Temporary Thais ...

[MrWorldwide]

Had another encounter with one of the local youth here in central Pattaya last night as he brushed past me - no helmet or shoes, weaving through the heavy traffic on Buakhow with no apparent regard for either himself or others - and the phrase 'temporary citizen' flashed into my head. Young guys on motorbikes, mountains of confidence and no apparent grasp of the laws of physics - throw in Thai whiskey and its a minor miracle that any of them make it to 30. While there are exceptions, most of the women here (at least prior to midnight) seem to understand that the boy racer thing is a ticket to nowhere on Thailand's increasingly crowded roads - its the guys that leave me shaking my head.

It's not hard to find gruesome photos of the aftermath of road crashes in Thailand - bodies literally torn in half - but the prospect of one of these tools injuring or killing someone else gets me fired up, particularly when the police only seem to intervene when there is money to be made. I know - dont stress over things you cant change - just a cranky old pedestrian and sometime motosai passenger venting. Look left, look right, look directly behind you on the footpath, look (Thai) bike

[marko kok prong]

I had an incident last year withtwo little brats in the village,these were younger than the guys you describe,but no doubt will grow up to be just like them.I was driving up a narrow soi,a motorcycle side car combination parked to my left[why she could not have driven it into the front yard and parked,i don't know],so these two brats 12years old or so come hammering toward me,i flash my lights they just keep going heading straight at me,"there's going to be a head on here" i think,there is no where for them to go,so i have to pull to the left,making contact with the side car, as theses little b******* roar past,i get out,luckily no damage to the side car but a nice deep scratch on my offside passenger door,i was fuming at the time,but later realised,the kids,1;did not understand the danger they were in,2 where to reckless to care,better a scratch on the door than a head on,wrecked front end and a large medical bill for the kid,which i as falang would have to pay even though they would have hit me,another Thai's life i have saved through be a properly trained driver,and since living here extremely cautious and defensive.

[Fiddlesticks]

It used to bother me when I saw people driving motorcycles and totally disregarding the law requiring helmets. But these days I just shake my head knowing that some of these clowns will soon end up in the hospital or worse. Will they ever learn short of dying or being permanently injured? No <deleted> way.

I realize you simply can not make people care about their own safety. My only concern these days are for the drivers that do stupid things that endanger OTHERS.

[Rancid]

Every generation looks at the next and shake their heads in wonder at their stupidity. Some these days even think tattoos, green hair and body piercing is strange.

It's up to the current generation to learn from their own mistakes, most of us did, that's the way it is.

[koo wallety tourist]

TiT look both ways before crossing a one way street on a pedestrian crossing. if there is nothing coming you can cross.

[MrWorldwide]

Every generation looks at the next and shake their heads in wonder at their stupidity. Some these days even think tattoos, green hair and body piercing is strange.

It's up to the current generation to learn from their own mistakes, most of us did, that's the way it is.

The difference here is that these kids seem to have no fear of the cops - none at all. Nothing to do with green hair and tattoos - just common sense that young drivers / riders in almost every other country are conditioned to accept that the law doesnt take speeding and dangerous driving lightly, to the point where the seriously idiotic can find themselves in a jail cell.

[LennyW]

Every generation looks at the next and shake their heads in wonder at their stupidity. Some these days even think tattoos, green hair and body piercing is strange.

It's up to the current generation to learn from their own mistakes, most of us did, that's the way it is.

The difference here is that these kids seem to have no fear of the cops - none at all. Nothing to do with green hair and tattoos - just common sense that young drivers / riders in almost every other country are conditioned to accept that the law doesnt take speeding and dangerous driving lightly, to the point where the seriously idiotic can find themselves in a jail cell.

You have hit the nail on the head there - absolutely no respect or fear of the law, they are well aware of how slack the policing, and the penalties are, and that is why they have such disregard.

[marko kok prong]

What law,there is none here.

[mogandave]

Lots of old riders, lots of bold riders, not many old, bold riders.

How would the police catch them anyway?

