Do You Ever Ride Without A Helmet

[ludditeman]

anybody riding a motorbike without a helmet is STUPID IN 7 YEARS I HAVE HAD 2 ACCIDENTS WITH BIKES BOTH TIMES MY HELMET BROKE BUT NOT MY HEAD

I think you need to spend some money in learning to drive a m/c, then you wouldn't have so many accidents.

[billd766]

anybody riding a motorbike without a helmet is STUPID IN 7 YEARS I HAVE HAD 2 ACCIDENTS WITH BIKES BOTH TIMES MY HELMET BROKE BUT NOT MY HEAD

I think you need to spend some money in learning to drive a m/c, then you wouldn't have so many accidents.

I have had 3 accidents in 5 years.

The first on the scooter doing a slow U turn about 15kph and I got around the turn banged the throttle wide open and the rear wheel just fell away.

100% my fault. Bit of road rash, scraped scooter, helmet marked. Extreme ear pain from the wife when I got home, it was "HER"scooter.

Last year going up to Chiang mai on my Yamaha Virago 535 around tight hairpin bends in 1st gear leaning over to the left and opened the throttle too much and found myself sliding uphill on my back being chased by my bike.

100% my fault. No road rash but bruises where the bike hit me, different helmet marked. Extreme loss of face for me. I couldn't believe that I could be that stupid (again).

No 3 in Nakhon Sawan in December at traffic lights.

All lights at red and ours turn green and I go straight across on my Honda Phantom and out of the corner of my eye I saw a pickup run the red and turn across the junction to go the way I came.

The only problem was to get there they had to hit me and I got T boned.

100% NOT my fault. Scraped my left shin on the gas tank as I took up free fall lessons, bashed my knee, landed on my right hand and shoulder and slid a bit on my back.

The left rear crash bar took most of inmpact but the pannier got smashed, the bike went to the right and threw me off then bounced back on its left side.

While flying I had the sudden thought that this is going to hurt and it did.

My 3rd helmet stopped any pain to my head.

The pickup truck complete wth 2 old ladies (I kid you not) stopped just up the road and the police popped out of their box situated at the junction and nobbled the pick up truck.

They stopped the traffic long enough for me to get clear of the junction and after I had unbent the handle bars enough to ride it we went to the cop shop and sorted it out in the time honoured manner in Thailand.

The pickup lady and I settled on 9,000 baht cash to fix me bike and that was the end of the story.

I rang my wife a couple of times and she spoke to the cops in Thai and me in English and asked if I was OK to get home so I said yes but my right hand hurt all the way.

The Honda was fixed and runs the same as ever, slow but reliable.

I am thinking of giving up biking as I can't afford to keep buying crash helmets.

As I said in an earlier post.

Ride without a helmet.

NEVER.

I may be daft enough to ride a bike in Thailand but I am not crazy or stupid enough to ride without a helmet.

I am not called a handsum man for nothing you know.

[BigBikeBKK]

yes I must be stupid

drink beer

drink Jack Daniels

chase women

ride without a helmet

been doing it all for some 35 years, the beer and no helmet thing every single day

not true, didnt like JD until some 5-8 years ago

people smoking are stupid, but I am sure they know it

Wait a sec... let me get this straight... you're saying that people who smoke are stupid, but people who ride motorcycles without a helmet aren't?

Were you wearing a helmet when you ran your Ninja into the ditch last year?

[manarak]

Do you ever ride without a helmet?

> only when driving on the sidewalk

[IanForbes]

In the words of the great Georgie Best... "I spent all my money on fast cars, hot women and expensive whiskey... the rest I just wasted."

yah gotta have a little danger in your life to make a possitive impression. But, after burrying a few friends with smashed noggins it DOES tend to make you wonder a bit about your own frailties.

[ludditeman]

Do you ever ride without a helmet?

Only when I'm drunk.

