Bad Drivers Phuket

[katabeachbum]

Pretty hard to flip a sports car, the centre of gravity is so low you are almost sitting on the road

well, most convertibles are not sportscars, they are based on ordinary hatches and sedans. and there is no car made hard to flip

and going under an 18 wheeler, in a convertibel head is cut off for sure, at a bike one would usually slide under

convertible manuafctorers have come up with different roll bar fixes to compensate, but none work on par with a hard top

so the sad stats are as I said, you are just as exposed to headinjuires in an ordinary convertible as on a bike

[katabeachbum]

I never used to wear a helmet because they are so <deleted> in Thailand, then I invested in a good quality semi expensive one and I never fail to wear it.

I think if you spend the money on a good one you will always wear it

I still enjoy to ride around Kata without helmet, but going further I find it comfy to use a full face even riding 125cc

an ordinary non crash tested TH helmet just to please the law is a total joke

[LivinginKata]

well, most convertibles are not sportscars, they are based on ordinary hatches and sedans

and going under an 18 wheeler, in a convertibel head is cut off for sure, at a bike one would usually slide under

convertible manuafctorers have come up with different roll bar fixes to compensate, but none work on par with a hard top

so the sad stats are as I said, you are just as exposed to headinjuires in an ordinary convertible as on a bike

I cannot agree with that. Sitting in a car with a seat belt on affords the driver and passenger far superior protection than someone riding on a bike. Any sort of accident on a bike often involves serious injury. You need a full head-on at speed in a car/convertible/sports car to sustain serious injury. And how often do you see a car flipped onto it's roof, yes sure it does happen, but it takes a really crazy driver to do that. And as for a sports car, if you flip that over then the driver really deserves the injuries sustained.

[LivinginKata]

I still enjoy to ride around Kata without helmet, but going further I find it comfy to use a full face even riding 125cc

an ordinary non crash tested TH helmet just to please the law is a total joke

You might be correct about the quality of many Thai certified helmets but anyone riding a bike without a helmet gets no sympathy from me when paying fine or even worse, in the back of an ambulance.

[LivinginKata]

So here is today's experience on the road. I stop at the lights in Kata (near gas station), many Thai drivers waiting on bikes leaving room on the inside for turn left people. A 50 ish farang drives up on a 'scooter', sort of slows down, then proceeds through the red light with some 20 seconds left on the timer. Most of the Thais just shook their heads at this stupid display of driving. The really stupid thing was that about 3 minutes later I passed him on Patak road where he was tootling along about 50 kph, obviously in no hurry.

I'm sure we can all recall stories like this, many times each day.

[Old Croc]

So here is today's experience on the road. I stop at the lights in Kata (near gas station), many Thai drivers waiting on bikes leaving room on the inside for turn left people. A 50 ish farang drives up on a 'scooter', sort of slows down, then proceeds through the red light with some 20 seconds left on the timer. Most of the Thais just shook their heads at this stupid display of driving. The really stupid thing was that about 3 minutes later I passed him on Patak road where he was tootling along about 50 kph, obviously in no hurry.

I'm sure we can all recall stories like this, many times each day.

Sounds like the same guy I nearly cleaned up on Wiset Rd late one night. He was tootling along on a silly little bike without his lights on.

[KarenBravo]

Sounds like the same guy I nearly cleaned up on Wiset Rd late one night. He was tootling along on a silly little bike without his lights on.

I'm sure the lights were switched on.........just all the bulbs burnt out.

[Old Croc]

Sounds like the same guy I nearly cleaned up on Wiset Rd late one night. He was tootling along on a silly little bike without his lights on.

I'm sure the lights were switched on.........just all the bulbs burnt out.

Probably.

I counted nine riders without lights altogether on that trip from Rawai to Chalong.

But it was the farang that got me angry. I pulled alongside to give him a mouthful, but I don't think he was even aware of my car. Decided not to bother, he was driving fairly slowly and in a world of his own.

