Phuket Opinion: Putting the brakes on tourist bike accidents

[rinteln]

I have 2 issues with this headline and with this subject in general.

First is that there seems to be this myth in Thailand that having a license is some sort of benchmark for ones ability to ride a motorbike and/or a supposed check that someone is capable or low risk. This is utter rubbish. Getting a license in Thailand is about as easy as getting a Tesco points card and has virtually no bearing on the persons ability at all. So making sure people in general are license holders is not really going to achieve anything as obtaining a license in Thailand doesn't mean you are a better or safer driver in anyway. Road safety like anything else is a slow process with a mixture of making people aware of the dangers, proper training and the most important thing....harsh penalties for breaking law and thus a deterrent for others. None of these are really implemented in Thailand.

My second issue and biggest is this "tourist bike accidents"................why should it matter what kind of human being it is ? Surely this should be about bike accidents in general. Saying tourists either implies its only tourists causing accidents or that they dont care about the Thais, either would be worrying. And where are the stats to show x amount of tourist accidents in relation to general accidents. The whole thing gets messy when you segregate like this. There are bad riders/drivers with both Thai and Foreign and both need to be worked and this shouldn't be about Thai vs Foreign abilities. If it were then I cant see how any serious person would not accept that on PERCENTAGE foreigners are more likely to be the better skilled, more aware and safer drivers anyway.

This headline is like many Thai headlines you see which are more for effect than anything else. Right now in 90% of this country people are driving around in cars and bikes with no hats, no licenses, no training and probably no checks on their vehicles so a silly headline like this makes one look rather stupid doesn't it. As an analogy it would be like saying "cutting down on STI infections by tourists in Africa" ...........whereas actually large parts of the continent are engulfed by AIDS. My point, start at the basics first and then try with the fancy headlines later.

Edited January 26, 2014 by rinteln

[Halion]

A reasonable argument with some very valid points which highlight potential effects, however it misses the point which is the cause. Such things prosper only because they are tolerated by the administration and the law enforcement (oxymoron) . .

Tighten up on both of these elements and it will capitalize fewer road deaths.

[hhiser]

2 out of 5 were foreigners, therefore 3 out of 5 were Thais. Of course this small sample is not statistically significant. So no conclusions can be made from this sample. But even so, if you are dead set on using these statistics, why not start with the higher number of Thai fatalities? These are people who should understand the traffic in Thailand.

[Lokie]

Simple;

- Only valid licences to enable hire/ownership for vehicle type, both - Farang & Thai

- As said earlier, provide decent public transport links

- Apply the Law of the land

So there we go, nothings gonna change...

[Mudcrab]

To make this clowns post more of a joke,ie he hasn't got a clue, my Australian [Qld]Licence doesn't even have the words, car or motorcycle on it..just "Type and class"

The BIB cant decipher it let alone somchai at the bike rental outlet...what a joke...

It may come as a surprise to you, but your Australian license doesn't qualify you to ride a bike in Thailand, you have to have an international drivers permit on top of it.

No, you don't.

The main thing is that the motorbike endorsements from back home don't have any value here, a full license is required for all bikes. But provided a home license is valid for the vehicle driven, has a photo, and is in english or pictograms an idp is not required.

Sent from my D90W using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

for three months only

[andreandre]

To make this clowns post more of a joke,ie he hasn't got a clue, my Australian [Qld]Licence doesn't even have the words, car or motorcycle on it..just "Type and class"

The BIB cant decipher it let alone somchai at the bike rental outlet...what a joke...

It may come as a surprise to you, but your Australian license doesn't qualify you to ride a bike in Thailand, you have to have an international drivers permit on top of it.

No, you don't.

The main thing is that the motorbike endorsements from back home don't have any value here, a full license is required for all bikes. But provided a home license is valid for the vehicle driven, has a photo, and is in english or pictograms an idp is not required.

Sent from my D90W using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

for three months only

Yes, this is correct..but the OP is about 'tourists"..mostly IMO here for less than that time...

[hansgruber]

Is there such a thing as international riders licence?

[Lokie]

Is there such a thing as international riders licence?

Nope, just the IDP In the UK they are £5.50 from any Crown Post Office (A main one) as stated though if a tourist has a bike licence he don't need an IDP less than 3 months stay. On UK licence it does have pictogram with relevant vehicles and issue/pass dates & expiry

[Lockheed]

The simple solution is to govern the throttle and if you really want to get serious, limit the gearbox.

Edit: Just looking at my drivers license from OZ, it has the ® endorsement on it which means Motorcycle rider, I got this licence many years ago.

