Observations of a bicyclist

[Can samui]

I have always ridden a bicycle, ever since I can remember.

Most of my life was in Canada but the last ten years have been spent here on Samui. When I first started riding here I never saw another soul on a bike but now I cannot go for a ride without seeing at least a few other hardy souls out.

Here are a couple of my observations and comments.

Firstly.....why do most drivers never give any spare room to bikes that are riding on the shoulder? When there is no traffic coming the other way they still crowd you and pass by quite close, why do they not demonstrate courtesy and give the biker a bit of comfort room at no cost to themselves? God forbid the biker has to take evasive action due to a dog or a kid and ...WHAM...gets greased by a pickup who had room to give.

I was out today and got a flat. I used to have a pump on my bike but someone stole it. Happened about 5k from my friends house so thought ok, just push the bike there and ask him to drive me and the bike home so I can fix the tire. Well, it turned into a social experiment. I had endured a few breakdowns in Canada and at most two or three cars would pass you before somebody pulled over and asked if you needed a hand. Today I made it all the way to my friends house and was passed by about 50-60 vehicles of all type, not one offer of help or even to ask if everything was ok.

Kinda sad really.

[carmine]

There is zero courtesy on the roads here. As to no one stopping, i'm surprised and see it as a sad reflection all round.

Maybe you should have waived a 100 baht note in the air. Bet someone would have pulled up fairly pronto.

[samuibeachcomber]

You've been here 10 years and you are surprised at the lack of courtesy/concern of fellow road users?....i am surprised.

In thailand and especially on Samui biggest has the right of way,no one cares about anybody else.

[Can samui]

Not surprised...just my observations.

[Cyclist]

I think it's more of a reflection of where you live. I live in Isaan and cycle every day. Drivers always give me lots of room and I find them very courtious towards me and other cyclists (there are many in my town). Also I had a similiar experience as you with a puncture about 5 km from my house. A Tuk Tuk driver stopped and offered me a lift and refused to take payment from me. He told me he was going my way anyway. I love Isaan.

[Rhys]

Well the observations are insightful, yet what we have to remember is we live in a different culture... Bicyclist have no voice or rights in Thailand..

Be careful..ride in the early morning Thai groups that has someone of influence..

On the pegs..

Edited April 4, 2015 by Rhys

[zyphodb]

Thais as a race are very self absorbed on the whole, how much of this is to do with not wishing to have any confrontations with anyone I don't know, but my experience on the road on motorbikes is that they don't seem to pay attention to anyone else on the road, they're in their own little bubble...

[samuibeachcomber]

I think it's more of a reflection of where you live. I live in Isaan and cycle every day. Drivers always give me lots of room and I find them very courtious towards me and other cyclists (there are many in my town). Also I had a similiar experience as you with a puncture about 5 km from my house. A Tuk Tuk driver stopped and offered me a lift and refused to take payment from me. He told me he was going my way anyway. I love Isaan.

yes everyone i speak to says the same about isaan and its people.I have lived on Samui for the past 8 years and find southern thais(men).....very aggressive and rude and arrogant.

Am seriously thinking of leaving this place and making a move to isaan.I would miss the island but not its people.

[Birdman]

I had a bicycle, which I bought in Penang, and loved to ride in the woods. But the stress to get there on the roads were too much. So I sold it. That was over 20 years ago.

[carmine]

I think it's more of a reflection of where you live. I live in Isaan and cycle every day. Drivers always give me lots of room and I find them very courtious towards me and other cyclists (there are many in my town). Also I had a similiar experience as you with a puncture about 5 km from my house. A Tuk Tuk driver stopped and offered me a lift and refused to take payment from me. He told me he was going my way anyway. I love Isaan.

yes everyone i speak to says the same about isaan and its people.I have lived on Samui for the past 8 years and find southern thais(men).....very aggressive and rude and arrogant.

Am seriously thinking of leaving this place and making a move to isaan.I would miss the island but not its people.

Totally agree with you but i'd have no wish to live in Isaan. People here these days seem to just know they can behave as they wish with total impunity.

[Birdman]

yes everyone i speak to says the same about isaan and its people.I have lived on Samui for the past 8 years and find southern thais(men).....very aggressive and rude and arrogant.

Am seriously thinking of leaving this place and making a move to isaan.I would miss the island but not its people.

I live on Samui almost 30 years now and had not once any kind of problems with the locals.

I would never live in Isaan, actually I would never live at a place which is not nearby the sea in Thailand.

Why should I, if there are places like Samui, KPG, Koh Chang, Koh Kood ..... with very nice beaches, a fantastic tropical sea, fresh air all year, fresh seafood, evergreen, lush forests, easy living etc

[kaorop]

I had a bicycle, which I bought in Penang, and loved to ride in the woods. But the stress to get there on the roads were too much. So I sold it. That was over 20 years ago.

'20+ years' Why even mention it?

[Birdman]

well, to show, that if traffic was that troublesome then, how it must be now.

[Virt]

Sad the traffic situation on Samui is so dangerous, but i think the situation for bicyclists all over the world is pretty dangerous.

Here in Denmark we have about 30 bicyclists or so dying each year after accidents on the roads, so even in countries where there has been done a great deal of work towards safety for bicyclists, people still die on the roads.

I would love as a tourist on Samui to be able to rent a bicycle and drive around the island to see places we have never seen before, but i'm to afraid to get hurt on the roads, that it always end up in taxi if we want to go somewhere.

Wish Samui had some form of public bus transport system on the ringroad other than the overpaid "sorry meter is broken today" taxis and Songthaews where it's never certain how much you have to pay.

[junglechef]

I'm in Samui for my annual 2 mnth family vacation from Chiang Mai with bike as usual. Pretty terrified to ride from rental bungaloo in Bang Po to Soi 1 Mae Nam to ride Mt Bike tracks. I go at daybreak and have found some backroads routes for return ride. Last year I brought 5 bikes so each of my kids could ride too, this year left the others at home.

I live 40 min outside of Chiang Mai and might see a car or two untill I get to the single track in the hills. Wouldn't say the drivers respect cyclists in the North from what I've expericened when I have ridden on busier roads and the few times in the city.

So it is unfortunate that one might have to trasport one's bike to a place with single track or move to a remote area as I have here.

Road riding is a whole other issue which I do once again only in places where I know the traffic is light.

Also I wouldn't even think of renting a motorbike here and am even feel unsafe driving my large van on Samui.

[Tropicalevo]

I think it's more of a reflection of where you live. I live in Isaan and cycle every day. Drivers always give me lots of room and I find them very courtious towards me and other cyclists (there are many in my town). Also I had a similiar experience as you with a puncture about 5 km from my house. A Tuk Tuk driver stopped and offered me a lift and refused to take payment from me. He told me he was going my way anyway. I love Isaan.

yes everyone i speak to says the same about isaan and its people.I have lived on Samui for the past 8 years and find southern thais(men).....very aggressive and rude and arrogant.

Am seriously thinking of leaving this place and making a move to isaan.I would miss the island but not its people.

But Issancomber does not have quite the same 'ring' to it