Farangs riding scooters in middle of the road

[nemrut]

Why are so many Farang riding their scooters in the middle of the road vs on the far left as is customary in Thailand? Noticing it more and more and often by a certain gender.

It can't be attributed to simple ignorance as most Thais on scooters stay in the far left unless passing. Are they trying to make a statement?

[CMMCB]

Could be a bit of a debate about this. Basically, if you're keeping up with what passes for a flow of traffic here, you should be allowed as much of the lane as anyone else (car, bicycle, motorcy), but if you're going significantly slower than the flow, you should keep left/out of the way. It's speed rather than just position that's key.

[MaeJoMTB]

I ride my bicycle in the middle of a lane too.

If you don't a lorry or bus will squeeze you off the road, or drive past frighteningly close.

Not to mention highway offlanes, I'm well in the middle passing them else a car will pull alongside me then attempt to force me over.

Make em change lanes to pass you is safest.

PS

In town I'm cycling at the speed limit, if you overtake me you are breaking the law.

(Not that anyone cares about speed limits)

Edited June 1, 2015 by MaeJoMTB

[uptheos]

As the posts above state, you are allowed as much of the lane as anyone else as long as you are keeping up.

Maybe they're starting to follow the example of the Chinese?

[chingmai331]

' a certain gender'? What, some secret secret gender in your mind or can you simply not say 'females'? Quit watching the birds and drive.

[naboo]

I ride my bike where I fell it is most appropriate. The left of the road is most dangerous.

[mesquite]

The far left side is a perfect place to get clipped by someone opening a parked car door or nailed by someone pulling out of a side street without looking

Edited June 1, 2015 by mesquite

[stoneyboy]

Why are so many Farang riding their scooters in the middle of the road vs on the far left as is customary in Thailand? Noticing it more and more and often by a certain gender.

It can't be attributed to simple ignorance as most Thais on scooters stay in the far left unless passing. Are they trying to make a statement?

What if like me and many others you are riding a Pcx 150 cc or larger still the Forza 300 cc,why should one be subjected to driving in the far left having to undertake and be extra careful of the head on collision that is a daily occurrence here due to people driving the wrong way up the road.

[Patong2]

Inconsiderate and idiotic describes these drivers.

A prudent driver keeps as far to the left as practical, which doesn't mean you have to drive in the gravel, just leave room for other drivers to pass.

Love to see some of these ignoramuses on a US freeway trying their tactics on an 18 wheeler.

Now just get out of my way

[BFerearnk]

Inconsiderate and idiotic describes these drivers.

A prudent driver keeps as far to the left as practical, which doesn't mean you have to drive in the gravel, just leave room for other drivers to pass.

Love to see some of these ignoramuses on a US freeway trying their tactics on an 18 wheeler.

Now just get out of my way

Dont think your not driving long enought in Tha.

Just hope as dicrived above, nobody opens the cardoor driver sits on the right in Tha) just in front of you are pull out regardless. As they do both most of the time.

Give you not even one month and you drive in the middle of the left lane too.

[Ulysses G.]

The far left side is a perfect place to get clipped by someone opening a parked car door or nailed by someone pulling out of a side street without looking

True. Also, the street is often damaged and it is easy to slip and lose control.

Edited June 1, 2015 by Ulysses G.

[Patong2]

Inconsiderate and idiotic describes these drivers.

A prudent driver keeps as far to the left as practical, which doesn't mean you have to drive in the gravel, just leave room for other drivers to pass.

Love to see some of these ignoramuses on a US freeway trying their tactics on an 18 wheeler.

Now just get out of my way

Dont think your not driving long enought in Tha.

Just hope as dicrived above, nobody opens the cardoor driver sits on the right in Tha) just in front of you are pull out regardless. As they do both most of the time.

Give you not even one month and you drive in the middle of the left lane too.

Been riding bikes in Thailand for about 15 years and other countries for 45 so I do have a little experience.

In Thailand you have to ride in total defensive mode, the hazards come at you from any direction, including idiot car drivers opening doors straight into a lane of traffic.