Edited January 26, 2014 by Lockheed

[stevenl]

To make this clowns post more of a joke,ie he hasn't got a clue, my Australian [Qld]Licence doesn't even have the words, car or motorcycle on it..just "Type and class"

The BIB cant decipher it let alone somchai at the bike rental outlet...what a joke...

It may come as a surprise to you, but your Australian license doesn't qualify you to ride a bike in Thailand, you have to have an international drivers permit on top of it.

No, you don't.

The main thing is that the motorbike endorsements from back home don't have any value here, a full license is required for all bikes. But provided a home license is valid for the vehicle driven, has a photo, and is in english or pictograms an idp is not required.

Sent from my D90W using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

for three months only

If staying longer thai license is required, idp will not any time to that.

Main use of the idp is handing it to the bib as security and leave it, so avoid paying a fine.

Sent from my D90W using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[marko kok prong]

today i drove from wichianburi,to koh chang,it is about 550 km ,it was like the movie death race 2000,pickup aways ahead shreded a tyre,of course overloaded,flipped upside down and ended up in a ditch,all passengers seemed okay,i must say with all the overtaking on crests and blind bends i was suprised not to see more,they really have not a clue,i think all countrys should strongly advise that tourists do not rent bikes here,at least on 4 wheels you have some protection,unless somchais minibus hits you head on at 150km per hour.

[rmacee]

One point that needs to be made aware to tourists is that, without a motor bike licence, their travel insurance will not cover them should they be in an accident.

They will claim 'you put yourself at risk' and this is not covered..

Edited January 26, 2014 by rmacee

[simple1]

Out of curosity if a tourist has insufficient funds in Thailand / no insurance to pay for vehicle repair, medical bill or third party costs is it usual practice for a stop to be put on their passports by Immigration at the request of RTP until payment is made?

[rmacee]

And... Police costs

[stevenl]

One point that needs to be made aware to tourists is that, without a motor bike licence, their travel insurance will not cover them should they be in an accident.

They will claim 'you put yourself at risk' and this is not covered..

Better not to make general statements that in some instances will be true, in others not.

[stevenl]

Out of curosity if a tourist has insufficient funds in Thailand / no insurance to pay for vehicle repair, medical bill or third party costs is it usual practice for a stop to be put on their passports by Immigration at the request of RTP until payment is made?

No, can not be done. To do this the company/person renting out the bike has to go to court first and get a court order. This will take minimum weeks.

[darren84310]

I agree 100% with this. Many foreigners have never ridden a motorcycle before. Furthermore, the fact that some do not take basic precautions to avoid accidents or injuries received as a consequence of an accident adds to the danger.

However, it should be added that many of the accidents occur due to poor standards of driving on the part of local drivers and riders too, who drive unpredictably and dangerously. I am sure there are more than a few who do not have a license or are even old enough to ride a motorcycle. This is not Thai bashing, this is stating the obvious.

I agree too. However, he should also force the rental companies to supply a helmet that is of a suitable size and standard. They need to penalise the shop owners who fail in their duty to offer at least this kind of protection to their customers.

[nifty11]

What most people who don't have a license realise is that if they have an accident there is a high probability that their insurance will not cover them if they are the one's operating it at the time.

[Ulic]

As far as I am concerned the article is basically BS. Just because you don't have a bike licence does not make the accident your

fault. Similarly just because you have a bike license does not make you in the right. Riding a scooter is about the same as riding

a bicycle. I have seen tourists (ladies) driving around on scooters, obviously novices with no licence but they were riding cautiously

at a little slower pace very safely. The issue is the local drivers (mini busses in particular) driving at high speed, passing around blind

corners, passing into traffic and forcing oncoming scooter traffic to the edge of there lane, scooters (and some cars) driving in the

wrong direction, regarding the traffic lights as a suggestion only. Red means go if there are no cars in the intersection and if I can

glue myself to the bumper ahead of me keep going even though the light has been red for six or seven seconds, just toot your horn

or flash your lights to warn the drivers who have the green light you are going to ignore the red. As for U turns the cars and busses

only have to respect other cars and busses. If scooters are coming the scooters better brake hard or suffer the consequences. Also foreign

drivers whether licenced to drive a scooter or not have a hard time with the extreme tinting of the windows were you cannot make

eye contact with other drivers. You can never know if he/she has seen you. The ultra dark tinting here is dangerous to other cars,

scooters, and pedestrians. Not a single car would be legal in North America or Europe. Now there is no doubt you would save a

lot of deaths of foreigners by simply baning everyone including ex-pats from driving. You could save even more by not allowing

them in busses, taxis, and cars as so many people die in those as well , but it would be hard to get from the airport to your hotel.

