Beware When Riding A Motor Bike ?

[catmac]

Have you ever been travelling on a main road and everything stops to let someone enter the traffic flow? There are no traffic lights and no policeman has stopped the flow, why? Now, look at the picture below:-

The photo shows RamIntra 34, RamIntra 34 Yaek 5 on the left and RamIntra 32 is where the trees are; not clear in the photo is that RamIntra 34 continues around the slight bend towards the top right of the photo and RamIntra 34 Yaek 9 goes off to the right. What road markings do you see on RamIntra 34 (the main road)? Give way (yield)? In the west, those markings would be on Yaek5, Yaek9 and Soi32 where traffic on the main road (in this case Soi34) has prority but here it is traffic that is entering the main road which has priority!

Traffic should always look right before entering the flow but...

Well, Mr. H., you have indeed illustrated a clear case where the road markings do give priority to traffic coming from the left, but both Eek and I were talking about the entirely different scenario of riders shooting out of minor sois (without any such priority indicators) onto a main road without so much as a glance to see what is coming. Your rather snotty reply seemed to imply that Eek was somehow ignorant of basic road rules, and I think that the example that you have given is somewhat disingenuous to say the least. I could give you an example in Chiang Mai where traffic is directed to drive on the right - would that excuse people from driving the wrong way everywhere in Thailand?

[DazednConfused555]

I drive very defensively in Bangkok.

Sukhumwit Road, for example. There is ALWAYS someone trying to get from the left or right lane to the center lane. People will see your distance from them and decide that its safe enough to change lanes in front of you but they are not accounting for your speed as they are not expecting you to be going faster than the last x number of drivers from that distance were going. I have made this mistake and many have made this mistake against me. When there is light traffic, you still have to resist the urge to drive faster than you normally would in moderate traffic as it can cause problems.

You must always be on the defensive. Check both sides of the back of your vehicle for motorcycles and both front sides before turning anywhere. Scan the sides of the road for pedestrians at all times because they will dart across the street without regard. Go slow as you have to. People rarely beep when you are too slow because Thais are naturally patient. No reason to feel rushed in Bangkok traffic.

[BigBikeBKK]

RIP

Speed doesn't kill, inattention and stupidity do.

Ride On!

If you break the speed limit then you may not have time to react to certain unexpected situations.

I agree that inattention may kill but saying speed doesn't is stupidity, the total opposite of what you said.

Ride On

Funny thing is that it's been proven in studies in the UK and US that- Speed Doesn't Kill – It's Official

In the US:

Speed Doesn't Kill

The Repeal of the 55-MPH Speed Limit

by Stephen Moore

Stephen Moore is director of fiscal policy studies at the Cato Institute.

Executive Summary

In 1995 the Republican Congress repealed the 55-mile-per-hour federal speed limit law. At the time, the highway safety lobby and consumer advocacy groups made apocalyptic predictions about 6,400 increased deaths and a million additional injuries if posted speed limits were raised. Ralph Nader even said that "history will never forgive Congress for this assault on the sanctity of human life."

But almost all measures of highway safety show improvement, not more deaths and injuries since 1995. Despite the fact that 33 states raised their speed limits immediately after the repeal of the mandatory federal speed limit, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported last October that "the traffic death rate dropped to a record low level in 1997." Moreover, the average fatality rate even fell in the states that raised their speed limits.

So again, and no disrespect intended- Speed doesn't kill, inattention and stupidity do.

So what are the main causes of vehicle accidents? UK Police examine up to 77 factors on the scene of an accident.

“The most common factor is

failed to look properly

which contributed to 35 percent of accidents. Four of the six most frequently reported contributory factors involved

driver or rider error or reaction

,

” the report stated.

As for fatal accidents, the report blamed loss of control in 35 per cent of fatal accidents.

Happy Trails!

Edited December 11, 2009 by BigBikeBKK

[neverdie]

As for fatal accidents, the report blamed loss of control in 35 per cent of fatal accidents.

Happy Trails!

Loss of control due to excessive speed in bends etc.

[BigBikeBKK]

Loss of control due to excessive speed in bends etc.