Some of the drivers here totally disregard motorbikes and if you are in the middle of a lane they will just move over on you, it is better to allow them to get past easily, we won't even discuss the mad lane changing van and truck drivers who go even faster in the wet.

I'll be here riding next month and I'll be allowing as much space around me as I can give other drivers.

[sfokevin]

And how many time have you been confronted with a car that has pulled out of a Soi and has the front half of his car blocking the left side while he waits to turn...

And then the Songtows!... How many times have you tried to pass a slow songtow in your left lane and then see someone on the curb ahead :-0...

But it is sweet revenge when those poor saps in their cars sit thru a couple 2 minute stoplight while we get to weave our way to the front of the line ;-)

Edited June 1, 2015 by sfokevin

[BuddhaMind]

Inconsiderate and idiotic describes these drivers.

A prudent driver keeps as far to the left as practical, which doesn't mean you have to drive in the gravel, just leave room for other drivers to pass.

Love to see some of these ignoramuses on a US freeway trying their tactics on an 18 wheeler.

Now just get out of my way

no, you sound like the ignoramus that told me to go back to america the other day (to learn how to drive) because i parked my bike behind him at a 7-11, like all Thais do in Thailand. your reference to america is asinine and arrogant.

[nemrut]

Could be a bit of a debate about this. Basically, if you're keeping up with what passes for a flow of traffic here, you should be allowed as much of the lane as anyone else (car, bicycle, motorcy), but if you're going significantly slower than the flow, you should keep left/out of the way. It's speed rather than just position that's key.

You could say the same for riding a bike in the US but that doesnt mean it's prudent(esp in US) nor culturally acceptable. If there are no cars parket on the shoulder and no car pulled too far out of a side street, you should do as the locals do and stay as far left as possible.

[zeichen]

When I got my first motorcycle license we had to take a safety course and we were instructed to never drive in absolute center but either to the left or to the right so the car in front can see you in their mirrors.

As others have said, I tend to drive slightly to the left but be careful as cars often pull out. I am often pushed off to the shoulder from cars that just want to get 2 meters ahead. I don't get the sense of entitlement that car drivers have here. I was quite used to driving in the US where cars to mess with bikers. I just let the aggressive drivers pass me and let them drive on. I try to read the road 4-5 cars ahead and behind.

15 years here 250k km on the road and never any real accident. I am lucky for certain but also just overly cautious.

As for the phenomenon of westerns here driving in the middle. Who knows, most likely they don't actually know how to ride or have never taken a safety course. Thailand it is common for car drivers to drive the 4 wheels like they would 2 wheels since most people start with a motorcycle before a car here. Perhaps the Foreigners are used to driving cars and use the same manner.

[mr chow]

"When in Rome" craziness breeds craziness.

Everyone drives like shit in Thailand.

[taotoo]

As the posts above state, you are allowed as much of the lane as anyone else as long as you are keeping up.

Maybe they're starting to follow the example of the Chinese?

I think I read recently that the highway code states that all vehicles must stay as far left in their lane as possible.

[NeverSure]

Inconsiderate and idiotic describes these drivers.

A prudent driver keeps as far to the left as practical, which doesn't mean you have to drive in the gravel, just leave room for other drivers to pass.

Love to see some of these ignoramuses on a US freeway trying their tactics on an 18 wheeler.

Now just get out of my way

"Now just get out of my way."

OK, We'll be sure that's engraved on your tombstone.

[jonwilly]

"In Thailand you have to ride in total defensive mode"

How True, or you'll soon be kissing concrete.

john

Motorcyclist.

[LindaLovelace]

Everybody can choose to drive where they wish. I choose to drive wherever I think it safest for my own skin, period. I couldn't care less about anybody's opinion. The road is dynamic, a place of constantly changing circumstances; there is no universal answer to this question. What is the purpose of this thread anyway?

