Motorbikes and scooters are the most well-liked mode of transport in Thailand, and most of south east Asia. In many instances, they’re the ‘engine’ for the local economies. Most of them simply go and go and go, they’re astonishingly dependable. Getting around on a motorcycle is straightforward sufficient and will get you to your destination faster, while the automobiles and vans are plodding alongside within the visitors.
But driving a bike in Thailand may also be very dangerous. If you stick with the frequent sense basics – ride throughout the speed limits, put on a motorbike helmet, obey the site visitors guidelines and don’t drink and drive – it remains a wonderfully reliable method to get round.
Here’s our Top Ten tips to make your journey on the motorcycle safer, and, more comfy.
Number 1. Wear acceptable clothes. Falling off a motorbike with out anything covering your knees or elbows, goes to be painful sufficient – having no less than some cloth between you and the road goes to reduce the painful grazes a bit. Long pants and a protracted shirt are a good start. Always wear shoes for a similar reason. And a motorbike helmet as nicely – it’s the law and it could save your life.
Number 2. Keep your bike in good situation. As hardy and dependable as the modern motorbikes are, they may run better and for longer if you keep up the service schedule, and change the oil around once a month. Apart from changing the engine oil, keep an eye fixed on the tyres as the street surfaces in much of Thailand, plus the heat and humidity, will wear down your tread quickly. Your brakes may even want checking. Then there’s the lights at the front and back, that are your greatest approach to inform different driver’s what you’re doing in the visitors. Indicators is probably not used much by the locals, but YOU should.
Number three. Make positive you have a proper license. Your car license in your home country isn’t authorized in Thailand to journey a motorbike. Your International Drivers License for cars, issued in your house nation isn’t going to chop it both. Legally, the one document that can fulfill the Thai authorized system, officially, is a Thai motorcycle license. Keep this in mind if you want to rent a motorbike! If you reside in Thailand you simply should get a proper motorbike drivers license of you want to experience a motorcycle here. And while we’re speaking a couple of Thai Motorbike License, we’re talking about the ones you get from the Land Transport Offices, not along Khao San street for 500 baht!
Number 4. Check your travel and medical insurance. Every week The Thaiger hears from tourists caught in a Thai hospital with mounting hospital payments and an insurance coverage firm that won’t pay out because they didn’t have a correct drivers license. Or no insurance at all. And even in case you have travel or health insurance, check the fine print because most insurance contracts don’t embody driving on motorbikes in Thailand.
Number 5. Driving is different in Thailand. Many of the principles are the identical as nations that also drive on the left-hand side of the road. But it’s a completely totally different vibe. Apart from the lunatics that drive too quick, drink-drive or ghost ride…. That’s driving against the move of traffic on the incorrect aspect of the road…. there’s only a totally different perspective to driving. It’s a bit like swimming with a college of fish… should you just go-with-the-flow, and keep within the stream of traffic, you’ll usually do properly. Be further careful and mindful if you’re not used to the circulate of Thai site visitors. Number
Number 6. Green lights imply GO. Red lights additionally imply GO…. generally. You’ll see what we mean. Don’t even take into consideration making an attempt it. You’ll either end up fined, or lifeless.
Number 7. Have a apply. If you’re both new to driving a motorcycle or new to driving a bike in Thailand don’t thrust yourself right into a busy stretch of road immediately. Try something somewhat calmer and slower to get a really feel of the subtle differences in Thai site visitors motion. You’re sharing the road with vehicles, vehicles, buses and passenger vans.
Refund ’re meant to stay on the left hand aspect and you’d be properly advised to take action, regardless of the behaviour of some Thai motorbike drivers that need to mix it with the ‘big boys’. Get some confidence along with your motorcycle and way it handles, and moving in and round visitors on a quiet street before you sort out the principle roads.
Number 8. There’s pot holes, then there’s POT HOLES. The roads round Thailand have actually improved up to now decade however you’ll nonetheless discover pot holes in places there wasn’t one the day before. If you need a really good cause for giving plenty of distance between you and the automotive in entrance, it’s to see the pot gap before you discover yourself IN it. Whilst automobile tyres may glide over these holes within the road, your motorcycle is likely to come to an abrupt halt, with you persevering with over the front of the handlebars – something to do with Newton’s first regulation of motion.
Number 9. If you’re undecided, don’t. Never ridden a motorbike? Didn’t experience a bike in your own country? There’s two good causes not to strive it for your first time in Thailand.
It could be a bit of a challenge for even experienced motorcycle drivers, nicely different anyway. There’s plenty of other ways to get round and if you’d like THAT selfie on your Facebook web page there’s hundreds of bikes parked by the side of the street the place you could get a photo. Just as a outcome of your friends did it after they travelled to Thailand doesn’t mean you must.
Number 10. Police will typically arbitrate on the spot at an accident. If you are in the mistaken and damaged someone or someone else’s bike you’re probably going to need to pay up. Now, there’s the ‘official’ approach to kind things out in these case and the ‘unofficial’.
The policemen will get to the scene quickly sufficient and, usually, resolve there and then who was at fault. They’ll typically negotiate how a lot should be paid as properly. The urban fantasy is that Thai police at all times side with the the locals – that’s not the case though, if you are certainly in the wrong then you’re IN THE WRONG!