[MrWorldwide]

Lots of old riders, lots of bold riders, not many old, bold riders.

How would the police catch them anyway?

The same way they do in Oz and the US - chase them. A contentious issue, as the chases themselves can result in fatalities, but waving at them from the side of the road isnt going to do squat. Most of the kids here are on 250cc or less - not saying those wont go fast but its hardly a big Japanese bike being punted down the freeway at 230km/h ....

[mogandave]

Lots of old riders, lots of bold riders, not many old, bold riders.

How would the police catch them anyway?

The same way they do in Oz and the US - chase them. A contentious issue, as the chases themselves can result in fatalities, but waving at them from the side of the road isnt going to do squat. Most of the kids here are on 250cc or less - not saying those wont go fast but its hardly a big Japanese bike being punted down the freeway at 230km/h ....

I would much rather chase a crotch-rocket down the freeway at 230km/hr than a buzzed, invincible teenager flying down Sukhumvitt on a 125, you?

[MrWorldwide]

They could be like the West- and invent the nuclear bomb, the depleted uranium shell, Irish Napalm, or shall I make it simple for you, the Gatling Gun- Good Luck with the choices, because western children are so much different, aren't they?

Not sure what you're smoking, but children and youth in the West are - mostly - subject to the rule of law and that has absolutely nothing to do with 'Irish Napalm'. If you'd prefer to live in Mogadishu and carry on ranting about the evil West, please feel free to do so. Completely and utterly free.

[MrWorldwide]

@mogandave, I'll pass on both options, but the photos are out there for those who want to see where high-speed lunacy on a bike can lead. I particularly like the one where some thoughtful soul has placed the remainder of the rider's leg on his torso - not really a major concern given that he no longer had a head at that point. Suffice to say that googling 'thai road crashes' etc and looking at the images isnt something one does lightly. Cops in Oz reportedly used their own files to try to shock young drivers/riders into understanding the possible impact of their actions - it would be interesting to know if such images deter Thai kiddies in the slightest.

[steve187]

funny how the total disregard for crash helmets, passes to visiting westerners as well.

[marko kok prong]

funny how the total disregard for crash helmets, passes to visiting westerners as well.

Agree Steve,i get particularly annoyed when i see other westerners in T shirt,shorts,flip flops,no helmet and a young kid or two on the bike with them,they should know better than this.

[SoiBiker]

Young people these days, eh?

[NoshowJones]

What law,there is none here.

There is law, it is just not enforced, except when there is tea money to be collected.

[steve187]

I m a former motorway patrol police officer, and the only way to stop the miner traffic infringements, is not not drive past someone committing the offence but to stop them and make it hurt in the wallet.

I am not saying i would like the laws to be enforced as strongly as they are in the west, ( with speed cameras everywhere) but the life threatening ones such as against traffic flow, no lights at night, testing before issuing driving licence, lorry drivers speed and sleepiness/ drug levels and the amount of lorry brake failure then yes. Helmets up to them, but don't ask for repatriation contributions when it hits the fan.

Edited March 1, 2015 by steve187

[evadgib]

I had an incident last year withtwo little brats in the village,these were younger than the guys you describe,but no doubt will grow up to be just like them.I was driving up a narrow soi,a motorcycle side car combination parked to my left[why she could not have driven it into the front yard and parked,i don't know],so these two brats 12years old or so come hammering toward me,i flash my lights they just keep going heading straight at me,"there's going to be a head on here" i think,there is no where for them to go,so i have to pull to the left,making contact with the side car, as theses little b******* roar past,i get out,luckily no damage to the side car but a nice deep scratch on my offside passenger door,i was fuming at the time,but later realised,the kids,1;did not understand the danger they were in,2 where to reckless to care,better a scratch on the door than a head on,wrecked front end and a large medical bill for the kid,which i as falang would have to pay even though they would have hit me,another Thai's life i have saved through be a properly trained driver,and since living here extremely cautious and defensive.

A dashcam costs less than 1k & prevents your latter scenario from the onset, indeed daddy might even end up paying you.

