Tourists On Motorbikes

[Beardog]

Watching a couple of Farang Phu Yings pick themselves and their bikes up off the road the other day my missus remarked that in the west she never saw women riding motorbikes.

Now thats scary! Hopefully she uses more common sense on the road than she exhibits wearing the helmet backwards.

[anothertorres]

Obviously inexperienced drivers shouldnt be renting scooters, but guys, how do you know for sure they are tourists, or they are inexperienced? Sometimes even experienced drivers can make stupid mistakes, or seem wobbly if avoiding something, etc. Also just because someone may be white and renting, doesnt mean they are not just holidaymakers from another part of Thailand and own a scooter at home. Tolerance goes a long way..rather than instantly critising someone and thinking along the lines of "bloody tourist", why not remember that some people may just not be familiar with the territory rather than they shouldnt be riding a bike. I ride a scooter daily here in Chiang Mai. I know the Chiang Mai roads and traffic, but i wouldnt know the Pattaya traffic and roads. If i rented whilst visiting, I may not be as on the ball initially. That doesnt mean i shouldnt be driving, it just means I need to be careful. I would hope that my fellow road users would be considerate. Even in familiar territory we may occasionally do something stupid or wrong, none of us are perfect. Getting annoyed or irate just breeds road rage and lack of tolerance.

are you trying to defend wobbly driving? no thanks...

[SeanMoran]

Obviously inexperienced drivers shouldnt be renting scooters, but guys, how do you know for sure they are tourists, or they are inexperienced? Sometimes even experienced drivers can make stupid mistakes, or seem wobbly if avoiding something, etc. Also just because someone may be white and renting, doesnt mean they are not just holidaymakers from another part of Thailand and own a scooter at home. Tolerance goes a long way..rather than instantly critising someone and thinking along the lines of "bloody tourist", why not remember that some people may just not be familiar with the territory rather than they shouldnt be riding a bike. I ride a scooter daily here in Chiang Mai. I know the Chiang Mai roads and traffic, but i wouldnt know the Pattaya traffic and roads. If i rented whilst visiting, I may not be as on the ball initially. That doesnt mean i shouldnt be driving, it just means I need to be careful. I would hope that my fellow road users would be considerate. Even in familiar territory we may occasionally do something stupid or wrong, none of us are perfect. Getting annoyed or irate just breeds road rage and lack of tolerance.

are you trying to defend wobbly driving? no thanks...

Just ban cars and motorcyclists will feel more comfortable to ride the streets more sedately.

[eek]

Obviously inexperienced drivers shouldnt be renting scooters, but guys, how do you know for sure they are tourists, or they are inexperienced? Sometimes even experienced drivers can make stupid mistakes, or seem wobbly if avoiding something, etc. Also just because someone may be white and renting, doesnt mean they are not just holidaymakers from another part of Thailand and own a scooter at home. Tolerance goes a long way..rather than instantly critising someone and thinking along the lines of "bloody tourist", why not remember that some people may just not be familiar with the territory rather than they shouldnt be riding a bike. I ride a scooter daily here in Chiang Mai. I know the Chiang Mai roads and traffic, but i wouldnt know the Pattaya traffic and roads. If i rented whilst visiting, I may not be as on the ball initially. That doesnt mean i shouldnt be driving, it just means I need to be careful. I would hope that my fellow road users would be considerate. Even in familiar territory we may occasionally do something stupid or wrong, none of us are perfect. Getting annoyed or irate just breeds road rage and lack of tolerance.

are you trying to defend wobbly driving? no thanks...

No matter how often i come to read this forum, its still amazes me how people fail to grasp a generalisation and nit-pick small details. Nevermind eh..

