Driving a 2 wheeled vehicle in Thailand

[Confuscious]

I noticed a few months a new driving style amongst the 2 wheeled vehicles.

Specially motorbikes, but lately also bikes.

The new drive style consists in following the White marker line on the road.

This is annoying for the other vehicles on the road as they need now to sweep out of their trajectory if they want to pass the slow driving 2 wheeler.

But it is also a very dangerous way of driving.

Did anybody see the same style of driving?

[khwaibah]

Its not new. They are in their lane. Any lane they want. Been that way for ever.

[zeichen]

better than when cars drive in two lanes.

As you can see in the picture, there is debris and rubble on the outer shoulder. Personally, I have never see people drive entirely on the line. I do see a lot of bicycle riders taking up the middle of a car lane. On the major roads it really pisses of drivers.

[KhunBENQ]

From the picture I don't see a reason why they could not drive on the shoulder.

I know roads where it is explicitely mandated by signs to use the shoulder for bicycles AND motorbikes (at least on certain stretches).

One must be suicidal to drive a bicycle on the center of a lane on a Thai rural road.

On the rare occasions that I (slowly, 40 km/h) ride a scooter here, I cling to the far left as good as possible.

Edited June 6, 2015 by KhunBENQ

[h90]

I go with the bicycle right of the white marker......on the left is often sand and holes. On the white maker are often these reflective bumper which are a killer for the road bike.

[CharlieH]

Moved to bikes

[papa al]

In the photo the bike rider is likely swinging right a bit to avoid photographer?

Bicyclists in USA will ride the line same same.

Riding in that line and another vehicle clips her on her right side, she still has pavement on her left to recover.

If same happened and she was already far left, then she is off the road.

Car can go around.

If you have to 'sweep out of your trajectory,'

too <deleted> bad.

Edited June 6, 2015 by papa al

[Tim207]

On the rare occasions that I (slowly, 40 km/h) ride a scooter here, I cling to the far left as good as possible.

I used to do that to. After the second snake strike bouncing off my shoe I decided that I didn't want to test the old addage "third time is a charm".

[thrilled]

I stopped the 2 wheeling in Thailand.Motor or no motor.Not worth having my body tore up.

[tifino]

on a 2 wheeler I always maintained at least 60cm in from the edge of the bitumen. If that means going over the white line, then so be it!

This is to give me the potential space to recover if for example a truck passes and one gets buffeted by the air pressure from that vehicle.

This is easier on the trike, as it is 106cm wide, and took up a lane width, all by itself

[zyphodb]

Riding on white lines is maybe ok in the dry here but when it rains those white lines are slippery as hell,a good way to fall off banking around a corner... I suspect that in the 1st world sand is put in the paint that they use for road markings. They certainly dont do that here...

[papa al]

I sometimes see how long I can ride staying in the stripe.

With practice ==> miles.