Oy! I never lose control!

Yes, I'm just that good!

(Written at 11pm on a Friday, mind you)

[Zzinged]

As a pedestrian who never rides motorbikes i often think when i see these Farangs driving wrecklessly on their bikes endangering others they will one day get what they deserve, thankfully no other person was injured by this guys dangerous driving.

Heck just grab a shotgun and kill them yourself, why don't ya.

Perhaps wait till they get on their bike first.

[neverdie]

Loss of control due to excessive speed in bends etc.

Oy! I never lose control!

Yes, I'm just that good!

(Written at 11pm on a Friday, mind you)

I detect thats the first time you got ur knee down, right?

[BigBikeBKK]

I detect thats the first time you got ur knee down, right?

George Carlin said it best:

Life's journey is not to

arrive at the grave safely

in a well preserved body,

but rather to skid in sideways,

totally worn out, shouting

"...holy sh*t ...what a ride!"

[neverdie]

^

[nikster]

I cannot count the times when on my scooter i see people pulling out from a soi in front of me at speed without even looking first.

There is a good reason why this happens - learn the rules of the road whilst you are here.

Do enlighten us, Mr H.

Like Eek, I never cease to be amazed at how many bikes are driven straight out onto a main road from a soi or gateway without so much as a glance to see if the road is clear or not.

It is indeed amazing - the trust in Karma? Or in the other drivers?

But whatever it is, it's important to keep in mind that people pulling out of sois without looking is a fact of traffic in Thailand. So we have to adjust. I keep my distance from sois - always go towards the middle of the road. Most soi-kamikaze-pilots come out and then stick to the left lane. And don't go too fast. If there's oncoming traffic and you have to pass close to the left side, go very slow.

Same with cutting off intersections - that's even more crazy than the blind soi turn IMO. But it's a fact, so approach intersections without good visibility slowly. It's when I am in my lane, looking to make a left turn, and somebody coming from the left figures the shortest way from where he is to the left lane on my road is a straight line, and simply cuts across my lane. Have seen that many times. When there's no visibility, it's borderline suicidal.

RIP unknown rider. You should have known better than to try to be the first on the green - that's just a huge no-no, not just in Thailand, but anywhere in the world.

I once rolled onto a red light at moderate speed in the USA, I knew the light would switch and I thought myself very smart for timing my arrival at the intersection perfectly to co-incide with the switch to green. No breaking, ha ha!! It worked great! But I almost got taken out by a pick up who slammed the accelerator to to try to make his own green and was well into the red when he crossed. And that's despite the comparatively large safety margin on US / California traffic lights. Slammed my brakes and missed him by inches. Taught me to never to that again.

[marshbags]

To add to this junction you can include as far back as the new Carefour, Tesco, Nee Soon stores all the way up to Big C regarding dangerous intersections.

On the dual carriage way, in both directions!!! that is.

Sorry I do not have the official road ID for those out of town,, but I will find it unless someone kindly posts it.

It is the khon Kaen / Nong Khai highway route, but number ???

I have to do the route regular and dread driving along it from this point.

While many highways ect are dodgy, this particular stretch is horrendous.

If you are going the other way towards the airport, ( and Udon Immigration ) ( in the direction of Khon Kaen ), just before you come to the turn off filter on the left, you will come to a set of lights that cannot be seen until the last minute, just beyond a bend, which is IMHO totally bizzare in terms of the T. Lights location.

Please reduce speed in anticipation once you see the airport traffic signs informing you of the left hand turn off

Even If you are familiar with the sighting of it, you are still in a dangerous situation and need to be extra vigilant.

marshbags

Edited December 16, 2009 by marshbags

[gvallee2]

If you can afford it, please do not ride a motorcycle. Take a cab or buy a car or take the bus. You'll live longer, most likely.

Are you crazy? flame removed motorbikes are 1000x safer since in thailand nobody cares about anybody but themselves. only way to avoid that is by fastly maneuvering away from those retarded drivers. can't do that with a car.

I drive cars and motorbike and feel 10000x more safe on a motobike than in a car no matter how big it is.