[anothertorres]

Obviously inexperienced drivers shouldnt be renting scooters, but guys, how do you know for sure they are tourists, or they are inexperienced? Sometimes even experienced drivers can make stupid mistakes, or seem wobbly if avoiding something, etc. Also just because someone may be white and renting, doesnt mean they are not just holidaymakers from another part of Thailand and own a scooter at home. Tolerance goes a long way..rather than instantly critising someone and thinking along the lines of "bloody tourist", why not remember that some people may just not be familiar with the territory rather than they shouldnt be riding a bike. I ride a scooter daily here in Chiang Mai. I know the Chiang Mai roads and traffic, but i wouldnt know the Pattaya traffic and roads. If i rented whilst visiting, I may not be as on the ball initially. That doesnt mean i shouldnt be driving, it just means I need to be careful. I would hope that my fellow road users would be considerate. Even in familiar territory we may occasionally do something stupid or wrong, none of us are perfect. Getting annoyed or irate just breeds road rage and lack of tolerance.

are you trying to defend wobbly driving? no thanks...

No matter how often i come to read this forum, its still amazes me how people fail to grasp a generalisation and nit-pick small details. Nevermind eh..

i think you take this board to seriously. lighten up and you won't be so amazed at how stupid we all are

[Soutpeel]

Dont quite understand why you are picking on tourists renting bikes, hows about the resident OAPS riding bikes in Pattaya ??...just as bad....IMHO....65 years old with 21 year old on the back and cant ride a bike either....

Had one occasion where one of our senior farangs clattered my car, and then he and his tee rak played the Thai game of trying to get money out me even though his fault...conversation ended when I pulled out a Thai DL & insurance and suggested we get Thailands finests involved...glad to say no damage to my car..but what a <deleted>

[billd766]

Dont quite understand why you are picking on tourists renting bikes, hows about the resident OAPS riding bikes in Pattaya ??...just as bad....IMHO....65 years old with 21 year old on the back and cant ride a bike either....

Had one occasion where one of our senior farangs clattered my car, and then he and his tee rak played the Thai game of trying to get money out me even though his fault...conversation ended when I pulled out a Thai DL & insurance and suggested we get Thailands finests involved...glad to say no damage to my car..but what a <deleted>

Oi!!!!!

I am 65 and I ride a Honda Phantom.

I also have a Thai driving licence and insurance and I would be happy to talk with Thailands finest.

Happily though I live about 500 or so km from you out in the unspoilt countryside of the central region but sadly for me I am unable to convince my wife who is 44 let alone find a gik or mia noi to ride on the back of my bike.

Guess I will have to trade it in for something better.

[Asianrider]

When you rent these bikes they insist on seeing / holding your passport, why not a motorbike licence as well !

[ralston3057]

A while back I was almost run over by two farang girls on a motorbike who didn't have any control over it at all. I don't think they'd ever ridden a motorbike before, they didn't know where the brakes were, and were just concentrating on staying upright and not falling over. So sod anyone within 50 yards who might happen to get in the way of their random gyrations.

But the worst idiots are the people who try and mimic the Thais' half-witted antics by driving up a busy road on the wrong side. These cretins deserve to end up in a red puddle on the tarmac.

That is a ridiculous statement to make. To say that someone deserves to end up in a red puddle on the tarmac is an awful thing to say. No matter how stupid some of the drivers are tourists/expats/thais, it does not warrant a statement like that.

Maybe next time you are driving you will think of that which you wish upon others.

Edited February 21, 2010 by ralston3057

[William Osborne]

Was sat in Soi Welcome yesterday afternoon having a quite drink. Some idiot falang was doing "wheelies" up and down the soi to impress the girls, while everyone else had to dive out of the way.

He obviously wants to see Buda quick !

Cool..

when it comes to wheelies there are two types of people

People who can do them...and people who wish they could

[Basil B]

I'm in the bike rental business and regularly turn down business when I find the potential customer has zero experience on a motorbike, lost 5 rentals yesterday by refusing to rent to them. Most people actually thank me when I explain the obvious dangers!

As bike renters go, your attitude to turning down trade because the the customer is inexperienced put's you in a small minority.

If this were the UK I amuse if a person were to rent a bike or car to someone without proper qualification to drive and they were to kill themselves or anyone else then the person or business that rented out could be facing manslaughter charges.

