Another Couple Of Farang Motorcycle Deaths!

[leebeeUK]

Driving a car or riding a motorcycle here is inherently dangerous. In all honesty there are no shortage of stupid drivers at home, but here it is something else. Anyone that has the funds to purchase can be on the road immediately with no training, testing and no skill in handling a vehicle. Plus of course no awareness (or interest) whatsoever for other vehicles on the road. It is a matter of people pushing and shoving all over the place. Nationalistic Thais call it it "Thai Style" but an honest appraisal would be anarchy. You do adjust to it, but always have to be 100% alert.

And most cars, buses, trucks etc give no thought to bikes whatsoever, you are on your own baby.

With all that said, of course it is survivable.

Excellent advice/ notes to consider, from my own experience. I've driven for 25 years in England though only a couple of times in a year and a half over here. I have, however, ridden with plenty of other drivers and riders here, both Farang and Thai and find the pushing and shoving thing by the Thais (instead of just letting the vehicle(s) pull out of the junction before they take their turn, once they have a free run), totally non-sensical... My closest friend here, a Thai lady who generally doesn't let me drive ("You not understand Thai style") seems to think round town that if she doesn't drive fast, then she is safe, disregarding that there's always the potential for some nutter whizzing out from beyond any other vehicle she's trying to worm her way past... On the positive side, I do think that it's prepared me, at least some way, for driving/ riding a motorcycle here as I now sit bolt upright spotting everything (maybe annoyingly so to my driver at times!) and that it is survivable is my reasoning for now planning to get a motorcycle, decent helmet (no drink-riding, as has been involved with every Farang I've met - and most I've heard of - who have had a crash!!) and all...