Briton And Malaysian Die In Separate Phuket Big Bike Smashes

[eezergood]

Thats not an R1 also! Its not even a Yamaha, the picture is of a Kawasaki z1000

Read the article and stop making a fool of yourself.

Read it, piss poor journalism as per normal! Why anyone needs a 300kmh/hr race bike for Phukets roads is beyond me!

The article is about TWO accidents, one of them was a Malaysian on the bike pictured and the other a Brit on an R1. http://www.dailynews.co.th/crime/198903

I can read! As I said, piss poor. No different to writing a story about a football match then showing a picture of a Subbuteo pitch

[stevenl]

Read the article and stop making a fool of yourself.

Thats not an R1 also! Its not even a Yamaha, the picture is of a Kawasaki z1000

Read it, piss poor journalism as per normal! Why anyone needs a 300kmh/hr race bike for Phukets roads is beyond me!

The article is about TWO accidents, one of them was a Malaysian on the bike pictured and the other a Brit on an R1. http://www.dailynews.co.th/crime/198903

I can read! As I said, piss poor. No different to writing a story about a football match then showing a picture of a Subbuteo pitch

Quite often the reporting is also in my opinion very poor.

In this case however, very clear and clean article, factual, about 2 accidents illustrated by a photo.

Only somebody who does not take any effort to read misinterprets this article.

[brfsa2]

Ride in peace

I've seen so many inexperienced biker Deaths

It's time they made it compulsory to have a bike licence here

I've been riding 40 years

And even I get caught out now and again

God Bless

"It's time they made it compulsory to have a bike licence here" - it's probably time they had proper pubilc transport here so people wouldn't have to hire them and ride, particularly whilst intoxicated

It's not the public transport system that makes inexperienced guys to a danger for themselves, but also to others.

I'm a biker and familiar with dangerous situations riding a big bike here. Some guys just leave their brains at home, hope they'll rest in peace and all the others who'll follow.....

Would somebody drive a big bike just wearing shorts in the UK? What foreigners should know is that even if a big has got insurance, it only covers 12,000 baht. Not enough for an operation.

Live To Ride- Ride To Live-

The majority of motorbike death and injury on Phuket are from scooters. You are just as dead coming off a 125cc bike as you are coming off a 1000cc bike.

The reality is, it's 200 baht minimum journey price for a tuk-tuk here and 200 baht a day to rent a motor scooter for 24 hours.

Unfortunately, many chose to rent the bike, with tragic consequences.

The question is, how many of those tragedies may have been prevented if there were metered taxis on the island, or baht buses running along the coast road?

I would suggest many families would not be missing their loved ones, and many people would not be carrying injuries for the rest of their life, if Phuket only had what other places in Thailand had, public transport.

Excellent Point! if there was better public transportation, there will much less road accidents.

I find small scooter much more dangerous than big bikes, because:

1. Small scooters have low quality and very thin tires from factory, making low connection with the road and low stability.

2. Poor suspensions/shock absorbers. giving low stability, you get bounced back easily at high speed and Thailand broken roads.

3. Very poor brakes, specially drums brakes, very crucial! Drums (front) brakes on bikes are prohibited in a few countries already.

4. Low engine power to escape dangerous situations, specially to get out of the way from being run over by high speed cars.

5. Low quality lighting and signals, and mostly poor maintenance.

I drove a 110 scooter for years, I never felt safe riding it.

when I drive a 650cc what a difference, much more stable, excellent brakes, good lighting, smooth and it feels so much safer.

most scooters I have tried from friends, all had terrible brakes and tires. no joking.

conclusion: accidents are more likely to happen with scooters than with big bikes.

I hardly see a big bike accident, 1 out 1000 are big bikes.

Edited April 23, 2013 by brfsa2

[laislica]

OK - I'm with all of ya who posted you really can't use a big sportbike on Phuket. A 150 smoker or 400 4-stroke are lots of fun on the coast roads and have more than ample acceleration for Phuket. What I don't get are the 'I wouldn't tour/ride in Thailand' bunch... What the whole country? Are ya nuts? Outside of the urban centres/Phuket/Samui touring Thailand by sportbike is amazing! Great roads, great peeps, great scenery. What's so scary about riding in rural Thailand?

