like suggestions so what do you folks think?

By "Mopeds" you mean something like the Segway?  www.segway.com/

If so, just need to balance the cost of really decent medical insurance against the cost of taking a bus or taxi.

Mac

FYI, I have about 360,000 km on my pickup driving here, another 100,000 on my van, and about 50,000 miles here on an old VW Camper long years ago.  All my driving, so have seen NOT quite it all, but a bunch....

[Mattchu9999]

Ive seen the videos, read the storys but would like to hear if from you folks whom live it every day.

Being a young healthy dude, would owning a Moped for getting around in Bangkok be just too risky and stupid and thusly the potential savings from not taking cabs everywhere be outweighed by the almost surity of getting in an accident?

Ive driven mopeds in Mexican border towns before where traffic rules are more like suggestions so what do you folks think?

By "Mopeds" you mean something like the Segway? www.segway.com/

If so, just need to balance the cost of really decent medical insurance against the cost of taking a bus or taxi.

Mac

FYI, I have about 360,000 km on my pickup driving here, another 100,000 on my van, and about 50,000 miles here on an old VW Camper long years ago. All my driving, so have seen NOT quite it all, but a bunch....

LOL.

I forgot... Im American so I gues I need to explain what moped is. Kind of like our football and your football

No a Moped is not those rediculous segway POS machines.

No I mean the little motorcycles.

[jetjock]

Everyone has to set their own value on what their life and limbs are worth. I value mine highly but unlike Mac, I have not seen a bunch but I have seen enough to tell you that you will never see me on a motorbike in Bangkok. Regardless of the value you do put on your life, I can assure you that your fellow drivers in Bangkok will put much less of a value on it !

[DP25]

You couldn't pay me to drive a moped in Bangkok. There are so many affordable ways to get around, taxis, buses, boats, skytrain, or the subway, and there is very little chance of getting killed or crippled using them.

[flightcrew1]

You couldn't pay me to drive a moped in Bangkok. There are so many affordable ways to get around, taxis, buses, boats, skytrain, or the subway, and there is very little chance of getting killed or crippled using them.

Well I drove a "moped" for years in the states and europe, so about 2 years ago I decided to have a go in BKK. Not because of the cost of cabs or other transportation but mainly because of the traffic. I bought a Fino and use it for getting around central bkk. Knock on wood but I've never had any problems. I've seen wrecks for sure but I find those are the drivers who have no sense. I never rush through lights and I never weave in and out of traffic. Sure I do move through the traffic when there is a red light slowly weaving around the cars. I also find that other motorcycle drivers are very giving to other motorcycle drivers. But you always have to be aware and be careful of driving at night which I try to avoid as you can't see the potholes in the road. Also be a farang on the road I get very amused looks and lots of smiles!

Safe driving!

[surface]

Having driven a motocy around Bangkok for about a week while looking for a house, I can say I started to feel more comfortable after a few days, but also know that it's not if but when the accident will come. Check out the legs of your avg Thai and you'll know what I mean. Driving up and down Ratchada was not fun, especially when I stalled and the bus I saw in the rear view was not slowing down. Had to quickly push the bike (w/ rear passenger) over to the side of the road before the bus went barreling by me at 50 - 60kph.

So if you still decide to do it, watch out for the buses! I think they get a bonus if they hit you.

[PoorSucker]

Get a Thai driving license and wear a helmet .

And buy some Buddhas to protect you.

[sgunn65]

Having lived in Bkk for 6 months I would rather nail my own head to the floor than drive a bike there or be driven by a motorcycle taxi. It maybe quicker but how much of a hurry are you in?? I am, however, in awe of women who sit side saddle on the taxi's doing their make up and speaking on the phone while some yabba'd up nutter weaves therough traffic. Are they born with the balance of a chinese circus performer??

I now live outside Bkk and bought a brand new bike. I used it once and will not be ever using it again. It is now the staff bike. Apart from no traffic rules, drivers who seem incapable of seeing you we have soi dogs chasing your ankles. I prefer 2 tons of metal between me and anyone on a Thai road

[froggshw]

I am a lot happier on my Fireblade RR than I am on my moped around BKK..the only trouble with mopeds is,you can't go fast enough.!.

If you get into any kind of fast moving traffic,you need to at least be able to keep up,mopeds just cant,they have no acceleration to get out of trouble.

If your well experienced riding bikes.I would say OK.If not,I would stay well away from mopeds in BKK.

Froggs

[Familyonthemove]

Just completed my first month of getting around Bangkok on a bike (Nouvo 135cc - strongly recommended).

It's easier than Bombay, where riding a bike is a close-combat contact sport, and I also feel it's a lttle safer than London for a bike as the drivers here are more used to seeing bikes around (except the buses as stated above). 'Bike blindness' is a problem in the UK.

Like the posters above, I make slower progress than the locals and the motorbike taxis as I try to reduce risks by looking well ahead, not passing buses on the inside, not going the wrong way up streets and staying off the pavement.

Main problem has been the tendency of the traffic police to pull in bikes (other posts on this issue). Navigation is also tricky at first, as many signs are only in Thai and 'no right turn' signs and one way systems seem to appear overnight.

The good advice I was given on this site last month was to try to stick to back roads as much as possible (less traffic, slower/safer traffic speeds, less pollution and fewer traffic police). I'd also recommend a good anti-pollution face mask as the traffic fumes are severe, especially when riding under the SkyTrain, and a good, well ventilated, helmet. Local helmets look OK, but they are so cheap I wonder about the safety. They are also quite small.

