Speed!

Big_Dave

Ol'Timer
Apr 21, 2016
124
59
28
Malaysia
Guys, having been in and around many different parts of Asia for over 40 years the greatest single piece of advice I can offer to riders is to SLOW DOWN. This has been a continual bug bear of mine for years. I have lost numerous friends over the years, several involved in speed related accidents. Take your time, enjoy the scenery and who cares if you arrive an hour later...at least you do so alive.

I make no apologies for what I write now. Malaysian riders, you guys are amongst the worst I have ever seen. You are so used to doing crazy speeds on the great Malaysian highways, 160-180++ not uncommon and then you get on Thai roads and continue riding at crazy speeds. The number of times I have been passed by Malaysian bikers on everything from sports bikes to GS's going far over the speed limit is insane. Think of your families. Your biggest priority is to return home safely to them. SLOW DOWN.
 
A Thai safety vdo on Speed & Tunnel Vision

If you wanted to read more on the visual effects and latest understanding of how we interpret what we see when riding and driving, have a look at the No Surprise / No Accident Resources Page in the Vision section. It's a very interesting topic.
This is a video on the topic from a different angle as well, Duncan, the guy in the video, is one of the guys behind the No Surprise thinking in the UK
OK, the reasons why drivers pull out in Thailand are often different, especially when the Land Traffic Act is confusing on basic fundamentals like which way to "give way" to, but the same thinking can also be applied.