Why I Rarely Give Way to Pedestrians at Crossings

[Homer]

I don't identify with any of those categories.

The categories are from the riders points of view. I've rarely met a driver or rider, in any country, who thought they were below average in ability or were unpredictable.

[bsdk1960]

Had I not been aware, I'd have at least clipped her rear end, and there would have been 2 young heads destined to make contact with the tarmac.

How many hours have you accumulated riding a motorbike in traffic here? None or close to it? It doesn't take long for riders here to realize there are 3 types of 4 wheeled vehicle drivers.

The most common type are hyper attentive. They don't want to be in a motorbike swarm, so they let them by until it's safe to proceed. When starting, stopping or turning, these drivers give precedence to bikes because the riders will be passing.

The second type, far less common, drive as if they assume bikes and pedestrians will get out of their way, and couldn't care less if they don't.

The least predictable drivers, and thus the most dangerous, are the ones between the 2 types.

[margaretcarnes]

I saw a shocking incident yesterday which could have ended with two elderly pedestrians dead. People were waiting to cross at the pedestrian lights outside Bangkok hospital, the lights turned to red well before I got there and stopped. An elderly fragile Thai couple were slowly crossing the road towards the hospital when a black Toyota pick up screamed up the inside motorcycle lane and went straight through the lights missing the couple by inches. The lady was so badly shocked she had to sit on the pavement to recover and help came from inside the hospital.
Absolute idiots on the roads here

This illustrates exactly why I have some sympathy for BBs attitude to not stopping at crossings. When idiots like that can undertake (which is bad enough) and jump a red light there's no hope for pedestrians trying to cross on a pedestrian crossing with no lights. Any driver who stops and then finds another vehicle passes and wipes out a pedestrian is always going to think 'what if'.

[Big Boy]

You see it every time the lights go red. The vehicles that move to the motorcycle lane are basically signalling their intention not to stop. Of course, us locals realise what they're doing, but the town's visitors? They don't stand a chance.