Living Without A Car

[wackysleet]

big bike with a good sidecar is the answer also for smaller families. Not for the big cities. 3 wheels are much much saver provided the sidecar wheel has a break!!

Got a 600cc bike from here plus a sidecar imported from England (left attached !)

Living here since 5 years. Love the air and the diesel, cant imagine to drive a car , would feel imprisoned.

What's wrong with a saaleng?

Loosecannon, are you sure you got the spelling right as it looks to me riding in that could be a case of SO LONG {life}

[wackysleet]

I recently saw one of those m/cs with a sidecar attached that had a notice on the back in Thai and English, "wheelchairs catered for"

[LooseCannon]

big bike with a good sidecar is the answer also for smaller families. Not for the big cities. 3 wheels are much much saver provided the sidecar wheel has a break!!

Got a 600cc bike from here plus a sidecar imported from England (left attached !)

Living here since 5 years. Love the air and the diesel, cant imagine to drive a car , would feel imprisoned.

What's wrong with a saaleng?

Loosecannon, are you sure you got the spelling right as it looks to me riding in that could be a case of SO LONG {life}

What? you think it lacks the sophistication & classic lines of this....

[wackysleet]

big bike with a good sidecar is the answer also for smaller families. Not for the big cities. 3 wheels are much much saver provided the sidecar wheel has a break!!

Got a 600cc bike from here plus a sidecar imported from England (left attached !)

Living here since 5 years. Love the air and the diesel, cant imagine to drive a car , would feel imprisoned.

What's wrong with a saaleng?

Loosecannon, are you sure you got the spelling right as it looks to me riding in that could be a case of SO LONG {life}

What? you think it lacks the sophistication & classic lines of this....

Loose/c is that a 350cc Bullet by any chance with a swallow sidecar,looks fantastic condition, mid to late 60s? been looking for a vintage bike/car for ages but seen nothing yet except an old 7tonner that looks interesting, if its yours then I'm green with envy.

[a2396]

Is having a car really a necessity here? I find these motorbikes work just great for getting around. I often wonder what drives people to buy cars anyways. Is it the safety? Or maybe it's a status symbol? I find it hard to get through certain places in town without my motorbike. So, they are very useful in my opinion.

Carefour's strategy is - they want to cater for people who come to shop by cars.

They leave motorbikes shoppers to Lotus.

And you can tell which hypermarket shop you are in.

Car in BKK? Always. Other than short hops in the city, to every taxi driver I had to tell : radio off, drive slower.

One said to my wife: "What stupid farang your husband is - I am doing only 120kmph.".

A car gives you that much needed feeling of independency and self-reliance. Important for westerners in Asia.

Motorbikes? Never ever.

Edit: motorbikes are too dangerous and you are stopped daily (or several times a day) by police. Helmet or no helmet.

I have lived in Khon Kaen for 4 years and have only been stopped by the police three times, hardly every day. MC much more convenient than a car and twice as fast & easier to park. Only need a car for out of city travel.

[henryalleman]

I don't like to end my life like my brother in-law(75+) who was hit by a truck yesterday in Chiang Mai, one lake was still hanging on his motorcycle while the rest of his body's was hanging on the truck for a few dozen meters.

And we all do know that buses are also not the most comfortable or safe way of transportation when you make a longer trip or even in Bangkok.

That's why I drive a car when I'm in Thailand, another reason is that my general and I are senior citizens and I can't see ourselves on a motorcycle in the hel_l of Bangkok traffic, or carrying shopping bags waiting for a taxi or bus.

And because I have a certain age I feel more safe, enjoy the little bit of extra luxury and space of an SUV (not Fortuner) than a sedan. BTW its more easy to park an 4WD SUV than an Toyota Altis.

[torrenova]

Didn't have a motor before the baby but I used to curse the rip off baht bus drivers for private fares when doing a big shop or when it is raining etc. Personally, I would have a motor now anyway whethere alone or not. I suggest most who do not have one fall into the category of not being able to afford one or having never had one, probably because they could not afford or justify one. I thought I could not justify one but realised how stupid and short sighted I had been. Perhaps in Bangkok I would go without but nowhere else.

[robblok]

Didn't have a motor before the baby but I used to curse the rip off baht bus drivers for private fares when doing a big shop or when it is raining etc. Personally, I would have a motor now anyway whethere alone or not. I suggest most who do not have one fall into the category of not being able to afford one or having never had one, probably because they could not afford or justify one. I thought I could not justify one but realised how stupid and short sighted I had been. Perhaps in Bangkok I would go without but nowhere else.

I love my bike too, i might buy a car but it wont be used much as i work at home. The bike brings me everywhere as fast if not faster as a car. It does however takes a while to get used to traffic. But i think that counts for a car too.

[Boo]

I love to drive & as soon as we hit anywhere (except Bangkok) I have to have my own hire car. The reason I don't drive in BKK is cause I find it quicker to use taxis or skytrain but then we only spend a few days at a time there so no major shopping trips to deal with.

I have no idea about cars & couldn't care less if a car I owned was a status symbol or not. As long as it is safe & well kept is my only criteria. I've personally never understood this one up man ship over cars. But then I'm a women & have more important things to tax my brain over