Edited December 6, 2011 by Old Croc

[katabeachbum]

well, most convertibles are not sportscars, they are based on ordinary hatches and sedans

and going under an 18 wheeler, in a convertibel head is cut off for sure, at a bike one would usually slide under

convertible manuafctorers have come up with different roll bar fixes to compensate, but none work on par with a hard top

so the sad stats are as I said, you are just as exposed to headinjuires in an ordinary convertible as on a bike

I cannot agree with that. Sitting in a car with a seat belt on affords the driver and passenger far superior protection than someone riding on a bike. Any sort of accident on a bike often involves serious injury. You need a full head-on at speed in a car/convertible/sports car to sustain serious injury. And how often do you see a car flipped onto it's roof, yes sure it does happen, but it takes a really crazy driver to do that. And as for a sports car, if you flip that over then the driver really deserves the injuries sustained.

all it takes is a slight push at rear corner of car from a black Fortuner. then it flips.

[katabeachbum]

I still enjoy to ride around Kata without helmet, but going further I find it comfy to use a full face even riding 125cc

an ordinary non crash tested TH helmet just to please the law is a total joke

You might be correct about the quality of many Thai certified helmets but anyone riding a bike without a helmet gets no sympathy from me when paying fine or even worse, in the back of an ambulance.

interesting subject

we are allowed to kill ourself with

cigarettes

alcohol

food/sugar/overweight

catching HIV

but in TH one must wear a helmet.

and 99% of them are not "certified"

a police friends wife was killed riding bike. she was a very carefull 40 yo rider always using her helmet, going to work in the morning. her helmet was above the average eggshell, but not western crash tested. her skull cracked, and she was disconnected after one week in Vachira. Witnesses described a silver 2 door pickup, silver paint on her bike, at a roadstretch none drive more than 50kmh.

Sad thing, until a few weeks before the accident she had been using my Yaris every day taking our kids to school, go to work, get them back home.

RIP Porn :jap:

[KarenBravo]

Any helmet is better than no helmet in all circumstances.

[petercallen]

Pretty hard to flip a sports car, the centre of gravity is so low you are almost sitting on the road

well, most convertibles are not sportscars, they are based on ordinary hatches and sedans. and there is no car made hard to flip

and going under an 18 wheeler, in a convertibel head is cut off for sure, at a bike one would usually slide under

convertible manuafctorers have come up with different roll bar fixes to compensate, but none work on par with a hard top

so the sad stats are as I said, you are just as exposed to headinjuires in an ordinary convertible as on a bike

Yes but you compared your convertible to a Mazda MX5 which is a sports car

[katabeachbum]

Any helmet is better than no helmet in all circumstances.

a heavy helmet can provide bad injuries to neck and spine, especially on children below 12 yo

and helmets falling off before head reaches hard object is worthless

I am not promoting not to use helmet. In general helmets increase riders safety in accident.

am trying to make bad car drivers not to focus on riders use of helmet, but on their own behaviour causing accidents they are protected from in their steel cage.

[katabeachbum]

Pretty hard to flip a sports car, the centre of gravity is so low you are almost sitting on the road

well, most convertibles are not sportscars, they are based on ordinary hatches and sedans. and there is no car made hard to flip

and going under an 18 wheeler, in a convertibel head is cut off for sure, at a bike one would usually slide under

convertible manuafctorers have come up with different roll bar fixes to compensate, but none work on par with a hard top

so the sad stats are as I said, you are just as exposed to headinjuires in an ordinary convertible as on a bike

Yes but you compared your convertible to a Mazda MX5 which is a sports car

Mazda Miata/MX5 was and is not a sports car. It may look sporty, but it performs on par with a Vios, except the Vios has more advanced rear suspension

and a Golf convertible was and is much faster

crashed sportscars, have a look at TV Motoring, "Worlds most expensive car crash"

[petercallen]

Any helmet is better than no helmet in all circumstances.

I must agree with you for once, The better quality helmets sold here have a hard shell,

foam liner and padding and will protect your head in a accident

Even if you buy a imported helmet it will not save you if you are riding a big bike at 160KPH

and crash into the side of a bus

The imported Shoe helmet are expensive because of import tax and all the International

advertising they do on the bike racing circuits

The same as Chanel 5 perfume, the Aussie actor was paid 5M USD to do a advertisement

for them and this has to be covered in the price they sell the product for

[thaiIand]

Any helmet is better than no helmet in all circumstances.