Some buffaloes, cows dogs, cats, people, bikes, kubotas, people who can't drive,vehicles without light and the potholes..........

Thanks for the post - you beat me to it.

I was going to say: Getting to rural Thailand.

In the styx some road surfaces are appalling and driving standards non-existent.

But up to you as they say, though I have to admit that with seriously advancing years (in my case anyway) reaction times and visual accuracy ain't wot they used to be.

A quick look at accident stats should show you that bikes are the most vulnerable thing on the road and has been said on this thread by a seriously experienced rider, it ain't only what you do that puts you at risk.

At the end of the day, it doesn't matter if it was not your fault - you can still be maimed.

Be careful out there people.

[MarkCyr]

While the Malay guy seemed to be an experienced rider, the Brit seems to be nothing of the sort. I see these guys in Pattaya also -- speeding around on rice rockets they can barely control. Add booze and darkness to the mix and the results won't be good. At the very least, the rental agencies should check that the renters are certified on their home license to ride motorcycles.

[chiangmaicharlies]

Thats not an R1 also! Its not even a Yamaha, the picture is of a Kawasaki z1000

Well, that's what the caption said; what more do you want!

[cup-O-coffee]

Ride in peace

I've seen so many inexperienced biker Deaths

It's time they made it compulsory to have a bike licence here

I've been riding 40 years

And even I get caught out now and again

God Bless

"It's time they made it compulsory to have a bike licence here" - it's probably time they had proper pubilc transport here so people wouldn't have to hire them and ride, particularly whilst intoxicated.

Nice thought! Put it on that list of to-dos for the nanny, which are relegated to resurface only as fodder for politician's sermons; because that is about as much attention it will get after I finish reading this thread. Seriously though, nice thought.

While you're having "nice thoughts" about public transport on Phuket, thousands of tourists are hopping-on and hopping-off baht buses, only 1000 kilometers away in another major Thai tourist destination called Pattaya.

Also, thousands of tourists will hire a metered taxi today in Bangkok.

It has nothing to do with Phuket becoming "Nanny" - it has everything to do with providing public transport, an essential service, to the tourist who come here, which is the norm in any major tourist destination. Just like most tourisst need a plane and airport to get here - when they are here, they need proper public transport to explore and enjoy their holiday.

I've said it before, Phuket is being run by criminals, for criminals - what long term future do you see in that????

Seriously, if things are allowed to continue the way they have been, I can only see a decrease in the enjoyment of living on Phuket and a decrease in the quality of life and value for money living here. Most relevant to this is the old, failing, poorly maintained and never upgraded infastructure, and the fact I am seeing more and more concrete and less and less jungle.

The way Phuket is being admisitered is devaluing Phuket as a "brand."

My only point is that nothing will happen. It's not as if the Thais are aware that anything needs to be done; because they aren't. This is their version of normal. Figuratively speaking, their culture plays with broken toys and your culture plays with out of the box toys. You are describing the kind of toys that they have no knowledge of, nor do they want to have knowledge of; and if you give them an out of the box toy, they will subsequently break it so that it is "normal" in their consciousness and subconscious.

I completely agree with you, but nothing needs fixing in their minds, and hence the only solution is to accept it and watch your six. Regarding the OP, I am certain that those dead drivers saw many similar scenes in their lives prior to making the choices they did, which got them where they are at currently. I would surmise that their final choices were poor ones indeed.

Cheers.

[NamKangMan]

@ cup-O-coffee

"This is their vision of normal" - so, the public transport that exists in Pattaya and Bangkok is "abnormal" for Thailand, is it? No.

The baht buses up in Pattaya are not to western standards as a means of public transport, but everyone from everywhere uses them, happily. They are not "new toys out of the box" - they are "old broken toys" but westerners, and Thai's alike, are happy with the system as a means of public transport.

What is happening on Phuket is abnormal, and it's a crime, committed against everyone here, and the environment.

As far as "nothing needs fixing in their minds" - I disagree. Certain "influential people" know all too well they have been withholding public transport here for years, and have got very rich out of doing so.

