Relative Safety Of Riding Baht Buses Vs. Driving Motorcycles ...

[Jingthing]

Does anyone have a good idea of how the safety of riding baht buses vs. driving motorcycles can be QUANTIFIED?

There is no doubt riding the baht buses is safer, MUCH safer, but how much safer?

There are some injury risks with the buses of course: with boarding, deboarding, paying fares, driver violence, and vehicle accidents.

All I have to offer is a total guess.

Based on reading about injuries and deaths over the years, buses vs. bikes, and also observing the hazards on the buses and on the streets with the bikes, my guess is riding the buses is 100 times safer.

Another thing that might be worth factoring is the accident risk associated with not having a private vehicle of any kind. If you don't drive a bike or car, you will be walking more and CROSSING streets more. Crossing streets in town is definitely hazardous. Should such associated PEDESTRIAN risks be INCLUDED in the total baht bus riding risk, or not?

What do you think?

Edited May 14, 2013 by Jingthing

[robblok]

I think it kinda depends who is driving, and of course theft happens much more on baht busses then on bikes. So what kind of safety are we talking about ?

Accidents.. sure ill give you that the baht buss is much safer. Theft.. think there is a big chance of you getting pick pocketed at the baht busses.

Now if you put in convinience id say motorcycles are 1000 x better as baht busses ? Going at your own time, faster, no frustration of baht busses passing you over .. ect ect (only problem might be parking)

[Jingthing]

No, I am not talking about convenience here! That is a given. Private transport is more convenient by definition, excepting PARKING issues.

The topic is about SAFETY in regards to physical bodily harm. Focused there.

I didn't mean to include theft risk at all. I think that is totally separate and unrelated.

BTW, I have been pick-pocketed ONCE on a baht bus over several years. Happily, I only lost a few hundred baht (change plus the cost of the leather container).

Now if there were a lot of cases of theft on buses involving VIOLENCE that would be included in this topic area. But that is very, very rare on the baht buses of Pattaya.

Regarding bodily injury on baht buses, I have had a few very minor scrapes mostly caused by erratic driving, such as elbows banging against metal, etc. I've witnessed some close calls of other passengers, but never witnessed even one serious injury on the buses. While riding the buses, I see motorcycle accidents (mostly minor, some major and fatal) very frequently indeed.

Edited May 14, 2013 by Jingthing

[David48]

What do I think?

JT, with all due respect... you need to increase your medication.

You just seem to post now for the sake of posting, rather then sharing what interesting ideas you have had in the past (and in the future, I am sure, will continue to have).

Mate ... I do apologise for what may seem like harsh words ... but someone has to tap you on the shoulder ...

Regards ...

.

[gmac]

Shouldn't tempt fate by saying this but in 41 years of driving cars and riding motorbikes the only accidents I have been involved in have been where I was a passenger and someone else has been driving. On the basis of this experience I will back my own judgement and abilities rather than rely on of an unknown (to me) other driver every time. You can keep your baht buses.

[Jingthing]

Shouldn't tempt fate by saying this but in 41 years of driving cars and riding motorbikes the only accidents I have been involved in have been where I was a passenger and someone else has been driving. On the basis of this experience I will back my own judgement and abilities rather than rely on of an unknown (to me) other driver every time. You can keep your baht buses.

That is a fair point. I estimate about 20 percent of the baht bus drivers drive like total madmen!

But yes, I will keep my baht buses! Love those baht buses! Yes, I do think overall they are MUCH safer indeed.

Edited May 14, 2013 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

What do I think?

JT, with all due respect... you need to increase your medication.

You just seem to post now for the sake of posting, rather then sharing what interesting ideas you have had in the past (and in the future, I am sure, will continue to have).

Mate ... I do apologise for what may seem like harsh words ... but someone has to tap you on the shoulder ...

Regards ...

.

If you want to express such personal and provocative tripe, please PM me or better yet ignore the threads that don't interest you. Your snarky comment about medications, etc. has NOTHING to do with the topic. Cheers.

Edited May 14, 2013 by Jingthing

[chiangmaikelly]

There are a lot of fun baht busses in Pattaya. They may be dangerous. The video of for those who don't know what riding a baht bus in Pattaya is like. Then, of course there is the baht bus of love. It runs up and down Pattaya Kang when the ladies get off work at the markets and department stores. If you are new to Thailand it may be dangerous to speak to a woman you don't know on a baht bus. In case you don't know you may want to ask an old time expat.

Edited May 14, 2013 by chiangmaikelly

[Jingthing]

Back to the baht buses, one thing that surprises me is that more people don't fall off the back of the buses, especially when crowded and in rainstorms. People standing on the back are often drunken tourists and on some buses the metal shelf on the back is very small. Again, I've seen some close calls but never a falling off accident. I'm sure it happens sometimes but reading the local news, apparently very rare. I don't recall reading about even one such case! I'm still sure it happens sometimes.