I had a motorbike accident when i was 11. We were only going to school 800meters away so i only wore a similar 700baht tesco thai like helmet in my country for those short rides, instead of our expensive helmets.

at 40kph the bike went off and i was shot far away and had 3rd degree burn on my legs, the helmet saved me from looking like a monster and losing most of my hair. Luckly i was young and the skin managed to regrow completely after 8~years on my legs

[petercallen]

Yes but you compared your convertible to a Mazda MX5 which is a sports car

Mazda Miata/MX5 was and is not a sports car. It may look sporty, but it performs on par with a Vios, except the Vios has more advanced rear suspension

and a Golf convertible was and is much faster

crashed sportscars, have a look at TV Motoring, "Worlds most expensive car crash"

We agree to disagree, this forum is about people having there own opinion

The Mazda MX5 is a sports car in my opinion

A golf convertible is not a sports car

[Peterocket]

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=1df_1203559658

I would opt to wear a helmet.....

[Old Croc]

Mazda Miata/MX5 was and is not a sports car. It may look sporty, but it performs on par with a Vios, except the Vios has more advanced rear suspension

and a Golf convertible was and is much faster

crashed sportscars, have a look at TV Motoring, "Worlds most expensive car crash"

Could be wrong, but I don't think any of the exotic sports cars in the high speed crash flipped over.

[katabeachbum]

We agree to disagree, this forum is about people having there own opinion

The Mazda MX5 is a sports car in my opinion

A golf convertible is not a sports car

IMHO it takes more than a soft top to be a sports car. Most sportscars are faster and handle better as hardtops

I d say the cheapst sports cars in TH are Lotus Elise and Porsche Boxter. They both perform and look like sportscars

I never said Golf convertible being a sports car despite being much faster than mazda miata/mx5.

but if sportscars are judged by performance, your definition makes honda jazz and ford fiesta 1,6 Th spec to sports cars

and a ford ranger 3,2 pickup is faster than them all :lol:

[katabeachbum]

Could be wrong, but I don't think any of the exotic sports cars in the high speed crash flipped over.

I didnt see any eiher, and no black fortuna with farang driver to give them the push to flip

judging by the pics and movie, these where very soft impacts due to short distance between vehicles. doesnt take much to wreck these cars, they are focused on light weight and performance, not sturdyness

[Valentine]

Could be wrong, but I don't think any of the exotic sports cars in the high speed crash flipped over.

8 Ferraris, 3 Benz plus a couple of others (2 Toyota, 1 Lamborghini?) & yes in the clip I saw there did not appear to be any that flipped over.

[petercallen]

We agree to disagree, this forum is about people having there own opinion

The Mazda MX5 is a sports car in my opinion

A golf convertible is not a sports car

IMHO it takes more than a soft top to be a sports car. Most sportscars are faster and handle better as hardtops

I d say the cheapst sports cars in TH are Lotus Elise and Porsche Boxter. They both perform and look like sportscars

I never said Golf convertible being a sports car despite being much faster than mazda miata/mx5.

but if sportscars are judged by performance, your definition makes honda jazz and ford fiesta 1,6 Th spec to sports cars

and a ford ranger 3,2 pickup is faster than them all :lol:

OK so you do not think a MGB is a sports car either because a MX5 will out perform it

[katabeachbum]

OK so you do not think a MGB is a sports car either because a MX5 will out perform it

In 1962, 48 years ago, MGB was a sportscar, and continued to remain so for 1,5 decade.

Cars perfomance has improved since. Mazda Miata/mx5 is a very nice convertible, but has IMHO not had during its 2 decades of a manufactoring specs to qualify as a sportscar. It was presented as a cheap 2 seat convertible with a 90?Hp1600cc and live rear axle

Most hatches outperforms it, as they did then.

And a "Sport" badge on a 850k baht focus 2,0/145hp does not make that one to a sportscar either, despite outperfoming LiK mx5/miata in every aspect. But sporty it is

[petercallen]

OK so you do not think a MGB is a sports car either because a MX5 will out perform it

In 1962, 48 years ago, MGB was a sportscar, and continued to remain so for 1,5 decade.

Cars perfomance has improved since. Mazda Miata/mx5 is a very nice convertible, but has IMHO not had during its 2 decades of a manufactoring specs to qualify as a sportscar. It was presented as a cheap 2 seat convertible with a 90?Hp1600cc and live rear axle

Most hatches outperforms it, as they did then.

And a "Sport" badge on a 850k baht focus 2,0/145hp does not make that one to a sportscar either, despite outperfoming LiK mx5/miata in every aspect. But sporty it is

Ask 5 different people there definition of a sports car and you will get 5 different opinions

[F1fanatic]

Any helmet is better than no helmet in all circumstances.