All they know "in their minds" is to keep withholding it, keep the money coming in, and not care about the death, injury, traffic, accidents, pollution, noise etc that their greed is causing.

[mikebike]

OK - I'm with all of ya who posted you really can't use a big sportbike on Phuket. A 150 smoker or 400 4-stroke are lots of fun on the coast roads and have more than ample acceleration for Phuket. What I don't get are the 'I wouldn't tour/ride in Thailand' bunch... What the whole country? Are ya nuts? Outside of the urban centres/Phuket/Samui touring Thailand by sportbike is amazing! Great roads, great peeps, great scenery. What's so scary about riding in rural Thailand?

Some buffaloes, cows dogs, cats, people, bikes, kubotas, people who can't drive,vehicles without light and the potholes..........

So how is that different than rural touring in any other country? Where I'm from its moose, cows, dogs, cats, people, bikes, tractors, people who can't drive, mennonite buggies without lights, and the potholes... If these things really bother you why the heck you you even consider two wheels? Stick to your cage (car) and watch the scenery through the TV screen (front windscreen)!

Edited April 24, 2013 by mikebike

[mikebike]

OK - I'm with all of ya who posted you really can't use a big sportbike on Phuket. A 150 smoker or 400 4-stroke are lots of fun on the coast roads and have more than ample acceleration for Phuket. What I don't get are the 'I wouldn't tour/ride in Thailand' bunch... What the whole country? Are ya nuts? Outside of the urban centres/Phuket/Samui touring Thailand by sportbike is amazing! Great roads, great peeps, great scenery. What's so scary about riding in rural Thailand?

Some buffaloes, cows dogs, cats, people, bikes, kubotas, people who can't drive,vehicles without light and the potholes..........

Thanks for the post - you beat me to it.

I was going to say: Getting to rural Thailand.

In the styx some road surfaces are appalling and driving standards non-existent.

Again how is that different from anywhere else? Rural rides where I'm from involve sketchy tarmac, sand, gravel, and mountain passes where their idea of a road surface is boulders the size of your head. Add to that seasonal black ice, sleet and snow and Thailand looks positively pleasant! As for driving standards - you are a target for idiots when you ride anywhere. The blue haired brigade was out to murder me every time I rode. The mobile phone and coffee crew are oblivious to anyone else being on the road with them as the conduct business, apply make-up and blindly and furiously rush to get to work. And of course not matter where you are half the car pilots are so myopic they have absolutely zero cognisance of motorbikes on the road whatsoever.

For me rural Thailand is a blissfully relaxing place to ride.

Edited April 24, 2013 by mikebike

[rotorbreeze]

Ride in peace

I've seen so many inexperienced biker Deaths

It's time they made it compulsory to have a bike licence here

I've been riding 40 years

And even I get caught out now and again

God Bless

As far as I am aware if you reside in Thailand for more than 3 months you need a Thai drivers licence for bike or car I have both, however the test is so simple it is almost a joke R.I.P to the two deceased persons although I fail to understand why someone would ride a 1000cc at midnight in just shorts I never go on my bike without my helmet

Yes, I have bought a light riders jacket while in Canada..of course vented and good reviews, I wear finger less riding gloves, and CSA approved full coverage helmet bought here along with surgical mast for the diesel buses that seem to be need of injector maintenance... light road riding chaps for long rides a must, yes driving is always a challenge, I have a PCX 125cc and find this bike fantastic in maneuvering and acceleration, even with my g/f..big girl on back...I have a helmet for her and gloves if she wants. The more you prevent injury ones mind focuses on driving..it is a battle on one must be prepared for battle... a 1000 cc bike is an order for death!...no need for this amount of power...trust you will drive and have the insight while biking...always know whom is behind you...and the free spirt with in gives you insight for safety...

[Eesat]

Midnight - only wearing shorts. No helmet, drinking, and first time on big bike (from other news accounts). I shake my head. RIP.

I've had a full motorbike licence for nearly 30 years but I wouldn't hire a big bike in Phuket.It's pointless,the roads just aren't there for big bikes.