If you love to watch scooters wreak...

[wolf5370]

My balcony looks out over the 121 (outer ring road). Where I sit now, at my desk, I can see the cross roads where two moo bahns (actually one moo bahn divided by the highway) meet the highway. Bikes and cars cross from side to side of the moo bahn across the road continually - the road is fast and there are no lights (traffic lights or street lights - except for the moo bahn's street lights). There is a crash every week or so at least - often serious. The latest was a scooter with a single young rider who puklled into the path of a speeding car, from the moo bahn opposite me. The car lost its left headlamp, its bumper and a good bit of facia too -the bike was wasted. The guy ended up on the grass out cold. Right away a group of about six early 20 somethings - 5 men and 1 women jumped out of the car - one of the men proceeded in trying to drag the downed motorcyclist to his feet by his hands - the poor sods head lolling about everywhere. No regard for spine injury! Before he gave up and dumped him back down on the grass. Cops turned up shortly (they are next door to me - so right opposite) and ambulance about 5 minutes after that. Now its raining its actually safer as the bikes slow down (they can't see - whereas usually they just don't look!).

Doi Suthep has spilled diesel in patches all up the road - stop your car or bike somewhere and you can smell it - diesel is just about the worse thing on the road as it doesn't wash away as easily as oil and stays there for a long time. I would never ride a motorcycle up there - lose front wheel traction on a bike and its down you go! (unless doing a wheelie at the time of course )

[wolf5370]

When I lived there, I always enjoyed maxing out my Yamaha Fino on the twisties on Doi Sui Tep. Keep in mind that I've had 20+ years riding offroad and street motorcycles. And I was the safety guy wearing a full protection crash pad motor bike jacket, long pants, and a 20000B supermoto helmet. I know my limits and the limits of the machine I'm riding. Rode the same route on several different bikes and you need to adjust for each one.

Sorry this is plain stupid - there are too many people wandering about on Doi Suthep, let alone cyclist, slow moving Vigos, trucks and buses or further along, buffalos and tractors - to max out even your hairdryer on wheels is madness. Better of doing that on the way to Pai or something, where its less likely you'll kill some poor sod struggling with the incline on his bicycle after the next bend!

[Paangjang]

In Pattaya some years ago, as I was coming to a stop at a red light, the the three wheel deep fryer in front of me splashed maybe half of his cooking oil out. I was able to not run thru it, but I thought about the next poor soul who is trying to stop in it.

"The three wheel deep fryer" Only in Thailand

[wolf5370]

I've still never seen these famous chalk marks! Do they do it in Chiang Mai?

I saw someone who was hit by a car crossing the main road of Chiang Mai Land (scooter crossing the road, must not have looked and the car, with the right away slammed him). It must have happened 2 or 3 minutes before I got there. Looked really dead to me. LOTS of blood on his dead and around his body and he wasnt moving. Big crowd forming around him but no one tending to him... Just taking cell phone pics. I drove by again the next day but no chalk marks.

They do it opposite me - usually to mark the positions before moving them out - they use that spray stuff - like aerosol whitewash - goes quick, which is lucky as otherwise the whole road would be white by now!

[MESmith]

. They had to of been European judging by their short neon shorts and sandles. Neither were wearing helmets or shirts. They had to of been doing 70kph too.... I'm certain their vacation in Chiang Mai will end with a few days in the hospital, and an extremely rough plane ride home. This wreak was really bad, they had to of slid 100+ feet of their backs and bellies going down hill.

I'm not easily shocked by TV posts and their comments, but... Nobody yet wondered why you didn't stop to help in any of these cases?!

OP was in too much of a hurry to get home & grab a parking space......

[hellodolly]

the same thing happened to me going down hill in light rain. I had a helmet and was wearing jeans and running shoes.

I was going about 20kph in a straight line, no braking and the rear tire just when out from underneath me. The Scooter and I slid across the road into a ditch. 30 seconds later a young Thai girl came down the hill and the same thing happened to her. I was going so slow I was not hurt to badly. I had a backpack on that sort of acted as a pillow as I slid along.

I am still thinking oil on the road.

I've had the same happen to me. Going about 20kph around a switchback and the front tire just washed out and the bike went down. I was able to roll off the bike as it went down, but had a huge hematoma on my hip and luckily I was wearing a helmet as the back of my head bounced off the pavement when I went down. When I got up I looked at the scene and I could see a sheen on the road where oil had come to the surface.

It is not so bad back in North America where there is for the most part four wheels on the road.

There it is common knowledge that after a rain the road will be a little slippery so people tend to be a bit more cautious when driving in it. I don't think it is that well known here in Thailand.