[bristolgeoff]

I generally drive in the centre of the lane,if someone wants to overtake I move over to the left.i think that is common in thailand

[arunsakda]

Hmm, Haven't there been too many of these cultural bashing posts lately?

[MESmith]

I ride my bicycle in the middle of a lane too.

If you don't a lorry or bus will squeeze you off the road, or drive past frighteningly close.

Not to mention highway offlanes, I'm well in the middle passing them else a car will pull alongside me then attempt to force me over.

Make em change lanes to pass you is safest.

PS

In town I'm cycling at the speed limit, if you overtake me you are breaking the law.

(Not that anyone cares about speed limits)

What is the speed limit in town? Wasn't there a thread recently about the authorities thinking about reducing it to 40kph?

[technologybytes]

As a motorcyclist you have to judge the safest position as you see it at the time, sometimes it is safer to be on the left and sometimes it's safer to be in the same place you would be as a car driver.

[ronthai]

It is a lot safer in the middle, when going with the flow.

No/less potholes, water drains, car doors, side roads creeping cars.

Driving in the middle also gives a better view in the bikes mirrors for both sides.

Now if all the car drivers (incl. farangs) would just stay in their own lane and stop being idiots just to get 1 car ahead ..., well hope the OP is done complaining about us scooter drivers.

Edited June 2, 2015 by ronthai

[kovaltech]

Inconsiderate and idiotic describes these drivers.

A prudent driver keeps as far to the left as practical, which doesn't mean you have to drive in the gravel, just leave room for other drivers to pass.

Love to see some of these ignoramuses on a US freeway trying their tactics on an 18 wheeler.

Now just get out of my way

the last 3 years , i drove about 60k with my 250 in Thailand...

I drive assertive, in the middle of the lane, to ensure that i always have time to avoid and...

to give the "error makers" less space where as they think " yes i can pass"

The more as you drive far left, the more they will push you, leaving you no room for escape.

just don't give room for making errors and make sure that they see you...

[Coaster11]

As the posts above state, you are allowed as much of the lane as anyone else as long as you are keeping up.

Maybe they're starting to follow the example of the Chinese?

I think I read recently that the highway code states that all vehicles must stay as far left in their lane as possible.

"I think I read recently that the highway code states that all vehicles must stay as far left in their lane as possible."

That's correct and many bike riders have been fined for using the right line of 2 because of "pai kwa mai dai" recently along the 118 Bor Hin and possibly other places too.

Bikes of any size aren't allowed in the right lane of 2...apparently. It certainly provides a great opportunity to collect 400 baht/bike rider spotted doing it at these revenue collecting check points.

[Bellacissa]

The very first thing you learn in a motorcycle safety course (in the US anyway) is to always give yourself multiple outs in case you get into trouble. Driving in the far left of the far left lane gives you no outs whatsoever. If someone comes barreling towards you, you have nowhere to go. I stay in the center of the lane. That way, I at least have a chance of going one of two directions if I come across an obstacle.

I also don't run up on the car in front of me. If he stops short, I have no desire to fly over the roof of his vehicle. I stay far enough back so that I can see both side mirrors of the car in front of me. Unfortunately, staying a little further back also means that people think they can squeeze in the gap.

And, because it will likely come up, yes... I'm female.

[paulchiangmai]

I ride my bicycle in the middle of a lane too.

If you don't a lorry or bus will squeeze you off the road, or drive past frighteningly close.

Not to mention highway offlanes, I'm well in the middle passing them else a car will pull alongside me then attempt to force me over.

Make em change lanes to pass you is safest.

PS

In town I'm cycling at the speed limit, if you overtake me you are breaking the law.

(Not that anyone cares about speed limits)

What is the speed limit in town? Wasn't there a thread recently about the authorities thinking about reducing it to 40kph?

A good question but will it make the slightest bit of difference? I see a lot of 60 in a circle painted on the ring roads lately, have been a few for a long time now but lots more added recently. Tell me, have you ever seen a vehicle take the slightest bit of notice? In fact the number of vehicles doing twice that speed is the norm.