[JohanBKK]

I hate those people without a helmet on their head, i have no respect for people who don't wear a helmet and i also don't respect them on the road, so be careful if you cross my way because i will drive fast enough to scare you.

The helmet saved my life twice, my head was the first to touch the ground in both accidents, i felt nothing but i would be dead without a helmet. It was on a very normal day like every day, it can happen at any time, always wear a helmet, a good one if possible.

Edited February 25, 2012 by JohanBKK

[BSJ]

Part of the reason I came here to live was the lack of conformist dictatorial sh1t I had to deal with back in Australia. Not wearing a helmet reminds me of my youth when we in Australia could choose whether or not to wear helmet.

[JohanBKK]

Part of the reason I came here to live was the lack of conformist dictatorial sh1t I had to deal with back in Australia. Not wearing a helmet reminds me of my youth when we in Australia could choose whether or not to wear helmet.

It's just too stupid to ride arround without a helmet, it's not freedom, freedom is to ride with a security device that wont kill you at the first accident even at low speed. Why you don't try it even at 20 km per hour to see what happens ? You can even try it without a motorcycle, run into the wall with your head and see what happens.

[BigBikeBKK]

Thai friend went down at quite low speed. Walked away unhurt.

Can you imagine how ugly it could have been?

Wear the gear! It works!

[spidermike007]

I live on Koh Samui. The unofficial statistics are an average of 60 deaths per month, from motorcycle accidents. Many are farengs, who either do not know how to drive, drive while drinking, or are simply unprepared for how bizarre, aggressive, and dangerously both the farengs, and locals drive here. Never seen anything like it. They are on a small tropical island, so what the hell is the hurry? They do not see it that way. Yes, I agree that the head is a soft organ, and cannot compete with concrete or asphalt for durability. A helmet is the way to go. I bought an index helmet for 1500 baht, that is pretty decent. Certainly not an Arai, but who is going to spend 15,000 baht on a helmet here? The normal soft shells here are crap, so I would go with at least a decent Index dragon, or something similar, as a minimum precaution. I never leave the house without it. I have been riding for nearly 40 years, but I do not trust the other drivers here, to make the right decision. I often get cut off by drivers merging into traffic, right in front of me. I look behind me, and there is nobody. They simply could have waited 2 more seconds, and shown some courtesy, and there would be no risk to anybody. But, did they do that? No. Never expect common sense, or reasoning on the Thai roads. I have spoken to the nurses at the local hospitals, and they say 90% of the deaths here are from head injuries.

[spidermike007]

It is extremely irresponsible to take a child on a motorcycle without a helmet in my opinion. In most of your home countries If your child died as a result of not wearing a helmet, when it was the law to do so, you would be guilty of manslaughter.

Manslaughter. What is that? We have never heard the term in Thailand. What could that possibly mean? You mean I was responsible for something bad happening? How is that possible? I am an angel. I never do a bad thing. Nobody in my country do a bad thing. You speaking of fareng. They do bad thing many times.

[JSixpack]

All lights at red and ours turn green and I go straight across on my Honda Phantom and out of the corner of my eye I saw a pickup run the red and turn across the junction to go the way I came.

The only problem was to get there they had to hit me and I got T boned.

Couple years ago, roughly, a farang got killed the same way. Think it was in Nakhon Sawan or thereabouts.

These examples are good for refuting the classic silly justification for buying a Big Bike: the NEED to pull away from the pack, with a fantasy of a big pile up of Thai mopeds behind at the light, as in a movie.

[Fookhaht]

To answer your question: "No." At least once a year, I see brains splattered on the pavement--enough to realize the head is just a watermelon.

[BigBikeBKK]

All lights at red and ours turn green and I go straight across on my Honda Phantom and out of the corner of my eye I saw a pickup run the red and turn across the junction to go the way I came.

The only problem was to get there they had to hit me and I got T boned.

Couple years ago, roughly, a farang got killed the same way. Think it was in Nakhon Sawan or thereabouts.

