Faster or slower?

[oval]

I've been riding around with some friends recently, and have noticed that a couple of them think it's safer to ride slower than the general car traffic, whereas others, including myself, think it's better to be going faster. The main arguments seem to be:

Riding slower: More time to break if something pops out, more control over your bike...

Riding faster: Don't have cars coming up behind you as much, can get ahead of the pack onto clear(ish) road

What do you guys do? I tend to ride fast, whether it is in Bangkok, or whether it's in quieter areas. Feels safer, and more fun.

[Carol Jadzia]

If conditions are safe and you are happy with the speed then the safest speed is probably the same as the other vehicles you are travelling with.

There are many arguments either way. Some say it is safer to be ahead, to use the power of the bike to leave the trouble behind. I have used this method many times.

However you can also argue that the result of this action means you are now going faster with a loony psychopath boy racer behind you. Not always the best place to be.

In a built up area like Bangkok however the only answer can be slow.

Although I always liked the line out of the Police Rider Manual - when on assessment you are "expected to make progress".

[guzzi850m2]

We discussed this in an earlier topic called riding safely in Thailand.

Most of us agreed that going faster than normal traffic is better.

I hardly ever ride out on the highways on my pcx150 anymore, I don't like it, being overtaken by all types of 4 wheelers including huge buses that goes like they stole it.

No spare power to get out of the way quickly leaves you with not many options left, on a big bike you have the power which makes me fell safer out there.

[papa al]

g.

If I stole a vehicle I would drive it slowly so as to not attract attention.

Theoretically.

[papa al]

As a child my little sister once exclaimed

" faster daddy, get in front of everybody"

We laughed.

When Ralph Nader described the Corvair, he could have been describing riding here:

Unsafe at any speed.

[papa al]

If conditions are safe and you are happy with the speed then the safest speed is probably the same as the other vehicles you are travelling with.

There are many arguments either way. Some say it is safer to be ahead, to use the power of the bike to leave the trouble behind. I have used this method many times.

However you can also argue that the result of this action means you are now going faster with a loony psychopath boy racer behind you. Not always the best place to be.

In a built up area like Bangkok however the only answer can be slow.

Although I always liked the line out of the Police Rider Manual - when on assessment you are "expected to make progress".

Carol:

Do you have a lot of experience in BKK riding?

[oval]

I've been riding every day in Bangkok for around 2-3 years, and I find I generally feel safest riding a little faster than the general flow of traffic...

I disagree with Carol that the only answer for BKK can be slow. You'll end up having cars etc whizzing up and around you every 5 seconds. No thanks.

Get up to the front of the Q at the red light, then it's a fast, but clear, run to the next intersection.

[oval]

Oh sorry just had a look at the thread where this has already been discussed. My apologies!

[robblok]

Faster of course.. just a little faster else you get overtaken with all the risks.

[macknife]

If conditions are safe and you are happy with the speed then the safest speed is probably the same as the other vehicles you are travelling with.

There are many arguments either way. Some say it is safer to be ahead, to use the power of the bike to leave the trouble behind. I have used this method many times.

However you can also argue that the result of this action means you are now going faster with a loony psychopath boy racer behind you. Not always the best place to be.

In a built up area like Bangkok however the only answer can be slow.

Although I always liked the line out of the Police Rider Manual - when on assessment you are "expected to make progress".

Carol:

Do you have a lot of experience in BKK riding?

Clearly she has none.

[dave_boo]

Faster until you find a pocket. Stay in that pocket until it starts collapsing and then start going faster again until you find another pocket. That's the safest way.

[NoshowJones]

Sorry Oval, I don't agree, the first option is much safer, going faster may be more exciting for you, but I would rather be safer.

[NoshowJones]

I've been riding every day in Bangkok for around 2-3 years, and I find I generally feel safest riding a little faster than the general flow of traffic...

I disagree with Carol that the only answer for BKK can be slow. You'll end up having cars etc whizzing up and around you every 5 seconds. No thanks.

Get up to the front of the Q at the red light, then it's a fast, but clear, run to the next intersection.

Your last sentence makes a lot of sense.

[NoshowJones]

Faster until you find a pocket. Stay in that pocket until it starts collapsing and then start going faster again until you find another pocket. That's the safest way.

In most cases that makes a lot of sense.

[robblok]

Sorry Oval, I don't agree, the first option is much safer, going faster may be more exciting for you, but I would rather be safer.

You won't be really safe going slower as the rest of the traffic, dave_boo his option is what i usually do. Going faster as traffic and then getting behind a car (safe distance) and stay there until that is no longer viable (cars filling up the space)

[Hili]

the faster the better

[ttakata]

I ride only a few kms faster when splitting slow traffic lanes so I can still brake if someone selling flowers or getting off a bus pops in front of me. In 5 years of BKK traffic I have only clipped the back of a tuk tuk with my hand and it was at walking speed and my fault.

[Gweiloman]

If conditions are safe and you are happy with the speed then the safest speed is probably the same as the other vehicles you are travelling with.

There are many arguments either way. Some say it is safer to be ahead, to use the power of the bike to leave the trouble behind. I have used this method many times.

