Riding a motorcycle - common dangers

The most dangerous thing:
A middle aged woman on a badly maintained Honda Cub/ Dream with no brake/tail lights and wearing a floppy hat pulled down so as to protect the already tanned skin and restrict vision by 70%. She will be going through a traffic circle( roundabout) in the wrong lane whislt talking on the phone as its a vital call and cannot be missed. She will then suddenly realise she wants to turn left whilst being in the far right lane and will then proceed to cross over two lanes while still holding the conversation at decibels that could deafen someone 15- metres away.

Sun protection outweighs personal safety by a mile.

Pretty much the accepted mentality is scooter has right of way on paths, roads anywhere the rider feels like.

And in the ebent of an accident it is always the othet persons fault even if the other vehicle is much  bigger the scooter rider takes risks... no concept that blame or not it can kill them.

Added to which the great vietnsmese scooter light bulb shortage... affdcts thousands every day who think its ok i can see... no clue than dark clothes and no rear light is tempting fate

Red traffic light for stop means you have 5 seconds after it turns Red to keep going through it.
Red traffic going to Green for go, 5 seconds before it goes Green you can take off.
Meaning there is a 10 second overlap where its every man or woman for themselves & survival of the fittest.

Tooting your horn continuously or your passenger sticking out there hand & wiggling their fingers allows you to do anything you want like, going up the street against the flow of traffic, mounting the pavement & using it as a short cut, cutting across the traffic to make a left turn at the last minute when you are at the hard right of the road.

colinoscapee wrote:

The most dangerous thing:
A middle aged woman on a badly maintained Honda Cub/ Dream with no brake/tail lights and wearing a floppy hat pulled down so as to protect the already tanned skin and restrict vision by 70%. She will be going through a traffic circle( roundabout) in the wrong lane whislt talking on the phone as its a vital call and cannot be missed. She will then suddenly realise she wants to turn left whilst being in the far right lane and will then proceed to cross over two lanes while still holding the conversation at decibels that could deafen someone 15- metres away.

Sun protection outweighs personal safety by a mile.

Ah yes!, Vietnamese street ninja women battling the dark forces of...dark skin.

As bad as bà tám women.

goodolboy wrote:

.....
....or your passenger sticking out there hand & wiggling their fingers allows you to do anything you want like, going up the street against the flow of traffic, mounting the pavement & using it as a short cut, cutting across the traffic to make a left turn at the last minute when you are at the hard right of the road.

More effective than a co-pilot 

This  gets on my nerves too..as if the front seat riders riding isn't horrible enough, passenger doing back seat driving (riding).

On a related subject i was recently asked on anoher forum if there are any incentives to intrpduced autonmous vehicles here.... haha

Roads are poor, traffiw laws are largely ignored and congestion would make walking faster

My pet peeve is people with no lights,, especially when going across my path or coming towards me on my side of the road, even more of a peeve when its a car/truck/bus

Andybris2020 wrote:

My pet peeve is people with no lights,, especially when going across my path or coming towards me on my side of the road, even more of a peeve when its a car/truck/bus

Definietly. Had a couple of close calls.

Sometimes, it's some strange contraption of a vehicle/food stall on wheels.

Andybris2020 wrote:

My pet peeve is people with no lights,, especially when going across my path or coming towards me on my side of the road, even more of a peeve when its a car/truck/bus

This is one of my pet peeves too.  So much so that my wife told me not to tell her again.    I have seen this both with old junkers with the light knocked out and with brand new bikes.  When I had mine on in early evening or around dawn, I have even had people flash theirs at me to turn mine off.  My wife tells me that it is because they think they are saving the gasoline that it takes to make the electricity.  I can't believe the amount is even measurable.  This is even more true with new LED lights.  Having an accident could cost a lot more than anyone's annual petrol bill.  Automatic running lights could be the solution but in Vietnam, people would take them in to have the feature disabled.   

A friend of mine who works for the police says its an offence to have defective lights... jyst there are not enough po.ice to stop everyone - some times i can count dozens of scooters with no lights in a few minutes

Jlgarbutt wrote:

A friend of mine who works for the police says its an offence to have defective lights... jyst there are not enough po.ice to stop everyone - some times i can count dozens of scooters with no lights in a few minutes

Not enough police, same old excuse.