These examples are good for refuting the classic silly justification for buying a Big Bike: the NEED to pull away from the pack, with a fantasy of a big pile up of Thai mopeds behind at the light, as in a movie.

Having a "big bike" gives you the option to accelerate away from danger.

Of course that doesn't mean you should go leaping off the lights without looking for runners first.

Doesn't matter what country you are in, ASSUMING you have the right of way is a great way to get yourself killed

[wana]

if another vehicle weights 2 tonnes and yours weights 200 kg you better be dam_n ready to get out of the way ,yesterday i had to move over for an angry pick up driver at high speed

he was almost touching the back wheel trying to squeze through a gap that was barely there

theres no room to bargain when ur on a bike ,you dont have the benefit of bumpers or a cage and the crumple zones are going to be your bones ,one touch and you maybe roadkill stuck under someones oversized wheels

you need 360 degree vision to be safe ,always ready to brake or acelerate or swerve from danger

[BigBikeBKK]

if another vehicle weights 2 tonnes and yours weights 200 kg you better be dam_n ready to get out of the way ,yesterday i had to move over for an angry pick up driver at high speed

he was almost touching the back wheel trying to squeze through a gap that was barely there

theres no room to bargain when ur on a bike ,you dont have the benefit of bumpers or a cage and the crumple zones are going to be your bones ,one touch and you maybe roadkill stuck under someones oversized wheels

you need 360 degree vision to be safe ,always ready to brake or acelerate or swerve from danger

Your example reinforces my preference to ride a fast bike. I never have to worry about what's behind me cuz it's always shrinking in my mirrors oh wait... I don't have any mirrors

[chuppachops]

The influx of russians riding with their 5 year old children , all with no helmuts concerns me. They seem to be copying off the local thais. I saw one family come off their rented scoopy i, the next day their child was in a leg chalk and his mother and father were covered in road rash!

[Fishenough]

Watched a 60 ish farang low side hard on his scooter this weekend, we passed him and he had to take the lead back too fast and too aggressively, and paid the price for it getting into an out of control wobble. He went down on his side hard enough that his collar bone was visibly nastily broken. If he hadn't had a helmet on the results would have been far worse.

When I was 15 I took my Suzuki 125 RM motorcrosser over a large jump too fast and face planted on the landing, causing the chin bar on my Bell motocross helmet to cave in completely, tearing up my chin and lower lip. Dozen plus stitches in my face, and I could not imagine how bad that would have been if had I been wearing the 3/4 style helmets I wore with my previous little trail bikes. Having smashed several bicycle helmets, plus seeing the destroyed helmet from my fathers terrible crash on his 3 week old Z750, would guess that's part of the reason why it doesn't feel right to ride a bike without a helmet.

Still can't believe that he let me ride that bike around the yard when I was just 11 years old, that is when I fell in love with motorcycles, than a couple weeks later it was the last time my father ever rode a bike again. He recovered completely from that accident, though it took 6 plus months, it was my mother that would have killed him if he ever got another motorcycle.

Plus its loud with uncovered ears at speed and lets not even talk about unprotected eyes at speed.

[smedly]

All lights at red and ours turn green and I go straight across on my Honda Phantom and out of the corner of my eye I saw a pickup run the red and turn across the junction to go the way I came.

The only problem was to get there they had to hit me and I got T boned.

Couple years ago, roughly, a farang got killed the same way. Think it was in Nakhon Sawan or thereabouts.