It has been a while since I have been up there but it seems to me that 70 or 80 KPH is way to fast for any stretch of that road.

[Sticky Rice Balls]

Well poor guys that took the time to paint the double yellow lines going up the mountian--(pop quiz! what do dbl yellow lines mean!)

And a waste of alot of yellow paint as well as the cars/trucks/buses/yadayadayada seem to be too troubled to turn the wheel.....

[ataloss]

The cause of slipping as pointed out is diesel, but likely not spilled directly. There are daily a long convoy of buses and vans, seemingly internally hemorrhaging as they climb the grade, spewing clouds of diesel fumes and traces of diesel directly above and onto the roadway. While rain does make the road a virtual skating rink, rain is not needed for the dried slick to cause havoc.

[Jose]

The cause of slipping as pointed out is diesel, but likely not spilled directly. There are daily a long convoy of buses and vans, seemingly internally hemorrhaging as they climb the grade, spewing clouds of diesel fumes and traces of diesel directly above and onto the roadway. While rain does make the road a virtual skating rink, rain is not needed for the dried slick to cause havoc.

Exactly - diesel spilled from over-filled trucks traveling up the mountain. Watch out for diesel streaks on right-hand curves between the two uphill lanes.

Edited September 1, 2013 by Jose

[mania]

While I have not seen any crashes up there I use to ride it a lot

as it is a nice road. But it has gotten quite crowded during the high season

so I stopped going.

What some say about slippery sections is true & I believe it is oil from the many

red truck taxis & buses.

But, one place especially is the final left hand hairpin turn that takes you up

the final ascent to the parking areas.

That turn is very slippery but not because of oil.

That turn is actually polished from all the tire spins of the red trucks etc as they

lose traction there. The road is literally polished there & needs roughening resurfacing

Be extra careful on that one

Edited September 1, 2013 by mania

[Totster]

Nothing like a good wreak to brighten the day !

totster

[CMKiwi]

I havent taken a scooter up there for ages...the last time I did I thoroughly enjoyed it. Great ride as long as you keep youre eyes open for all the 'idiots' you may meet on the way. Always be prepared for vehicles to cut corners and the double yellow lines seem to mean nothing to Thai drivers.

Songtau drivers are possibly the worst that Ive encountered but school kids at the base of Doi Suthep are a pretty close second. Maybe its just the young age as they seem to have no fear, only one speed (flat out) and treat most roads as race tracks. Even in the rain.... I just shake my head and hope they will grown up before becoming another number in the ever increasing statistics of road carnage.

Doi Saket is also a great ride but I think its got a lot more greasy spots due to all the trucks and buses heading to Chiang Rai and Mae Sai. You gotta be very careful when it starts to rain up there.

The ring road around Doi Suthep or the Samoeng Loop is also a great ride...even on a scooter. As said before....just gotta be ready for idiots that seem to be gunning for you.

I agree with all comments about safety equipment, fullface or flip-up/modular helmet is recommended and dont wear flip flops....tarmac is like sandpaper if you slide across it. Flip flops do get ground down quickly and then next up is your toes.....ouch!

Drive safe people

[Jose]

But, one place especially is the final left hand hairpin turn that takes you up the final ascent to the parking areas.

That turn is very slippery but not because of oil.

That turn is actually polished from all the tire spins of the red trucks etc as they

lose traction there. The road is literally polished there & needs roughening resurfacing

Be extra careful on that one

That's definitely a nasty one, and probably more dangerous on the way down.

I usually take a wide line on the way up this sharp hairpin, and hug the apex in 2nd gear (135cc scooter) for a safer ride.

[jackr]

People that love seeing motorbikes and cars crash...Oh dear the TVisa clientele definitely gone down the tubes.

Be careful what you wish for, it may just be you in the next crash.

I agree, very strange.

Edited September 2, 2013 by jackr

[circusman]

You need to wear a full face helmet at all times if you value your chin.

I completely agree.

Not even one of them were wearing a helmet, at least that I saw. The 2 Europeans.... I really cant figure out what happened to them. This is the first scooter accident I've ever witnessed. They were just cruising down hill just fine.... Then suddenly they just tipped over! I kind of wish I had stopped to see the aftermath.... I'm sure they have NO skin left at all. Only their hips were covered with those tiny short neon shorts.... Nothing else.

The only thing I can think that happened is the front tire went flat suddenly, or the guy on the back got his foot stuck in the back tire, or he suddenly jerked, maybe a bug in his eye? Ahhhhh these unanswered questions are driving me NUTS! I wish I had stopped.

Yeah, just what the accident victims needed another person such as you stopping to GAWK !