The problem is the police arent out on the road. Here in Vung Tau you rarely see a cop, most are sitting in the office relaxing.

sanooku wrote:

.....
b) riding off while kickstand is down - some motorcycles counter this by having an ignition cut off, so you cannot start motorcycle without the kickstart up.
.....

Well, I'd be darned.

I was out exercising in the area around my apartment this evening and guess what?...

Guy (may be in his 30's) riding motorcycle. Kickstand was down, but that wasn't enough. He was cradling a baby in one arm with the other arm riding the motorcycle. A boy (maybe 6-7 years old) was riding pillion. Boy had both arms up in the air, as if he was celebrating something...perhaps the fact that he has an idiotic parent? I pointed at the stand and the dad deftly put his foot out (while motorbike was moving), kicked the stand-up and sped off.

This cradling baby with one hand and riding motorcycle dosen't really shock me anymore after 5 years in Vietnam (ok, maybe it does if the kickstand is down). But the first time I saw it was complete jaw dropping.

sanooku wrote:

sanooku wrote:

.....
b) riding off while kickstand is down - some motorcycles counter this by having an ignition cut off, so you cannot start motorcycle without the kickstart up.
.....

Well, I'd be darned.

I was out exercising in the area around my apartment this evening and guess what?...

Guy (may be in his 30's) riding motorcycle. Kickstand was down, but that wasn't enough. He was cradling a baby in one arm with the other arm riding the motorcycle. A boy (maybe 6-7 years old) was riding pillion. Boy had both arms up in the air, as if he was celebrating something...perhaps the fact that he has an idiotic parent? I pointed at the stand and the dad deftly put his foot out (while motorbike was moving), kicked the stand-up and sped off.

This cradling baby with one hand and riding motorcycle dosen't really shock me anymore after 5 years in Vietnam (ok, maybe it does if the kickstand is down). But the first time I saw it was complete jaw dropping.

This is a common site with bicycle vendors riding around with it down so they can quickly sell when they stop, must be fun turning right with it down.

All the Honda bikes now have lights on all the time you cant turn them off, Honda Lead we bought 2019 has it and all the bikes I have seen 2020 + 2021 have lights on soon as you turn on the ignition,,,, you can put a switch in for the headlight to turn it off/on but LED rear is wired in such a way you would have to run a wire to handlebar for a switch to control it.

This feature is also on the Honda CMX500 Rebel I bought 2017 in Australia, the indicators work as running lights.

So some makers are being pro active with bike owners to high light them on the road.

The excuses/reasons for no lights are petrol,,,, I can see so why have on? It not work,,,, and a stunned look of why are you asking even though you nearly crashed into me?

Night time in rain with an oncoming bike my side no lights is a real pucker moment.

We just did 1,4000kms over TET 2 bikes 3 boys and us, the lights were on permanatly just to make sure people saw us, very helpful over the mountain from Nha Trang to Da LAt and back down to Phan Tiet with cars, trucks, buses in the mist up in the cloud.

Ever notice that Vietnam has red lights but no STOP signs.  This is fine for motorbikes but a problem is cars and small trucks coming out from Hems (sorry for the hybrid plural) without stopping or looking.  I think this derives from the habits of driving motorbikes, which can fairly safely make a right turn and just slip into the traffic flow in the far right lane. The problem is that the same drivers don't make an adjustment when they get on 4 wheels.  They don't stop and to make it worse, they cut directly to the center or left lane of a divided street.

goodolboy wrote:

Red traffic light for stop means you have 5 seconds after it turns Red to keep going through it.
Red traffic going to Green for go, 5 seconds before it goes Green you can take off.
Meaning there is a 10 second overlap where its every man or woman for themselves & survival of the fittest.

Tooting your horn continuously or your passenger sticking out there hand & wiggling their fingers allows you to do anything you want like, going up the street against the flow of traffic, mounting the pavement & using it as a short cut, cutting across the traffic to make a left turn at the last minute when you are at the hard right of the road.

Every single day I shake my head and give my wife the countdown until I can drive in a sane environment.  Two weeks!