These examples are good for refuting the classic silly justification for buying a Big Bike: the NEED to pull away from the pack, with a fantasy of a big pile up of Thai mopeds behind at the light, as in a movie.

classic silly justification ??????? classic silly comment, I have a big bike because I enjoy riding it and would look very silly attempting to ride from pattaya to phuket on a honda wave, and as for your good example of poor riding - I'm never 1st 2nd 3rd or even 4th to go on a green - I let the hordes test the junction first and have seen some horendous outcomes with both thais and falangs

and to an earlier post regarding co samui accident death rate (60 per month) that is shocking for such a small place surely it can't be right

and if you are going to wear a helmet wear a full face unless you are riding at bicycle pace around the streets even then risky business, a friend of mine recently had an off wearing an open helmet and the damage to his face was horrendous, two other friends of mine wear bicycle helmets because they think they are cool - I said nothing

[JSixpack]

All lights at red and ours turn green and I go straight across on my Honda Phantom and out of the corner of my eye I saw a pickup run the red and turn across the junction to go the way I came.

The only problem was to get there they had to hit me and I got T boned.

Couple years ago, roughly, a farang got killed the same way. Think it was in Nakhon Sawan or thereabouts.

These examples are good for refuting the classic silly justification for buying a Big Bike: the NEED to pull away from the pack, with a fantasy of a big pile up of Thai mopeds behind at the light, as in a movie.

Having a "big bike" gives you the option to accelerate away from danger.

But, you see, far more often the option is exercised to accelerate into it, as this thread attests so well.

Agreed, judgment and driving skill make all the difference, but most of our farangs driving in Thailand seem lacking in those. About the only thing saving our accident victims from much worse is that they weren't on a big bike. If they were, they likely died, as often happens in PTY to tourists (particularly Arab tourists) renting big bikes.

I've had a big bike myself and I liked it a lot, miss it sometimes, but I don't fool myself that it was safer than my smaller bikes. It definitely wasn't.

[smedly]

All lights at red and ours turn green and I go straight across on my Honda Phantom and out of the corner of my eye I saw a pickup run the red and turn across the junction to go the way I came.

The only problem was to get there they had to hit me and I got T boned.

Couple years ago, roughly, a farang got killed the same way. Think it was in Nakhon Sawan or thereabouts.

These examples are good for refuting the classic silly justification for buying a Big Bike: the NEED to pull away from the pack, with a fantasy of a big pile up of Thai mopeds behind at the light, as in a movie.

Having a "big bike" gives you the option to accelerate away from danger.

But, you see, far more often the option is exercised to accelerate into it, as this thread attests so well.

Agreed, judgment and driving skill make all the difference, but most of our farangs driving in Thailand seem lacking in those. About the only thing saving our accident victims from much worse is that they weren't on a big bike. If they were, they likely died, as often happens in PTY to tourists (particularly Arab tourists) renting big bikes.

I've had a big bike myself and I liked it a lot, miss it sometimes, but I don't fool myself that it was safer than my smaller bikes. It definitely wasn't.

sorry but I disagree, I'd far rather be on my big bike at 100kmph than a small bike, you said it yourself - it's to do with the your abilities and how you choose to ride, the example you gave above referring to middle eastern tourists hiring bike bikes and ending up in high speed accidents tells me they had neither ability or experience and they often ride these big bikes without helmet or as near as, I generally potter about pattaya being overtaken by both thais and falangs on small bikes, it doesn't bother me and it is not what this thread is about either. Most of the people on this forum with big bikes do not fall into the category you suggest in your example.

Edited February 27, 2012 by smedly

[JSixpack]

But, you see, far more often the option is exercised to accelerate into it, as this thread attests so well.

Agreed, judgment and driving skill make all the difference, but most of our farangs driving in Thailand seem lacking in those. About the only thing saving our accident victims from much worse is that they weren't on a big bike. If they were, they likely died, as often happens in PTY to tourists (particularly Arab tourists) renting big bikes.

I've had a big bike myself and I liked it a lot, miss it sometimes, but I don't fool myself that it was safer than my smaller bikes. It definitely wasn't.

sorry but I disagree, I'd far rather be on my big bike at 100kmph than a small bike, you said it yourself -

First, the size of the small bike discourages going "100kmph". And that's a good thing normally.