I had a motorbike accident when i was 11. We were only going to school 800meters away so i only wore a similar 700baht tesco thai like helmet in my country for those short rides, instead of our expensive helmets.

at 40kph the bike went off and i was shot far away and had 3rd degree burn on my legs, the helmet saved me from looking like a monster and losing most of my hair. Luckly i was young and the skin managed to regrow completely after 8~years on my legs

Where to buy a good quality motorbike helmet probably deserves a topic of its own - they are few and far between on Phuket.

I used to wear the helmet provided by Honda when I bought my new 'bike, but it was too big and always slipped to the back of my neck, giving me neck-ache.

I went all over the place trying to find a helmet that fitted. 'Full-face' helmets are better, but I cannot use them (they make me throw-up).

How can this be?? How on earth can the 'small' size be too big for me, a Westerner??

Fortunately I was at the Phuket Bangkok hospital one day and there was a 'stall' there selling (hopefully) good quality helmets.

Having been involved in an accident when I was in the UK riding a pushbike (I was knocked-out and would undoubtedly have died if I was not wearing a helmet), I wouldn't dream of riding my scooter without one.

[snamos]

Where to buy a good quality motorbike helmet probably deserves a topic of its own - they are few and far between on Phuket.

I used to wear the helmet provided by Honda when I bought my new 'bike, but it was too big and always slipped to the back of my neck, giving me neck-ache.

I went all over the place trying to find a helmet that fitted. 'Full-face' helmets are better, but I cannot use them (they make me throw-up).

How can this be?? How on earth can the 'small' size be too big for me, a Westerner??

Fortunately I was at the Phuket Bangkok hospital one day and there was a 'stall' there selling (hopefully) good quality helmets.

Having been involved in an accident when I was in the UK riding a pushbike (I was knocked-out and would undoubtedly have died if I was not wearing a helmet), I wouldn't dream of riding my scooter without one.

There is a 'big bike' shop on the Naka Market road (I think its opposite but i could be wrong) they sell carbon fiber skull caps. They are extremely comfortable with a nice chin strap.... and they look good too...available for all melon sizes. 5000 THB is a steal I reckon

[kenny999]

Where to buy a good quality motorbike helmet probably deserves a topic of its own - they are few and far between on Phuket.

I used to wear the helmet provided by Honda when I bought my new 'bike, but it was too big and always slipped to the back of my neck, giving me neck-ache.

I went all over the place trying to find a helmet that fitted. 'Full-face' helmets are better, but I cannot use them (they make me throw-up).

How can this be?? How on earth can the 'small' size be too big for me, a Westerner??

Fortunately I was at the Phuket Bangkok hospital one day and there was a 'stall' there selling (hopefully) good quality helmets.

Having been involved in an accident when I was in the UK riding a pushbike (I was knocked-out and would undoubtedly have died if I was not wearing a helmet), I wouldn't dream of riding my scooter without one.

If you want a very good helmet then go to the Kawasaki dealer they have some very good and expensive helmets..

[petercallen]

The better quality helmets sold here are fine for a small bike, they are made from

high impact plastic with foam lining and padding

The blokes riding around on big bikes amuse me when the only have on thongs and shorts

and traveling at high speed, they have more to worry about than there head

[katabeachbum]

OK so you do not think a MGB is a sports car either because a MX5 will out perform it

In 1962, 48 years ago, MGB was a sportscar, and continued to remain so for 1,5 decade.

Cars perfomance has improved since. Mazda Miata/mx5 is a very nice convertible, but has IMHO not had during its 2 decades of a manufactoring specs to qualify as a sportscar. It was presented as a cheap 2 seat convertible with a 90?Hp1600cc and live rear axle

Most hatches outperforms it, as they did then.

And a "Sport" badge on a 850k baht focus 2,0/145hp does not make that one to a sportscar either, despite outperfoming LiK mx5/miata in every aspect. But sporty it is

Ask 5 different people there definition of a sports car and you will get 5 different opinions

As I worked for Mazda until just before mx5/miata was launched, I know they would say when mx5/miata was introduced in 1989 it was said to be an inexpensive fun convertible, and their sportscar was called RX7 and today its called RX8

and in 1989 they had a fantastic fun mazda 323 turbo 4x4 which I successfully used in rally for a few weeks while my Lancia Integrale was being modified, it would run circles around the mx5/miata