Motorcycle Story

By Thomas Rossetti

Wow! What a year. Although this story runs its course in February, the pen goes to paper early in January. I've talked to several people in the know, one of which is a Policeman who has indicated in no uncertain terms that the last few months have allowed our local hospitals to do a brisk trade in record numbers. Although the exact numbers are hard to secure and ascertain, it is obvious to me that there were a whole lot of people hitting the pavement the end of 2007, the beginning of 2008. I even made contact with a very large dog that did some major damage to my front end and a friend of mine hit the pavement in Jomtien and broke his T-9 vertebrae that will find him in recuperation mode for several months to come. I suppose that generally speaking large numbers of accidents are normal during the high season months and it makes me even more intent in imparting as much useful safety information as I can to reinforce my own personal safety riding strategies whilst writing and doing the research and maybe just perhaps getting one person to re-think careless riding practices.

The one thing I have learned about Pattaya more than any other place is whether it's riding a motorcycle or driving a car, the street here is dangerous business. Sure you say, this can be said about anywhere you negotiate an environment. But Pattaya IS different. As more and more people come here to live, as more and more businesses open up and as the same roads that were used 10 years ago are being used to handle the extra influx of traffic, "people" tend to take more chances rather than wait a few extra moments at a light. Or, why give an extra glance when making a right or left coming out of a Soi. It's an extra moment of time that could be better served getting to a destination quicker but NOT necessarily safer. Have you ever counted how many times someone making a turn comes rushing out without even checking to see if you or anyone else was approaching? It truly is an amazing thing. In another country, the blame for any occurrence would rest on the shoulders of the one making the mistake. Here, it tends to play out a bit differently. It's neither good nor bad, it just is.

About a year or maybe it was even two years ago, I ran a story regarding a philosophy called Search, Predict and Act. I think it deserves mentioning again. The thinking goes something like this. You ride, you look, observe, read, analyze, There's probably 20 different words that could describe the process. In motorcycle safety jargon, it's known as “search”. Then you, think, what if, that girl with the family and a dog on the bike with no helmet talking on the phone, turns in front of you or hits someone or something in front of her (in front of you), you "predict". Then you, move left or right, slow down or speed up, you "act". Sounds pretty simple doesn't it. It is and usually comes natural for those people who spend a lot of time on their bikes. Sometimes however, this naturally learned procedure takes a back seat to complacency and watching a pretty girl walk across the street. This happens to the best of us, no matter how long you think you've been riding. Things go wrong in a matter of mili-seconds. Try to count out a mili-second. If you snap your finger, you took too long.

I think when it comes down to it, those basic principles need to be constantly reinforced and re-examined. It's hard sometimes to be pro-active when a dog runs out of nowhere and you've got no real choice. You've sometimes got to ride it out and hope for the best but generally speaking you can pretty much figure it isn't wise to be around someone who's got her whole family and dog, talking on a mobile phone. Distance yourself and put yourself in another scene. There is always enough time. Always enough time to enjoy the ride. Search, Predict and Act. Ride safe and Enjoy.