Another common hazard is when buses don't stop at a safe place. Sometimes they expect passengers to deboard and pay the fare in lanes of active traffic!

DRATS! This topic would have made a good poll. Too late. Oh well.

Edited May 14, 2013 by Jingthing

[BookMan]

There are a lot of fun baht busses in Pattaya. They may be dangerous. The video of for those who don't know what riding a baht bus in Pattaya is like. Then, of course there is the baht bus of love. It runs up and down Pattaya Kang when the ladies get off work at the markets and department stores. If you are new to Thailand it may be dangerous to speak to a woman you don't know on a baht bus. In case you don't know you may want to ask an old time expat.

You might be just the old hand to ask. Why is it dangerous to speak to a woman you dont know on a baht bus?

[chiangmaikelly]

There are a lot of fun baht busses in Pattaya. They may be dangerous. The video of for those who don't know what riding a baht bus in Pattaya is like. Then, of course there is the baht bus of love. It runs up and down Pattaya Kang when the ladies get off work at the markets and department stores. If you are new to Thailand it may be dangerous to speak to a woman you don't know on a baht bus. In case you don't know you may want to ask an old time expat.

You might be just the old hand to ask. Why is it dangerous to speak to a woman you dont know on a baht bus?

You have to look at the way she sits and her eyebrows. Also notice if her husband is on the bus. If her husband is on the bus it may create problems especially if he is Russian. Getting her phone number when her husband is on the bus should be left to the experienced baht bus rider.

[chiangmaikelly]

Transferring from a baht bus to a motorcycle while moving can also be dangerous. And best left to the experienced expat. When traveling down Soi Buakhow on a motorcycle you will invariably see ladies who wave and shout at you while you ride a motorcycle past the baht bus. Although the transfer may be made while the baht bus is moving (this is the free transfer option) it is safer to wait till the bus stops, let the lady hop from the bus to your motorcycle and then pay the driver 10 baht as you drive by.

[mancub]

Having witnessed several collisions between motorcycle and baht bus .....I can confirm that in each incident it would have been 100 % safer to have been on the baht bus at the time.

[Jingthing]

Another associated risk for baht bus riders is that they don't go everywhere. For example if your home is off the route and you need to walk home late at night down a dark soi, that would surely increase your risk of being violently assaulted relative to riding a bike. When I was shopping for condos, that was a big factor for me, to be on a direct baht bus route.

Yet another risk with the baht buses is for people who are already physically limited. For example, if you have back pain and slower boarding and deboarding. That increases your risk of further injury as the drivers don't have a lot of patience for people with special needs.

Edited May 14, 2013 by Jingthing

[mancub]

Another associated risk for baht bus riders is that they don't go everywhere. For example if your home is off the route and you need to walk home late at night down a dark soi, that would surely increase your risk of being violently assaulted relative to riding a bike. When I was shopping for condos, that was a big factor for me, to be on a direct baht bus route.

You might even trip over and be savagely mauled by a rabid soi dog , Of course you could always charter a baht bus door to door on those occasions , but only if you valued your well-being over your wallet .

[Jingthing]

Good point about the soi dogs! I guess fold that into associated pedestrian risks of not running any kind of private vehicle.

Thinking about this a little more, I think it is only fair to include all associated pedestrian risks of using the baht buses in a comparison vs. motorcycles. Given that, the relative safety is probably something LESS than 100 times safer.

So my wild guess now goes to 75 times safer.

Edited May 14, 2013 by Jingthing

[mancub]

There are a lot of fun baht busses in Pattaya. They may be dangerous. The video of for those who don't know what riding a baht bus in Pattaya is like. Then, of course there is the baht bus of love. It runs up and down Pattaya Kang when the ladies get off work at the markets and department stores. If you are new to Thailand it may be dangerous to speak to a woman you don't know on a baht bus. In case you don't know you may want to ask an old time expat.

You might be just the old hand to ask. Why is it dangerous to speak to a woman you dont know on a baht bus?

You have to look at the way she sits and her eyebrows. Also notice if her husband is on the bus. If her husband is on the bus it may create problems especially if he is Russian. Getting her phone number when her husband is on the bus should be left to the experienced baht bus rider.

Why "especially if he is Russian " ?

[David48]

One of the things I love to do is ride the very back of the bus.

Sort of what you would call the rear bumper bar or the step up bar, like in the photo above.

There is a rear sense of open air, sort of a freedom feeling.

But the gf is also fussing and say that to be careful back there and that the welding

is designed for the lighter Thais and not a heavier Farang Frame.