The person who is honking the most is the person who is riding and doing something wrong.

Andybris2020 wrote:

sanooku wrote:

sanooku wrote:

.....
b) riding off while kickstand is down - some motorcycles counter this by having an ignition cut off, so you cannot start motorcycle without the kickstart up.
.....

Well, I'd be darned.

I was out exercising in the area around my apartment this evening and guess what?...

Guy (may be in his 30's) riding motorcycle. Kickstand was down, but that wasn't enough. He was cradling a baby in one arm with the other arm riding the motorcycle. A boy (maybe 6-7 years old) was riding pillion. Boy had both arms up in the air, as if he was celebrating something...perhaps the fact that he has an idiotic parent? I pointed at the stand and the dad deftly put his foot out (while motorbike was moving), kicked the stand-up and sped off.

This cradling baby with one hand and riding motorcycle dosen't really shock me anymore after 5 years in Vietnam (ok, maybe it does if the kickstand is down). But the first time I saw it was complete jaw dropping.

....
All the Honda bikes now have lights on all the time you cant turn them off, Honda Lead we bought 2019 has it and all the bikes I have seen 2020 + 2021 have lights on soon as you turn on the ignition,,,, you can put a switch in for the headlight to turn it off/on but LED rear is wired in such a way you would have to run a wire to handlebar for a switch to control it.

This feature is also on the Honda CMX500 Rebel I bought 2017 in Australia, the indicators work as running lights.

So some makers are being pro active with bike owners to high light them on the road.

The excuses/reasons for no lights are petrol,,,, I can see so why have on? It not work,,,, and a stunned look of why are you asking even though you nearly crashed into me?
....

The honda CB150 I rented from style motorbikes in Saigon a couple of months ago had headlight always on.

I don't know if it came like that new or owner had modified.

After using so many manual switch motorbikes, I was unaware of this, so I asked owner how to turn it on/off. He said 'it's always on'. i had no issues with this.

In uk, i remember when i did the CBT (compulsory basic training - not cognitive behavioural therapy) all those years ago, the instructor said best to have headlight on even during daytime so that you are seen by other road users.

Also, don't forget that riding down the road is the perfect time to enjoy a smoke. Be sure to light up a cigarette before departure and hold in your mouth for the duration of your trip. The nicotine will certainly improve your driving performance.

sanooku wrote:

the instructor said best to have headlight on even during daytime so that you are seen by other road users.

I think this is the part about headlights that Vietnamese don't get.  They figure as long as they can see ahead, headlamps are not needed.  Daytime use of headlights in the US really began with long distance truckers, after which auto drivers and eventually manufacturers followed.

johnross23 wrote:

Also, don't forget that riding down the road is the perfect time to enjoy a smoke. Be sure to light up a cigarette before departure and hold in your mouth for the duration of your trip. The nicotine will certainly improve your driving performance.

& a couple of swift Johnnie Walkers just to steady the nerves & enhance the concentration before heading off!!

goodolboy wrote:

johnross23 wrote:

Also, don't forget that riding down the road is the perfect time to enjoy a smoke. Be sure to light up a cigarette before departure and hold in your mouth for the duration of your trip. The nicotine will certainly improve your driving performance.

& a couple of swift Johnnie Walkers just to steady the nerves & enhance the concentration before heading off!!

We have a beer club next to us and the is an alarming number of Grab. Now etc drivers that stop for a liquid breakfast of 3-6 beers before startiing their shift and again for a top up at lunch and 5pm.

God help the school kids being picked up.

colinoscapee wrote:

Not enough police, same old excuse.

The problem is the police arent out on the road. Here in Vung Tau you rarely see a cop, most are sitting in the office relaxing.

Of course, it is difficult for them to hit you up for coffee money from the office, so that's a win.

The stream of left turners from the other direction as the light turns green annoys me.  Sometimes they will enter your lane half a block before the intersection so that they can join that stream. 

The stream usually includes some larger vehicles, so you don't want to mess with them.  I've actually had to wait so long for the turners  that the light turned red for me before I could proceed straight ahead.  Then you're stuck out in the middle of the intersection with cars coming at you from both sides.