[tropo]

hard to believe the majority dont get killed. They see the thais weaving in and out but they have a system the tourists are not aware of.. I see them splattered on the street often. That is why I have a big bike, others avoid me, I have good brakes, big lights and I get away from the pack which is where most of the problems come from

This old story about a big bike getting one out of trouble is nothing but a theory repeated over and over by big bike owners looking for an excuse to explain why they need a big bike. An automatic scooter cannot be equaled for getting around and through Pattayan traffic.

[JSixpack]

hard to believe the majority dont get killed. They see the thais weaving in and out but they have a system the tourists are not aware of.. I see them splattered on the street often. That is why I have a big bike, others avoid me, I have good brakes, big lights and I get away from the pack which is where most of the problems come from

This old story about a big bike getting one out of trouble is nothing but a theory repeated over and over by big bike owners looking for an excuse to explain why they need a big bike. An automatic scooter cannot be equaled for getting around and through Pattayan traffic.

Very true, I agree w/ Tropo for once on that nonsensical theory. I'm reminded of that farang "getting away from the pack" recently who then ran into a truck and died.

[doggie888888]

I've said it before: most farangs drive worse than most Thais.

I agree.

Just be grateful that they hire motorbikes and not cars.

Well they do....try driving behind one of them; start, stop, start, stop...just because they are taking in the sights, reading a map or looking for some tourist "attraction". Can't blame them though, both cars and motorcyclist, because this city has an air of lawlessness about it that makes them think they can get away with anything. I have experienced 2 motorcyclists having a merry old conversation (whilst moving on busy Second Road) oblivious to cars behind them. A Thai (from BKK) was in my car at the time and he commented: "tourist think they are king in Pattaya, lucky not so many like these people in Bangkok". I read somewhere else that there is a "clean up" of criminal elements...what high hopes, when they can't even manage the common hoons and drunks on the roads every night.

[doggie888888]

This old story about a big bike getting one out of trouble is nothing but a theory repeated over and over by big bike owners looking for an excuse to explain why they need a big bike. An automatic scooter cannot be equaled for getting around and through Pattayan traffic.

Gee, thanks for the clarification...I always thought the big bikes were to compensate for a smaller, er, "package" ??

[craigt3365]

I've said it before: most farangs drive worse than most Thais.

I agree.

Just be grateful that they hire motorbikes and not cars.

Well they do....try driving behind one of them; start, stop, start, stop...just because they are taking in the sights, reading a map or looking for some tourist "attraction". Can't blame them though, both cars and motorcyclist, because this city has an air of lawlessness about it that makes them think they can get away with anything. I have experienced 2 motorcyclists having a merry old conversation (whilst moving on busy Second Road) oblivious to cars behind them. A Thai (from BKK) was in my car at the time and he commented: "tourist think they are king in Pattaya, lucky not so many like these people in Bangkok". I read somewhere else that there is a "clean up" of criminal elements...what high hopes, when they can't even manage the common hoons and drunks on the roads every night.

It's not only tourists (and expats) who think they are king here. I am amazed at how rude Thai drivers are in BMWs, MBs, Fortuners...crazy...I did a bit time brake test on a Benz who was millimeters behind me while doing 120km/hr. After that, she backed way off.

[JSixpack]

We should also include the tourists on foot here. Just today I could've easily creamed a couple of 'em. Turned into Soi Yamato only to dodge a balding ol' rooster walking in the middle of the street oblivious. The other was an Indian woman looking behind her talking to a friend as she (gasp!) stepped out into 2nd Road. Hope she learned her lesson about THAT.

Typical cases. I'm surprised more aren't injured.

[elkangorito]

The original quote from the OP;

I dont know about you lot but i am sick of the stupid tourists on m/bikes ,yesterday on beach road an idiot trying to get between me and a bus nearly ripped my bumper off ,on seeing the damadge he f@cked off as fast as he could ,how many of you have had this trouble ? to be honest we know that the Thais on m/bikes are bad ,but the tourists are 10 times worse .

rant over. mad.gif

Do what I do...& that is;

1] don't live in Pattaya.

2] avoid Pattaya as much as possible.