Also with a motorbike you don't have to wait for all the retards at the front in their big cars taking an hour to get to 40km/h(which i think is the only reason theres traffic jam in thailand, people are so goddamn slow to start moving they dont have time to move 10cars before the 1min trigger the red light again.

[carmine]

If you can afford it, please do not ride a motorcycle. Take a cab or buy a car or take the bus. You'll live longer, most likely.

Are you crazy? reference to deleted flame removed motorbikes are 1000x safer since in thailand nobody cares about anybody but themselves. only way to avoid that is by fastly maneuvering away from those retarded drivers. can't do that with a car.

I drive cars and motorbike and feel 10000x more safe on a motobike than in a car no matter how big it is.

Also with a motorbike you don't have to wait for all the retards at the front in their big cars taking an hour to get to 40km/h(which i think is the only reason theres traffic jam in thailand, people are so goddamn slow to start moving they dont have time to move 10cars before the 1min trigger the red light again.

I live on Samui and even with my monkey brain i can assure you bikes are not safer and the statistics can overwhelmingly confirm this.

I think it highly unlikely you'll find many who would concur with your arguement

[marshbags]

If you can afford it, please do not ride a motorcycle. Take a cab or buy a car or take the bus. You'll live longer, most likely.

Are you crazy? flame removed motorbikes are 1000x safer since in thailand nobody cares about anybody but themselves. only way to avoid that is by fastly maneuvering away from those retarded drivers. can't do that with a car.

I drive cars and motorbike and feel 10000x more safe on a motobike than in a car no matter how big it is.

Also with a motorbike you don't have to wait for all the retards at the front in their big cars taking an hour to get to 40km/h(which i think is the only reason theres traffic jam in thailand, people are so goddamn slow to start moving they dont have time to move 10cars before the 1min trigger the red light again.

Read the OP GV.

Your last paragraph is the exact cause of the victims death.

He did just as you describe, went to the front, revved up waiting for a speedy getaway / set off and wallop......................

I would hope you are not one of those who pass down the right / outside of the vehicles ( the wrong side incidently ) await the light change and fly off, crossing over to the left in front of the so called ( IYO ) slow moving traffic and are lucky if they get away without causing an innocent party to take evasive action to avoid runing over them.

Two lanes of vehicles in this particular instance. W T Hel A Y O

The lights before the right turn to Big C on this particular Road is notorious for this stupid attitude.

I,ve had several near misses and nearly come to grief as a consequence.

They do not even bother to check behind them or look in their mirrors.

Oh sorry I forgot, silly me, they are for squeezing spots and blackheads ect. ect.

A motorbike safer than a car or similar, No chance from my experiences here.

The fact that many do not care and are oblivious to others is behind the horrendous statistics that are motor bike related.

When will they ever learn.................... sadly it appears, never.

marshbags

Edited December 16, 2009 by marshbags

[nikster]

Are you crazy? flame removed motorbikes are 1000x safer since in thailand nobody cares about anybody but themselves. only way to avoid that is by fastly maneuvering away from those retarded drivers. can't do that with a car.

You know what I believe in? Physics. When a heavier object collides with a lighter object, the lighter object gives way. So the more of a tank you drive, the safer you are. Heavier car wins. Motorbikes are the unsafest way of transport.

Riding my new 650 I kind of realized how contradictory traffic safety laws are... they make all cars have airbags, and seatbelts are mandatory.. yet you can drive this? Basically an engine with wheels and no safety features whatsoever? A pocket rocket that goes from 0 - 60 in 3 seconds. That's the appeal too - a last bastion of freedom in our over-regulated lives.

Anyway, I think the biggest safety factor, even more than car vs bike, is how you drive. You can drive the latest Mercedes S class tank at too high a speed and die like Lady Di. You can drive your motorbike slowly like a village elder in rural Thailand and never, ever have an accident. A popular saying in Thailand: Up to you

[balo]

It's very simple . In a car you are more safe because of the protection the car gives you,

On a bike if anything happens , you are more likely to get injured.

I choose the car.

[sokal]

...the poor bastard gets thrown off his bike slams his head (no crash helmet) hard on the pavement around 70 m in front of me.