My KTM headlight can't be turned off.  I often have to shut the motorcycle off when I go to a parking garage as they can't get a good photo with the light on.

I also have someone (or two) point out each day that my headlight is on.  Yes, I know this.  I can only wave and thank them.

THIGV wrote:

sanooku wrote:

the instructor said best to have headlight on even during daytime so that you are seen by other road users.

I think this is the part about headlights that Vietnamese don't get.  They figure as long as they can see ahead, headlamps are not needed.  Daytime use of headlights in the US really began with long distance truckers, after which auto drivers and eventually manufacturers followed.

Exactly... i can see so whats the problem.. how about that 40 ton that cant see you.
A friend of mine rides her scooter with no rear lighr, her reposnse was she couldnt see it hen she was riding so assumed it worked.

Also.. whats with those dumb flashing LED kits?

Jlgarbutt wrote:

THIGV wrote:

sanooku wrote:

the instructor said best to have headlight on even during daytime so that you are seen by other road users.

I think this is the part about headlights that Vietnamese don't get.  They figure as long as they can see ahead, headlamps are not needed.  Daytime use of headlights in the US really began with long distance truckers, after which auto drivers and eventually manufacturers followed.

Exactly... i can see so whats the problem.. how about that 40 ton that cant see you.
A friend of mine rides her scooter with no rear lighr, her reposnse was she couldnt see it hen she was riding so assumed it worked.

Also.. whats with those dumb flashing LED kits?

You mean blinking brake light? if so the thinking is a flashing light gets your attention more than a static light,,,
The other reason for the blinking brake light is the idiot riding has their foot/hand on the brake and it lights up each time they hit a bump

Andybris2020 wrote:

Jlgarbutt wrote:

THIGV wrote:

I think this is the part about headlights that Vietnamese don't get.  They figure as long as they can see ahead, headlamps are not needed.  Daytime use of headlights in the US really began with long distance truckers, after which auto drivers and eventually manufacturers followed.

Exactly... i can see so whats the problem.. how about that 40 ton that cant see you.
A friend of mine rides her scooter with no rear lighr, her reposnse was she couldnt see it hen she was riding so assumed it worked.

Also.. whats with those dumb flashing LED kits?

You mean blinking brake light? if so the thinking is a flashing light gets your attention more than a static light,,,
The other reason for the blinking brake light is the idiot riding has their foot/hand on the brake and it lights up each time they hit a bump

The idiots who have the clear brake lens are the worst, nearly blinds you when they use it.

colinoscapee wrote:

Andybris2020 wrote:

Jlgarbutt wrote:

Exactly... i can see so whats the problem.. how about that 40 ton that cant see you.
A friend of mine rides her scooter with no rear lighr, her reposnse was she couldnt see it hen she was riding so assumed it worked.

Also.. whats with those dumb flashing LED kits?

You mean blinking brake light? if so the thinking is a flashing light gets your attention more than a static light,,,
The other reason for the blinking brake light is the idiot riding has their foot/hand on the brake and it lights up each time they hit a bump

The idiots who have the clear brake lens are the worst, nearly blinds you when they use it.

Yeah ,,,, but did it get your attention? job done haha

Andybris2020 wrote:

colinoscapee wrote:

Andybris2020 wrote:

You mean blinking brake light? if so the thinking is a flashing light gets your attention more than a static light,,,
The other reason for the blinking brake light is the idiot riding has their foot/hand on the brake and it lights up each time they hit a bump

The idiots who have the clear brake lens are the worst, nearly blinds you when they use it.

Yeah ,,,, but did it get your attention? job done haha

When sitting at a traffic light and they have their hand on the brake , its not much fun.

goodolboy wrote:

....or your passenger sticking out there hand & wiggling their fingers ....

I've also seen this with the Vietnamese Police motorbikes with passenger cop onboard. Wonder if Vietnamese motorcyclists have copied this from them.

the difference with the police officer passenger is of course that they may be controlling traffic or helping other road users. one time I was sitting in the middle of quite a complicated junction and it looked like I was gonna go down the wrong way. A police officer passenger on a police motorbike was gesturing to me the correct road to take with his hand as they rode past.