Gary A Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 Gary A,I understand what you are saying. I strongly believe that 'drivers' from other countries that don't ride motorcycles in their home country or don't ride often, come to Thailand and jump on a hired ride and start ripping around are at the higher end of the risk scale. For many keen motorcyclists, the control of the motorcycle becomes instinctive, especially for those who have undertaken training and constantly engage in 'best practice' & therefore their entire concentration can be on the road in front, idiots in front, behind, left, right, above and below. The motorcycle simply becomes and extension to the body. For the novice, who is concentrating on balance, gears, braking, position on the road etc etc.....the results are often end in disaster. I started riding a Cushman Road King 50 years ago. It gets into your blood and I think it is incurable. I once heard a very true statement that only a motorcyclist knows why a dog sticks his head out the car window. Unfortunately at 64 years old I hate to admit that my reflexes are no where near as good as they were just a few years ago. Getting old sucks but there is no way to avoid it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thanh-BKK Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 Hi. R.I.P. to the poor guy who's life was wasted by yet another alcoholic. It's absolutely time that alcohol is made illegal AND THAT LAW ENFORCED. They crack down on smoking (which doesn't kill anyone but the smokers, and slowly at that) so why not the number one public drug, alcohol?? Regarding the motorbikes, my advice is: Drive defensively, always watch the traffic, and HAVE TWO MIRRORS ON YOUR BIKE AND USE THEM!! I have personally done over 43,000 kilometers in Bangkok alone over the past 2 years and 4 months without a scratch to myself (couple of nudges by taxis and once by another bike) and without major damage to my bike, so "riding a bike" is not a problem in Thailand. And to the specialist who mentioned "illegally weaving in and out of stationary traffic", sorry you are wrong - it may be illegal in "the west" (such as my home country Germany) but here in Thailand it is indeed legal and it is indeed the car driver's duty to watch out for motorbikes coming through. I drive a car (pickup) too so i know what i'm talking about. Best regards..... Thanh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevieH Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 Death Week is just around the corner, Happy Songkran 2009! NEVER drive a motorbike in Thailand or a car around songkram definitely. scooter stays parked up during songkran and it's songthaews everywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkkjames Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 Death Week is just around the corner, Happy Songkran 2009! NEVER drive a motorbike in Thailand or a car around songkram definitely. scooter stays parked up during songkran and it's songthaews everywhere. exactly, the last thing we need is drunken LP fans causing havoc on the roads- that's what the thais are for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neverdie Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 Gary A,I understand what you are saying. I strongly believe that 'drivers' from other countries that don't ride motorcycles in their home country or don't ride often, come to Thailand and jump on a hired ride and start ripping around are at the higher end of the risk scale. For many keen motorcyclists, the control of the motorcycle becomes instinctive, especially for those who have undertaken training and constantly engage in 'best practice' & therefore their entire concentration can be on the road in front, idiots in front, behind, left, right, above and below. The motorcycle simply becomes and extension to the body. For the novice, who is concentrating on balance, gears, braking, position on the road etc etc.....the results are often end in disaster. I started riding a Cushman Road King 50 years ago. It gets into your blood and I think it is incurable. I once heard a very true statement that only a motorcyclist knows why a dog sticks his head out the car window. Unfortunately at 64 years old I hate to admit that my reflexes are no where near as good as they were just a few years ago. Getting old sucks but there is no way to avoid it. Wow Gary, I didnt realise you were 64 years young.....good on you....keep cycling old mate. Its true though your reflexes etc do fade a little, so you make a few adjustments. A number of times on TV, I have told the story of a guy I rode with many times who stopped riding in his late eighties, he was a great old guy, he got off his bike one Sunday afternoon and dropped dead whilst walking from his garage where he parked his bike to his front door. Go for gold Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a2396 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 I never have not and would not ever drive a motorbike in USA for the same reasons. I have a MC here in Thailand and where I live in Khon Kaen, the drivers are more carefull & polite than I would ever see, where I lived previously in S. Florida. Hit & run against MC's bicycles & pedestrians were popular sport there. The general driving population much more agressive, with road rage common behavior. For all its faults, I'll take Thailand on this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter991 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9V2-RjoJRuQ&NR=1 Probably the most gruesome motorcycle accident I have seen on the Internet or anywhere. Makes you think about riding a bike ... On topic, my condolences to your mechanic friend and his family. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary A Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 I put most of my miles on motorcycles in Ohio. I don't think it is so much that car drivers don't care about motorcycles, but the fact that there are so few bikes that they just don't think about them and are not looking for them. I still have a valid Ohio Motorcycle license. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brigante7 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 Hi.And to the specialist who mentioned "illegally weaving in and out of stationary traffic", sorry you are wrong - it may be illegal in "the west" (such as my home country Germany) but here in Thailand it is indeed legal and it is indeed the car driver's duty to watch out for motorbikes coming through. I drive a car (pickup) too so i know what i'm talking about. Best regards..... Thanh While I'm no specialist I am a holder of common sense and common sense tells you that if you have 3 lanes on the road and 3 cars in said lanes then if you decide to squeeze betwen cars because you are to impatient to wait then jog on but you can't complain about the consequences if anything happens. It is the drivers duty to watch the road in front and to check his mirrors before he changes lane. If I am sitting in stationery traffic and the lights turn green then I make sure the road in front of me is clear not if their is some idiot weaving in and out of the cars behind me t stupid speeds. Brigante7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coalminer Posted March 26, 2009 Author Share Posted March 26, 2009 Went today (16:00hr) at the funeral of my deceased friend. A lot of people were present and I had the chance to meet his parents. Life goes on .... For the alcoholic driver, a picture taken today at the funeral of the bright young person whose life was abruptly ended. RIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabum Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9V2-RjoJRuQ&NR=1Probably the most gruesome motorcycle accident I have seen on the Internet or anywhere. Makes you think about riding a bike ... On topic, my condolences to your mechanic friend and his family. Peter I suggest everyone watch that gruesome video, that was in Thailand and is a perfect example of Thai drivers not paying attention enough to even see what is directly ahead of them. Riding a motorbike is suicide in this country. Some dumbass is going to mow you down and tear you to pieces in seconds just like that video.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary A Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 That's a very gruesome video clip. Several years ago a car bumped a young girl who was riding on Sukhumvit near the 36 turn off. The girl went down and was run over by a bus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richb2004v2 Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9V2-RjoJRuQ&NR=1Probably the most gruesome motorcycle accident I have seen on the Internet or anywhere. Makes you think about riding a bike ... On topic, my condolences to your mechanic friend and his family. Peter I suggest everyone watch that gruesome video, that was in Thailand and is a perfect example of Thai drivers not paying attention enough to even see what is directly ahead of them. Riding a motorbike is suicide in this country. Some dumbass is going to mow you down and tear you to pieces in seconds just like that video.... Are you sure that is Thailand? The driving looks to orderly to be Thailand. None of the other drivers are driving erratically. I think it’s a different country. Terrible where ever it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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