...

...

I'm not one for complaining about all the safety hazards you see in Thailand or trying to change the way Thais do things, but this is one thing I wish the police would start educating people about, especially with the general style of driving in Thailand. Also, you see people on bikes driving like lunatics in shorts, t-shirts and sandals. Coming off at any speed dressed like that is going to seriously mess you up. I refuse to get on a bike or use motorbike taxis unless I'm wearing jeans, shoes and a helmet. Maybe some strategically placed billboards with photos of accident injuries might make people start thinking.

It was the same in Spain until they recently changed it. The law stated that you have to llevar a crash helmet at all times. Llevar means to wear or to carry. You saw so many people riding with a helmet slung over their arm or in the footwell between their feet. Crazy.

I don't know what the law is over here. Anyone know?

Keep the government and police out of it ! I like the roads just the way they are. You just have to have more driving skill to stay out of trouble in Thailand, and it also helps to stay awake. Thailands road casualty numbers are average in comparison to the rest of the world. I ride my crotch rocket with only a pair of shorts sometimes, its no big deal.

Edited December 18, 2009 by sokal

[Atmos]

You know what I believe in? Physics. When a heavier object collides with a lighter object, the lighter object gives way. So the more of a tank you drive, the safer you are. Heavier car wins. Motorbikes are the unsafest way of transport.

um . . . tried cycling, Phuket-style?

sharing a lane with scooters, scooters with sidecars, both these types of vehicles plus cars driving (only a short distance of course!) in the wrong direction . . . certainly keeps me aware of what's happening in all directions, one problem is my speed whcih they underestimate, road cycle easy to maintain 35 on the flat and often end up overtaking the sidecars

this morning i simply couldn't get across what is effectively 6 lanes on West Chaofa Rd, Chalong Patrol cop saw my dilemma, yelled out 'hello' to me, stepped out and stopped traffic and yelled 'go' so i could make it to the median lane. Top marks that man!

keep singing . . . "I will survive"

[gvallee2]

you guys realise that on a motorbike even if you go slow, you won't have any cars around you if you start in front of them at the redlight?

They start up so slow they wont catch up to you even if you drive at 60. Those who do catch up will be driving in the wrong lane, against the upcoming traffic anyways because they're drunk or angry.

[whichschool]

Keep the government and police out of it ! I like the roads just the way they are. You just have to have more driving skill to stay out of trouble in Thailand

You're an idiot then plain and simple a complete and utter fool to think the roads here dont need urgently sorting out and people to get driving skill as at present the majority have none.

and it also helps to stay awake.

Did you sleep post the above?

[Garry]

Rest in Peace. Very sad.

Often my heart lunges when i see people taking road risks. I cannot count the times when on my scooter i see people pulling out from a soi in front of me at speed without even looking first. Then i have to dramatically slow down..thankfully no one has tail gated me at those times. It makes me angry because its not just a lack of care for themselves, its a lack of care for any pillion passenger they have, as well as a lack of care for anyone else on the road. Especially here, when so often there are whole families and children on scooters..you would think people would be more aware and considerate. Ive seen people carry helmets, rather than wear them. People not indicating. Not using mirrors. Putting yourself at risk is one thing (although even if you get hurt yourself, your family and friends will suffer too), but unsafe and reckless driving (including driving after drinking) puts others are risk.

I call that the 'Thai no look right, left turn' which can also be adjusted to the 'Thai no look left, right turn'

[sokal]

Keep the government and police out of it ! I like the roads just the way they are. You just have to have more driving skill to stay out of trouble in Thailand

You're an idiot then plain and simple a complete and utter fool to think the roads here dont need urgently sorting out and people to get driving skill as at present the majority have none.

and it also helps to stay awake.

Did you sleep post the above?

Thai people have driving skill. You are mixed up, it does not take skill to follow lame rules and speed limits. It takes skill to drive fast. In Thailand you see allot of close calls but you don't see a whole lot of accidents.

The fast pace is safer because it keeps you alert, not like in the US where you drive around with a cell phone in one hand and a big mac in the other.