[Briggsy]

Lots of old riders, lots of bold riders, not many old, bold riders.

How would the police catch them anyway?

The same way they do in Oz and the US - chase them. A contentious issue, as the chases themselves can result in fatalities, but waving at them from the side of the road isnt going to do squat. Most of the kids here are on 250cc or less - not saying those wont go fast but its hardly a big Japanese bike being punted down the freeway at 230km/h ....

There have been many reports where police do chase a motorbike, they just shoot into the engine or knock the fleeing bike off the road. But 99% of the time they do not bother chasing, just maybe radio ahead, particuarly so in Bangkok where there will be a cop at the next set of lights.

[LuckyLew]

Every generation looks at the next and shake their heads in wonder at their stupidity. Some these days even think tattoos, green hair and body piercing is strange.

It's up to the current generation to learn from their own mistakes, most of us did, that's the way it is.

The difference here is that these kids seem to have no fear of the cops - none at all. Nothing to do with green hair and tattoos - just common sense that young drivers / riders in almost every other country are conditioned to accept that the law doesnt take speeding and dangerous driving lightly, to the point where the seriously idiotic can find themselves in a jail cell.

I think it all has to do with the green hair

[geronimo]

Lots in my area. They like to ride their bikes at night on unlit roads without lights. I now have a trick, as soon as I see one, I turn off my lights and drive at him.

Seems to work well.

I think their DNA should stop right now!!!

[geriatrickid]

They have nothing to lose, no role models, a life with no perceived future, absentee or non caring parents, and live in a culture where corruption is the rule. It is to be expected.

[MrWorldwide]

They have nothing to lose, no role models, a life with no perceived future, absentee or non caring parents, and live in a culture where corruption is the rule. It is to be expected.

An articulate, considered response and I thank you for it. I dont know how many of these kids have parents, but it would seem that's where the problem starts - happy to hear from those who have more first hand experience.

[SoiBiker]

We're all temporary.

[mogandave]

I had loving, caring, involved, intelligent, educated, middle-class parents and ended up flushing the first thirty years of my life down the toilet.

[AZBill]

Thailand's way of culling the herd.

[manarak]

Every generation looks at the next and shake their heads in wonder at their stupidity. Some these days even think tattoos, green hair and body piercing is strange.

It's up to the current generation to learn from their own mistakes, most of us did, that's the way it is.

The difference here is that these kids seem to have no fear of the cops - none at all. Nothing to do with green hair and tattoos - just common sense that young drivers / riders in almost every other country are conditioned to accept that the law doesnt take speeding and dangerous driving lightly, to the point where the seriously idiotic can find themselves in a jail cell.

As long as they only injure themselves, I can't see anything wrong with it, rather the contrary.

It is lucky they ride motorcycles without helmet - it speeds up the process, although they sometimes unfortunately harm others.

[NeverSure]

Lots of old riders, lots of bold riders, not many old, bold riders.

How would the police catch them anyway?

The same way they do in Oz and the US - chase them. A contentious issue, as the chases themselves can result in fatalities, but waving at them from the side of the road isnt going to do squat. Most of the kids here are on 250cc or less - not saying those wont go fast but its hardly a big Japanese bike being punted down the freeway at 230km/h ....

In the US they radio and have a roadblock set up ahead and/or call for a chopper. If they can get just one cop out ahead if nothing else they'll try to get a license number. It isn't often those perps get away.

[MrWorldwide]

I had loving, caring, involved, intelligent, educated, middle-class parents and ended up flushing the first thirty years of my life down the toilet.

More importantly did your actions flush anyone else's life down the toilet ? I grew up with a guy who was an absolute riot at parties, but getting in a car with him behind the wheel was a seriously bad idea : you look back on certain incidents and wonder how you ever made it to 25 much less 55. Ultimately I'm just an old bloke banging on about 'those bloody kids on motorbikes' - fine, I just dont want those to be my last words as they wheel me into the operating room at Pattaya Memorial.