Couple of road "funnies" this week

[grumpyoldman]

Clearly dangerous on the roads here in Phuket and I don't mean to make light of what is truly a serious problem, but as I am on the roads here a lot during the week saw a couple of funny ones this week.

I'm headed down the Kata Hill into Kata when my phone goes off, pull over. While standing there, on the other side coming up the hill, in the first righthand bend I watch some tourist young guys racing up the hill, one guy doesn't quite negotiate the turn well enough, ends up in the loose sand and gravel and lays the bike down sliding underneath the guardrail ! All the ground so loose he ends up with just a raspberry on his knee, mild leg abrasion but now his rental bike is wedged under the rail.

Takes four or five guys (nice Thai guys off duty tuk-tuk guys I think) all are yanking on this bike, kicking it, to get it unwedged. Once out, somewhat mangled Click.

Backroad behind Jungceylon, my nomination for the crappiest road in Phuket, some bloke goes bumpity-bump, and telephone, wallet all pocket contents come flying out. He must have had 3000thb in small bills, as it looked like one of those TV gameshows, "money-grab" where they have a bunch of cash flying around what you can grab is what you keep as in the wind was all these pink notes, I did see a couple white ones.

He's in the road waving his arms about to get people to stop for a minute, wish I had had a video camera as the guy is trying to keep all his cash from "blowing in the wind".

[Chainsaw]

Hope you don't mind me adding this to your thread Grump, it's sort of the same subject.

I've been in Phuket for over 10 years now and I often see Thais riding their motorcycles in various 'creative' styles.

I've often wondered why some Thais ride with one leg stuck out at right angles to the bike. Anyone know why this is?

Another one I've seen is riders using an underhand grip on the throttle!

We've all seen the many Thais riding around with no lights on their bikes at night. A Thai friend told me that the young guys deliberately take out the bulbs because they think it's 'cool' to ride with no lights!

Another style I've seen, mainly farangs this time, are guys riding automatic bikes with their feet on the back seat foot rests. Weird!

Anyone else seen other creative riding styles?

[Shot]

[Showbags]

Yesterday...beat everything I have seen in this country thus far.

A motorbike being towed down the highway by a car with rope tied from bumper to handle bars....and rider of bike has a kid in front of him.

[Valentine]

Lately I have seen a couple of people texting while riding. I always thought talking while riding was bad enough. 15 - 20 years ago up country I used to see guys lying horizontal on their bikes & throttle on full bore. Never seen it here though.

[andreandre]

Lately I have seen a couple of people texting while riding. I always thought talking while riding was bad enough. 15 - 20 years ago up country I used to see guys lying horizontal on their bikes & throttle on full bore. Never seen it here though.

Like this, ..back in 1948 tho" Something like 240kph...

Edited January 25, 2014 by andreandre