Still, if I crashed at "100kmph," which is the real point (you missed) that concerns helmet safety, I'd rather do it on a small bike. A crash on a small bike is less likely to put stress on a helmet than one on a big bike. It depends on the nature of the crash (maybe your butt took the whole impact ), but you can't think of any scenario in which the opposite would hold true.

you said it yourself - it's to do with the your abilities and how you choose to ride, the example you gave above referring to middle eastern tourists hiring bike bikes and ending up in high speed accidents tells me they had neither ability or experience and they often ride these big bikes without helmet or as near as, I generally potter about pattaya being overtaken by both thais and falangs on small bikes, it doesn't bother me and it is not what this thread is about either. Most of the people on this forum with big bikes do not fall into the category you suggest in your example.

Ah, well, I don't know most of the people on this forum as you obviously do so well, and we're not talking just our members anyway (so don't take it too personally), but one member here, billd766 above, DID admit how he shot out from a stop and promptly ran into another vehicle--which is suggestive. And that was on a lowly Phantom. Though I'd scarcely be shocked if our members do have an inflated opinion of their own driving skills, yet accidents are regularly referenced. In most cases, I'd say, a slower speed would have prevented the accident or made it less worse. Just common sense, really--smedly.

Arabs are the most common example, but hardly exclusive. There was, for example, a notable crash few years ago of some Brits who crashed at Big C going north on 2nd Rd traveling at excessive speed on a big bike. Both died. I often think of that accident when I pass the spot.

Edited February 27, 2012 by JSixpack

[smedly]

I fail to see how jumping lights and doing excessive speed has anything to do with the original post

The fact is as you did mention the people hiring big bikes and having accidents sometimes fatal have been mostly due to excessive speed for the area they where riding, wether a helmet would have saved them I don't know but I've seen enough of these riders and the headgear they are wearing

and for your information a small automatic bike will be in the center of a junction as quick if not quicker than someone on a big bike simply because there is no clutch to control but that has nothing to do with this thread and has nothing to do with wearing a helmet

do you wear a helmet - yes/no simple answer and move on, if you want to start another thread about driving and safety in Thailand then start one - oh there are many already

[JSixpack]

I fail to see how jumping lights and doing excessive speed has anything to do with the original post

Nor do your replies then. Are you ready to stop now?

[wantan]

I fail to see how jumping lights and doing excessive speed has anything to do with the original post

Nor do your replies then. Are you ready to stop now?

Oh, why stop now? Its so interesting. Honestly

[transam]

The Wats are full of ashes of invincible farangs. Farangs take note that you survival rate here is very different to farang land, no matter how good you ''think'' you are.

Next week one of you farangs will be burnt at a Wat..

[IanForbes]

Well actually, we need to ENCOURAGE people to not wear safety gear, and especially helmets. We should also encourage them to ride dangerously. There's ALREADY too many humans on this planet and we need to kill a few off. The few wars we are having is not doing the job. Same goes for hospitals and doctors. They keep patching up the injured and sick. Just let the injured and sick die. And, what about all those drugs we now have that prevent an early demise. Humans used to die in their fourties. Now we all have a good chance to make it into our eighties. That's entirely wrong. We need to get rid of the excess in any way possible.

[BigBikeBKK]

Well actually, we need to ENCOURAGE people to not wear safety gear, and especially helmets. We should also encourage them to ride dangerously. There's ALREADY too many humans on this planet and we need to kill a few off. The few wars we are having is not doing the job. Same goes for hospitals and doctors. They keep patching up the injured and sick. Just let the injured and sick die. And, what about all those drugs we now have that prevent an early demise. Humans used to die in their fourties. Now we all have a good chance to make it into our eighties. That's entirely wrong. We need to get rid of the excess in any way possible.

Just make sure they've filled out an organ donor card first!

[furyrider]

The original post has been edited as it has way over the topic graphic pictures as well as links to pornographic content, we all know its a terrible problem but no more links like that please

Damit Rimmer I wanted to see and the added links might have been fun to