Julien wrote:We must be careful, that's all.
Unfortunately, being careful isn't enough. After moving to Khon Kaen from Udon about 3 years ago, I made a decision to buy a car. This decision occured roughly 5 seconds after my wife & I were cut down by a truck that swerved into us for no apparent reason. We were quite lucky as we were both wearing helmets at the time. I ended up with a bruised knee & a scab the size of a strip of bacon on my back, while my wife nearly lost a finger, but quick medical intervention saved her pinky.
Remarkably, the driver of the truck actually stopped!!! This is quite rare - typically, people flee if at all possible in situations like this, especially if they are at fault. Taking responsibility for one's actions isn't on the top of the priority list for Thais. The driver was freaking out, waving 2,000 baht in my face. I took the money & told her to piss off. I was more focused on saving my wife's finger & took her to a clinic that was literally across the street.
Anyway, since then, neither my wife nor me has driven a motorcycle out of our little village within KKC. Regardless of how sane/sober/safe you are, driving a cycle in Thailand is much like playing Russian roulette. This graphic video reminded me of why I drive sparingly & when I do, it's a car.