[highonthai]

Anyone can ride fast, I would have to disagree with you that the avarage Thai has any kind of technic.

Oh, yes and I have never seen A Thai motorcyclist with big Mac, Just 4 book cases and a crate of baby pig's strapped to the bike.

[manarak]

RIP

Speed doesn't kill, inattention and stupidity do.

Ride On!

If you break the speed limit then you may not have time to react to certain unexpected situations.

I agree that inattention may kill but saying speed doesn't is stupidity, the total opposite of what you said.

Ride On

Just as you may also not have the time even if observing the speed limit.

You can also lose control of your vehicle even if observing the speed limit.

While driving at lower speed obviously reduces the risks of accidents as well as their severeness, speed is seldom the root cause (most common is losing control in turns) and one is not necessarily taking more risks when driving at higher speeds, above the speed limit.

Large portions of german highways don't have a speed limit.

When I have to travel in germany, I often exceed 200 KmH on large and straight portions without much traffic. People with stronger cars drive even much faster.

On the same portions, I don't exceed 140-150 when there's traffic and driver even slower if there's heavy traffic or rain.

So... exceeding the speed limit poses only very little additional marginal risk IF all other driving conditions are good.

[apetley]

Keep the government and police out of it ! I like the roads just the way they are. You just have to have more driving skill to stay out of trouble in Thailand

You're an idiot then plain and simple a complete and utter fool to think the roads here dont need urgently sorting out and people to get driving skill as at present the majority have none.

and it also helps to stay awake.

Did you sleep post the above?

Thai people have driving skill. You are mixed up, it does not take skill to follow lame rules and speed limits. It takes skill to drive fast. In Thailand you see allot of close calls but you don't see a whole lot of accidents.

The fast pace is safer because it keeps you alert, not like in the US where you drive around with a cell phone in one hand and a big mac in the other.

This is a windup right?

Here's a couple of definitions of the word skill.

1. the ability, coming from one's knowledge, practice, aptitude, etc., to do something well.

2. competent excellence in performance; expertness; dexterity.

If there was skill in the majority of Thai driving the amount of deaths per year would not be so staggeringly high.

[carmine]

Keep the government and police out of it ! I like the roads just the way they are. You just have to have more driving skill to stay out of trouble in Thailand

You're an idiot then plain and simple a complete and utter fool to think the roads here dont need urgently sorting out and people to get driving skill as at present the majority have none.

and it also helps to stay awake.

Did you sleep post the above?

Thai people have driving skill. You are mixed up, it does not take skill to follow lame rules and speed limits. It takes skill to drive fast. In Thailand you see allot of close calls but you don't see a whole lot of accidents.

The fast pace is safer because it keeps you alert, not like in the US where you drive around with a cell phone in one hand and a big mac in the other.

You might drive around holding a big mac and a cell phone but why suggest that any of us would be retarded enough to do that.

Ask any policeman and he will tell you "speed kills".

Anyway, i think you're on a wind up. I'm going to give you some credit and consider you a troll

[Curt1591]

Speed doesn't kill. Striking something, at speed, is what can kill. Slowing down just boost survival odds.

Jeans may offer a degree of protection, at low speeds. But, if moving with any speed, on pavement, jeans will quickly shred. Leather, and certain synthetics, will "skin".

[longstebe]

I think the billboard thing is a good idea. I also agree with proper clothing. The first thing an instructer tells

you before taking your driving course is come along with ankle high footwear, full lenght trousers, long

sleeved shirt, eye protection and of course a helmet.

Stay alert, anything can happen on these crazy roads.

[Maigo6]

If there was skill in the majority of Thai driving the amount of deaths per year would not be so staggeringly high.

And the 42.000 people that are killed in traffic accidents in the USA is because of a high skill level ?

The reason so many people die in traffic accidents here in Thailand is because of the ammount of motorcycles on the roads.

If you had the same ratio of motorcycles in the USA the death toll would also be staggering, even more staggering than it already is, you talk about Thai people as though they are a sub species, did you marry one ?

[neverdie]

I want to suscribe to maigo6 posts.....they are absolutely fantastic