I bought a Caberg Breeze helmet in the UK before I came out - it's got large open mesh vents and works quite well (it only feels like I've stuck my head in a sauna rather than a pizza oven). I also bought lightweight protective gloves, shoes and a vented bike jacket, but to be honest I only wear the helmet and gloves as it's just too sweaty in traffic I look like a pillock wearing body armour on a 135cc scooter.

I find that using the bike is typically twice as fast as a car but nowhere near as quick as the SkyTrain - so I mainly use the bike for getting to places that are not convenient for the SkyTrain and for weekend rides to cafes and tea shops as I get withdrawal symtoms if I don't spend some time on two wheels.

To be honest though, a combination of motorcycle taxis down the Soi's (don't forget your helmet) and the Skytrain is pretty well unbeatable for speed and convenience in Bangkok.

[Kf6vci]

Well, I like the Honda 125s with the PGM-F1 EFI. In Europe, I ride a big bike.

Hordes of ghost riders were getting on my nerves. 2 days ago, a motorcycle taxi also drove with me on the wrong side of the road. They do this habitually.

There is an element of randomness and you better don't rely on a 139 Baht helmet.

Why not rent a bike for a day or a week before you buy one?

[Familyonthemove]

I am a lot happier on my Fireblade RR than I am on my moped around BKK..the only trouble with mopeds is,you can't go fast enough.!.

If you get into any kind of fast moving traffic,you need to at least be able to keep up,mopeds just cant,they have no acceleration to get out of trouble.

If your well experienced riding bikes.I would say OK.If not,I would stay well away from mopeds in BKK.

Froggs

A Firebalde in Bangkok traffic ..... I'm impressed! You must have arms like a gorilla

[Thanyaburi Mac]

Ive seen the videos, read the storys but would like to hear if from you folks whom live it every day.

Being a young healthy dude, would owning a Moped for getting around in Bangkok be just too risky and stupid and thusly the potential savings from not taking cabs everywhere be outweighed by the almost surity of getting in an accident?

Ive driven mopeds in Mexican border towns before where traffic rules are more like suggestions so what do you folks think?

By "Mopeds" you mean something like the Segway? www.segway.com/

If so, just need to balance the cost of really decent medical insurance against the cost of taking a bus or taxi.

Mac

FYI, I have about 360,000 km on my pickup driving here, another 100,000 on my van, and about 50,000 miles here on an old VW Camper long years ago. All my driving, so have seen NOT quite it all, but a bunch....

LOL.

I forgot... Im American so I gues I need to explain what moped is. Kind of like our football and your football

No a Moped is not those rediculous segway POS machines.

No I mean the little motorcycles.

Ah, gotcha, & I'm also from the U.S. just forgot the term I guess.  I've been back here in the Bangers area coming on 19 years now and been on the taxi motorcycles once on Sukumvit, and once on Suk Soi 15 headed to the 4th of July bash several years back.  That's it, like my knees too much!

Regarding your photo, I'll up it with one a couple years back from just in front of Future Park Rangsit.  This is why I keep my camera handy in my van or pickup.

Mac

[toptuan]

I have a "moped" (almost exactly like your picture). I've had 5 accidents in 6 years IN THE COUNTRYSIDE! In two cases, I dumped my bike over due to my own stupidity (and lack of experience). In three of those cases, I was rear-ended from behind (another motorcycle, a bus, and a dump-truck), courtesy of inattentive (or murderous) drivers. Yes, lucky to be alive. Got out of all with only scrapes, bruises, and a stretched ankle ligament.

I suppose if I was in BKK, my record would be doubled or tripled to 10 or 15 accidents....or dead. I'm a pretty adventurous guy, but no, I don't think I'd attempt BKK without metal all around me, not just between my legs. When it comes to survival, I'm all for increasing the laws of probability.

[Payboy]

moped - sure thing, go for it, could anything be safer than a school bus...?

[froggshw]

No...I dont have big arms Familyonthemove.

When I first got the bike (2002) I was a bit sore and ached,but after a while,you get used to it.

Heh....good piccy Payboy and a normal occurance here in LOS.

Froggs

[PoorSucker]

Here's some more ways of transportation.

http://aistigave.hit.bg/Logistics/

[DualCitizen]

I've lived in Bangkok coming on seven years now, and I have considered getting a scooter for some time now. I drive a normal car, and I always look on with envy at the ability of bikes to bypass traffic jams. However, I never get around to buying one, because I generally don't trust people on the roads of Bangkok to not hit me. If you follow the traffic laws, it is not enough, as other drivers will not follow the laws and they will do the dumbest most unexpected things. You also have to be very aware of your surroundings, as buses and other vehicles just don't care about your well being and will have no qualms about bullying you out of a lane or simply running you over (I saw a motorcyclist go underneath a car when the driver of the car wasn't paying attention and just ran them over!) Remember, this is not the US where people generally follow the rules of the road. Bangkok is a chaotic swarm of all manner of vehicles jockeying to get to the next red light, and they generally will break laws left right and center to do so. Be warned!

I can see how a bike would be useful to get around to the local store, but if I were to drive crosstown, I would use a normal car instead. Taxis are, if anything, abundant in Bangkok, so I would recommend those if you can't drive a car of your own. There is also the skytrain and the subway if you happen to have destinations close to them.

In other words, I echo the sentiments of others that driving a scooter (moped, motorcycle etc) is a risky proposition. If you are prepared to take that risk and understand the consequences, then it can be a thrilling way to get around.

-Dualcitizen

P.S. - Remember, it's not a matter of if, but when you will get into an accident. Be sure to have all contingencies and paperwork (hospital, insurance etc) ready to go when the inevitable does happen.

Edited August 4, 2008 by DualCitizen