I tend to smile and nod and return to my enjoyment ... and praying that it wasn't

a Friday frame (welded in haste).

Does anyone else like this riding style? ... JT?

Does it add to the real or perceived danger?

.

[Stradavarius37]

This thread is useless without a JT certified POLL!

[Jingthing]

This thread is useless without a JT certified POLL!

I will have to live with the regret of not polling this one up.

[Jingthing]

I prefer riding in the FRONT in the cab with the drivers. I do love me some baht bus drivers.

One of the things I love to do is ride the very back of the bus.

...

Edited May 14, 2013 by Jingthing

[BlackPuddingBertha]

One of the things I love to do is ride the very back of the bus.

Does it add to the real or perceived danger?

Rather you than me.

Next time you are in traffic count the number of vehicles with dents at the rear. Then wonder what your legs would look like if subjected to the same treatment.

For me the whole point of being in a bahtbus is being in a bahtbus, not hanging precariously off the back of it. If I want the thrill of the wind in my hair I can go in my truck and wind the window down.

[gmac]

This thread is useless without a JT certified POLL!

I will have to live with the regret of not polling this one up.

Can we have a poll about whether to have a poll or not?

[Jingthing]

This thread is useless without a JT certified POLL!

I will have to live with the regret of not polling this one up.

Can we have a poll about whether to have a poll or not?

There is no point. It's not cool to start two topics on the same thing at the same time. So as I can't add a poll to this one, it won't happen.

[chiangmaikelly]

Another associated risk for baht bus riders is that they don't go everywhere. For example if your home is off the route and you need to walk home late at night down a dark soi, that would surely increase your risk of being violently assaulted relative to riding a bike. When I was shopping for condos, that was a big factor for me, to be on a direct baht bus route.

Yet another risk with the baht buses is for people who are already physically limited. For example, if you have back pain and slower boarding and deboarding. That increases your risk of further injury as the drivers don't have a lot of patience for people with special needs.

I live in Rayong and drivers pick up people with special needs and dont't charge some who have mental problems.

[Gone]

I think you're bored mate. lol

I rode baht buses before but mostly ride choppers in Thailand for 13 years and can say 1000% they are not as safe as baht buses and it is actual exercise both physically and especially mentally riding bikes if you are as careful as you are supposed to be as I am.

I have to "come down" every time I get home after a ride.

[chiangmaikelly]

Every place I have lived in Thailand baht bus drivers ask cute people to sit in the front. Normally it is young women. I have been asked a couple of times but it was outside of a tourist area and the drivers might have been a bit tipsy. There are few women baht bus drivers but most of the time I was asked to sit up front it was by a woman driver.

[besth]

Back to the baht buses, one thing that surprises me is that more people don't fall off the back of the buses, especially when crowded and in rainstorms. People standing on the back are often drunken tourists and on some buses the metal shelf on the back is very small. Again, I've seen some close calls but never a falling off accident. I'm sure it happens sometimes but reading the local news, apparently very rare. I don't recall reading about even one such case! I'm still sure it happens sometimes.

Another common hazard is when buses don't stop at a safe place. Sometimes they expect passengers to deboard and pay the fare in lanes of active traffic!

DRATS! This topic would have made a good poll. Too late. Oh well.

I am not only surprised that people don't fall from the back of the buses, but quite amazed that the back of the buses themselves just don't fall on the road sometimes, taking the riders with them. Has anyone ever seen that happen?

Also JT in your OP guesstimate regarding motorcycle vs baht bus accident victims, have you taken into account that there are many times more motorcycles than baht buses?

All in all, no question that it is safer on a baht bus, but I don't think you can quantify it.

[koo]

I hate people who ride their scooters drunk and claim that they are safe.

I once had one friend count that if he went barhopping (north pattaya - south pattaya, between beach and third roads) with baht buses instead of riding his scooter, how many trips would he make. He pondered whehe he had been the night before and came up with 4-6 trips. Some trips could have been made on foot as well. Now I told him that the cost of these trips on the baht bus was 60 baht. The rent of his scooter was 150 baht. I asked him to put these prices into proportion, adding the accident risk when riding drunk and the sobering effect of walking small distances.

That day he returned the scooter and we had a very nice night out, using the baht buses. We both rent scooters now only for longer day trips or multiple stop errands daytime, and always return the scooter before going barhopping.

Driving drunk is just so stupid and unsafe, and with rentals, also expensive compared to baht buses. If you need point to point transfers for barhopping, use motorbike taxis or charter the baht bus. It is XXXX times safer and cheaper than hitting the pylon at 100 km/h.

[thrilled]

Songthews definitely safer than those mopeds.Just look at the accident ratio.Also the death ratio.Anyone riding 2 wheels in any large city in Thailand has A death wish.Sooner than later your going to get hit.