Thai Motorcyclists are Dangerous. What’s Your View?

I just don’t get it. Why do motor cyclists pull out from sois onto a main road without looking? This is one of the two things I still don’t understand about Thailand.

Yes, some roads have cycle lanes into which they can filter reasonably safely, but most roads do not have these. As a motorist, if a car is coming towards you, you can’t even swerve to avoid the rider. Is it fatalism?

The Buddhist view is that life is full of suffering and is impermanent. That your life is predetermined so that you have no control over events anyway. I’m not convinced that is the reason.

The police will rarely prosecute a motor cyclist for any dangerous riding offence. Perhaps motor cyclists realise that. The motorist will usually pick up both the blame and the tab for any expenses. Particularly up-country, many riders are uninsured and may have no licence in any case.

It is common for riders to approach on the wrong side of the road. In most cases, you can clearly see them and adjust your driving accordingly. Weaving in and out of lanes is expected so there are no surprises there. Moving directly from the inside cycle track to the offside lane in order to complete a U-turn happens regularly.

You’ll get used to it. I have. But I still don’t understand the casual and blasé way they pull out of the sois and the way they overtake you on the nearside when you are already signaling.

Actually, I have a theory on why they do this. More on that later.