Now I do agree big bikes with lots of power, gears to shift, a foot break and hand break is to difficult for a non licenced driver to

use especially when he/she has been over served. What renters really need is a few words of warning that driving in Thailand

is like nowhere else in the world (Western World certainly) Life is cheap, rules/laws of the road are merely a suggestion, wear a

helmet for your protection not because it is the law. Just because many police and most Thais don't wear one does not mean you

don't have to either, and drive at your own risk, and it is a risk.

[Bpuumike]

If most of the riders who rent here are experienced, as quoted above, why do they not wear helmets?

That should be a minimum requirement.

The BIB should be encouraged to enforce this, even if their only incentive is to eat better.

[chrissables]

I agree 100% with this. Many foreigners have never ridden a motorcycle before. Furthermore, the fact that some do not take basic precautions to avoid accidents or injuries received as a consequence of an accident adds to the danger.

However, it should be added that many of the accidents occur due to poor standards of driving on the part of local drivers and riders too, who drive unpredictably and dangerously. I am sure there are more than a few who do not have a license or are even old enough to ride a motorcycle. This is not Thai bashing, this is stating the obvious.

I agree too. However, he should also force the rental companies to supply a helmet that is of a suitable size and standard. They need to penalise the shop owners who fail in their duty to offer at least this kind of protection to their customers.

So wearing a helmet will make you a better driver and stop cars ramming into you?

[chrissables]

If most of the riders who rent here are experienced, as quoted above, why do they not wear helmets?

That should be a minimum requirement.

The BIB should be encouraged to enforce this, even if their only incentive is to eat better.

Because they understand wearing a helmet does not stop accidents.

[chrissables]

If most of the riders who rent here are experienced, as quoted above, why do they not wear helmets?

That should be a minimum requirement.

The BIB should be encouraged to enforce this, even if their only incentive is to eat better.

Because many of us know wearing a helmet has no to little benefit at all.

[eezergood]

If most of the riders who rent here are experienced, as quoted above, why do they not wear helmets?

That should be a minimum requirement.

The BIB should be encouraged to enforce this, even if their only incentive is to eat better.

Because many of us know wearing a helmet has no to little benefit at all.

Little benefit is still better than no benefit......

[chrissables]

If most of the riders who rent here are experienced, as quoted above, why do they not wear helmets?

That should be a minimum requirement.

The BIB should be encouraged to enforce this, even if their only incentive is to eat better.

Because many of us know wearing a helmet has no to little benefit at all.

Little benefit is still better than no benefit......

Agreed, but imprisoning car / minibus / bus drivers who knock people off of bike would be a far greater benefit.

[stevenl]

If most of the riders who rent here are experienced, as quoted above, why do they not wear helmets?

That should be a minimum requirement.

The BIB should be encouraged to enforce this, even if their only incentive is to eat better.

Because many of us know wearing a helmet has no to little benefit at all.

Little benefit is still better than no benefit......

Agreed, but imprisoning car / minibus / bus drivers who knock people off of bike would be a far greater benefit.

There is always something else that can be done, but if you keep pointing at other things to do nothing will ever be done.

[jocko]

Safety is not in the mindset of most Thais they just can't see the the danger of many things they do the other day I'm having a stroll around and the guy selling bottles of gasoline is sitting beside his table happily puffing away at his cigarette I wanted to take a photo but decided against it .

[andreandre]

Safety is not in the mindset of most Thais they just can't see the the danger of many things they do the other day I'm having a stroll around and the guy selling bottles of gasoline is sitting beside his table happily puffing away at his cigarette I wanted to take a photo but decided against it .

Yes, you are right..its a 'mindset' issue with Thais in general regarding potential dangers around them..

As for the cigarette near the gasoline..smoking it there is not a problem, however lighting it up at the scene sure is..

[jocko]

Try smoking in forecourt at petrol station at home you can't even use your cell phone because of the potential vapour in the atmosphere igniting.

[andreandre]

Try smoking in forecourt at petrol station at home you can't even use your cell phone because of the potential vapour in the atmosphere igniting.

http://www.amta.org.au/pages/Exploding.petrol.stations

Agree the smoking ban...if the smoke goes out the smoker may light up again with the naked flame and cause a blast

Again..the west is overboard on so many issues these days..its just crazy,[possible litigations] and another reason for me to never go back home..everyone is wrapped in cottonwool. and no one wants to take responsibilty for their own actions...as is evident with many visitors here on holiday..= road deaths..

Edited January 27, 2014 by andreandre