However you can also argue that the result of this action means you are now going faster with a loony psychopath boy racer behind you. Not always the best place to be.

In a built up area like Bangkok however the only answer can be slow.

Although I always liked the line out of the Police Rider Manual - when on assessment you are "expected to make progress".

I've read a lot of topics and discussions on this but this is the first time I've heard anybody say that it's safest to be going the same speed as other vehicles.

In a car, I would fully agree. On a bike, this is just asking for trouble. Bikes are less visible than cars, we need to do things (such as riding faster then the overall traffic or having louder pipes) to makes ourselves more visible and to let other motorists know that we are there.

[joesanunu]

I like to get behind another vehicle that is driving at a nice pace. Let them clear the way.

[AllanB]

I like to get behind another vehicle that is driving at a nice pace. Let them clear the way.

That works for me too, but keeping an eye on the mirror for cars/trucks who want to catch up and then tailgate.

Riding the highway without the power to "get the flock out of here" is not good at all.

[Gonsalviz]

Basically Thai people drive live like <deleted>.

It is best for to keep far away from them whether it be riding slower or faster.

It was the same in Korea.

[Marcel1]

Yup, always stay as far as possible from anyone near me which usually means faster than the rest. Suits me fine

[Carol Jadzia]

Back to the same old arguments, No I have not got a lot of experience of riding in Bangkok. Obviously its road conditions are totally different to all other major cities in the world and all other parts of Thailand! NOT.

[Gweiloman]

Back to the same old arguments, No I have not got a lot of experience of riding in Bangkok. Obviously its road conditions are totally different to all other major cities in the world and all other parts of Thailand! NOT.

You experts carry on telling everyone how you are obviously the worlds best riders while the accident rate keeps going up.

This is not rocket science, you want to ride faster than everyone else in a built up area?

You are an accident waiting to happen.

We may be accidents waiting to happen but you are already an accident (or more) that has happened (by your own admission).

If you don't see that that road and traffic conditions in Thailand are very different from any major city in Europe or UK, then you are really not fit to be telling us how we should be riding in Thailand.

[Carol Jadzia]

So lets get this right, you are actually arguing that the safest way to travel is to be racing ahead of everybody else.

You have to be there sooner than everyone else?

Or are you saying that it's a right for all Bikers to race ahead of all car drivers?

I think you will have a lot of car drivers who think they have the right to be in front as well?

Tuk Tuk and Taxi drivers deserve to be in front because they are carrying paying customers.

Emergency vehicles want to be at the front because they are saving lives.

And at the end of the day because the junction at the end of the road is clogged up with the people who wanted to 'be in front' ten mins earlier now nobody is going anywhere fast.

There have been many studies done of this round the world, there are advanced traffic systems around major city hubs designed to speed up flow due to these facts.

[Hili]

Back to the same old arguments, No I have not got a lot of experience of riding in Bangkok. Obviously its road conditions are totally different to all other major cities in the world and all other parts of Thailand! NOT.

You experts carry on telling everyone how you are obviously the worlds best riders while the accident rate keeps going up.

This is not rocket science, you want to ride faster than everyone else in a built up area?

You are an accident waiting to happen.

Carol as you said you have no clue about riding here so better stop talking, things are different here. And you might not able to get that within your next holidays here; maybe better stay in Europe then where everything is so much better organized and more safe.

[Carol Jadzia]

Carol as you said you have no clue about riding here so better stop talking, things are different here. And you might not able to get that within your next holidays here; maybe better stay in Europe then where everything is so much better organized and more safe.

Thanks for the advise but never been one for being safe me. I have friends in Bangkok, Khao Sok and Koh Samui who are hassling me to return and ride with them soon as we can.

Its a common mistake. People assume I take my work home with me.

I am paid to be an instructor.

I play in my own time.

[mania]

My simple explanation is that I always prefer to be the one moving thru traffic making the decisions of whats safe/prudent

Rather than allowing so many others to be moving past me & making the decisions of what is safe & prudent

[steve187]

Although I always liked the line out of the Police Rider Manual - when on assessment you are "expected to make progress".

best instruction manual ever, drive to this method and and you are as safe as you can be.

[robblok]

Back to the same old arguments, No I have not got a lot of experience of riding in Bangkok. Obviously its road conditions are totally different to all other major cities in the world and all other parts of Thailand! NOT.

You experts carry on telling everyone how you are obviously the worlds best riders while the accident rate keeps going up.

This is not rocket science, you want to ride faster than everyone else in a built up area?

You are an accident waiting to happen.

Carol as you said you have no clue about riding here so better stop talking, things are different here. And you might not able to get that within your next holidays here; maybe better stay in Europe then where everything is so much better organized and more safe.

Crazy.. people that don't have experience driving here and thinking they know it all. Its impossible to compare this with Europe.. different rules apply. These holiday warriors or non full time Thai riders don't seem to realize this. That is why so many of them get killed.

Personally i prefer to be just a tad faster as other traffic and when I find a nice spot i stay there for a while untill like Dave boo said it colapses of the dynamics change. Then time to find the next good spot or drive a bit faster for a longer time. I am not talking double speed of traffic here. Just a bit.